Consumer complaint received 2021-12-06
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: IL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, I put up my old furniture on XXXX XXXX XXXX for sale. I was contacted by someone name XXXX telling me they are interested in the set and will send me money via cashiers check. He claimed to live out of state and said he will include the money for the movers in the cashiers check. He also stated that his wife is in hospital due to XXXX and it may take time for his assistant to send the check. The cashiers check arrived very next day XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$1800.00} and I deposited it to Chase Bank. My bank cleared the check and made the funds available to me. Then XXXX messaged me saying if I can XXXX movers the money as they won't come unless they get the money. He also said that he is moving to XXXX and thats where the movers are going to be coming from. He asked me to XXXX them the money. I saw no harm in doing so as the check was cleared by my bank and the funds were made available to me. To this I transferred the {$1500.00} the movers requested to this number XXXX, person name XXXX XXXX. Then next day XXXX calls me saying his wife has passed away and if I can refund him the remainder of the money as his move to XXXX   was cancelled. I told him that until I find a buyer I won't as the sofa set is sold to him and he can collect it anytime. He requested me to keep {$150.00} for my troubles and asked me to transfer {$150.00}. To which I transferred money to XXXX XXXX which he claimed is a friend and he gave me this email address to transfer via XXXX XXXX. He said thank you after I transferred the money to him. 

After 27days on XX/XX/2021 my bank came back to me and told me that the cashier 's check was a fraud and it was not cleared. I was taken aback by surprise to know that I have lost my money and it took Chase Bank 27 days to determine that the check was fraud. In the age of XXXX where customers get money in real time it took Chase 27 days to determine that the check was fraud, after initially clearing the cashiers check the very next day after depositing it with a teller in the branch and making the funds available to me. This unusual time for rejecting and withdrawing funds from my account by the bank was just a shock and when I asked the fraud department to help me out. They told me they can not help me and I have lost the money. One of the bank manager told me I was emotional fool to transfer the money, I argued with Chase Customer service that had they not cleared my check and made funds available to me I would not have transferred the money to those XXXX accounts. It is very unusual for a bank to take 27 days to reject/determine that a check was fraud. The manager also said that Chase has a right to withdraw money upto 7years for any bad transactions. 

Just based on the information I received during this fraudulent transaction it is a shock how the banks function and it feels like the financial banking system is flawed and an overhaul/ reform is needed to protect the consumers from such fraud. Chase has declined repeatedly to help me with this fraud and have declined to reimburse me any money I have lost. 

I have reported this crime to XXXX and to my local police department in XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. The police department at XXXX XXXX XXXX was shocked as well to learn the way this crime happened and unfolded.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation