In short
Most common fake: Fake fraud alert asking you to reply or call about a transaction.
Safest check: Check the sender: most real Wells Fargo texts come from 93557, 93733, 93729, 93767, 20342, 22981 or 93000.
Where to report it: Email the suspicious message to reportphish@wellsfargo.com, then delete it.
What Wells Fargo says
Wells Fargo says it will never ask for your password, PIN or one-time access code by email or text, and it will never ask you to move money to anyone, including yourself, to reverse a transfer or get a refund. Most of its genuine texts come from a small set of short codes, such as 93557. Source: Wells Fargo
Common fake Wells Fargo messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake Wells Fargo message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something Wells Fargo itself does.
- Fake fraud alert asking you to reply or call about a transaction
- Text saying your account is locked or your card is suspended
- Request to share a one-time access code
- Caller asking you to send money to yourself to reverse a transfer
- Request to download screen sharing software
Wells Fargo's real web addresses
Genuine Wells Fargo links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: wellsfargo.com is real, but wellsfargo-support-center.com or wellsfargo.com.account-check.top are not.
- wellsfargo.com
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a Wells Fargo message safely
- Check the sender: most real Wells Fargo texts come from 93557, 93733, 93729, 93767, 20342, 22981 or 93000
- Sign in through the Wells Fargo app or by typing wellsfargo.com yourself
- Call the number on your card if you are unsure
- Never share a one-time code or move money because someone contacted you
How to report a fake Wells Fargo message
- Email the suspicious message to reportphish@wellsfargo.com, then delete it. Official details on wellsfargo.com
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your mobile carrier. Official details on wellsfargo.com
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official details on reportfraud.ftc.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at wellsfargo.com, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from Wells Fargo security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Email the suspicious message to reportphish@wellsfargo.com, then delete it, then delete the message.
More help: Verification-code and account-takeover scams and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Turn on two-step verification, ideally with a security key
With two-step verification, a stolen password isn't enough on its own. A hardware security key goes further: it simply doesn't work on a fake site, so it can't be phished.
Free: Two-step verification is free. Switch it on in the security settings of your email, bank, WhatsApp and social media accounts today.
- YubiKey (Yubico) Partner link A small USB or NFC key you tap when you log in. It will not work on a fake site.
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does Wells Fargo send messages asking for payment or personal details?
Wells Fargo says it will never ask for your password, PIN or one-time access code by email or text, and it will never ask you to move money to anyone, including yourself, to reverse a transfer or get a refund. Most of its genuine texts come from a small set of short codes, such as 93557.
How can I check if a Wells Fargo message is real?
Check the sender: most real Wells Fargo texts come from 93557, 93733, 93729, 93767, 20342, 22981 or 93000. Sign in through the Wells Fargo app or by typing wellsfargo.com yourself. Call the number on your card if you are unsure. Never share a one-time code or move money because someone contacted you.
How do I report a fake Wells Fargo message?
Email the suspicious message to reportphish@wellsfargo.com, then delete it. Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your mobile carrier. Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
I clicked a link in a fake Wells Fargo message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing wellsfargo.com yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: email the suspicious message to reportphish@wellsfargo.com, then delete it.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
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Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Report Phishing (Wells Fargo)
- Tips to Avoid Bank Imposter Scams (Wells Fargo)
- How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams (Federal Trade Commission)