Consumer complaint received 2020-02-08
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
I presented a check on XX/XX/2020 for {$26000.00} at Chase Bank, XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX , XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX. The person who wrote the check had previously confirmed the funds had cleared and were available in her account before she wrote the check. I stated during the first few seconds of speaking with the teller that I wanted to purchase a cashiers check for that amount, not cash. The check was dated XX/XX/XXXX, the day before. I presented my Texas Drivers license, which is a government issued picture ID. 

Again, I told the teller I did not want cash, that I wanted a cashiers check and would be happy to pay the fee. 

I also said You are welcome to call the account holder and get a confirmation that the check is valid. She is waiting for your call. 

She asked me if I had an account at their bank. I said I did not. Then she brought another teller and the other teller said they would not cash the check. 

I asked if the check was valid, and if my ID was valid. The teller confirmed that the check was their own check, the check was valid, and my ID was valid. 

I asked why she refused to cash it and she said The amount is too large we dont have that much cash. I said I already told you that I do not want cash, I asked for a cashiers check. She said It still comes from cash and we dont do that large a transaction. Youll have to deposit it into your own bank. 

I said I am presenting one of your own checks in a proper way. It's a valid check with valid ID. She again said they would not cash the check, that I must leave and deposit the check into my own account at another bank. 

She refused again and I had to leave. 

In summary : The funds were available. 
I had proper valid identification. 
This check was not a third party check. 
This check was current, only a day old. It was not damaged. 
I told her I was willing to pay a fee for getting a cashiers check. 
I mentioned that she could get verbal confirmation from the account holder. 
The teller could have honored the check, as everything was proper. She simply chose not to. 
The teller was dishonest about the reason for not cashing the check. 

The official reason she stated was clearly untrue- She stated the cash was not available. Then when I pointed out I did not want any cash, she said it did not matter. Clearly the bank had a different reason for not cashing the check than what the teller said, because they do not need cash available to write a cashiers check. 

This was a case where the bank was presented with a valid check, and refused to honor their own check, even though it was a valid check, valid ID, and they could get voice confirmation from the account owner that the check was real. 

What is significant is that when I asked, the teller said We dont have that much cash available. When I reminded her I did not want cash, she said It still comes from cash and we dont do that large a transaction. Youll have to deposit it into your own bank. 

A bank should be required to honor their own check when it is presented in a proper way, with funds available, and with valid ID. I am sure that if the bank records were checked, it would show that other people have successfully presented a check of this amount or larger, and that it was honored, instead of the person being turned away. 

I am sure this bank does cash checks for others when the check is valid, and they have valid ID. But with me they chose not to. They chose to treat me differently. 

I understand that when a check is deposited into an account at that bank, the bank can use the money I dont immediately spend, so banks prefer to deposit the funds into their own bank. But the reason for refusing to honor their own check does not matter. This bank has discriminated specifically against me, embarrassed me, and caused other problems.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation