Consumer complaint received 2020-05-01
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX ( I speak XXXX, so my family assisted in writing this in english ) I am writing this letter to report concern with the handling of my account by JPMorgan Chase Bank after I reported fraudulent activity while on vacation. As of writing this letter, my issue is still unresolved and I am reaching out to the CFPB as a last hope and resort. 

Back in XXXX, my family and I were on vacation in the XXXX XXXX. On the morning of XX/XX/XXXX at around XXXX, I opened my Chase checking account ending in XXXX to find that there were two payments pending through XXXX with XXXX, one for {$1100.00} and another for {$740.00} totaling {$1900.00}. in the name of a person listed as XXXX XXXX. I do not know this person nor did I initiate any transaction with them. I believe this to be fraudulent activity as I should have had a total of {$8000.00}, but instead was short this {$1900.00} I immediately called contacted my Chase branch representative XXXX XXXX NMLS ID XXXX who works at the branch located XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, NY, XXXX where I usually do business land she advised me to urgently contact and report the issue to the Claims department, and provided me their international number of ( XXXX ) XXXX. I then immediately called the number she provided and, using the services of a XXXX interpreter, explained the situation as best I could and asked to cancel all payments pending withdrawal from the account and gladly provided answers to every question the Claims department representative has asked me. That representative assured me that everything will be fine and that the money will be returned to me. He said he would close my accounts for the duration of the investigation, but they would not cancel the transaction like I had requested because they wanted to see where the money would go explaining that this was necessary for the investigation. If it were my preference, I would have liked Chase to cancel the transaction right away like I had asked, but the representative did not pose it as an option. 

The representative advised me that when the investigation completed, I would receive a letter with the results and further advised that when I arrived home in XXXX XXXX, I should contact my same branch to open a new account. I do not recall the name of the representative I spoke with, but I do believe they stated at the beginning that all the calls are recorded and a record should be available. The time of the call was between XXXX and XXXX dominican time on XX/XX/XXXX. 

As instructed by Chase, when I arrived back in XXXX XXXX, I opened a new account on XX/XX/XXXX at the same branch. I was again assisted by XXXX XXXX NMLS ID XXXX opened a new account ending in XXXX and then transferred the full amount of {$8000.00} When I asked her about the removal of the transactions from my old account, they said that the amount of {$1900.00} was still pending and had not left the account and that it was also being reviewed by another department and there was nothing more that they could do. 
The morning of the XXXX I went to the branch because none of my personal accounts were showing on my app. While I was at the branch, XXXX had advised me the funds in the old account had been released. I waited to see when my accounts would show on my app, but after days of no resolution, I called in on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called into the chase call center, as the branches were now closed due to covid. The agent who assisted me was able to fix my issue and it was then that I saw my old personal account was now negative {$1900.00}. As told by the agent I first spoke with when I called the issue, I assumed that this would be dealt with, as by that time, I had not heard any update and wanted to wait for the investigation to finish. 

I called on XX/XX/XXXX to inquire about my stimulus funds as they were going to be deposited into my old account, which now had a negative balance. They advised me that the stimulus funds would be moved to the new account, but they then also advised that the investigation was closed and it was not in my favor and that I owed the {$1900.00}. I was told to call the claims department at XXXX I was able to reach this number only on XXXX, due to the congestion of the line, I spent the whole day on the phone. For an hour and a half, I talked with a Bank Representative, who said her name was XXXX but refused to provide me with her last name or any ID. For this call and the call on XX/XX/XXXX, I used the same XXXX interpreter XXXX. She was kind enough to give me her ID : XXXX. 

XXXX said that the investigation was completed not in my favor, because they do not see anyone entering my online bank from another device and can help me no more, and gave me XXXX phone and advised me to call them for more details. I called them, but they redirected me back to the Chase bank, as they do not have access to my bank account. The connected me back with the Chase and disconnected the call. 

To date, my old account with Chase bank ( last four digits XXXX XXXX has a negative balance - {$1800.00} and the bank does not want to resume the investigation, blaming me for the debt to the bank, despite my requests to investigate and cancel the transaction 9 days before the funds left the account. 

I asked Chase to cancel the transaction 9 DAYS before they released the funds anyway. 

Believing that Chase would need nothing more to assist, I looked up the phone number that was linked to the XXXX  transaction and it said XXXX XXXX who I dont know and listed his number as XXXX. 

Determined to understand what happened, I reached out to this number on XX/XX/XXXX via text message and XXXX responded. XXXX informed that he did receive the funds, but tried to return it to XXXX XXXX the day it arrived in XXXX, stating that it was fraudulent, however, XXXX XXXX refused to reverse the transaction and declared they found no activity of fraud. 

XXXX then went on to explain how he was reached out to by a company to assist with a money request to test an app. He believes this party to be the source of the fraudulent activity. They then advised him he was supposed to send the funds to another account, which is what happens commonly in money laundering schemes. He has provided me screen shots of the email exchange and can show his response via text acknowledging fraud on his end. 

In this scenario, both banks were told of fraudulent activity on the same transaction, and XXXX XXXX even refused to reverse the transaction from XXXX side, which would have resulted in the funds returning to me. 

Upon looking online, I found numerous articles of XXXX related fraud nearly identical to my situation. I implore the CFPB to look into this issue. 

I consider the banks behavior to be unjustified and irresponsible., especially at this time when the consequences of COVID-19 force me to use all the money I have accumulated to support my family because of a temporary loss of work, and instead of help from the bank, I see only inaction and indifference. 

I dont know what else to do. The {$1900.00} is now a negative amount and Chase is threatening to send it to a collections agency. I really need someone to advocate for me. I am asking the CFPB for help on this matter. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief