Consumer complaint received 2019-06-17
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: FL
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem when attempting to purchase vehicle at the end of the lease

Complaint:
My vehicle was wrongfully repossessed. I had a XXXX lease through Chase Auto Finance. After the lease term ended, I indicated to Chase that I wanted to convert from lease to purchase and also obtain the purchase financing through Chase Auto. 
On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I had been told by XXXX XXXX ( loan originator at Chase ) that my credit application was approved, and I was given the loan terms. I told him I accepted the terms and asked him to send me the documents electronically for completion. XXXX also instructed me to pay the lease payment if another one came due before the purchase loan was processed and that if I continued receiving calls from the lease side I could either answer them or ignore them. This could be confirmed by listening to calls between myself and XXXX.I received the documents electronically but also received them via XXXX  overnight XX/XX/XXXX. I executed the documents ( contract, power of attorney ), paid {$20.00} to have my signature notarized on the POA documents, and sent back all documents that were on the provided checklist, along with copies of my vehicle registration, insurance card and driver 's license. These items were returned to Chase XX/XX/XXXX via XXXX   overnight. The contract date indicated on the documents was XX/XX/XXXX. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from Chase Auto. Thinking it was regarding finalization of the loan and how to make payment, I returned the call. It was actually the lease side. I indicated I had returned the purchase documents the week prior and that I assumed the loan would be fully processed and the lease paid out shortly. Also on XXXX XXXX, I received a XXXX envelope at my home. The envelope included a letter from Chase Auto dated XX/XX/XXXX and an odometer disclosure statement. The letter indicated my documents had been received and the odometer statement was all that was needed to finalize the loan. ( Please note : an odometer statement was not part of the original package ). I completed and signed the odometer statement and returned it to Chase Auto XX/XX/XXXX in the XXXX   overnight envelope they provided to me. 
I never received any further correspondence from Chase Auto. 
Another lease payment was due XX/XX/XXXX, so I did as instructed by the retail lending side and paid the lease payment. This payment was accepted. 
The first retail loan payment was supposed to be due XX/XX/XXXX. As I still had not received anything further regarding how to pay the loan, and the lease was still showing open for me on the Chase app ad Chase online, I started calling the number provided on the letter of XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX ). The letter indicated to call that number and choose Option 6. There is NO option 6. I chose option 3 for applications already made, then option 1 for apps made by phone. I have called that number XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. All I ever got is a recording stating they are experiencing high call volume and I will be handled by the next available representative. After 20-30 minutes with no one picking up, I would give up. This occurred more than once a day on most of those dates. I also tried the number I had for XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. That number was no longer in service, as they are apparently no longer taking credit apps by phone. 
During this whole time, I was monitoring Chase online and the Chase app to see if the lease had been paid off yet. 
The evening of XX/XX/XXXX, the lease no longer showed on the app or Chase online, so I thought it had finally been paid by the retail side and closed out. 
Sunday XX/XX/XXXX, I walked out of my house to go celebrate XXXX 's Day with my stepfather, and my vehicle was gone. I called the police and was told it had been repossessed. I called Chase at XXXX, which was a number I found online. it was the automated payment number, but I got transferred to the Redemptions dept and spoke with XXXX ( ID number XXXX ) who provided me with contact info for the repossession agent and told me I would have to contact them Monday morning. I explained the situation regarding already executing a contract to purchase the vehicle at the beginning of XXXX, and she indicated she forwarded the situation to Disputes and they would contact me in XXXX hours. I had to then go purchase some items I would need for work the next day, as the items I needed were in the vehicle. 
Monday XX/XX/XXXX : I had to find a ride to work. My security badge for work was in the vehicle, so I had to obtain a temporary. The temporary badge did not allow me access through any of the security doors. I work on an enhanced security floor, so could not even get back to my desk if I went out to use the restroom. 
At XXXX, I contacted the repossession company I was given by XXXX the previous evening. I informed them this is a wrongful repossession and the finance company would need to return the vehicle to me. I also told them not to do anything with the vehicle including open it, remove contents, cut a key. 
At XXXX XXXX I called XXXX again and was transferred to XXXX ( ID XXXX ) in the Redemptions Dept at Chase. She advised me she sees XXXX emailed Disputes yesterday about the situation and we just have to wait for them. I told her this is a wrongful repossession, and I want the vehicle returned today, I asked for a supervisor and was transferred to Account Supervisor XXXX ( ID XXXX ). I informed him of the above course of events. I told him this is a wrongful repossession, and I want the vehicle back today. I informed him I was filing a CFPB complaint and Executive complaint. I made it clear how disturbing this is given the fact that both loans are with the same bank. He told me there is a note that the credit app expired XX/XX/XXXX. He told me maybe I could start the application process again. I asked how this could happen when all paperwork to complete the loan was returned weeks before. He attempted to transfer me to a number for loans, and the call disconnected. He indicated the number was XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX : Called XXXX and again received a recording indicating they were experiencing extended wait time. 
XXXX XXXX : Called XXXX and received a recording indicating that to apply you need to go online to chaseautoloan.com XXXX XXXX : Called XXXX ( Chase customer service ) again. Agent indicated she didnt see it was flagged for repo and said she was going to transfer me to the Collection Dept. I was transferred to Account Supervisor XXXX ( ID XXXX ) at XXXX XXXX. I gave her the story and again informed her this is a wrongful repo. She attempted to transfer me to XXXX option 3, which is the number Ive been trying to call for weeks and never reached a person. She stayed on the line until XXXX, at which time she told me they were experiencing extended wait time. She suggested I talk to a loan XXXX at a Chase branch who XXXX have a better number. 
At XXXX XXXX, I again called XXXX trying to determine why my purchase loan never got properly processed thus leading to the wrongful repossession. I again received the recording indicating they were experiencing extended wait time. It was 2 hours and 5 minutes before anyone came on the line. I held that entire time, while I was also attempting to perform my job. Finally, the call was answered by someone named XXXX at XXXX XXXX. XXXX advised that Resolutions was working on it and had actually contacted her for a piece of information. She stated that the tracking number for the Odometer Statement I sent back to Chase XX/XX/XXXX showed that it was received in the mailroom at Chase XX/XX/XXXX ( the next business day ). She said they need to find out what happened between receipt of the final document and the booking team, as it was not showing as received by booking until a month after the mailroom ( XX/XX/XXXX ). Booking supposedly was reaching out to the lease side for a new payoff. XXXX told me she emailed XXXX ( XXXX? ) from Resolutions who is working on the case and appeared to be at lunch. She stated that she would call me back and recited my phone number to me. XXXX further told me this was not my fault since I had returned everything on time and they would work on trying to get it resolved. Once again, I stressed that this was a wrongful repossession and I wanted the vehicle returned today. 

To summarize : I had a vehicle lease with Chase. I was approved by Chase for a new loan to convert from lease to purchase, and I supplied all documents within the requested time. I followed the instructions of the retail side and paid the next lease payment that came due, and it was accepted. Chase admits to receiving my paperwork on time, yet no one started processing it until a month after it was received. Due to the lack of controls and their improper practices, my vehicle was repossessed causing me great hardship, embarrassment, stress and consumed my time. As of this writing ( XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX ), I have not received a call back, and I still do not have my vehicle.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief