Consumer complaint received 2021-12-31
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OR
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Sued you without properly notifying you of lawsuit

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern : As a result of a number of circumstances that were exacerbated by the pandemic and my lack of employment since XX/XX/XXXX, I became unable to continue making monthly payments to my creditors, Chase Bank, JP Morgan Chase included. I exhausted their " Covid relief '' offer which allowed me to skip several monthly payments during which time ( and beyond ) 17 % + interest continued to accrue. Prior to the pandemic, I was working to create a self-employed income stream but once things shut down, I lost the part-time jobs I had landed, and the festivals and in-person events that I was participating in ended. Because of that, Chase said I wasn't eligible for any of their interest or payment reducing programs and they transferred my call to their credit counseling division. I spoke to a woman at length, she confirmed what the previous debt counselor I'd consulted with ( prior to stopping my payments to creditors ) said ( I'm bankrupt-At this point my parents are buying me grocery store gift cards so I eat ) and she said she would email me some information and resources, which never happened. 

Since that conversation, I've kept communicating with Chase Bank in writing. I've informed them of my continued inability to pay, and that I remain unemployed ( the job market isn't strong in XXXX and things are still at limited capacity ). I can't tell you how many phone calls I've received per day, per hour from someone claiming to represent Chase bank but they would never write me, though I requested written documentation of their plans and the balance owed. When I took the calls, it was always someone calling from XXXX on a scratchy, faint phone line claiming to be from Chase bank. At first, I thought it was a scam. We're in the middle of a pandemic that has put many people out of work ( women especially ) and I couldn't imagine that Chase Bank would hire people from XXXX to collect against jobless American 's but I think they did. I told the man if he really represents Chase Bank ( a guy calls me, says he's from Chase Bank then tells me to verify my information to him ), to tell them to respond to my letters in writing so I have a record of the conversation. That has never happened. 

I have written them, sent letters with tracking, etc. Each time I ask that they reply in writing. A phone conversation can't be proven, saved, or referred to by anyone except the big corporation with the recording ability. As a consumer, it is only fair that things are put in writing so that you may review and absorb the situation. The website is also one-sided. They sometimes remove messaging features, and getting into the message section is not always direct. At any rate, they have never written me back -- -not once. 

Then last night at XXXX XXXX, a bald, loud man, not wearing a face mask came banging on my front door. I live in a crime-filled city with criminals in the complex and nearby every day ( package thieves, 4 cars have had their windows smashed out in the parking lot in the past 3-weeks, homeless camps, violent situations, shootings, etc. ) I asked who he was through the door and he yelled my name and that he was suing me on behalf of Chase Bank. I told him to leave and only after I said I was calling security did he but he left a correspondence ( attached ) which states they've filed a lawsuit and would automatically win if I don't defend the complaint and appear within thirty days of service, which I was never officially served anything. The date on the document they left is XX/XX/XXXX and the man was here last night, XX/XX/XXXX. Further, it says I have to pay filing fees and get an attorney, I can't buy food. I'm on public healthcare and broadband. I am applying for help with my utility bills between jobs. How can I come up with the money for filing fees and figure out how to defend myself? Incidentally, I initially owed {$28000.00} to Chase Bank, they have increased this amount to {$33000.00}! 

I don't know how this can be legal. They have never written me warning that they were going to sue me and then they send some scary man yelling at my door late at night and the documents he left on the porch are dated for weeks prior! I realize I owed them money and that I am to blame for much of this, but they made a lot of money for a long time from me. I made monthly payments with my retirement money which cost me a 40 % tax rate to keep up their $ 700 monthly minimums which only increased my balances. I informed Chase that also I owed money to the IRS and until I could settle/pay them I was not allowed to continue paying creditors. I wrote repeatedly and have tracking information but they wrote once until last night. 

I've lost so much over the past couple of years. I once prided myself on having impeccable credit, but these circumstances were beyond my control. I didn't even get economic stimulus money until XXXX, and I was one of the people who waited over 9-months to receive unemployment, and it was {$1600.00} per month -- I didn't have money to pay them and I still don't. 

My most recent communication with Chase Bank was : XX/XX/XXXX : To Whom It May Concern : I apologize for my continued inability to pay my credit card bill. I remain unemployed, with no income or money. In addition to what I owe you, I am in debt to the IRS and multiple other creditors. I would appreciate it if you could mail and email me my final account balancewhich I will not be able to pay. I need a record of the amount due for when I am able to. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX PRIOR CORRESPONDENCE SENT via Postal Annex Store XXXX, XXXX or XXXX. I use this location because I don't have a printer and they also do mailing. There is evidence of my receipts for purchasing the copies, sending the email to their store email account, and the shipping information. 

XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX This does not take into account the phone conversations we've had or the number of times I submitted correspondence to their message center/portal online. The mailing address I used for each letter was : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Mail Code XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, DE XXXX I'm not denying the fact that I owe money but : 1 ) I was never informed of an impending lawsuit. Though I wrote them many times they didn't respond. 

2 ) Sending an angry man to bang on my door at XXXXXXXX XXXX, to intimidate or humiliate me was frightening and I can't believe that is permitted. Why not just use the postal service with a signature receipt? 

3 ) The date on the document he left on the ground outside my door is XX/XX/XXXX and it states I have 30-days to reply. I received this late last night XX/XX/XXXX and everyone knows it is a holiday weekend. The soonest I could even get help or talk to someone at the court would be XX/XX/XXXX and only if they're actually open ( a lot of things are closed or limited here ) and that would leave me only one week until, according to them, I would automatically lose the lawsuit. Is this true and legal and is the date for my summons/response really XX/XX/XXXX? How can such tactics be permitted? They have an enormous organization behind them and deep pockets, and I'm starving and just a regular person.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation