Consumer complaint received 2017-06-14
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I used to bank with Washington Mutual, but unfortunately due to the  XXXX  financial crisis WaMu was allowed to collapse without a massive government bailout like the one given to Chase Bank. This allowed Chase Bank to " buy '' WaMu and now all my accounts are Chase accounts. I have had numerous service issues with this " new '' bank, but a few months ago the ATM 's in my area were " upgraded '' and several Chase employees stated there have been many customer complaints with difficulties the ATM 's were causing. One of those issues is the ATM 's incorrectly reading checks and listing their value below that which they were written for. My complaint is about this misreading and recording false amounts, but also about the burdensome process Chase puts on the customer if the correct deposit amount is desired. Until recently, when a check was misread a customer had the ability to log in online, view the individual check from a list of checks included in the deposit, and then check a simple " dispute '' box to get the check submitted for review and correction. The other option would be to call customer service and any representative could view the error and correct it. Now, Chase has not only removed the simple " check box '' but has absolutely no way to address the error online. This forces the customer to have to go through the larger hassle of calling in during phone hours and go through the verification and problem identification with a rep verbally. To make the process more difficult for the customer, Chase now requires that the rep assisting the customer transfer that customer on to a new " Claims Dep't ''. Chase also refuses to correct the ATM reading error if you wo n't submit to this extended hassle. I have no doubt that Chase has purposely made this process so burdensome in order to discourage customers from claiming the monetary value of the checks deposited incorrectly BY CHASE BANK ... even if Chase Bank knows that there has been an error. After spending several hours on this issue with Chase, I have had at least six Chase employees verify the error in the check reading, and as of  XX/XX/XXXX  was told it would be corrected. HOWEVER, today I received a call from Chase and was told I would NOT be getting the correct amount unless I started a formal claim that could only be made by me, over the phone, and during my work hours ... and I would have to start that claim from scratch! The bank is well-aware of the problem and I already spent hours addressing the problem, so I demanded Chase " fix '' the problem caused by their ATM technology. I also found all this to be a surprising and confusing policy change so I asked the bank to send me a summary of what was going on and also the written policies that outline the new claims process that realistically might affect many more future ATM deposits. The rep said she could not commit to providing anything in writing. So, after losing several hours trying straighten out what should have been a simple deposit, Chase is now placing even more of a burden that would require me to lose even more work productivity if I ever want a chance to get the full value of the disputed check. I am certain this new " policy '' is quite intentional to discourage customers from disputing check deposits in the first place, especially if the amount in question is less than the value of the extensive time they will lose in trying. REQUIRING ME TO INVEST HOURS OF TIME TO SIMPLY GET THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF A DEPOSITED CHECK SURE SEEMS INTENTIONAL TO ME. Chase Bank knows that its ATM shorted my deposit due to an internal error and I have clearly demanded that the error be corrected, but I am quite sure that will not happen without CFPB help. I am also quite certain that this scheme is going to cause problems for plenty of other " every day '' customers relying on the ATM 's.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief