Consumer complaint received 2022-03-04
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
I purchased an airline ticket ( USD XXXX ) for my wife and baby in XX/XX/XXXX, but the flights were cancelled multiple times due to COVID. The tickets could be refunded within two years as offered by the airline ( XXXX XXXX ). I requested for a refund in XXXX XXXX but didn't hear from the airline until XX/XX/XXXX. By contacting the airline, I was told that the refund has taken place on XX/XX/XXXX, and I should check with my bank. I contacted my bank ( Chase, JP Morgan ) but they denied having received any money from the merchant and asked me to contact the airline again. I kept calling both the airline and the bank for the next few weeks to resolve this issue. The airline would claim that the transfer has taken place and they can not pay me twice and the bank would ask for proof. The airline provided me the ARN ( acquirer reference number ) through which the transactions had taken place, but the bank refused to accept the ARN stating that they do not know what ARN is or how to trace a transaction with such a reference number and instead asked me to request the airline for the transaction details. The airline was refusing to provide any further details and I had to file a complaint in the 'Department of Transportation '. Thanks to the intervention by the DOT, the airline finally provided the evidence showing the details of the transaction.

I contacted the bank once again on XX/XX/XXXX to share the good news that we now have the proof of the transactions. The representative in the bank 's claims department agreed that she can see the transactions made to my account and I should now fax them the documents to settle this issue and check back with them in 48 hours. I called the bank on XX/XX/XXXX but was asked to call back as the processing will take five more days. I called the bank again on XX/XX/XXXX to check the status of my complaint and to see why the money is not yet transferred to my account and was shocked to hear that this case has been closed now and the bank can not do anything, and I should contact the merchant. The bank representative coldly replied to all my questions 'We can't do anything ; this case is dismissed as it exceeds the 128 days period '. Prior to this, they had been asking me to get further information/proof of transaction and once I did that, now they have refused to release the money by stating that it has exceeded the 128-days limit for claiming a dispute. 

My concern is that this is a simple transaction that has taken place on XX/XX/XXXX, but it is never credited to my account. I have provided all the documents that the bank asked for, but it is still holding my money and has now refused to release it. This has caused us a lot of stress and wastage of time over the last few months, and I would request that you may kindly intervene and ask the bank to release the money along with the compensation for misguiding us, and for the stress that we have been through. I am happy to share any further details if needed. 

Thank you very much.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation