Consumer complaint received 2019-08-13
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: SC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Dear CFPB, On XX/XX/XXXX, I was scheduled to close with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on my home refinance with XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, someone who claimed to be named XXXX ( there is a XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, so I didn't think anything was wrong ) called me from XXXX to tell me that XXXX XXXX, a paralegal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at that time, had emailed the wire transfer instructions to me. That evening, I did a money transfer ( not a wire transfer ) of {$41000.00} from my XXXX XXXX XXXX savings account to the Chase Bank account in XXXX, Utah that was in the wire instructions that I received : bank : Chase Bank, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Utah recipient name : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX routing number : XXXX account number : XXXX At XXXX XXXX. on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX told me on the phone that I had been defrauded. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX Customer Service right after that phone call, and they initiated a money transfer recall with Chase Bank on my behalf with scam as the reason. 
I then saw that the email with wire instructions in my inbox looked exactly like it had come from XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX but that the actual email address was not hers, meaning the bad guy spoofed her email address and sent me an email that looked exactly like it had come from XXXX. The sender 's name was XXXX XXXX, and her correct complete signature in the email body was used, but the email address was XXXX, but XXXX 's actual email address was XXXX, which was in the fake email body 's signature. Also, Attorney XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX at XXXX told me that they received spoofed emails that appeared to be me ( actually from the bad guy ) saying that I was on track for my refinance closing but might need more time to transfer the money. XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX did a conference call with XXXX XXXX, and they closed the fake email account that the bad guy created in my name. 
I filed a report on the FBI 's IC3 website, I filed a report with the FTC, and I filed a report with a local police officer ( XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX County, South Carolina Police Department, police report number XXXX ). 
I also called Chase Bank Customer Service, but they wouldn't talk to me because I don't own the Chase Bank recipient 's account. For the past month, XXXX XXXX in XXXX Fraud has been unable to get any information from Chase Bank about their investigation or timeline, and she believes that the bad guy hacked into the server of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX or the title company in order to spoof XXXX XXXX 's email address in order to email me the scam money transfer information and to get my phone number to call me. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX just sent me a letter stating that I have to deal with Chase Bank from now on. I called Chase Bank again today and was told specifically that they would only speak to a manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX, not me. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX Customer Service twice today and finally was escalated to XXXX XXXX, a front office manager above the Fraud Department, and he said not only that XXXX XXXX XXXX would file another reconsideration with Chase Bank but also that he would have a XXXX XXXX XXXX back office manager contact Chase Bank for information about the investigation and timeline because Chase Bank had specifically told me to get a XXXX XXXX XXXX manager to do that. XXXX XXXX gave me a direct number to call XXXX   XXXX XXXX back in a week to find out what their new actions have uncovered. 
I am now trying to deal with my local police department again to see if they will communicate directly with the XXXX, Utah Police Department so they can investigate and work on returning my money, probably via subpoenas of the person who owns the account and of XXXX XXXX XXXX and Chase Bank records, along with the fraudulent emails that I received. 
I don't know if the Chase Bank account is actually owned by XXXX XXXX or was fraudulently created in his name. I learned today that Chase Bank told XXXX XXXX XXXX in late XX/XX/XXXXthat the person who owns the account declined the request to return my money to me, but no one at Chase Bank or XXXX XXXX XXXX had told me that before or had asked me to supply the emails showing that the fake email from XXXX XXXX with the money transfer information was fraudulent. 
It is extremely frustrating and nerve-wracking that I keep hitting a wall in trying to find out what is going on in Chase Bank 's investigation. I understand that Chase Bank can not discuss that person 's account with me, but as the victim who initiated the money transfer within hours after the money was sent, I should be able to find out what's going on with my money, the investigation, and the timeline. I don't even know when or how much of my money I'll get back. 
I called the Federal Reserve Board, and they referred me to CFPB. Can someone at CFPB please help me? The {$41000.00} is all of my life savings. I have had to take medication over the past month to keep myself from having a breakdown over the loss of my life savings. There must be some way for money scam victims to get information about the investigation and a timeline for the money being returned. I have proof of the scam, plus my reports to the local police and the FBI. Please feel free to call me. 
Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, SC  XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation