Consumer complaint received 2015-11-06
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: NJ
Product: Credit card
Issue: Balance transfer fee

Complaint:
Chase is misleadingly using the wording " Balance Transfer '' to mean everything, not just transferring a balance from one card to another. Nowhere in their terms or fees is this noted. This is completely misleading and a scam to their customers. 

This is a portion of a letter sent to chase and describes the issue at hand : We received courtesy access checks in the mail recently, and as XXXX, we diligently read the terms and conditions very carefully before using any financial product. Everything was clearly spelled out on the concise paperwork provided. I have attached what was in the envelope for your review. We were quite surprised then, after using one of the checks that we received a 3 % " transaction/service '' fee of {$240.00} on the {$8000.00} check. Immediately upon seeing this on my statement I went through my files to re-read the terms and conditions of the checks, of which I still have. 

Absolutely nowhere on the paperwork provided by Chase was there a mention of a 3 % service fee applying on anything other than balance transfers from other credit cards to Chase. I did n't hesitate in calling the number on the back of my card and after wading through the prompts to finally access a living, breathing representative. She said there was very clearly printed on the checks all the terms and conditions. I kindly let her know I had the checks right in front of me and there was no such print anywhere. She said it was in the paperwork, of which I read her the entire sheet included with the checks proving otherwise and asked to elevate the case. 
I was transferred to a supervisor and placed on hold for over XXXX minutes while " they brought up my account ''. XXXX ( of which she said she does n't give her last name or even it 's initial ), in XXXX XXXX told me that the terms and conditions clearly stated that I would pay a 3 % or {$5.00} service fee on balance transfers, to which I responded this check did not do. She said that it would have stated on the front of back of the check that anytime I used one I would be charged a 3 % transaction fee, to which I again stated I had the checks in front of me and even read everything they said from top to bottom. There was not even a hint at what they were telling me. She then stated the terms and conditions said a 3 % service fee anytime I used a check, to which I read her the entire box listed " Interest and Fee Information '' off Chase 's literature included with the checks. Absolutely nowhere does it mention what they were saying was mentioned, nor could they " access that particular document ''. She said I needed to fax Executive Offices and gave me an address and fax number before ushering me off the phone. 
My wife called and was given an equally frustrating runaround. She also read the entire document aloud to a representative, XXXX, a supervisor, who also stated she " could n't locate that particular document '' to verify what my wife read was correct. XXXX stated that she had dealt with this exact issue a " couple of times recently '', so obviously we are not the only ones who were mislead by your marketing/business practices. After getting the runaround for XXXX or so minutes my wife asked to speak to someone higher and was told XXXX was a supervisor and " as high as you get over the phone ''. She was then issued a differing address and fax number to the one I received. 
Keep in mind we wrote the check for {$8000.00} on XX/XX/2015 and paid the balance off on it today XX/XX/2015 before calling your representatives. Had it been stated anywhere whatsoever on your paperwork that there was a 3 % fee associated with these checks we would never have written the check. We would like the 3 % " service fee '' removed from our account as it was never made clear in your terms and conditions that this would be charged on anything but a balance transfer.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief