Consumer complaint received 2023-06-22
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: LA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
XX/XX/2023 - I submitted a mobile check deposit to my Chase personal checking account. The check was made out to someone else, however this person endorsed the check over to me ( back of the check has both our signatures ) chase put a hold on cashing the check. 

XXXX XXXX - I contacted the bank to confirm I did make the mobile check deposit. The representative informed me they needed to verify the persons identity that the check was originally made out to. I explained the person is bed written and isnt able to psychically go into a local branch and that is why we did the endorsement. At this point they told me they could verify with their phone verification system. The first number I provided to them did not pass which left me very puzzled because this phone number that I provided to them had been theirs for many years. 

XX/XX/2023 - I called Chase to attempt the phone verification once more but this time we used the payees wifes phone number which had also been their primary contact number for many years ( actually on the same plan as her husbands phone number ). They called the number and was actually able to speak with the payee himself and did all the verification process and it was complete. The representative confirmed with me the verification was a success and the funds would be available within 2 hours.. 

XX/XX/2023 - I called Chase to try to make sense of what the problem could possibly be and they informed me the verification was not complete and I would need to bring the actual check and my drivers license into the local branch. 

XX/XX/2023 - I visited the nearest branch and as instructed I brought all the required documents and at the branch they told me the payee would have to come in person to the branch as well this was never explained to me and I told them again about the health condition of the payee but non of that seemed to matter for some reason. They finally told me that if I was able to get a good phone number that is linked to the payee to verify his identity ( once again ) they could do it that way. 

XX/XX/XXXX, - I made one more attempt to verify the phone number with Chase and it was unsuccessful of course. 

Chase eventually closed my account even though they did in fact cash the check and the funds were in my account they decided to first freeze it so I wouldnt have access to the money then after a week or so they closed my account altogether. 

The business the check was wrote from has now closed. It was only open temporarily due to COVID. 

All this seems to make the endorsement procedure quite useless to me and how did we pass the second phone verification but then the next day we didnt???? I am very assertive the representative explained to me in detail about the verification was completed and approved. I even repeated it all back to him to make sure I was understanding correctly. 


Why say allow endorsements if youre not going to approve them? 

Why tell your customers you have successfully approved identification verified if you really dont?? 

Doesnt seem like Chase bank stands on their word too much to me. 

This has put a TREMENDOUS strain on my family. The funds were and still are very much needed and rightfully ours and not Chases. We have medical bills that need our attention and this has done nothing but caused more grief for our family to deal with as if we didnt have enough with his XXXX XXXX. Chase should be ashamed of themselves and how they operate their business and then for them to guide their colleagues to do the same! I once thought Chase was a very reputable company that conducted a very successful business but I see now that is far than what they are doing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation