Consumer complaint received 2018-01-23
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Money was taken from your account on the wrong day or for the wrong amount

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I deposited a money order in the amount of {$850.00} from my roommate into my checking account at Chase Bank. This person is no longer my roommate, but I shall henceforth refer to him as my roommate for convenience. 

On XX/XX/XXXX -- over a year later -- I noticed on my Chase checking account a debit of {$850.00} that was classified as " returned check '' on XX/XX/XXXX. I called Chase bank to inquire about this charge against my account which I could see no reason for. The customer service hotline promised to file " a research '' on this claim and send me the results in the mail in 5-7 business days. As of this writing, it has been over ten business days and I still have no written explanation for the debit of {$850.00} from my account. 

I visited a branch near my residence on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with a personal banker and was informed that XXXX XXXX XXXX had filed a fraud claim to have the money order from XX/XX/XXXX returned and that Chase had accepted the claim and returned the money. They told me that they had received evidence and an affidavit claiming that the money order 's intended recipient was a person named XXXX XXXX XXXX. The representative told me that Chase had initially denied the claim, but had reversed their ruling, which was why it took over one year for the money to be debited from my account. Not knowing that name and being sure that my roommate did not either, I asked them to investigate this claim as a matter of fraud. I was told that they were unable to do this. It seems to me that this must have been untrue, or else there would be no way for XXXX XXXX XXXX to have asked for the money back in the first place. 

I was referred to the payer and to XXXX XXXX XXXX, but they refused to provide any official documentation of the events that they claimed had occurred. I was told that a report would arrive in the mail. I have received no such report, though over 10 business days have passed. I have no official explanation from Chase for why {$850.00} was removed from my account. 

I consulted the payer who informed that he had certainly not filed a claim to have the money returned, nor did he see any money returned to his account. Together, we visited the XXXX XXXX XXXX branch where he had purchased the money order and explained what had happened. The branch manager helpfully promised to have XXXX XXXX XXXX investigate. Five business days later on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, they informed by roommate that they had filed no claim to have the money order in question returned. Their records were somehow inconsistent with Chase 's. 

Immediately after visiting XXXX XXXX XXXX, my roommate and I visited a different Chase branch in the same area. We spoke to the branch manager, presented him with a picture of the money order and presented him with our federal IDs. We then explained to him what happened with both payer and payee in the room. He again refused to investigate my claim any further and refused to provide any documentation. He also claimed that there was no mechanism by which Chase could investigate or contest the claim. 

Neither XXXX XXXX XXXX nor Chase has provided my roommate or I with documentation and both have denied responsibility. I have no official explanation for why {$850.00} is missing from my account, despite asking for some reason in writing that the money was debited from my account. The only verbal explanation was that Chase had determined that I was not the intended recipient of the check, and though I and the payer had visited a branch together to inform them that this was not true, they denied any responsibility. 

I am willing to, if needed, jointly sign an affadavit with my roommate that I was the intended recipient of the money order.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation