In a recent incident, business owner Robert Branagh fell victim to unauthorized withdrawals and transfers totaling $149,296.48 from his Wells Fargo account in Volusia County. Despite filing a fraudulent claim immediately, he is still unsure who authorized the transactions.
According to Nacha rules, any fraudulent Automated Clearing House (ACH) or business transfer must be reported to the bank within two business days of detection. However, the first breach occurred on Aug. 17 and was not noticed until Aug. 29. A final withdrawal of $10,000 was taken out of Branagh’s business account on Aug. 28, with an additional $530 taken from his daughter’s account on Aug. 29.
The U.S. Secret Service Orlando office believes that the account may have been tested by a potential buyer of stolen accounts due to the small withdrawals suggesting a test to see if the account was active before escalating into larger withdrawals totaling just under $150,000. They advise anyone with a checking or savings account to check their accounts daily and report any suspicious activity immediately to local law enforcement or the U.S. Secret Service for investigation.
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding this issue, please email makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or text “make ends meet” along with your contact information and details of the incident to 407-676-7428 for assistance in resolving this matter promptly and effectively with Wells Fargo representatives