Consumer complaint received 2023-06-02
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OR
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
In XX/XX/2023, I deposited a third party check inside the branch of Chase bank. The person to whom the check was written was present with me in the bank on that day. I asked the teller if it would be okay to deposit a third party check. I was told it was no problem. ( I specifically asked because I said I didnt want them to say it was okay now and then XXXX weeks later come back and say it was a problem. ) A few weeks later the bank closed my account without any explanation. I did not receive any correspondence from them to explain why the account was closed or what they required from me for my funds to be released to me. At the time of closing, there was {$310.00} in my account. The only correspondence I received was a final statement which indicated a check has been issued in the amount of {$310.00}. When I called customer service, they confirmed that a check had been issued and was in the mail. The check did not arrive after XXXX  days, so I called again. They said dont worry, the check is in the mail. No check arrived so I called a third time. I was told, again, that a check was in the mail. 
I called back and asked to speak to a specialist. I was then told that in fact there never was a check in the mail and the account had been put on a hold pending verification of the third party check. I reminded them that the deposit had been made at the counter, not at an atm, and that they should have a record of the ID for the third party, since he was present at the time I made that deposit. They said they needed to talk to him again. 
I brought him into the branch with me and we told the manager about the situation. She said the bank had changed its policy so the person being present with his ID was not considered verification of identity. They wanted a phone number so that was registered to the third party so they could call him. His number was under a family members name, so he called his phone carrier and had them put his name on the account. They said it would take XXXX hours but after that time his number would be im his name. XXXX hours later I called the bank and told them they could use the phone number now. They said no in fact the number was not a registered number and they could not use it. I called back XXXX days later when the third party was at my house and explained the situation to them again. This time I was speaking to a specialist in the fraud department. That specialist said the number was not valid. 
I asked to speak to someone higher up. They transferred me to a specialist named XXXX whose job, apparently, is to let you know that as a customer you have the right to be victimized and abused by the bank and there us nothing you can do about it because they reserve the right to make you eat XXXX anytime for any reason. She also explained that they were not obligated to offer me any explanation or assistance, even though I was a customer with that bank for over 10 years. 
XXXX said she was sorry but the requirement for the funds to be released was a registered phone number but she was unable to advise me about how one would go about getting their phone number registered. She even admitted thi I at her own phone number would not show up as registered. I had no option but look to accept that they were never going to release my funds to me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation