Consumer complaint received 2019-09-25
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
I recently ( XX/XX/2019 ) opened a business checking and savings account with Chase Bank at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX. I applied for a business Chase Ink credit card with them. My main concern going into the process was that my business partner did not yet have an individual tax identification number ( ITIN ). The banker who helped me establish my accounts and apply for the card was named XXXX XXXX. I voiced my concerns to XXXX XXXX. He assured me that it would not be a problem in getting approved for their Chase Ink business credit card. XXXX told us that I could get the card first and that my business partner could be added later after obtaining her ITIN. Due to these reassurances and promises, I applied for the card. I signed the paperwork and deposited into the new account. 

I also said that I had a credit freeze with each credit bureau and he said not to worry because the app may take a few days to process, which gave me time to unfreeze them. 

I unfroze my credit reports within a few days. 

On XX/XX/XXXX ( a Saturday ), XXXX called me and told me that I had to provide a minutes record from our company that designates me as the sole manager. I said this was clearly and explicitly already stated on the operating agreement, which he had a copy of. He said he knew it didn't make sense and the higher ups were being weird. I told him that minutes would be inconvenient so he suggested a document on company letterhead and a company seal. I said this would also be inconvenient. So he finally said that it could just be a letter with me stating I'm the sole manager of the company. I said okay but that I was out of town for a few days. He said to just get it to him within a few days. 

Between then and Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I had two missed calls, two voice messages, and approximately 3 emails ( two in one day ) from XXXX requesting the same. It was quite unprofessional and annoying considering that he asked on Saturday, I told him that it would be a few days, and I got it to him by Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX in the afternoon. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX I got a letter in the mail stating that Chase credit couldn't process my application for the credit card because I had a freeze. The day they ran it was the day that I applied ( XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, unlike what XXXX had told me. I called the number on the letter and informed the Chase credit representative that I no longer had a freeze. Agent 1 ( I do not know their name ) ran my credit and then transferred me to some sort of approval agent. This Agent 2 ( I do not know their name ) asked for my partner 's ITIN and I explained that she does not yet have one. He informed me that I could not be approved at the time because they didn't have her ITIN. I told him that this made no sense since she is a silent partner, I have 50 percent ownership, and I have already told Chase and verified with them that I'm the sole manager of the company. I told this Agent 2 that the banker ( XXXX ) told us that my partner could just be added later after obtaining her ITIN. He still said that they could not approve the card. 

I called XXXX and explained what I'd been told. He said that he would look into it and get back to me later that evening or the next day. He didn't. 

The next afternoon, on Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX. He informed me that Chase has a new policy that he was unaware of that requires anyone with greater than 10 percent ownership in a company to provide their Social Security Number/ITIN for, " fraud regulation '' to protect the customer. I said that this made no sense. I reminded him of what he promised us in relation to my partner 's lack of an ITIN not being an issue and he admitted that he was mistaken and said, " my bad ''. I was annoyed that Chase ran my credit when I was on the phone with them on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX when they already knew that I'd be denied the card based on these circumstances. XXXX said that he may be able to get the credit card application extended for another month and I said that this didn't help me. I wanted to start my business and not 1.5 months from then when my partner would get her ITIN. I told XXXX that the unprofessional way I had been treated was unacceptable and that he'd better find a way to fix the issue or I would be closing my accounts, taking my business elsewhere, and pursuing action through the XXXX  XXXX XXXX and any related state/federal agencies. 

XXXX called me back an hour or so later and said that he'd escalated the issue to some sort of manager within Chase who handles customers who fell through the cracks. I asked for a time-line and he couldn't give me one. I told him I'd better hear back by Monday, XX/XX/XXXX or I'd be done. He said okay. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX I had not heard back so I went into Chase Bank, withdrew the funds, and initiated the account closing. XXXX offered no solution. 

Within approximately one week, I received a call from a Chase Bank associate ( who was in quality control or something of that nature ). All they could do was record my complaint but could not approve my credit card application or reverse my processing for my card.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation