Consumer complaint received 2021-01-29
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: WA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Add-on products and services

Complaint:
I am lodging this complaint in the interest of elder protection from fraud on behalf of my XXXX year old neighbor. In XXXX she was lured into a vicious scam which resulted in her being tricked into purchasing gift cards with her Chase visa card at grocery stores where she never shops, and in amounts wildly outside her typical spending pattern. She was never contacted by Chase to investigate the highly suspicious activity which we believe best practices would oblige - particularly in the case of elderly clients. 
The incident happened this past XXXX and we have been in weekly contact with Chase Bank being passed from one customer service rep to the next in our quest for some relief from this debt. 

Here is her statement regarding details of the fraud/scam.. 
XX/XX/XXXX ( afternoon ) - My XXXX computer became frozen and nonfunctional with a repeating circle on the screen. After trying several ways to bypass the circle, I was contacted almost immediately by an " XXXX Technician '' who said they would help me get my computer running again. Since the computer is now my lifeline to the outside world, I was relieved for this " help '' and proceeded to follow their instructions. I was told in order to initiate the changes they needed to make I would need to purchase gift cards at a nearby grocery store and give them the numbers in order to validate / implement a new security for my computer. In such a vulnerable state, I complied with their instructions. 

XX/XX/XXXX When they contacted me on the XXXX, they told me they would be depositing {$15000.00} into my bank account so that I could wire {$15000.00} to an outside account, and showed me a screen with my banking information which made me suspicious. I refused, and I immediately went to see my neighbor, ( BF ) to help me sort through what was happening. 

After sharing with my neighbor the events of the previous day and this morning, we both determined it was a total scam and we called Chase Fraud Department to alert them not to accept any of the charges. We spoke with XXXX at XXXX and let her know that all of the charges at XXXX and XXXX were fraudulent and to reject all of them. Further, the charges are so far from any of my spending patterns, we assumed this sudden and drastic change in my spending patterns would be clearly picked up as fraud. XXXX informed us that some charges had been declined, and some were approved but they were pending. We instructed her to decline all of the pending " approved '' charges. She initially told us that they would need to wait for the pending charges to be processed and then dispute them, but we strongly disagreed and asked that she stop them immediately. XXXX then informed us that I would not be liable for the charges. I was so relieved. Following are the charges XXXX showed were pending and declined. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$500.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$500.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$500.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$1000.00} Approved ( pending ) QFC {$1000.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$1000.00} Declined XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$1000.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$1000.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$2000.00} Approved ( pending ) XXXX {$2000.00} Declined XXXX {$1000.00} Declined XXXX {$500.00} Declined After receiving XXXX 's confirmation that I would not be liable for the charges, I went to Chase bank to close my account and set up an appointment with XXXX to work with an authentic technician. 

XX/XX/XXXX The XXXX technician determined my computer had been " hacked '' and applied the appropriate fixes. With my bank account closed, XXXX 's assurance that I would not be liable for the pending fraudulent charges, and my computer fixed, I was looking forward to putting my life back together. 

XX/XX/XXXX I checked my Chase account online and saw that {$4500.00} of the fraudulent charges had been posted to my account! I went to see my neighbor, BF, immediately and we called Chase Fraud Department again and spoke with " XXXX '' this time. XXXX passed us to " XXXX '' in your Dispute center who said that since I purchased the gift cards they could not honor a dispute. This was very frustrating since we caught it and alerted Chase ( XXXX in your Fraud Department ) while the charges were still PENDING. We asked to speak with a manager and we were passed to " XXXX '' in your Recovery Department. We share the whole story with her and she said that the matter would be escalated and we would be contacted within 24 hours. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received the attached letters from XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX ( 2 organizations to which I donate annually ) confirming that there had been a breach of their security systems which indeed explains how the " criminals '' by whom I was victimized were able to access my computer and drag me into their elaborate scam operation. I attach these documents as proof of this fraud. 

XX/XX/XXXX Since we did not hear back from XXXX or anyone, we called again today, and spoke this time with " XXXX '' Specialist in your Recovery Department who asked me to send the attached documents. 

As mentioned, I am requesting that all the fraudulent charges be removed from my account for the following reasons : 1. I contacted your Fraud Department while the charges were still pending to alert them to reject the charges, and understood that I would not be liable for the charges. 
2. I was clearly the victim of a sophisticated scam operation as evidenced by the history described in this email and the supporting attached documents.

3. I have been a loyal Chase customer for 33 years ( bank and visa accounts ), am an XXXX XXXX XXXX retired XXXX XXXX on fixed income with no family in the area and am asking for your special consideration during this difficult time. 

After weekly follow ups with the Fraud Department at Chase, in XXXX we were passed to the corporate offices in Ohio. Following is the letter we sent on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX To whom it may concern : I am sending this request for re-evaluation of my case # XXXX as recommended by XXXX XXXX, Supervisor of Fraud Operations at Chase. 

I am an XXXX XXXX retired XXXX  XXXX  on a fixed income, with no family in the area. I have been victimized by an elaborate credit card scam. This has left me feeling very unsafe and vulnerable during times of great uncertainty in the world. I have been a loyal Chase customer for 33 years, paying my bills punctually each month. I am asking that you please consider the extenuating circumstances related to what has transpired, and remove the fraudulent charges from my account. 

To summarize : Unbeknownst to me, in early XXXX XXXX, a large software company that manages data for non-profit organizations of several charities to which I donate regularly, had a breach of their security systems. Unfortunately, I was not alerted of this breach until XX/XX/XXXX of this year. 

The scam by which I was victimized began on XX/XX/XXXX. My XXXX computer became frozen and nonfunctional with a repeating circle on the screen which I was unable to bypass. I became greatly alarmed since the computer has become my lifeline to the outside world as we all struggle with the effects of COVID and stay at home isolation. Within 24 hours I was contacted by an XXXX Technician who offered to help get my computer running again. What relief I felt! I was told in order initiate the appropriate fixes, I would need to purchase gift cards and give them the numbers in order to implement a new security for my computer. In such a vulnerable state, I complied with their instructions and purchased several thousand dollars worth of gift cards using my Chase Visa. These were extraordinary purchases for me ; I have never made similarly large purchases on any of my Chase accounts. 

When the scammers contacted me the next day to continue the ruse, I became suspicious. I went to see my neighbor, XXXX XXXX, who helped me sort through what was happening. Together we determined this was a fraud and called the Chase Fraud Department immediately to instruct them to DENY the charges. We spoke with XXXX who said several charges had been denied but a number of them were PENDING. We strongly instructed her to STOP all the charges. At first XXXX said we could let those charges go through and protest them later, but we insisted that they should be stopped. XXXX finally informed us that I would not be liable for the charges and they were removed from my account. This was a huge comfort. 

I then went to my local Chase bank to close my account, freeze the credit card account. I also set up an appointment with an authentic XXXX technician who determined that my computer had indeed been hacked and applied the appropriate fixes. In reliance on what I was told, I took no further action. I was looking forward to a new chapter in my life and a return to some stability. In XXXX, however, {$4500.00} of the charges which XXXX had removed in XXXX reappeared. I was stunned and dismayed. XXXX and I then began over two months of communicating with various specialists in the Chase Fraud Department system. The final instruction we received from Mr. XXXX was to contact your executive offices for further consideration. 

This whole affair has left me feeling quite defenseless during a chaotic time. I am kindly requesting that consideration of my plight be elevated to the highest possible level, and the extenuating circumstances which I have outlined be included in your review. 

With your help, I am looking forward to a positive outcome to this very dark episode in my life. Thank you so much for considering my request. 

From late XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX we followed up weekly by phone with the corporate offices of Chase in Ohio speaking first with " XXXX '' who passed us to XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX Ms. XXXX passed us on to discuss the incident with XXXX XXXX. The final result yielded absolutely no relief for Chase 's long standing customer in this horrible predicament.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation