Consumer complaint received 2022-01-03
Company: Chime Financial Inc
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
While incarcerated at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) awaiting case disposition from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, I became the victim of identity theft. As a condition of deferred adjudication I was further remanded to attend a 90 day inpatient rehabilitation facility, XXXX XXXX, from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. This incidence of identity theft consist of the individual hacking into at least two XXXX accounts, stealing my credentials and gaining access to my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX unemployment, Chime and XXXX accounts and submitting fraudulent change of addresses and the use of a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and theft in the total amount of {$11000.00}. Of the {$11000.00}, {$9300.00} was through Chime via ACH external transfer to an account held at XXXX XXXX  and {$2000.00} withdrawn from my XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. Unemployment payments fraudulently stolen total {$7000.00} of which {$5000.00} occurred through Chime. Funds in the amount of {$4200.00} were withdrawn from Chime on XX/XX/XXXX, the date of initial theft, and consist of {$1400.00} from the IRS received XX/XX/XXXX and other funds available prior to XX/XX/XXXX. My legitimate unemployment claim began in XX/XX/XXXX, shortly after the XXXX pandemic began. 

This complaint is being filed against Chime as a result of Chime 's failure to find the transactions that occurred through my account erroneous and fraudulent in nature and to return the stolen funds to me. I have provided ample and sufficient evidence to Chime to prove that I was detained at XXXX, remanded to 90 days treatment, and to document the fraud including emails, correspondence indicating an unemployment overpayment of {$5500.00}, police reports, federal reports ( to XXXX, FTC and the IRS ) and affidavits/sworn statements regarding the identity theft, and to further prove that I did not and could not have authorized nor initiated the fraudulent transactions that occurred through my account. 

When I was released from jail, on or about XX/XX/XXXX, I called Chime and was informed my account balance was {$0.00} ; I alerted Chime of the fraudulent activity and asked for my accounts to be frozen and filed a dispute. Due to the nature of the rehab program, I was unable to effectively communicate with Chime to further the dispute and the case was closed by Chime on or about XX/XX/XXXX. I initiated a dispute with Chime when I finished rehab and regained online access to my Chime accounts on XX/XX/XXXX. Chime 's positions is ( 1 ) I did not report the incident of fraud within 60 days of the first occurrence ; ( 2 ) the deposits from XXXX were recurring and the immediate withdrawal by external transfer on the date of deposit was not suspicious and was " expected '' ; ( 3 ) a sole XXXX accessed the account to conduct the fraud and never presented login errors with Chime. 

My position for this complaint is ( 1 ) due to my incarceration and remand to rehab, the 60-day period does not begin until either my date of release on XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX when I physically saw the XX/XX/XXXX statement with a XX/XX/XXXX date ; my report of the fraud on XX/XX/XXXX is within the 60-day period ; ( 2 ) it is apparent my account was used as a pass-through account for the fraudulent activity which is unlike my normal banking activity ; ( 3 ) the XXXX was never used prior to XX/XX/XXXX nor after XX/XX/XXXX, and is not owned by me ; ( 4 ) Chime is downplaying this incidence of identity theft and fraud and is not reporting the incident adequately to law enforcement. Additionally, Chime has failed to provide documentation it relied upon in making its determination that I requested on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. At all times I have made a good-faith effort to resolve this issue with Chime. 

Additional specific information regarding transaction amounts and dates is provided in the attached documentation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation