Consumer complaint received 2023-12-18
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: IN
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX I called Chase Bank Collections dept and asked to speak with someone about a payment plan. I was then transferred to another agent. 

The call was recorded by Chase. 

I was asked by that agent I had been transferred to to explain my hardship. I responded that I was diagnosed with XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX. My husband and I closed on our home less than a week after I was diagnosed. The student loans that we both owe became due after the government initiated forbearance for COVID-19 relief was ended recently. The HSA health plan I had ( I was otherwise completely healthy ) had an out of pocket of {$6000.00}, and we have had to pay that balance as a result of the unexpected medical bills that accumulated after my diagnosis. I had to take intermittent FMLA at work, but I still worked as much as I could during the time I was undergoing XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. 

The agent indicated that there was an " application '' that I would need to complete prior to being considered for a repayment plan. I answered, to the best of my ability, indicating to the agent that I had not undergone a process like this before. He asked me for my income, which I provided to him. He asked me for a total on various bills my husband and I both pay. I then asked him if I should include my husband 's income and bills as well and was told by the agent, " I can not give you financial advice. '' After I had given him several figures, the agent put me on hold. When he returned to the call and congratulated me stating that I would be referred me to a credit counselor because my income was less than the bills my husband and I both pay. I then asked him again if we should figure my husband 's income and bills into this " application. '' He indicated that he could do that, but there was no guarantee that doing so would change the outcome. At this point I had been on the call with him for over an hour. I asked him if I could take a break and call back and redo the application adding my husband 's income and expenses a little later that day or the next and he indicated to me that I could do that. I asked him some questions about referring customers out to a credit counseling agency and was given a number to call. The number I was given was to a center that would then refer me to another center local to me. We then ended the call. 

I attempted to call the number I was given by the agent and it was not a good number. 

Later that same day at XXXX, I called Chase Bank Collections dept back after I had rested and regrouped from the first call. I had completed a spreadsheet/budget with my husband that contained our combined monthly income and expenses. This time I wrote down the XXXX 's name and Agent Number. Her name was XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX # XXXX. 

The call was recorded. 

I explained to the best of my ability the interaction I had had earlier in the day with the first agent. This agen interrupted me no less than 5 times. She was indifferent, transactional, and dismissive. I was placed on hold after asking to redo the application to include my husband 's income and expenses. She returned to the call and stated that her supervisor had advised her that the " application '' could not be re-submitted for 30 days and I would have to call back at that time. I advised the agent that I had been given different information earlier that day, to which she replied, " you must have misunderstood. '' I then asked to speak with the supervisor. I was placed on another hold. The same agent returned to the call and advised me that we could proceed with the " application ''. After including my husband 's income and expenses with mine, I was approved for a 60 month payment plan with a significantly reduced interest rate, for which I am grateful. 

I am lodging this complaint because I had a vastly different experience with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I had reached out to them in hopes of establishing a repayment plan. The entire process took only 30 mins. The interaction was compassionate, handled efficiently, and professionally. I was placed on a plan repaying the debt over 60 months at a 0 % interest rate. I have attached screen shots of the interaction I had with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I apologize that the conversation is choppy in the screenshots. 

I hope that others experiencing the devastation of a XXXX diagnosis do not ever have to go through an experience like I did today with Chase Bank.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation