A phone call that looked like it came straight from Wells Fargo has left an Orlando couple more than $7,500 poorer and scrambling to cover basic bills. One woman picked up and heard a man say her account had suspicious activity. By the time she tried to log in afterward, she was locked out.
According to WKMG, the caller ID on the woman's phone displayed Wells Fargo, and the man on the line introduced himself as “Michael” from the bank's fraud department. He told her there were questionable transactions on her account, including a $3,000 transaction she said she had not made.
Codes Shared, Accounts Locked, Money Moved
When she later tried to get into her banking accounts, she could not. The couple said money had been moved between their accounts and sent through Cash App using a linked Wells Fargo debit card.
The woman typically used Cash App for small personal expenses and money for her grandchildren, the station reported. The couple say they lost more than $7,500 across their bank accounts.
That total included about $3,000 from savings, plus a Social Security payment and paychecks from a part-time job.
After the Call
The fallout hit fast. The couple disputed the transactions.
The couple were also working to move their banking elsewhere.
Why Spoofed Numbers Work
Wells Fargo's own consumer guidance on imposter scams warns that scammers can spoof official phone numbers and may even have information about you. That helps explain why a call showing a real bank name, paired with a few correct purchase details, can feel so convincing. The bank lists card replacement, AI-enhanced family emergency calls, payment app refunds and cryptocurrencies among the latest fraud types.
The scale is large. NBC 6 reports that the Federal Trade Commission received more than 1 million imposter-scam reports in 2025, with reported losses rising nearly 20% to $3.5 billion. That same report details a South Florida man who said he lost $251,300 after a caller posing as Wells Fargo told him to withdraw cash and move it to a supposed secure account.
Red Flags and What To Do
The American Bankers Association, which runs the Banks Never Ask That campaign, advises consumers not to share PINs or passwords. NBC 6 recommends contacting a bank directly using a verified number.
NBC 6 recommends reporting suspected scams to law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission.
What Federal Rules Say About Unauthorized Transfers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains in its electronic fund transfer FAQs that Regulation E covers qualifying electronic fund transfers and discusses unauthorized EFTs. Regulation E is the federal rule that protects consumers when they use electronic fund transfers.
