Consumer complaint received 2022-09-30
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
This does not exactly fit one of those checked boxes but I feel this needs reported somewhere. Please direct this complaint to the appropriate department. 

I have copied the original statement that was submitted below. This is fraud no matter how you spin it. The Bank we are complaining about is Chase Bank. We received through email that the funds would not be returned to our account. We feel this is a loop hole in the law and we in no way authorized anyone to transfer these funds. We have seen other news stories about this scam where other banks have re-issued the funds lost and we want to know why Chase Bank will not? 

XXXX to Chase : On the afternoon of XX/XX/2022 approx XXXXXXXX XXXX I received a text message informing me that my XXXX account had been subject to suspicious activity. The message also provided me with a phone number to call if the suspicious activity was not authorized. I had not authorized any activity so I called the number. The man who answered my call introduced himself telling me his name was XXXX XXXX and told me he worked for XXXX. He gave me a work ID number, XXXX and provided me with a call back number, XXXX. He then explained to me that someone had access to my XXXX account and a person in NC was trying to make a purchase of {$720.00}. I told him not to authorize the transaction. 

Next he instructed me to download an app that he needed in order to gain access to suspend the so-called fraudulent activity. I did that. Then he instructed me that he needed to transfer money to a secure account. I thought I was securing my money when I was actually without knowing it, he was opening a XXXX credit card in my name. Next he used that credit card and transferred money to 5 different peoples XXXX accounts. I asked him several times what was the purpose of this and he replied that these were not real people but safe accounts and my money would be safe. He then told me that the hackers had access to my checking and savings accounts. He told me he needed to move that money to a secure account. He assured me that once the money was transferred to a secure account then I would get it all back in my original account. He said I needed to wire the money from my account to an account called international immortal. He instructed me how to then wire the money in my account in 2 transactions and told me to send it to the international immortal account. One was for {$4000.00} and the other for {$6000.00}. I initially did this as instructed because I thought I was sending it to a secure location that would then automatically be put back in my account. I did not knowingly authorize any of these transactions that were taken from my accounts. 

Then he proceeded to ask me if I was familiar with XXXX pay. He said it was necessary because the hackers could have info from my account and this was another step in securing my money and preventing the hackers from getting it. I questioned if this was necessary and he assured me it was. He assured me again that he was a legitimate associate of XXXX and the funds would be automatically transferred back as soon as the threat was eliminated. He instructed that {$1000.00} needed to be transferred into another secure account. At this point things were not adding up to me and I started questioning him more and more and asking repeatedly for my money back. He kept telling me to be patient and to just wait a few more minutes. I started demanding my money back. I said I did not authorize you to do this, and I will go a different route with my bank. I told him I wanted everything to transferred back now, he argued with me it would be. He continued over and over telling me that it would be returned shortly. He then hung up on me. I tried to call the number back but it did not work. 

I then called Chase bank to get some answers. They said they could see the wire transfers and because they were transferred through chase they thought they could stop them at the time. They assured me that through the fraud dept they could help get the money back that was taken from me. They gave me advice on how to secure my accounts and instructed me to call XXXX. They also told me to get identity protection. I then made plans to go in person to my local Chase branch the next day. The next day I met with an associate and told her what happened. I filled out my original statement of what happened and completed the Forgery packet. 

I then called our local law enforcement and filed a police report about what happened. The next day they got back to me and said they are opening up an investigation and that I was a victim of a crime. The case number is XXXX. I 100 % thought I was talking to an authentic associate of XXXX the whole time until the end when I started questioning him. I in no way would ever authorize these transfers and believe myself to be a victim of a crime and am willing to testify in order to catch the criminals who did this. 

I was then told XX/XX/2022 from Chase bank that the Chase associate who I gave my original statement to and all the papers in the XXXX packet to on XX/XX/XXXX, had lost them all and did not submit them successfully. So I am now re-writing my statement in hopes of Chase banking helping me finally get my stolen money back after this horrific ordeal. My original claim number is XXXX. 

** XXXX has rectified the situation completely XXXX has done nothing and said they were not liable to return any money XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX OH XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation