Consumer complaint received 2021-02-23
Company: Chime Financial Inc
State: ID
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
To whom it may concern, My name is XXXX XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX I opened an account with Chime Bank with {$4000.00} into savings. I had just relocated from XXXX  to XXXX  and the purpose of this account was to have an account in which I could deposit my paycheck until I was able to open an account at a local bank. I am paid every two weeks approximately $ XXXX {$600.00} each payday. At that time my account, aside from my savings account, should have no more than what is deposited by my employer, maxim {$1200.00} per month. Currently my monthly government Social Security benefits, approximately $ XXXX monthly, also go into this account. 

Over the past 8 months my account shows deposits, both cash and transfers of several thousand dollars a month. My account shows more money going through my account in deposits, transfers, spending and ATM withdrawals than I have deposited by my employer, some months in excess of {$8000.00}. Every month there are transactions and charges that I did not make, as well as refunds and credits equaling thousands of dollars. More alarming are ATM withdrawals in which my bank statement validly reflects me withdrawing from local ATMs here in my town, but at the same time, on the same date, the same amount being withdrawn at ATM locations, miles and hours away and often in completely different states around the country. These ATM withdrawals run into the thousands of dollars. Every month my bank statement shows transactions and charges that I did not make. Usually these transactions show for one or two days on my bank statement and then disappear, but there are occasions where I have noticed the transactions before they disappear and report them to Chime immediately. When I have called Chime to report these transactions, I am always transferred to a customer representative in a foreign country whose grasp of the English language is extremely limited at best. I have even been transferred to agents who are on the XXXX. When I report these transactions, my account is immediately put on hold, a dispute claim is filed, and new debit and credit cards are mailed out to me. A dispute form is sent to me via email to be filled out and returned to Chime so Chime can open an investigation on the disputed transaction. I have only filled out and returned TWO transaction dispute forms. I have discovered that Chime has filled out and submitted in my name several false disputes. When I have inquired about these claims that Chime has me making, I ask to have a copy of the claim sent to me so I can verify them myself. I am told that I need to submit the request in writing or directly told No. To date, Chime has yet to provide me any claim which they say I have made, only the dispute claim reference number with no details. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to be transferred to a customer service representative who shares with me the details of the claim and they either do not match the amount of the disputed transaction or the claims are made to merchants that are not on my bank statement or to merchants of valid transactions. As stated, on many occasions transactions have been altered or totally removed from my bank statement. When I call Chime to inquire about these modified or missing transactions, I am transferred by customer service to another department where I am told that these transactions have been resolved and removed from my bank statement as not to cause me any undue stress. I have informed Chime that it is illegal for them to alter, edit, modify or delete transactions from my bank statement and have requested all transactions be included in my statement, especially the ones that Chime claims to have resolved. I have asked for copies of these claims and updated statements but have been told no and refused. I have receipts and bank statements that are in complete contradiction to those shown on the Chime app, including transactions that do not show on the Chime app, as well as the date of transactions, amounts of transactions and merchants being altered. Any time I question a transaction my account - my debit and credit card - is frozen until another debit and credit card is mailed out, a process that sometimes takes 2-3 weeks, which during that time I have no access to my funds or the Chime app. I have used my Chime credit card and debit card to pay certain bills and have bills set up on auto-pay to be paid on certain dates. My bank statement reflects these transactions being paid and the funds deducted from my account but the bills have not been paid as my bank statement reflects. 

Over the past six months I have sent over 300 emails to Chime and have made over 500 phone calls to Chime about these issues. In XXXX I contacted Chime and informed them that my email address had become compromised and I gave them my new email and phone number. Chime has continued to interact with and send my personal banking and financial information and exchange email correspondence with the very email that I had informed them had been hacked. I know this because the hacker continues to forward me, mockingly, the emails that Chime sends them and the communication back and forth between Chime and the hacker. In the beginning of XXXX I had enough and went to the police. While with the police we called Chime customer service who spoke directly to the police, customer service transferred us to another department and someone who identified themselves as the supervisor spoke to the police. When I was handed back the phone this supervisor told me what to say and instructed me to lie to the police, telling me that I am his ( the supervisor ) boss and he works for me and that he will send me via email as soon as I leave the police station all the information that I had been requesting for the past 5 months. I told him no, at which point he became very upset and told me that he can not speak to me anymore because based on the psychological profile that Chime has in my folder, I am XXXX  and XXXX XXXX and Chime is therefore suspending my account. He also said that because I downloaded my bank statement I was in breach of Chimes terms of service and that was another reason for them to terminate my account. The next day, XX/XX/XXXX, I called Chime and was told that in order for my account to be reactivated I needed to send them a copy of my drivers licence. I complied. Chime replied that I need to send a copy of my social security card. I complied. Chime replied that I need to send them a photo of me holding both my licence and social security card. I complied. Chime replied that I need to send them a copy of my homeowners insurance card. I complied. Chime replied that I need to send them a copy of my health insurance card. I complied. Chime replied that I need to send them a copy of my passport and a photo of me holding my passport. I said no and told them that I had enough. Chime then completely blocked my account. I have not been able to make any transaction or access my account since XX/XX/XXXX. Since then I have received several emails from Chime as well as receipts from merchants regarding hotel reservations and confirming charges and payment received. During that week I began to receive XXXX XXXX by email and text. These emails seem to originate from Chime as they XXXX email addresses and from the same email addresses that I was corresponding with Chime for the past several weeks and months. Many times these would bounce back to me as undeliverable or account no longer active, email not valid, etc., even though in all cases they were active just days and even hours before. Also text messages from odd numbers. I immediately notified my ISP and my mobile phone provider to report this. I was informed by my internet service provider that my network had become compromised and there were operating systems not mine, logged into my network. I was informed by XXXX, my cellular phone service, that my account had not only become compromised but outside programs had been remotely installed on my phone. XXXX immediately put me in touch with XXXX security who verified spyware and maleware programs directly linking Chime bank statements which were saved in my XXXXXXXX XXXX that had been mysteriously removed, as well as my phone and laptop webcam and microphone, and basically my entire laptop, phone, and even my smartwatch with IP and XXXX addresses associated with Chime Bank. Most disturbing though, is the call I received from my home security system at XXXX, alerting me that my home security and home security cameras had been disabled by an outside source and deactivated. All three companies have sent me the necessary information, which includes all data logs, entry logs and security logs to give the appropriate authorities and investigating organizations. 

There is so much more to all of this, including proof that Chime is using funds from my savings and has given access to my savings account to outside sources, third parties, to use for investment purposes of which I had not knowledge of or authorized. 

To date, Chime has made NO attempt to contact me regarding any of this, NOT ONCE, even after 5 months, 300+ emails and 500+ phone calls by me to them informing them of what is happening. As to date, I still have no access to my account, my funds, or my missing savings. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX I received a new SIM card from XXXX and was given a new telephone number. I use a XXXX phone as well as a XXXX XXXX so its all connected. I called Chime to once again have on record and recorded call, me calling them and asking about my account. Surprisingly the Chime automated system recognized my new number and connected me with Chime customer service. I did not give Chime my new number so how they had in their system is up to them to explain as well as everything else. I was informed by customer service that my account is no longer frozen or suspended and that new credit and debt cards, which I did not request, have been sent to me and I should expect them in a few days. 

I am humbly asking, begging, someone to please help me and to investigate this. I dont know what more I can do. Please, please help me. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation