A TikToker and hopeful influencer has gone viral after warning about a new Wells Fargo Zelle scam.
Most of Charlotte Stenz’s (@charlottestenz8) social media content consists of unboxing videos, get-ready-with-mes, and funny mozzarella stick reviews. However, a tearful video warns bank customers to be wary of who they talk to on the phone.
It has more than 3.3 million views and counting.
Warning about a new Wells Fargo Zelle scam
“I’m literally crying outside Wells Fargo right now,” Stenz tells her viewers in the video.
Stenz states that “a Wells Fargo number” contacted her. She says the person on the line claimed to have noticed fraudulent Zelle activity on her account.
“A random person was being sent money from Zelle,” she says the caller told her.
Additionally, Stenz states, “I’ve never used Zelle, so this freaked me out.” She says someone instructed her to send money through Zelle to “secure” her account.
“I did everything they said to do, and they literally drained my bank account,” she says.
Afterward, Stenz says the call felt “sketchy,” and she immediately went to a Wells Fargo branch to find out if the call was legitimate. She says she broke down crying upon entering the building.
What happened at the bank?
Stenz states that once at the bank, an employee used her phone to call the purported “Wells Fargo” number back. The person at the other end of the line reportedly hung up after the bank employee asked them to confirm a code.
Surprisingly, Stenz says, “I didn’t give [the scammers] any of my bank information, any numbers, any anything.” Still, she says someone stole all the money in her account through her first Zelle payment.
Subsequently, Stenz says she met with the real fraud department. She adds that they are disputing the charges.
How to spot phone scams
Obviously, Stenz’s first call, despite coming from a Wells Fargo number, raised a major red flag when she was asked to transfer funds via Zelle.
Wells Fargo’s website offers specific advice about digital transfer scams, warning:
“Be on the lookout for bank imposters who tell you to send a wire to another account or person in order to protect your money. We’ll never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else.”
According to San Francisco’s ABC affiliate, “Zelle offers no fraud protections and the law is unclear on peer-to-peer apps. Federal law requires refunds for unauthorized money transfers, but banks say these victims did authorize the transfers, even if it was a scam.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Wells Fargo and Zelle via email for a statement.
Viewers react
Several of Stenz’s viewers issued after-the-fact warnings.
Malena Ocasio (@malenaocasio) wrote, “First mistake is banks never call!!!”
“Always always say ‘thanks for bringing it to my attention. I’m going to hang up and call the bank back directly at the number on my card.’ If it’s legit, they’ll say ‘That’s a good idea,’” another viewer added.
Other viewers discouraged her from speaking on the phone at all.
“I don’t answer a single call anymore, they don’t leave a message, then it was obviously not that important,” Splash (@user..sh2) wrote.
@charlottestenz8 ‼️PSA wells fargo scam. #wellsfargo #scam #psa #fypage #fraud #bankscam ♬ original sound – Charlotte Stenz
Another person wrote, “I don’t answer any calls anymore if they need me they will leave a message.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Charlotte via email and TikTok direct message for further comment.
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