Consumer complaint received 2018-11-16
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: NJ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
Sir or Madam, I'm writing this letter to Complain over JP Morgan Chase ( " Chase '' ) for wrongfully closed my saving account without simple due diligence and illegally withhold the fund of my closed saving account without notifying me such situation.

As one of the biggest retail bank in USA, this financial institution has  responsibilities to facilitate American citizens basic, legal banking needs while making profit from it. In the end of XXXX, I deposited a {$20000.00} dollar check written by my husband with purpose of the payment indicated as mortgage payment in the check. The check would be used to pay for our mortgage over time. My husband and me deposit this check together through one of the Chase branch, and per his suggestion the fund was deposited into my savings account. The banks teller was fully aware this situation. 

Apparently this deposit triggered certain investigation. WITHOUT REACH OUT TO ME FIRST, who is willing and able to reasonably explain and provide evidence for this deposit, Chase decide to close my account without simple due diligence, which wouldnt cost much time or efforts for Chase and can easily clear the background of this check. Simple due diligence such as make a phone call, text me, check mine and my husbands profile through XXXX, validate our address and property through XXXX, review existing mortgage document and mortgage account that I maintained in Chase as well etc. 

Instead, Chase simply wrote a letter to me and tell me they are closing my saving account. By the time I found the letter it already approaching the account close date. I made two phone calls ( XXXX,XXXX ) on XX/XX/2018, telling Chase that they made a mistake, this is a normal transaction. Chase hotline told me they could not reach to my husband to validate the check but we agreed that Chase will make second phone call later on the same day at XXXX XXXX   when my husband is able to pick up calls. The 2nd phone call was never made and I thought the problem was solved. However on following day, WITHOUT SIMPLE, PROMISED DUE DILIGENCE, my account was closed without efficient notification. Whats worse, Chase ILLEGALLY WITHHOLD the balance of my saving account without any notification to me or my husband. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another letter saying Chase has already closed my saving account on XX/XX/XXXX and will send me a check for the balance in my closed saving account. I contact Chase again explained the situation to a staff of Chase, who claimed herself to be a part of XXXX XXXX XXXX program. She told me that the account was closed and there's nothing I can do about it, because I supposed to make a follow up phone call, which is totally not true. I was not the one make decisions to eventually close my account, how should I know whether I should follow up?! 

Because I insisted to make things right, the hotline staff called my husband ( phone number is printed on the check he wrote ). It took her less than one minute to validate the check and therefore proved my innocence. That's when I was told, Chase will un-frozen the balance in my saving account and sent it back to me, which means from the date they closed my account to the day I called and insisted to clear my name, Chase was holding my money illegally in its own accountnot under any of my accounts, nor on the way sending to me or to my husband. 

Chase as one of the biggest retail bank in USA has responsibilities to facilitate citizens normal, legal, day to day banking needs. Chase has systems and resources readily available to conduct basic due diligence, yet it failed to do so. A bank can not irresponsibly close citizens ' accounts without proper cause. Citizens have to participate in economic activities through banks. Abruptly kick customer out from a bank without simple due diligence will make citizens vulnerable and helpless, let alone it is an very very embarrassing experience. Without any wrong doings, I have to prove to the bank that I'm innocent! People are not simply an alert or a case in the eyes of banks. We are customers, citizens with dignity!!! 

I hereby demand Chase : 1. to correct my profile/ records within the banks system and all documents, even if they are internal. This incident should not affect any future transactions/business I would like to conduct with Chase.

3. Retrieve or amend any documents, reports sent out to external parties, such as XXXX, due to this incident. 
2. Reopen my saving account. 

Thank you very much for taking this letter seriously. Im willing to talk and provide evidence to prove all I wrote is truth and all the truth.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation