Consumer complaint received 2023-06-09
Company: Chime Financial Inc
State: IN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not received from closed account

Complaint:
I had a Chime Credit Builder Account as well as a the normal/basic Chime Checking Account, I regularly had funds deposited XX/XX/XXXX student loans were direct deposited ( {$1900.00} ) XX/XX/XXXX My tax check was direct deposited into my checking account ( {$6400.00} ) and immediately transferred to my credit builder account. 

XX/XX/XXXX received email saying : Hi XXXX, We have adjusted your max SpotMe limit to {$5.00}. This means you can set a SpotMe limit between {$0.00} to {$5.00} in the Chime app. 
Your max SpotMe limit is determined based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to your account activity and history. Please note that Chime Member Services is not able to adjust SpotMe limits. 
Sincerely, The Chime Team I thought this was odd, especially given the fact i had repeatedly paid any SpotMe overdrafts back almost instantaneously after receiving them XX/XX/XXXX I contacted chime support to file 2 different disputes. The first dispute was over my normal checking account being charged several duplicate charges by XXXX XXXX. The second dispute was for a purchase made using my credit builder account. It was a XXXX order from XXXX XXXX. I was disputing this purchase because upon checking the order once it had been delivered, it was missing a lot of the items we had ordered and the food that we did actually receive was incorrect. 

XX/XX/XXXX received email from Chime saying We noticed a change in your direct deposits. Check out some of the ways we can support you. 

Although very shortly before this email was when my tax check had been deposited into the account. Again thought this email seemed a bit odd but still I didnt give it too much thought XX/XX/XXXX Contacted Chime Support to dispute an XXXX XXXX made using my credit builder. I had purchased a new laptop for school ( {$750.00} ). The laptop was originally supposed to arrive by Sunday XX/XX/XXXX but was not delivered. This delay put me behind in a few of my courses for school. When viewing the order page on XXXX there was a prompt that stated I could request a refund if the item hadnt been delivered by Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX. When it didnt arrive that Tuesday, I contacted XXXX customer service to discuss my options, I couldnt afford to fall further behind in my classes waiting for the laptop when I could just request the refund like the order details page had said and either order one that could arrive sooner or go purchase one in an actual store that way Id have it that same day. Upon contacting XXXX customer service reps on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX to discuss the possibility of a refund, each time I was directed to contact the carrier over still not receiving the laptop, and the blatantly obvious attempt to avoid having to refund my money. When it became apparent that the reps were either unwilling or unable to provide help further than contact the carrier, I contacted Chime Support to dispute the purchase through my card issuer. ( As of XX/XX/XXXX the laptop still hasnt arrived, when using XXXX tracking it says package may be lost ) XX/XX/XXXX Sent Chime support screenshots via email of the interactions between myself and XXXX customer support along with the orders page that stated that I could request a refund had I not received the laptop by Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX received a couple different emails from Chime that read as follows : Hi XXXX, Were sorry to share the news that we have decided to close your Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card Account and Chime Credit Builder Secured Account , effective immediately. 
Your account was closed for the following reason ( s ) : Account does not comply with internal policies and/or the member agreement. 
Once your secured account is closed, a check for any remaining balance will be mailed to you within thirty ( 30 ) days to the address we have on file for you. 
___ _ _______ ___ ___ __ ___________, __ _____ If this is not your current address, please notify us in writing at XXXX within 5 days of receiving this notification to make any necessary updates. 
If youd like to get in touch with Chime Member Services about this decision, please email XXXX. 
Sincerely, The Chime Team And Hi XXXX, Following a recent review of your Chime Checking Account, we regret to inform you that we have made the decision to end our relationship with you at this time. Your Chime Checking Account will be closed on XX/XX/XXXX. 
If you have a Chime Savings Account, per the terms of your Deposit Account Agreement, your Savings Account will also be closed. 
If you have ACH Debits or recurring debit card payments, please notify the originators immediately to avoid disruption with your future payments. ACH debits and recurring debit card payments may be rejected after XX/XX/XXXX, however we still encourage you to redirect your ongoing direct deposits and bank transfers to avoid any delay in receiving your funds. 
Sincerely, The Chime Team I sent an email in response to these expressing that I was confused as to why this would happen and questioned the possibility that there had been a mistake made resulting in the closure of my account. 

Their response was as follows : Hi XXXX, Thanks for reaching out to Chime Member Services. I am sorry your Chime account was closed. 
We have determined that your account failed to comply with the terms of your Deposit Account Agreement, and weve closed your account as a result. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
If you still have funds in this account, please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. You should receive your check within 30 days of your account closure date. 
Please let me know if I can assist you with anything else. 
Thanks, XXXX | Chime Member Services I sent another email to inform them I had in fact read through the aforementioned sections and was struggling to find anything that would even remotely pertain to my account closure, They responded with : Hi XXXX, Thank you for contacting Chime Member Services. I hope you and your family are well, and safe upon receipt of my email. 
I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you Chime has determined that your account is not compliant with its internal policies and the member agreement executed at enrollment. So, that's why your account has been closed. If there is any account balance due to you, a check will be mailed to the address on file within 30 days. Also, I regret to inform you that this account can not be re-opened. 
Please feel free to reply here if any other questions or concerns come up. I want to make sure we get everything taken care of. 
Thanks, XXXX XXXX Chime Member Services At this point I proceeded to ask for the specific information that they had used in order to determine that my account was not compliant XX/XX/XXXX received a response to my previous email that was extremely similar to their previous email response : Hi XXXX, This is XXXX XXXX a live representative at Chime Member Services. I understand that you are concerned about your Chime account status. No worries, I will definitely look into it for you. 
Please be informed that Chime has determined that your account is not compliant with its internal policies and the member agreement executed at enrollment. For security reasons, Chime is unable to disclose any more information about the closure of your account. 
For full details, please refer to section C9 ( Account Holds, Suspensions, Restrictions, and Closures ) of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
If you would like to appeal this decision, please contact us at XXXX. Thanks and I appreciate your patience and understanding on this matter. 
Sincerely, XXXX | Chime Member Services XX/XX/XXXX Received email from XXXX XXXX XXXX regarding still needing a payment for the product if I decided to continue with my dispute of the transaction. They were requesting more information as to why I had filed the dispute ( basically confirming whether a refund/chargeback would be warranted or not ), as well as passively-aggressively suggesting I contact XXXX Customer Service if ever another issue were to arise with any future orders. I responded informing them I had still not received the laptop so regardless of if it was due to them willingly refunding the money or a chargeback of the money enforced by the bank, I was entitled to my money back. I also informed them that I had initially attempted to resolve the issue with XXXX customer service team for 2 days before deciding to proceed with filing a dispute for the purchase through my bank. 

XX/XX/XXXX I sent an email to XXXX requesting information on how to appeal the decision to close my account, they sent two different responses that read as follows : Hi XXXX, Welcome to Chime Member Services. I hope this message finds you well, and that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. 
We have determined that your account does not comply with the terms of the the Deposit Account Agreement. The account will be close on [ XX/XX/XXXX ]. 
If you still have funds in this account, please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. 
For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX Chime Member Services And Hi XXXX, We have determined that your account failed to comply with the terms of your Deposit Account Agreement, and weve closed your account as a result. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
If you still have funds in this account, please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. You should receive your check within 30 days of your account closure date. 
XXXX | Member Protection Team XX/XX/XXXX I sent Chime an email expressing the extreme confusion I had regarding the date that the account closure would be effective changing from effective immediately to XX/XX/XXXX. This especially raised concerns due to the fact that since the initial email ( XX/XX/XXXX ) that had stated the closure would be effective immediately, I hadnt been able to access to my account, billing statements, log into the app, etc AT ALL XX/XX/XXXX XXXX sent an email that read as follows : Hello, We received your email about the credit card dispute you filed on Order XXXX 
To correct this problem, we have asked your card issuer to close the dispute in your favor. 
Please allow 3 to 5 business days for the refund of XXXX USD to appear on your credit card account. 
We are sorry for any inconvenience. If you need more information about the dispute or the credit card refund, please contact your card issuer. 
Account Specialist XXXX | XXXX XXXX XXXX I emailed Chime informing them XXXX confirmed they would be honoring my dispute and requested further information on how they had planned to handle the matter moving forward XX/XX/XXXX Chime responded with the same generic email : Hi XXXX, Thanks for reaching out to Chime Member Services. I'm sorry to hear about the difficulty you're experiencing. 
We have determined that your account does not comply with the terms of the Deposit Account Agreement. 
If you still have funds in this account, please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. 
You should receive your check within 30 days of your account closure date. 
For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
Please feel free to reply here if any other questions or concerns come up. I want to make sure we get everything taken care of. 
XXXX | Chime Member Services XX/XX/XXXX Received Email from Chime in regards to my XXXX  dispute that read as follows : Account Number Ending In : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Dispute Type : Credit - Goods/Services Not As Described Date Error Reported : XXXX Claim Amount : {$59.00} Dear XXXX XXXX, Thank you for notifying us of the billing error on your account. 
Our investigation team has reviewed your claim and concluded a billing error did occur. As a result, we have credited your account in the amount of {$59.00} along with any related charges, as applicable. 
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 
If youd like to request the documentation we used to make the determination, please email us a XXXX Sincerely, Chime Disputes Team XX/XX/XXXX I email Chime asking if I should be expecting a check with the funds that had been credited to me following the XXXX dispute being substantiated Their response was as follows : Hi XXXX, Thank you for reaching out. 
We have determined that your account failed to comply with the terms of your Deposit Account Agreement, and weve closed your account as a result. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
XXXX | Member Protection Team I sent an email then informing XXXX that the response he had sent had zero relevancy to, nor did it provide any further or clearer insight into a resolution for the question at hand. I was frustrated at this point due to a good portion of the previous emails I had received from Chime, pertaining to this matter, having stated the exact same information as the last, and having even been formatted almost identically to one another. I had/have not yet received a single email from Chime that directly addressed the questions I had/have been asking with 100 % transparency. 

XX/XX/XXXX receive email from Chime in regards to the dispute pertaining to duplicate charges from XXXX XXXX : RE : Account Number : XXXX Claim ID : XXXX Dispute Type : Debit - Duplicate Charge Date Error Reported : XXXX Claim Amount : {$210.00} Hello XXXX XXXX, This letter is to inform you we have applied a provisional credit to your account on XXXX in the amount of {$210.00}. This temporary credit is being provided so that you will have full use of these funds while we complete our investigation. 
We will complete our investigation as quickly as possible, but no later than XXXX. 
We will communicate the results of our investigation to you by email within three business days of completion. If we deny your claim, we will reverse the provisional credit and debit the amount from your account. We will notify you if this occurs. 
Thank you for being a valued Chime member. If you have any questions, please contact us by phone at XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX or by email at XXXX. 
Sincerely, Chime Disputes Team I respond again voicing my concern about the possibility of my account being mistakenly closed Their response was as follows : Hi XXXX, Thank you for keeping in touch! 
I would like to confirm to you that the account was closed on XXXX. Please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. You should receive your check within 30 days of your account closure date. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
Please let me know if you have any additional questions! Thank you for your patience and cooperation on this. 
XXXX | Chime Member Services. 

I receive a check for the dispute for multiple duplicate charges ( {$210.00} ) in the mail shortly after receiving the email. 

Still have yet to receive a check or an answer about the funds from the XXXX dispute that was resolved and credited ( {$59.00} ) XX/XX/XXXX Chime sends email saying : Account Number Ending In : XXXX Claim ID : XXXX  Dispute Type : Debit - Duplicate Charge Date Error Reported : XXXX Claim Amount : {$210.00} Hello XXXX XXXX, This letter is to inform you that we have made a final determination regarding the claim referenced above. 
Based on our investigation, we have concluded no error occurred. On XXXX, a provisional credit was posted to your account on a temporary basis until we completed our investigation. On XXXX, the provisional credit will be reversed and your account will be debited in the amount of {$210.00}. 
Please ensure that there are sufficient funds in your account to cover the amount that will be debited, as well as any purchases or payments you plan to make. 
You may request a copy of the documents we used in determining the final outcome of the investigation. If you would like to request copies of the documents, or have further questions, please contact us at XXXX. 
Sincerely, Chime Disputes Team XX/XX/XXXX I reach out to XXXX customer support asking the status of the chargeback/refund they agreed to provide XXXX confirms XXXX completion of the refund in an email that reads : Hello, We received your email about order XXXX. We have researched this matter and confirmed that the dispute in question has been resolved between XXXX and your card issuer. 
Please contact your card issuer for more information about reimbursement for this purchase. In the future, file an A-to-z Guarantee claim to resolve any issues related to XXXX XXXX purchases before contacting your card issuer. For more information, visit the page : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
We can not help you further with this problem. 
-- - XXXX XXXX Account Specialist XXXX | XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I email Chime to inform them XXXX has now confirmed that the dispute has been resolved and receive no reply XX/XX/XXXX I email again asking where the check is for the {$59.00} and now the {$750.00} as well ; still no response At which point I call customer service and they reassure me several times that they will send me tracking information for the checks via email directly after the call ends ; i never received any tracking info or any information in general like promised while speaking to customer service reps on the phone XX/XX/XXXX I email Chime stating I was told Id receive tracking info when I called but had yet to receive even a reply to the three previous emails I had sent and definitely hadnt received any information or tracking information for any check. 

Chime Dispute Team responds saying : XXXX XXXX, I completely understand the inconvenience you are experiencing. We are working to resolve your case as quickly as possible. Based on the nature of your claim, we will complete the investigation no later than XX/XX/XXXX. We will notify you by email as soon as the investigation is completed. 
Also, we're pleased to let you know Chime has added a new feature to the app which allows you to check your status dispute in real time. Navigate to your home screen and click on the View Disputes widget located towards the bottom of your screen under your spending/saving account information or click this link. 
Thanks, XXXX | The Dispute Team Still providing no solid solutions or answers since I am still unable to access my account at all, so using the new feature isnt something that Id be able to do either. I mentioned XXXX had already confirmed that my card issuer and themselves had resolved the dispute. If it was resolved then wouldnt the investigation then be complete? I respond reminding them of my inability to access my account, to which they reply with the EXACT same email as the last XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I email asking where the money is again XX/XX/XXXX I email again for clarification on what else they would have to investigate if XXXX is saying that they had already resolved and returned this transaction, and express my frustrations with it seeming as if since they closed my account they were not prioritizing the situation as they would if i were technically still a customer I email XXXX again requesting information on how to appeal the decision to close my account for the second time XX/XX/XXXX Chime sends me an email saying : Account Number Ending In : XXXX  Claim ID : XXXX Dispute Type : Credit - Non-Receipt of Goods or Services Date Error Reported : XXXX Claim Amount : {$750.00} Dear XXXX XXXX, Thank you for notifying us of the billing error on your account. 
Our investigation team has reviewed your claim and concluded a billing error did occur. As a result, we have credited your account in the amount of {$750.00} along with any related charges, as applicable. 
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 
If youd like to request the documentation we used to make the determination, please email us a XXXX Sincerely, Chime Disputes Team I respond for clarification on how I will receive these funds Their response : Hi XXXX, Thank you for reaching out to Chime Member Services. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. Rest assured that I am here to assist you with your concern. 
XXXX, I'm happy to inform you that, Your recent dispute of {$750.00} has been approved. 
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to have you in our Chime family, anything else that you may need, remember that you will find me here for you XXXX! 
Thanks, XXXX | Chime Member Services I respond asking again how i will be receiving these funds XX/XX/XXXX Receive email from Chime saying : Hi XXXX, Thank you for keeping in touch. Ive looked into your account details to find some answers. 
We have determined that your account failed to comply with the terms of your Deposit Account Agreement, and weve closed your account as a result. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
If you still have funds in this account, please allow 14 days for any outstanding transactions to settle, and then a physical check for the remaining balance will be sent to your mailing address. You should receive your check within 30 days of your account closure date. 
Thanks, XXXX | Member Protection Team XX/XX/XXXX I noticed while using the Klover app that it was still linked to both, the normal Chime checking account as well as the credit builder account. And that my credit builder account was showing a balance of {$810.00} so i emailed chime asking if that was accurate and again asking for some sort of insight on how and when Id be receiving these payments ; no response XX/XX/XXXX I email again asking how and when Id be receiving the money ; no response XX/XX/XXXX I email again vocalizing my ever thinning patience with the matter and asking about how and when yet again They respond : Hi XXXX, Thank you for reaching out. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. 
After a recent review of your account, weve found that it does not comply with the terms of the Deposit Account Agreement. Your account has been closed by Chime and is not eligible for a refund. For more information, please review the Amendment and Cancellation section of the Chime Deposit Account Agreement. 
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused. Please let us know if we can assist you further or give us a call at XXXX. 
XXXX | Member Protection Team I email informing them I had received an email from Chime themselves stating that my dispute was approved and it wasnt a refund I was anticipating, it was money from a dispute that they had resolved with the other company and had received the money from already. Money that was rightfully mine. Money i was entitled to. 

No response As of XX/XX/XXXX i have yet to receive a response or a check for the amount I am owed nor do I have any access to my account ( including but not limited to logging in, viewing any documents/bank statements/billing statements, etc )

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation