Consumer complaint received 2020-07-28
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: VA
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: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I am being erroneously billed for {$450.00} of fraudulent charges made on a stolen card as well as duplicate billed {$350.00} for a legitimate purchase, and am unable to resolve this matter with Chase despite multiple communications with them. I reported {$450.00} of fraudulent charges on the day I discovered them, but the investigation stated that the charges were legitimate because I benefited from the transaction. I later learned because there are other charges made with the card during that period that I did not dispute, the fraud claim is denied. Additionally, I am being charged twice for the same purchase that occurred around this time. 

My Chase Visa was lost/stolen on XX/XX/XXXX. Due to the Coronavirus stay at home order and non-contact purchases ( XXXX XXXX ), I did not notice that the card was gone until XX/XX/XXXX when I received the bill for the charges. At that time, I noticed 35 fraudulent charges totaling {$450.00} - all to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX. ( Although these merchants are in my neighborhood, I have never purchased anything from them ). I immediately reported these fraudulent charges, locked my card, and was issued a replacement card. There are other charges on my card ( to XXXX XXXX ) which I did not dispute, as I assumed they were legitimate ( my husband still had possession of his card during the time, I always use XXXX XXXX and they are made at neighborhood stores we sometimes go to ). However, my failure to identify these charges which I might have made as fraudulent is now Chases grounds for denying the entire fraud claim. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, prior to noticing the fraudulent charge, I purchased an item online at Amazon using the card ( which is saved to my account ), totaling {$350.00}. This payment was settled with Amazon on XX/XX/XXXX but later was disputed by the bank. According to correspondence with Amazon, the bank removed the funds from Amazon ( Chargeback ID : XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. My Amazon account was then locked. I contacted Amazon, provided my replacement credit card number and was re-charged the amount. This was added to my Chase bill and paid off in XXXX. Chase has placed the initial charge back on my account. Chase is now demanding that I pay for both charges ; Chase employee stated by phone that the merchant was paid twice. However, the merchant denies this ( record of chat with Amazon attached ). 

I asked for a review of the fraud claim. I subsequently was called and interviewed by someone from another country over a very poor, almost inaudible, phone connection made less intelligible by the accent of the staff member I spoke with. I explained that my husband still had his card which is why there continued to be charges on a credit card, and that my card was indeed lost/stolen but I had not noticed due to the stay at home order. This same individual told me that Amazon was paid twice, and I would need to contact Amazon to be refunded the {$350.00} ; ( this proved to be incorrect per Amazon. ) This individual gave me the impression on the phone that the  information I gave was sufficient to validate my claim regarding the {$450.00} of fraudulent charges. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed a letter in my Chase account stating that The latest review confirms the previous finding that the transaction ( s ) is valid, as well as the infuriating statement We assure you that we researched your fraud claim thoroughly. I was given a phone number to call with questions, XXXX, extension XXXX, which is not answered and just goes to a busy signal. 

On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX I attempted to reach the regular fraud department by phone. I called on four different occasions. Each time, after holding for 10-30 minutes was disconnected. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after a 40-minute hold time I was finally able to speak to someone through a very poor phone connection which was barely audible. I explained that I am planning to complain to the Consumer Finance Protection Agency and was transferred yet again to Ms. XXXX, an escalation specialist. Again, the hold time was excessive, and the phone quality was poor. Ms. XXXX insisted that the fraudulent purchases were actually my purchases because I used my chip card at that time to go to XXXX. 

There are indeed charges at the local XXXX which they claim are the reason they are denying the fraudulent charges. Since I often shop at the same XXXX I did not claim these as fraudulent because I was not 100 % sure that my husband or I did not make purchases at that time using his card or XXXX XXXX ; they were for small amounts and not something I would clearly recall weeks later. However, if they were made with the same card chip, they are indeed fraudulent, and I should not responsible for those charges either. 

Ms. XXXX then required that I file a police report ( which I consider a waste of time and police resources. ) I was not told what to do with the police report. I was then transferred to someone to dispute the {$350.00} duplicate charge at Amazon. I was placed on another long hold. After an additional 30 minutes I was told I would be transferred to XXXX who would assist with duplicate charges. However, I was transferred, and the call went to a busy signal and I was disconnected. 

Chase customer service is abysmal, and they persist in charging me for purchases that I am not responsible for.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation