Consumer complaint received 2020-12-22
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: AZ
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I received aXX/XX/XXXXemail that said it was from my boss ( had her name and wasn't reported as SPAM ). The email sounded like my boss. My " boss '' asked if I was busy and if I could help her out by running to pick up some gift cards she needed for a client but couldn't get herself because she was trapped in a conference call, and if I could she'd reimburse me ASAP- I understand this sounds like an obvious scam, but in the events industry working for clients/events of all types, plus her technical computer shortcomings I regularly have to help her out with ... .none of this seemed like a red flag, espeically since the email seemed to be sent by her and she wrote in a way she typically does asking me to do something she has asked me to do before last minute. My boss often asks me to run and pick up random things last minute - gift cards being one of them. I tried to just buy the gift cards online but ran into all these fraud issues for buying gift cards myself - Again, I know that should've been a red flag now, but at the time it actually further reiterated to me why my boss asked me to go get some real cards because she is so computer illiterate I thought, " If I'm having problems buying cards online too no wonder why she gave up and asked me to run to the store while trapped in a conference call. '' I texted my boss if she needed any other cards or anything else while I was at the store but the message wasn't immediately delivered/seen - again, further reiterating to me she was stuck in a meeting unable to get to her phone because I know she puts her phone on do not disturb when in meetings/does n't look at it. I purchased the gift cards. I had managed to purchase three gifts cards totalling {$100.00} each online at XX/XX/XXXX before that site, and all other gift card malls, blocked any further transactions ( again, this just reiterated to me why she needed me to go in person to get cards -because she must've also had this much trouble herself buying them and couldn't escape the meeting she was in to get the cards needed in time ). I went to XXXX ( local grocery store in XXXX, Arizona ) two times to purchase XXXX XXXX gift cards, ( first transaction = {$300.00}, second transaction = {$900.00} ). The total amount for all purchases, online and in store, was {$1200.00}. When I got home she ( aka the scammer posing as my boss ) instructed me to just send the redemption and activation codes. I did. Like I have in the past for various purchases for my boss. I was preparing my reimbursement invoice when I received another email asking for more gift cards because something come up. Again, she was writing like we she usually does with me. I was feeling kinda weird about it and brought it up to my husband, he told me to try calling or texting my boss again. It didn't go through at first. I messaged again saying I needed to talk to her asap and then tried to called her. She called back four minutes later and had no idea what I was talking about. I immediately tried all the card redemption numbers and they said they were all claimed. I immediately contacted my bank ( Chase ) and XXXX XX/XX/XXXX- 2X. I filed a complaint with FTC. I filed a complaint with IC3. XXXX tells me my bank should refund me. My bank says XXXX has to refund me. Online searches tell me I am unlikely to get anything back - which these billion dollar businesses know this happens, see how far the fraudsters go to be believable XXXX XXXX did flag it as spam, actually marked the message as " important '' ). I am not a millionaire. I am just trying to get by in this crazy year, but now I'm out {$1200.00} for a scam I'd like to see how many other people would catch if they were in my positionI received an XX/XX/XXXX/email that said it was from my boss ( had her name and wasn't reported as SPAM ) with her signature. The email sounded like my boss. My " boss '' asked if I was busy and if I could help her out by running to pick up some gift cards she needed for a client but couldn't get herself because she was trapped in a conference call, and if I could she'd reimburse me ASAP- I understand this sounds like an obvious scam, but in the events industry working for clients/events of all types, plus her technical computer shortcomings I regularly have to help her out with ... .none of this seemed like a red flag, espeically since the email seemed to be sent by her and she wrote in a way she typically does asking me to do something she has asked me to do before. My boss often asks me to run and pick up random things last minute - gift cards being one of them. I tried to just buy the gift cards online but ran into all these fraud issues for buying gift cards - Again, I know that should've been a red flag, but at the time it actually further reiterated to me why my boss asked me to go get some real cards because she is so computer illiterate I thought, " If I'm having problems buying cards online too no wonder why she gave up and asked me to run to the store while trapped in a conference call. '' I texted my boss if she needed any other cards or anything else while I was at the store but the message wasn't immediately delivered/seen - again, further reiterating to me she was stuck in a meeting unable to get to her phone. I purchased the gift cards. I had managed to purchase three gifts cards totalling {$100.00} each online at XX/XX/XXXX before that site, and all other gift card malls, blocked any further transactions ( again, this just reiterated to me why she needed me to go in person to get cards -because she must've also had this much trouble herself buying them and couldn't escape the meeting she was in to get the cards needed in time ). I went to XXXX ( local grocery store in XXXX, Arizona ) two times to purchase XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, ( first transaction = {$300.00}, second transaction = {$900.00} XXXX. The total amount for all purchases, online and in store, was {$1200.00}. When I got home she ( aka the scammer posing as my boss ) instructed me to just send the redemption and activation codes. I did. Like I have in the past for various purchases for my boss. I was preparing my reimbursement invoice when I received another email asking for more gift cards because something come up. Again, she was writing like we she usually does with me. I was feeling kinda weird about it and brought it up to my husband, he told me to try calling or texting my boss again. It didn't go through at first. I messaged again saying I needed to talk to her asap and then tried to called her. She called back four minutes later and had no idea what I was talking about. I immediately tried all the card redemption numbers and they said they were all claimed. I immediately contacted my bank ( Chase ) and XXXXXX/XX/XXXX - 2X. I filed a complaint with FTC. I filed a complaint with IC3. XXXX tells me my bank should refund me. My bank says XXXX has to refund me. Online searches tell me I am unlikely to get anything back - which these billion dollar businesses know this happens, see how far the fraudsters go to be believable XXXX XXXX did flag it as spam, actually marked the message as " important '' ). I am not a millionaire. I am just trying to get by in this crazy year, but now I'm out {$1200.00} for a scam I'd like to see how many other people would catch if they were in my position.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation