A distraught Wells Fargo customer is hoping her viral TikTok video prevents what happened to her from happening to others.
Charlotte Stenz (@charlottestenz8) shared the details in a TikTok video posted on July 27. It has since amassed over 1.8 million views.
“Let me tell you about a scam so that you don’t also fall for it and have your bank accounts drained,” Stenz begins, her voice shaking. “Literally crying outside of Wells Fargo right now.”
The scam, she says, began with a call from what appeared to be a legitimate Wells Fargo number. The caller claimed there was “fraudulent activity” on Stenz’s account, specifically unauthorized Zelle transactions. Stenz, who claims she had never used Zelle, was immediately alarmed.
In response, Stenz claims, the scammers instructed her to “secure” her account by sending money through Zelle. She says they promised it would be returned immediately. Despite feeling uneasy, Stenz says she complied, believing she was speaking with actual bank representatives.
“Looking back on it, I literally feel like an old person that fell for a stupid scam,” Stenz admits. “Like, I feel so dumb.”
It wasn’t until Stenz rushed to a nearby Wells Fargo branch—the same one she’s standing in front of in the video—that the full extent of the fraud became apparent. Bank employees, she says, confirmed she fell victim to a scam. She says the workers initiated the process to dispute the unauthorized transactions.
“They’re disputing all of the charges,” Stenz explains. “And they’ll call me within 10 days to tell me if the money will be back or not.”
@charlottestenz8 ‼️PSA wells fargo scam. #wellsfargo #scam #psa #fypage #fraud #bankscam ♬ original sound – Charlotte Stenz
Scammers posing as bank representatives
This isn’t the first time TikTokers reported fraudsters can spoof legitimate bank phone numbers. The same scamming method was recently described by a small business owner who lost $25,000 in a wire transfer scam. A poker player who, in late 2023, also explained how he narrowly avoided falling victim to a caller posing as a Wells Fargo representative.
“It’s literally crazy how they’re able to use the same number,” Stenz warns. “Like, literally, it was a Wells Fargo number, their normal 1800 number.”
In the comments section of the video, users shared their sympathy and advice.
One user wrote, “Going forward, ALWAYS HANG UP and then call your bank yourself. I’m so sorry this happened.”
A second commented, “I don’t answer any calls anymore if they need me they will leave a message.”
Another claimed the scam wasn’t limited to Wells Fargo. “This happened to me last year with Bank of America. Be careful everyone!!” they wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Charlotte Stenz and to Wells Fargo via email for comment.
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