Consumer complaint received 2020-09-10
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not received from closed account

Complaint:
I am an XXXX XXXX  who received the EIDL loan because the pandemic affected my business. I'm incapable of XXXX  for XXXX because of health issues and my age. The pandemic makes driving too risky for me. So I applied to receive an EIDL loan, and was accepted. 

A few weeks after I received the EIDL funds, Chase bank froze my personal account. A couple of weeks later they withdrew mymoney and closed the account. The operators I talked to said that I can only receive my money with documentation that I was in business prior to XX/XX/XXXX. As an XXXX XXXX I do have documents that I was in business prior to XX/XX/XXXX, but Chase will only accept avery specific set of documents. Documents that an XXXX  XXXX is not required to have. Tax documents aren't even on the list. Also, Chase will not provide me a written list of acceptable documents. I asked several different people at Chase and they refused to provide me a list, either printed out at the bank, by letter, or even by email. They were willing to read them out but were impatient when I asked them to slow down and let me write the requirements down. I don't know if I have a complete list. Nevertheless, after several operators have read me the list, it's clear that the documents that they require are not documents that an XXXX   XXXX  is required to have in order to operate his business legally. 

As an XXXX XXXX I'm not required to have a business bank account. I'm not required to get a DBA, an EIN, or a business license. I'm not required to have a letter from the Secretary of State dated prior to XX/XX/XXXX. I'm not required to have meeting minutes dated prior to XX/XX/XXXX. And I'm not required to have a letter from a CPA nor an attorney dated prior to XX/XX/XXXX. I am legally permitted to operate as an XXXX  XXXX without any of this documentation. Yet Chase bank has frozen my account, demanding that I provide these documents. 
Chase is freezing these accounts illegally. Congress named XXXX XXXX  as qualified to receive these EIDL funds. The law is clear. Independent Contractors qualify. 

I've been a XXXX  worker since XX/XX/XXXX. I've been a XXXX   XXXX  since XX/XX/XXXX. And I've driven with XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. I have a letter from XXXX attesting to the fact that I've been an XXXX  XXXX with them since XX/XX/XXXX. The bank won't accept this documentation. I have tax documents : 1099s and my 1040. Chase won't accept this documentation. I have a letter from an attorney who has examined my documentationand has confirmed that I am a legitimate XXXX   XXXX. Chase won't accept this documentation. I have a copy of my EIDL contract with the SBA, showing that I qualify for this loan. XXXX won't accept this documentation. I have more than enough documentation proving that I've been a legitimate XXXX  XXXX since at least XX/XX/XXXX so I legally qualify to receive the EIDL loan.

I'm including these attachments. Filenames are numbered as follows : # 1 I'm including a pdf from the Senate ( The Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act ), which states on page 7 that Independent Contractors are eligible to receive an EIDL loan.

# 2 I'm including a pdf from the IRS defining XXXX XXXX. This document states " that an individual is an XXXX  XXXX if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done. '' This describes my relationship with XXXX, XXXX, and all other XXXX  corporations with whom I'm in a business relationship. 

# 3 I'm including a copy of the CARES act page 10 naming " small business concerns '' as eligible to receive these emergency loans, which cites the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ) for the definition of that term.

# 4 I'm including a pdf of Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 ), which defines " small business concern '' with the words " independently owned. '' # 5 I'm including a copy of the loan agreement that I signed with the SBA, qualifying me to receive this loan.

# 6 I'm including a letter from XXXXthat confirms that I have had an XXXX  XXXX relationship with XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. 

# 7 I'm including a letter from Attorney XXXX XXXX attesting that I have an XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
# 8a-h I'm including further documentation ( XXXX rental agreement through XXXX ) that confirms that I began driving with XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. I'm including first week of the month contracts for the months of XX/XX/XXXX through to XX/XX/XXXX, but I have 38 in total, one for each week. I can provide all 38 if requested. 
# 9a-h I'm including pay statements from XXXX for the first week of the month between XX/XX/XXXX through to XX/XX/XXXX. 
# 10a-d I'm including tax documents ( Schedule 1099 ) from both XXXX and XXXX for the year XXXX. 
# 11 In the off chance that XXXX will accept this, I'm also including an EIN that I received from the IRS on XXXX for another XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( XXXX XXXX ) that I own. 
# 12 I'm including all 28 bank statements that show I have received continued payments from XXXX, XXXX, and other gig corporations ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX ) since XXXX of XXXX. 

# 13 And I'm including the letter that Chase sent me regarding this matter.

This mountain of supporting documentation should be more than enough proof that I qualify for this loan. Chase has no legal authority to limit the documentation to documents that an XXXX  XXXX is not required to have. 

The thing is they aren't even going after the loan money. I withdrew the EIDL funds and deposited it into a separate bank. Chase never asked for the funds back. They have frozen my personal money. 
This can't be legal. XXXX XXXX  were named in Congress as being qualified for these loans. And I'm not the only person this is happening to. There are discussions on XXXX and XXXX detailing people who have had this same problem. I'm sure thousands of people across the country are having the same problem that I am. But on the other hand, people are reporting that they were able to get their funds unfrozen with tax documents and letters from a CPA or an attorney. Yet Chase won't accept these from me. I feel as if Chase is singling me out because the first operator I spoke to didn't like that I received the EIDL money.

It seems apparent to me that Chase is acting on its own in a discriminatory fashion towards XXXX XXXX, other gig workers, and independent contractors in general. The documentation that Chase requires were not established by the SBA, the Treasury department, the Senate, or any other government agency. In fact I mentioned this to the last operator I talked to and she said they take discrimination claims very seriously and she would be sending me documentation so i could file a claim. I have not received this yet, and I don't expect to.

Chase is clearly acting in an illegal fashion. I need this resolved.

I need a cashier 's check in the amount of {$5200.00}. 
I also need a letter that I can provide to my creditors ( like my apartment office ) that any delinquency I had was because of the bank and not because of something I did.And I need the documents that I was promised about the discrimination claim.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation