Consumer complaint received 2023-01-11
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: UT
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Thank you for helping us! Having {$200000.00} stolen from our Chase bank account has been devastating to our family. We have been saving for years to build a home and this was our earnest money from selling our house. My husband and I have been working every extra shift we can possibly get and have been saving and making sacrifices to achieve our goals. This is honest, hardworking money that was taken from us. We have been doing everything we can to recover our money. We will continue to do as much legwork as we can. We are supposed to close on our home next month and are trying to make other loan arrangements, so we don't lose our house. We are grateful for what we have and know there are others in the world in far worse shape, but we would be so extremely grateful to Chase if they could please replace our money stolen from our account. We are desperate for help and will do everything we can to help this process. We just want you to know how grateful we are to you and your team!!! I have included some information as well as attached all documents I have that hopefully will be of some help. Please reach out to me ANYTIME with any questions you may have! THANK YOU!

1. Company Name : JP Morgan Chase Bank 2. XXXX Fraudulent Wire Transfers occurred from my Chase account on XX/XX/2022 and XX/XX/2022 for a total of {$200000.00}. 

a. {$25000.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX  in XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 b. {$35000.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX  in XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 XXXX {$40000.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX  in XXXX XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 XXXX {$25000.00} to XXXX  XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 XXXX {$35000.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 XXXX {$40000.00} to XXXX  XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX  on XX/XX/2022 Timeline of events : XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX ( Thursday ) : I received a call from " Chase Fraud '' at XXXX from the number ( XXXX ) XXXX. I was asked if I made a wire transfer transaction of {$25000.00} to a XXXX XXXX XXXX. I said absolutely not. I then asked them who they were and where they were calling from to be sure I was talking with Chase Bank. They said we're calling from Chase Bank Fraud department and that the number they were calling from is the same number on the back on my debit card. I then looked at my card and compared the number, and it was the same. I asked them to call me back in XXXX minutes. I then hung up and redialed the number that they called me from. It went to the Chase Bank automated system, so I figured it was the actual Chase Bank. From that moment on, I didn't think this wasn't Chase because I had done my due diligence in checking the number. I did not give them any personal information. They then kept me on the phone until almost XXXX while they completed what they called " wire transfer reversals ''. They were using Chase lingo like " back office '' and transferring me to their supervisor for certain steps of the " reversal '' that it felt very organized, smooth, and correct. If I questioned what they were doing or any other question about the process, they texted me what they called one-time codes, but they were just a few numbers from a random phone number. The text did not come from Chase or have any other description within the text, for instance stating it was a onetime code or that Chase never asks for the code like the texts I have gotten from Chase over the years when there is a legitimate transaction in question. The fake fraud people said there were XXXX wire transfer attempts of ( {$25000.00}, {$35000.00} and {$40000.00} ) that were made on my account and in order to stop the money from leaving my account, they needed to perform these " wire reversals '' for each transfer. They kept me on hold for hours, checking in with me periodically. They told me I would see the money leave my account but continuously assured me that he could see the money and that it was in " holding '' and it would be released back into my account after the reversals were completed. By the end of Thursday, he said the reversals all looked good and that before they could release the money back into my account, they needed to do a virus scan to make sure my account was clean because it'd been hacked. They said the process takes many hours and that they'd call me back first thing in the morning. Looking back, my best guess for them contacting me at all was to keep me preoccupied on the phone while these fraudulent transfers were done so I wouldnt have the chance to call or go into the actual Chase branch to see what was going on. 

XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX ( Friday ) : I received a call back from " Chase Fraud '' at XXXX from the same number as yesterday, ( XXXX ) XXXX. It was XXXX of the same men that I was talking to the day before. He stated that the virus scan was completed and that there were XXXX different viruses detected on my account. He then said that because of this, the " Wire-reversals '' that were attempted yesterday didn't end up processing and that he needed to do them again. I was then kept on the phone with them for another XXXX hours and XXXX minutes while they did these reversals. By about XXXX they said that all the reversals were completed and that now they needed to reset my account and then the money would be released from hold and placed back in my account. Again, they reassured me that the money wasn't gone but was in holding. I was on hold with them and I happened to go into my profile in my Chase app and I saw a phone number in my account that I didn't recognize. I told them that there was an unfamiliar phone number in my account, and they said I couldn't take it off from my app but that they'd take care of it. Right then, it disappeared. After another XXXX hours on hold, I started to feel that something wasn't right. They kept saying they could call me back when the process was completed, but I felt like I didn't want to hang up in case the next Chase representative didn't know what was going on and I didn't want to lose our money. By XXXX. I decided I needed to call Chase myself and check to see what was taking so long. I told the man on the phone to call me back in XXXX minutes ( which of course he didn't, and I haven't heard from him since ), and I DIALED ( XXXX ) XXXX and then the Chase Fraud department at XXXX. While talking with the actual Chase Fraud Representative, she asked me " what do you mean by " wire reversals ''? It was at that moment that I realized this was all fraud! We then spent the next XXXX hours on the phone with Chase Fraud Claims filing claims for each of the XXXX fraudulent wire transactions. They told us that they would mail an " Unauthorized Signature or Forged Item Declaration '' form for us to fill out. They said we would receive it in a couple business days ( Tuesday, it didnt come until 10 days later ). We asked if it could be faxed or emailed so we could complete it quicker, but they said it had to be mailed. We also called XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX and had our credit frozen. 

XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX ( Saturday ) : My husband and I went into our local Chase Branch at XXXX. We wanted to talk with a Chase Representative face to face and make sure we have done all we can do. We talked with XXXX who called the Chase Fraud department himself to check on our claim. He also asked if he could have the forgery paperwork faxed to the Chase branch, but again was told it has to be in the mail. XXXX printed off all XXXX fraudulent wire transfer transaction details documents for us, which I have attached to this email. XXXX of the transactions went to XXXX XXXX XXXX, and the other XXXX went to XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX. My husband contacted the XXXX XXXX Police Department and filed a case with them. We have been given a detective to work on our case. I have attached the police report. The detective has since sent subpoenas to all the receiving banks of the fraudulent wire transfers. 

XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX ( Tuesday ) : I called Chase Fraud to check on our claims, and I was told that our claim has been denied and our claim has been closed! I told them my phone number had been changed and they were receiving the calls/texts from Chase and THEY were verifying the transactions, not ME! After a few more hours on the phone with Chase feeling like I was getting the runaround, I was able to talk with someone who advised me to call corporate for help. She said this was my last hope. She also said I should go into XXXX XXXX and XXXX  XXXX XXXX branches and ask if they could help track down the transactions. I did this, but they were unable to help me because I don't have an account with either of those banks. I also called the fraud department at XXXX XXXX and was told the same thing. This has been hours and hours and days of getting nowhere. I went into our local Chase Branch again and was able to speak with the bank XXXX, XXXX. She called the claims department and was told the same thing, however they told her that she could print off the forgery paperwork in her office! She did and we filled it out and faxed it back right then ( the paperwork didn't end up coming in the mail until XX/XX/XXXX ). XXXX also called the Chase Corporate number and was able to talk with XXXX who was kind enough to start a new case for us. 

XXXX. For the rest of the days until now, we have been in almost daily contact with XXXX XXXX and the Chase Corporate representatives for my claim. I'm trying to stay proactive and do the legwork that I can do to save you time and give you the information I can find. I was able to find more information about the wire transactions from my Chase App. I was able to cross reference them with the transaction details from Chase Bank through matching reference numbers with XXXX numbers for XXXX XXXX and matching message to recipient with XXXX REF and matching reference number with SSN for XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I have used the secure message section in my Chase App to converse with Chases wire transfer team. I have faxed Letters of XXXX multiple times to all the receiving banks. I have received messages through the secure message app stating I need to send the XXXX XXXX XXXX on the XXXX XXXX XXXX although the XXXX of my local Chase branch, the wire transfer team, and I am unable to get XXXX XXXX to send the template they request. In fact, XXXX XXXX fraud team says the template requested doesnt exist. Also, the number that was given to me to call Chases wire transfer team does not work. When I call it, it says it is having technical difficulties and then it disconnects. The number is XXXX. Just another example of the run around I am getting from Chase and the receiving banks. I have once again reached a dead end. Chase has had ample opportunity to do the right thing, which would be to replace the {$200000.00} fraudulently stolen from my account. It is absolutely appalling to me that Chase could allow this to happen. I have never performed any wire transfers within the 7 years of banking with Chase. Wire transfers is a very unusual activity, let alone the huge amounts that were performed, XXXX of them over XXXX days totaling {$20000.00}! I have spoken with other banking institutions, and their wire transfer process consists of denying the costumer the ability to transfer such amounts online. They require their costumers to come into the branch to do these types of transactions. Unfortunately, legal and other means is now required. 

Attachments : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX phone records for XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX showing the fraudulent Chase calls. 
2. Transaction details from Chase Bank with corresponding transaction details from Chase App.

3. Forgery paperwork from Chase 4. Official denial letter from Chase 5. Police Report 6. Letters of XXXX for receiving banks Thank you so much!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation