Consumer complaint received 2018-02-27
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 used my Chase MileagePlus Visa credit card to rent a car from XXXX while vacationing in XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. Then, a few months later in XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX, my card was charged four separate transactions from the merchant named XXXX XXXX XXXX, supposedly for administrative fees associated with passing through traffic citations. However, I had not received any tickets related to such traffic violations, so I disputed the transactions with Chase. The original disputed transactions are as follows : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$35.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$35.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$35.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$36.00} Each dispute was eventually rejected and rebilled by Chase, then I reopened the investigation a second time and eventually received another rejection. 

My argument throughout is that XXXX levied those four charges in error or fraudulence.

Presumably, with four separate charges, there would have been four separate traffic citations. However, I never did receive even one traffic citation from municipalities in XXXX and XXXX never provided proof that they received any citations either. Chase never required XXXX to provided proof of the citations and instead stated that I needed to somehow provide proof that that do NOT exist - which is literally impossible. 

Throughout the investigation and resolution process, I encountered utterly unhelpful customer support by Chase, with no opportunity to discuss my case with anyone over the phone. I was resigned to only submitting written statements, which were never directly responded to by Chase, giving me no confidence that my statements were ever factored into the dispute resolution. 

In addition to my general complaints about the resolution decision, I encountered a case investigator named XXXX XXXX that exhibited very suspicious behaviors, including leaving inaudible phone messages and providing callback numbers that either did not work or went to someone else. I never did have an opportunity to speak with XXXX XXXX but was able to find several complaints about him through internet research citing that several other people believe that he's fraudulent himself, impersonating a Chase Cardmember Services representative. 

And finally, beyond my complaint about XXXX XXXX, I was able to discern that Chase 's " fraud '' definition and dispute policies are inherently biased against cardholders/consumers. A senior manager in the disputes department named XXXX XXXX told me that, because I'd previously authorized a transaction with XXXX for the initial car rental, no subsequent transactions could be considered fraudulent. In other words, because I trusted XXXX once, Chase perpetually authorizes all other transactions from them. She also told me that the burden of proof is entirely the cardholder 's responsibility, so it's up to me to provide proof of why the transaction is invalid rather than the merchant providing proof that it is, in fact, valid. This puts an unfair onus on the consumer and is inherently unfair. 

Since the transactions have been resolved against me, I have subsequently been forced to pay them in full. Despite having been a cardholder for several years, I would like to close this account immediately. However, I feel trapped because I have a very high credit limit on that card and closing that account would significantly damage my credit score. Adding insult to injury, I have to pay a {$95.00} annual fee for this card, reminding me that I will be continually paying for the abuse by this company going forward.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation