Fraud claim denied. Am I completely screwed? Any help or advice welcomed.
About 6 weeks ago, I received an email from an online sports betting site welcoming me and thanking me for a deposit just under $2000. I never had or created an account with this company, so I immediately checked my bank account and sure enough, I was charged just under $2000. So, I immediately called Wells Fargo, they froze/cancelled the card used, opened a fraud claim, issued the money back to me as a provisional credit and sent me a new card. I was notified by the online sports betting company that after I cancelled the card that 2 additional attempts were made but obviously unsuccessful due to me cancelling the card. I really had no concerns because I thought they would investigate and come to the clear conclusion that I had not made or authorized any of those charges, until today.
So, I was trying to buy a coffee this morning and my card was declined, the cashier was saying they were having trouble with their system but I just used another card and it went through, so I went on with my day. I again tried to make another purchase in the afternoon and my card was declined again and that's when I checked my account through the app, my account was overdrawn. This never happens to me, I'm very careful about making sure I have enough money in my account to cover anything, so I check the transactions to find that Wells Fargo REVERSED the provisional credit and withdrew the $2000 out of my account!
So, obviously I call them, they transfer me to the fraud dept, the fraud dept tells me the claim has been denied. I'M LIKE HOW?? I did not make those charges, how can the claim be denied? They explain, that the card merchant, VISA, has determined that the claim was not substantiated, because the online sport betting company confirmed the charges with my personal information. I'm like WHAT personal information was used to substantiate that it was ME, they said my card number, my name, my email address, and my home address. I'm like THATS IT?!?! I asked, so all of the information you are saying was provided is literally found in a quick google search?! Not my SS #, not my computer or phone IP information, just the above listed information. She just kept saying, yes, it was denied. I asked to speak to a supervisor, as she apparently could not help me. The supervisor got on the line and was even more dismissive and said there is nothing they can do for me. I'm like, so is my money just not safe with Wells Fargo then, should I just cancel all of my accounts with them and she was basically was like if that's what you want to do, then do it. I told her, I thought they have fraud protection, fraud was committed against my account and they can't do anything? She clarified, SUBSTANTIATED fraud is covered. This was determined by the card merchant as unsubstantiated. WTF?!
I'm in shambles over here. My daughter is getting married this summer and this was money I am supposed to be using to help pay for the wedding. I did not make these charges. How can they take my money like this? It's $2000, not $20 or $200 but $2000 and I'm just supposed to eat it? I don't know where to go from here. I asked the fraud sup for the number to VISA, turned out to be a wrong number, I asked for the online sport betting company number, which turned out to be a company called Navex, who apparently investigates whistleblower claims.
If you made it this far, thank you, and any, I MEAN ANY help would be appreciated. I'm going to go file a police report tomorrow and go to the branch after but I seriously don't know what else to do.