Consumer complaint received 2023-11-22
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: CD (Certificate of Deposit)
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits or withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2023 I went to Chase Branch XXXX XXXX XXXX  to deposit a check on my checking account. The check is a sign-on bonus from my incoming employer, so it was the amount of income after standard tax withholding. The check was issued by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  a payroll company, and contained a phone number to assist with check verification, so I thought the process is standard. I went to the location with the signed offer letter and a letter detailing the standard tax deduction for this portion of income - however, I was not asked to provide any of this information but was only given a certificate of deposit to the teller. I gave the teller the check and received a receipt which I still keep. I was confident that the process went smoothly. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I realized that my online account was locked and that was when I made my first attempt to call the number provided online ( XXXX ). This is a call center, so each time I called I had to explain the situation from the start. During the period of one week that my check was placed on hold and my account was locked, I placed a total of 10 calls to this call center and paid one visit to my bank manager at the same branch on the following Tuesday before filing this complaint. None of my effort resulted in a resolution- both the call representatives and the banker deem unable or unwilling to help, or simply does not understand the situation. I kept calling and calling, and every time the response is different - none of my previous calls were recorded in their notes, and when I had thought a progress has been made and called back to check in, it is someone new who is unaware of all the efforts, documentations, scans, conversations that I have tried to make. 

In each call, I was told that they can not call XXXX because the XXXX number on the check is not a verified number in their system. Despite the fact that XXXX is a well-known company that issues payroll checks, Chase call center still deems XXXX non-verified and whose practice might be fraudulent. 

In addition, when I provided documentation showing my employer information, with the help of a branch manager, they still insisted that they can not call any numbers I provided ( my employer 's HR, recruiter ) because these numbers are unverified in their system. Chase said they can only contact my employer using the numbers on their verified system - the nature of these contacts and these phone numbers are not disclosed to me. I received assistance from my employer who provided me with Payroll email, but Chase again was not cooperative- refused to accept email addresses and strictly said they can only verify using verified phone numbers in their system. 

I have explored the option of cancelling the check and asked my employer to issue me another check so I can deposit it with another bank, but my employer said because Chase had already processed the check, the check showed as " cashed '' on their system and they can not cancel the check. As a result, it seemed that Chase had processed the check before taking any verification steps. In reality, they should have called either the check number or the employer 's contacts to verify a check before processing it, but hence their incompetence and lack of transparency and information to the customer resulted in a stalemate in which the consumers have to bear the consequences including ( 1 ) money held for uncertain amount of time and lost of interest gained from the hold ( 2 ) risk of account closing ( 3 ) waste of time and effort from the consumer to reach out and insist on Chase to resolve the problem.

Given the current situation that Chase continuously refused to assist me with the current deposit hold, I am filing this complaint to alert others about this sneaky and malpractice by Chase and to avoid making a check deposit, either online or in person. Their workers are unaware, not cooperative, rigid, refuse or fail to understand common sense and refuse to show willingness to help their consumers. In addition, because I had opened a new checking account with Chase for their {$300.00} promotion ( I hav
e a long-standing credit line with Chase Sapphire ) , Chase was still not cooperative in their assistance, showing me that they do not honor consumer relationships and treat us all with an inefficient, clueless call center. Chase 's lack of communication, willingness, and competence has prevented me from my fund to provide basic necessity such as paying off bills, including the credit card with Chase, as a result of their practice.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation