Photo: iStock Editorial
An 83-year-old Dallas woman says Wells Fargo has refused to reimburse her for nearly $15,000 stolen through check fraud.
According to WFAA-TV, the family of Billie Young, 83, said she wrote the check for $14,952.52 in August 2024 to pay off her car loan. A second check, written around the same time to pay her electric bill, was processed without issue. The loan payment, however, was never posted to her account.
Young's family said she later learned that someone had altered the payee name on the car loan check and cashed it.
On Sept. 6, 2024, Young contacted Wells Fargo to ask why the loan payment had not been credited. Young's family said she was told the check had cleared. During that call, a bank representative didn't inform Young that the payee name had been changed or that the check appeared altered. Young also requested a stop payment on the utility check during the same conversation.
It was not until October 2024, after Young obtained a copy of the cashed check, that she saw the payee name had been changed and that her signature appeared to have been forged. Young's family then reported the case to Dallas police and filed a fraud claim with Wells Fargo.
The bank denied Young’s claim in May 2025, saying it had been filed too late, according to her family.
“The claim will remain denied, and we will not reimburse you for the disputed transactions,” Wells Fargo reportedly wrote in a letter to Young.
Young’s granddaughter, Kecia Byars, said the dispute has taken a significant emotional toll on her grandmother, leaving her stressed and tearful during visits to the bank. Young ultimately closed her Wells Fargo account after more than 25 years as a customer.
Following online scrutiny, Wells Fargo said it would re-review Young’s case. The Dallas Police Department also said it's investigating the incident.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.