Consumer complaint received 2023-11-13
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2023, I signed the back of a Workers Compensation check for {$17000.00} made out to my husband in front of a bank teller who assured me that I could deposit the third-party check that was already signed over by my husband as long as I signed it as well, thereby taking legal possession of the check myself. I then deposited the check, signed by both of us, into my Chase Bank Checking Account. 

On XX/XX/2023, I Attempted to withdraw cash from a drive-thru bank teller from my checking account which had an available balance aside from the pending third-party Workmans Compensation check I had deposited ; and I was told to come inside to speak with a banker as my entire checking account had been frozen, including all funds unrelated to the check. My husband and I went back to the first location together, because that is where the check was deposited, and the bank teller had assured me that everything would be fine with the deposit of the third-party check signed by myself and my husband. We both verified our identities with the VP Branch Manager by showing our licenses, Social Security Cards, Credit Cards, etc. She called the fraud department herself and attempted to assure them that we were in fact who we said we were, but the fraud department required a verified phone number as the ONLY way they could confirm my husband, the payees, identity and unfreeze the account. We asked her what would happen if we could not get a verified phone number for him, and she said Chase Bank will keep the money after 2 years. The money would not go back to the Payor, Insurance Company because the check has already been negotiated, and Chase Bank would keep the money. We went to XXXX and set up a new cell phone in my husbands name for the sole purpose of verifying his identity with Chase Bank XXXX We called Chases Fraud Department ; they could not verify that his name was attached to that phone number ; and they threatened to close the account and keep the money if we could not verify his cellphone number within 2 years. 

On XX/XX/2023, The third-party check went through and the funds became available in my checking account, but the account remained frozen. I called Chases Fraud Department again to attempt to verify my husbands phone number, but the person on the phone looked up the phone number in their system and said, the phone number did not show as being owned by [ my husband, ] so they refused to even call the number. 

On XX/XX/2023, I opened my Chase Banking App on my phone and realized that my checking account had been completely closed. There was not a trace of my checking account information on there, and I had received no notifications ( via app, phone call, or email ) from Chase Bank concerning the matter of closing my checking account. I called Chases Fraud Department again with the same results as before, and they refused to call the phone number to verify my husbands identity. 

On XX/XX/2023, My husband contacted XXXX again about making certain that his phone number would be a verified number that shows up under his name. The XXXX representative assured him that his name should already be showing up as public with his phone number, but went ahead and sent the issue to the Escalation Department . They also informed my husband that the last time the phone number in question had been owned and used was over 7,000 days ago, which is over 19 years ago. 

As of today, my account has been closed ; Chase Bank refuses to verify my husband 's identity via his registered phone number ; and Chase Bank owes me {$17000.00}.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation