Consumer complaint received 2021-02-06
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem when attempting to purchase vehicle at the end of the lease

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I leased a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX through XXXX and JP Morgan Chase ( hereinafter referred to as " Chase '' ), specifically through their " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' division. When my lease end date of XX/XX/XXXX was approaching, I contacted Chase to see what I had to do, and was informed that I received a six-month extension on my lease. 

As the new lease end approached in XX/XX/XXXX, I took my car to get repaired at a local shop prior to the lease turn-in, however, the repairs were delayed. When I asked about the repairs, I was told that the shop 's employee who did a specific portion of the repair was out ; having been diagnosed with XXXX. I immediately notified Chase and was told that, if the repairs went beyond a 10-day grace period offered at the end of the lease, I would have to go forward paying the lease as I had been to that point in what was practically described as a month-to-month situation. Around this time, I spoke to my auto broker and was advised to buy the car instead of getting a new lease, as I had invested a significant amount having it repaired. 

At this time, in XX/XX/XXXX, I began attempting to pay my outstanding balance ( which I was told would accrue akin to a month-to-month contract ) and to go through the buyout but was locked out of my Chase account. Indeed, I searched for information as to how to pay my outstanding balance but was separately informed that the account was locked, that the account did not exist, and/or that XXXX XXXX XXXX was becoming a new department of some sort ; and that that was the root of the issue. Despite my repeated attempts, I was prevented from paying my outstanding balance. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after around six weeks of attempting to pay my balance, I was diagnosed with XXXX. Although I was lucky to not require hospitalization, I suffered a moderate bout of the XXXX and, over a month later, am still recuperating. While bed-bound and incapacitated by XXXX, I received a call and voicemail from Chase asking me to call back -- not dissimilar to calls I had received in the past. Once again, I attempted to pay my outstanding balance but was informed I did not have an account, and was unable to ascertain the amount I knew I must owe. 

In or around mid-XXXX, about the time my symptoms began to subside, I checked my credit report and noticed that I had received a 30 point reduction ( hereinafter referred to as the " credit hit '' ) on the basis that I was " 31-60 days late '' on the Chase balance I had been trying to pay for two months. Once again, I was unable to check my balance or pay it and, only after finding the earlier voicemail and calling the specialty number listed, was I able to talk to someone who acknowledged that I had an account with the company. Upon speaking to the representative, I was told for the first time that my car had a repossession order out and that I could not buy the car. I requested to speak to the representative 's manager but was told the same, non-sensical thing. In light thereof, I requested to speak to Chase 's in-house counsel or legal department but was told that customers " could not speak to the legal department, '' -- which is likewise ridiculous -- and was told that, for any recourse, I would have to send a letter to Chase 's corporate office in Ohio. I was also unable to pay the outstanding balance. When I pressed to speak to legal or someone higher on the chain of command, I was told that I would have to wait 48-72 business hours for a call from a supervisor. 

Four days later, after the weekend, I received a call from a Chase supervisor named XXXX, who was very helpful. XXXX, in direct contradiction to what I was earlier told, stated that I could buy the car, and told me not to worry about the repossession order. I asked XXXX why I had not received any notice of any of these issues with Chase, and was told that the mailing address on file was my previous permanent address. After receiving assurance that I did not have to worry about the repossession order and that I could complete the buyout, I provided XXXX with my current address for mailing ; and confirmed that it was my residential address. 

XXXX directed me to get the buyout amount -- which I did -- from a member of a different department at Chase. Thereafter, I requested to speak to Chase 's finance bureau to dispute the credit report hit I received when Chase prevented me from paying the balance by locking me out of my account. When I reached the credit bureau, I was once again told that the car had an order for repossession and I could not buy it. The representative 's manager gave me the same run-around as before, and refused to direct me back to XXXX, the supervisor ; or to the legal department. Instead, I was forced to wait another 48-72 hours to receive another call from another supervisor. 

A couple days later, I received a call from a Chase supervisor named XXXX, who told me -- as XXXX had told me -- that I did not have to worry about the repossession and could buy the car. I discussed my attempts to have the fraudulent credit hit taken off my credit report -- especially as I was going to have to obtain financing to buy the car, as Chase instructed me to do -- but XXXX stated Chase would likely not provide a courtesy removal because, although he considered my being locked out of my account an issue that he would have to discuss with his bosses and something that would have to be " looked into, '' he didn't consider it to be a mistake by Chase. XXXX said he would direct me to the credit bureau department again to sort it out and I specifically requested that he add in a note on my account stating that the repossession was not to be pursued and that I was able to buyout the car. After being transferred to the credit bureau, I explained the situation but, as XXXX had predicted, was told that Chase would not provide a courtesy removal because they did not consider their having blocked me from paying off my outstanding balance as a mistake on their part. In light thereof, I opened a dispute on the issue with XXXX 

Within a few days thereafter, I received a call from another supervisor named XXXX, with whom I discussed the repossession order, the credit bureau issue, and the buyout options. Once again, I was assured I should not worry about the repossession and was told all I had to do was obtain financing -- either through Chase or another lender -- and then I could call Chase back to complete the buyout. Upon the advice of my auto broker, I applied for financing with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX but, I believe due to Chase 's wrongful credit hit, I was denied. The hard inquiry associated with this finance inquiry likewise reduced my credit score my 3 points. I thereafter applied for financing with XXXX XXXX XXXX and, after a few days of providing proofs of income and speaking to a XXXX representative named XXXX, I was finally notified on XX/XX/XXXX by XXXX representative XXXX XXXX that I had been approved for the buyout amount of XXXX. Immediately after receiving notice of the financing approval, within 5 business days of Chase supervisor XXXX directing me to just secure financing, I called Chase to inform them and to complete the buyout. However, the representative with whom I spoke told me I had to speak to a different department that was closed, and gave me the number to call the next morning. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the number I was given and was told that I had to speak to a different department. I was connected to another representative, and was informed that my car had been repossessed, despite the numerous assurances I received from Chase that I did not have to worry about the repossession order and just had to follow the steps they gave to complete the buyout. After confirming that my car had indeed been taken ( I had not left my home for several days due to the pandemic ), the representative ran down a list of the fees and issues I could, or would, face due to the repossession. I informed the representative that I would not be paying anything more than I had already paid as I have reasonably relied on Chase 's employees ' directions and claims for months, and that I would be filing suit against Chase for fraud, unfair business practices, equitable estoppel, injunctive relief, etc. The representative refused to forward me to Chase 's legal department or in-house counsel, and instead directed me to her manager. Of note, after providing me assurances that I did not need to worry about the repossession and that I could complete the buyout, and soliciting my residential address to do so, Chase forwarded my residential address to the repossessor in order to repossess my car in bad faith. 

I described the entire sequence of events to the manager and was told my only recourse was to go through Chase 's dispute process -- the first time I was told such a process existed. I provided the basis for my disputes regarding the repossession of my car and the wrongful credit hit that was Chase 's doing, and was told I would be contacted " next week '' by my dispute case manager. My Chase dispute number is XXXX. 

After having been purposefully stymied from receiving information for Chase 's legal department or in-house counsel, in what can only be described as a bad-faith business practice in and of itself, I was able to find contact information for a Chase auto finance assistant counsel located, not in Ohio, but in XXXX XXXX, TX. I left a voicemail for the in-house counsel, but have not received a response. In preparation for potential litigation against Chase given their dilatory, evasive, fraudulent, and unfair business practices, I have reached out to a consumer protection law firm, and may retain them if Chase continues to refuse to assist in resolving the matter. 

Chase 's actions have caused me significant emotional distress, as well as significant financial distress through extremely detrimental credit reporting policies and techniques. My car is at the repossessor 's impound lot some 25 miles from my house across XXXX XXXX, however I have no means of transportation to get there, and have an XXXX disorder that makes me highly susceptible to Covid-19 and other immune issues. 

I reached out to the repossessor, XXXX XXXX XXXX, to inform them that I was disputing the repossession and to request the car not be moved or sold while the matter was pending, but they stated they are at the mercy of Chase. I have likewise reached out to my congressman regarding this situation and Chase 's predatory lending, billing and collecting practices at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief