Consumer complaint received 2022-08-14
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Victims Statement of the Rental Scam on XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX I found XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX listing for rent from apartments.com and messaged the agent/owner via apartments.com. The landlord later sent a text message to my phone number and set up a date and time to look for the House. But on our way to see the House, the landlord informed us saying the above property is already rented and he has another condo for rent and asked us to come to the address XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. After we arrived at the location the landlord opened the door remotely using the " XXXX '' app and me and my husband were able to see inside of the apartment. After seeing the apartment, we wanted to reserve hence contacted the landlord with the given phone number ( XXXX ) and was asked to transfer money using XXXX and gave an email address associated with the XXXX account ( XXXX ). I sent the security deposit along with the application fee totaling {$1600.00}. ( {$1500.00} for the security deposit + {$100.00} application fee ). 

Thereafter a link was sent to start the background check process where both myself and husband 's social security number, copy of the front and back of our drivers license and recent pay stubs to verify the employment were submitted. 

After a few hours, a lease agreement was sent via email ( XXXX ) to read and sign, which we did. Per the agreement, paid the first month rent of {$1800.00} before moving in XX/XX/XXXX through XXXX. For this transaction the landlord notified us to use a different XXXX account since the previous XXXX account was used by his wife. The email address associated with XXXX was " XXXX ''. So after transferring the XXXX month rent of {$1800.00} the landlord agreed to have everything ready for the move in, on XX/XX/XXXX and mentioned a cleaning crew will be present to fix any potential repairs and to clean the house. On XX/XX/XXXX we arrived at the condo, but was unable to open the door using the " XXXX XXXX '' '' app due to a server connection issue and called the landlord saying that we were waiting outside. He then replied, the cleaning crew is on the way to the location. After XXXX hours since no cleaning crew arrived we called the landlord again and he mentioned that the cleaning crew had an accident and XXXX member was taken to the hospital and they won't be able to come to clean the house. I mentioned that life is more important than this and hope the person taken to the hospital makes a full recovery. I asked whether we could move in the next day which was XX/XX/XXXX, and he said the remaining crew will be able to come by on XX/XX/XXXX. I received a text message in the morning saying his ( XXXX who goes by XXXX ) lawyer is at the insurance company and we need to pay a fee of {$700.00} which includes HOA and paperwork fee. Since I was staying outside the condo on XX/XX/XXXX the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has seen me and has inquired about the potential tenant. I mentioned that the initial agreement we signed did not have any clause or mention about any HOA fees, so why do I need to make this payment right now. He said, he can't just let me have the keys without the presence of the lawyer. I further mentioned that then you ( landlord ) pay the lawyer and once I get the key I'll make the payment to the lawyer. He was very adamant and told that if we don't send the money to the lawyer then the paperwork will be delayed. I told him at this point everything seems to be very sketchy and asked him for his ID, which he gladly provided. All the communications we had were through calls and text messages and I want to mention that we have not physically met him since he mentioned he lives in Arizona. 

After receiving the picture of the Drivers License we proceeded to transfer {$700.00} thru XXXX with an associated email address he provided ( XXXX ). After arriving at the location for the second day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) waited XXXX hours for the lawyer but no one showed up. At this point I was very annoyed and texted him that he has breached the agreement which states that we can move in on XX/XX/XXXX but since it looks like we are even unable to move in today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) you have XXXX options. Either cancel the agreement and refund our money back or amend the lease and put a new move in date. That was the last text I sent him and thereafter we were unable to reach him through his mobile phone numbers. I was getting an automated message stating that the number has been disconnected. These are the XXXX numbers that the scammer has provided ( XXXX and XXXX ). We have informed the XXXX Police and Social Security Office about this incident. Since the social security number and drivers license along with pay stubs were provided to the scammer for the background check, we are expecting all of our financial information and data have been breached/compromised. ( Social Security Allegation XXXX ) We then contacted XXXX to find out who's the real owner of the condo and XXXX 's XXXX agent informed us that both the properties mentioned above have been sold by the previous owners to opendoor.com. 
Upon contacting opendoor to to file a case they failed to provide us their legal teams contact information. 

Also we have noticed that there were XXXX EDD profiles ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX ) created using the email addresses the scammers provided us, and XXXX of the email addresses were used to transfer money through XXXX ( XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX ). 

We contacted Chase bank and reported about the rental scam, chase temporarily transferred {$3400.00} and notified they will conduct an internal investigation to determine whether we are eligible to get the money back since the money was transferred through XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX notified that after the investigation it was decided that the money transfer was intentional therefore they would reverse the money from my personal account. ( Chase Claim No : XXXX ) I contacted XXXX and mentioned about this incident stating there's a huge flaw in their product ( XXXX ) since there's no consumer protection against scams and fraud. The customer server representative put on hold and never got back to me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation