Consumer complaint received 2022-06-24
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I purchased a used car from a merchant XXXX on XX/XX/2022. The car was listed on the merchant 's website as having the following features : ( i ) RUN and Drive ( ii ) NORMAL WEAR ( iii ) All Wheel Drive. 
I checked out the car for {$5000.00} and paid with my XXXX XXXX Credit Card issued by Chase. 

Because XXXX was a strictly online platform and also due to the coronavirus Pandemic, there was no way for me to check and verify the condition of the car before shipment to my address. The merchandise was delivered at exactly XXXX XXXX  Eastern time on XX/XX/2022. I paid for the shipping and delivery as well. 

I took the car to XXXX XXXX XXXX, an auto mechanic shop for Inspection on XX/XX/2022. They found out that the car was in an IRREPARABLE state and they told me that my only option was to return the merchandise to the seller for a refund. The mechanic explained to me that not only that the car was irreparable, it was in fact not an ALL WHEEL DRIVE vehicle because the DRIVE SHAFT was missing from under the car ; the component of XXXX cars that make it possible for them to function as all wheel drive vehicles. I took pictures of the car and contacted the merchant immediately. 

I contacted the merchant on XX/XX/2022. I informed them that the car was a total loss ( as determined by the mechanic garage ) and I sent them the evidence and documents to support my claim. At first, I requested a full refund but the merchant was uncooperative so instead, I requested for a 60 % refund on the price I paid for the car as a compromise. 

XXXX denied the existence of the problems with the car and my refund request. They blocked me from their platform and denied me access to my account ( I created with them in other to purchase the car ). This made it very difficult for me to continue the dispute resolution with them. So when I could not resolve the dispute with the merchant, I resorted to disputing the transaction through my credit card issuer Chase. 

On XX/XX/2022 I contacted Chase, my credit card issuer, to dispute the charge for {$5000.00}. I told them that the reason I am disputing the charge is that " THE MERCHANDISE I RECEIVED FROM XXXX WAS IRREPARABLE AND NOT AS DESCRIBED ''. In addition, I told them that XXXX has blocked my account with them and therefore making it impossible to continue my resolution with them. The Chase dispute department mishandled my claim from day one. 

Like XXXX, I sent them all the documents and evidence supporting my dispute through their secure message center on XX/XX/2022. On XX/XX/2022, they wrote to me that the charge ( {$5000.00} ) had been temporarily removed from my account while they researched the claim. On XX/XX/2022, After 87 days into the dispute, I noticed that the balance in my credit card account had suddenly increased by {$5000.00}. There was no communication of any kind from Chase that they had reached a decision on my claim, all I noticed was that my credit card balance had suddenly increased. I contacted them immediately for clarification. In my conversation with them, they acknowledged that they did not consider the documents I sent, they had only considered the documents the merchant provided to them showing that a transaction was carried out in a valid way. They completely negated the main reason why I filed the dispute in the first place ; which is " THE MERCHANDISE I RECEIVED FROM XXXX WAS IRREPARABLE AND NOT AS DESCRIBED ''. While still on the call, the representative concluded by saying that my only option going forward was to go back to the merchant to try to work with the merchant to resolve the dispute. I explained to the representative that the documents I sent them through their secure messaging center on XX/XX/2022, had evidence that showed that the transaction was fraudulent because XXXX MISREPRESENTED the condition of the car they sold to me. I also reminded her that I could not resolve the issue with XXXX because they blocked me from their platform. It became clear to me that they ignored the evidence I sent them earlier and reasons I have given them for the dispute so, I requested to speak with their supervisor to further escalate the dispute. 

I spoke with the supervisor and expressed my dissatisfaction with the way the Chase dispute department handled my claim. I told her I would like to exhaust all my options with Chase before looking elsewhere. At the end of the call, I requested to file for a redispute since they mishandled my first dispute. She provided me with instructions on how to file a redispute, including a physical mailing address and fax number. So again, I prepared a more than 10 page document with a letter explaining my dispute with XXXX. In the letter, I explained the chronology of events with XXXX. I labeled the documents/evidence that I have gathered to make it really easy for them. On XX/XX/2022, I faxed all the documents instead of mailing them so that it will reach them faster. After I had sent in the fax, for the next several days I called them to confirm receipt of the documents. By XX/XX/2022, they acknowledged to me on a phone call that they had received all the documents I faxed to them. On XX/XX/2022, they sent me a notice that they were researching the redispute. On XX/XX/2022, I received a mail from Chase dated XX/XX/2022, and it read thus " we consider the charge valid based on the results of our research. '' I figured that the letter was from the first dispute, the notice I never received before they suddenly increased my credit account balance. On XX/XX/2022, I received another notice in the email which reads, " We confirmed that the transactions you disputed are valid. '' I called the representatives for clarification. The first representative told me that they had only received a photo from the more than 10 page document I faxed to them on XX/XX/2022, and the call was cut off. I called again and the second person said they did not receive any documents from me ( this was after telling me on more than one occasion that they had received the documents I faxed ). I requested to speak with a supervisor to resolve the issue but she told me that i could not resolve the dispute with them any longer. I have the evidence to prove that I sent them relevant documents in the first dispute that they failed to review. I have the evidence to show that the more than 10 page document I faxed to them for the redispute was sent. Yet again, they failed to take my documents into consideration during their research despite all my efforts. 

To summarize : I purchased a used car from XXXX that was falsely advertised and it was declared irreparable on delivery by a professional and licensed auto shop. Acting on the advice of the Auto Shop, I contacted XXXX, conveyed the problem with their merchandise, sent them evidence, and requested a refund. XXXX not only denied the existence of the problem and refused my refund request, they also blocked me from their platform and deactivated my account. This left me with the option to dispute the transaction with my credit card issuer Chase. I disputed the transaction twice with the XXXX XXXX dispute department twice. I sent them batches of documents/evidence twice, and twice they failed to acknowledge and consider my documents/evidence. In all these interactions with these companies, I had evidence that was ready to prove my case but these companies failed to act. 

The bottom line is ; I can not pay for a car that was declared irreparable ( with proof ) by a licensed, certified, and professional roughly a day after it was delivered to me. I do not have that kind of money to waste. 

I have come to you CFPB as my only hope for justice in this matter. Please help me. 
Sincerely

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation