Consumer complaint received 2018-03-27
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I booked a hotel stay at the XXXX XXXX in XXXX, TX for a stay at their hotel during the dates of XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. I made this reservation using 30,000 of my rewards members points ( XXXX ), on XXXX XXXX website. This reservation required that I put in a credit card to hold the reservation. I used my Chase XXXX XXXX XXXX   XXXX ( XXXX ). 

On or before XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed several unusual charges on my account for my Chase XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), 3 charges from the XXXX XXXX, and one from XXXX XXXX. 

Details for these unusual charges are as follows : Date | Amount | Merchant Name or Transaction Description XX/XX/XXXX | {$170.00} | XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX | {$530.00} | XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX | {$350.00} | XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX | {$760.00} | XXXX  XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Chase Bank to alert them of the fraudulent charges from the XXXX XXXX. I knew the XXXX XXXX charges were bogus because I have never stayed at a XXXX XXXX, and was not planning on staying in a XXXX XXXX any time in the future. I thought the charge from XXXX  XXXX _might_ be legitimate because I had recently made a reservation at XXXX XXXX. It was the same hotel chain, and they were both in the same state, Texas. I have also come to understand that it is normal business practice for companies, e.g. hotels, to put a hold on funds through a credit card when making a reservation, then release those funds at a later date after the stay is completed. I thought this was the case in this instance, and that after my hotel stay at XXXX XXXX, the {$760.00} would be refunded to my card because I paid for my reservation using my Rewards members points ( XXXX  ). Further, I didn't want my reservation to be cancelled due to my cancelling the charge. I explained this to the Chase representative when I called to report the XXXX charges, and the representative agreed that this decision was logical. 

My hotel reservation came and went. I paid XXXX  XXXX {$42.00} for parking, and my Rewards member account was deducted the 30,000 XXXX  ( the XXXX  were actually deducted at the time I made the reservation ). 

I know that banks and businesses are much slower at putting money back into an account than they are taking it out, so I was patient. 

XXXX XXXX came and went. 

XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX came and went. 

I tried to resolve this with the hotel first, but they gave me the runaround. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX  to see what was going on with that {$760.00} charge. The representative I spoke with said that someone from the financial department would be in touch within 48 hours. If I didn't hear back by then, I needed to call back. I called XXXX XXXX ( the parent company of XXXX XXXX ) 3 more times throughout the month of XXXX ( twice on XX/XX/XXXX, once on XX/XX/XXXX ), and at most I only got an email from them containing my guest folio for the {$42.00} at XXXX XXXX. 

When attempting to resolve this issue with the hotel got me nowhere, I started fighting the charge with the bank. 
On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, I called the Chase Report Fraud Number ( XXXX ) to report the XXXX XXXX charge as fraud. I initially spoke with XXXX, who later transferred me to XXXX XXXX. I explained to XXXX my story of events. She told me that she would send me the form I needed to fill out and she advised me that I needed to file a report stating that I was overcharged. A couple of days later, I received the form that XXXX sent me. I filled it out as she instructed, stating that I had paid for the reservation with my rewards members points, and only needed to pay for parking, not the {$760.00}. I printed off a copy of the XXXX XXXX transaction ( {$760.00} ), and my Guest Folio for my stay at XXXX  XXXX ( {$42.00} ) and included those along with the form I had filled out and sent it back to Chase. 

On Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX around lunchtime, I received a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX. I didn't recognize the phone number so I let it go to voicemail. XXXX XXXX XXXX left a message stating her contact number and her times of availability ( including time zone ) asking for me to call her back. I attempted to reach XXXX XXXX XXXX 3 times in the following days, only to receive her voice mail each time ( once on XX/XX/XXXX, twice on XX/XX/XXXX ). On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a form letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX stating that they consider the charge valid based on their research. This form letter and the once voice mail she left me is the only contact I have had with XXXX XXXX XXXX. I'm still unclear as to what proof the merchant provided that this charge is valid ( hint : its not, and they have no proof ). 

Note : I was never in or near XXXX, Texas during all of XXXX. 

After speaking with several people, I was advised that I needed to contact the bank again and explain that this charge from XXXX  XXXX is _NOT_ an overcharge, it is a _FRAUDULENT_ charge, a completely separate transaction from the {$42.00} I was charged by XXXX  XXXX, from a completely separate merchant ( XXXX  XXXX ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX at approximately XXXX, XXXX, I called Chase customer service at XXXX. I first spoke with XXXX, who then transferred me to XXXX ( in the security and fraud department ), who then transferred me to XXXX ( in the dispute department ). XXXX advised me that she can not re-open the dispute over the phone, and that I needed to physically go down to a branch and have them fax several documents for me, including : - my credit card number - my name - the name of the merchant - the amount of the transaction - the date of the transaction - a letter stating the following : I <my name>, am reopening this dispute, and am refusing to pay this merchant. 

I also needed to include : - the receipt for my XXXX stay at XXXX  XXXX - proof that I paid for my stay with XXXX. ( I provided the e-mail confirmation from my reservation ). 



On XX/XX/XXXX, at approximately XXXX, I walked down to the Chase Bank located at the intersection of XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX , Oregon . After waiting for almost an hour, I sat down with XXXX at approximately XXXX. I explained my situation and we reviewed the documents that I brought with me to fax. XXXX started making phone calls, I'm not sure to whom. 

At some point, XXXX handed me the phone. Apparently, I was speaking with XXXX in Credit Card Services. She placed me on hold, then transferred me to XXXX from the district department. XXXX gave me the fax number ( XXXX ) and advised XXXX and I to fax in the documents. XXXX had me write additional notes on the documents included in the fax to more clearly indicate what they were, and she sent the fax at approximately XXXX pacific time on XX/XX/XXXX. 

on XX/XX/XXXX I called Chase at XXXX and spoke with XXXX. XXXX then transferred me to XXXX in the Dispute Office. XXXX confirmed that the dispute had been reopened successfully, and it was still pending. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Chase bank denying my dispute, claiming that the charge was valid, due to the following reasons : - They had contacted the merchant to obtain a permanent credit for my account. 
- They found that a significant amount of time had passed since the date of the charge, and that despite their efforts, the merchant is not willing to credit my account. 
- The merchant isn't required to credit your account because the charge took place too long ago. 


The letter received on XX/XX/XXXX is the the last communication from Chase Bank I have received on this matter. 

To summarize : The {$760.00} charge from XXXX XXXX on my Chase XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, made on XX/XX/XXXX is a fraudulent Charge. 
I was never in or near XXXX, TX in all of XXXX. 
I have never in my life been to the XXXX XXXX hotel. 
I have never in my life made a reservation for the XXXX  XXXX hotel I tried to resolve this issue with XXXX XXXX ( the parent company of XXXX  XXXX   ) starting on XX/XX/XXXX ( 68 days after the fraudulent charge ). 
After several attempts without resolution, I took the matter to Chase Bank on XX/XX/XXXX ( 93 days after the fraudulent charge ) AND Followed the guidance from Chase Bank Representatives on how to fill out forms indicating fraud. TWICE. 
Each time my dispute was rejected without further consultation of me, without documented proof of transaction from the merchant.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation