Consumer complaint received 2022-12-30
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I had a personal check from my Chase bank stolen from USPS somewhere between me putting it in a local mailbox and it traveling to its intended target- the City of XXXX  XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX The check, which was in the amount of {$500.00} and made out to " The City of XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and dated XX/XX/XXXX, was intercepted in the mail. The amount was changed to {$9500.00}, the check was signed by an individual on the back, and then cashed at a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I first reported this to my local Chase bank on XX/XX/XXXX, at which point I filled out a Declaration of Unauthorized Endorsement or Altered Item at their request. I was told I didn't have to do anything else, and that my funds would be recovered in 60-90 days, so no later than XX/XX/XXXX. When XX/XX/XXXX came and went with no updates, I revisited the same local Chase branch. I was told that they had no paper trail of my complaint. While I am certain that they could pull camera footage to show me filling out paperwork in XXXX, the nightmare had begun. I filed the same paperwork at the same bank on XX/XX/XXXX. This time, they recommended that I call the claims department to confirm receipt a week later. I did, and they confirmed receipt on XX/XX/XXXX. I was told to wait another 90 days for the case to be solved, even though I explained that I had already waited 90 days and it was past due. The " new '' 90 days came and went, and I followed up with Chase on XX/XX/XXXX. I was told that Chase was still waiting on a response from XXXX XXXX, and that there was nothing I could do to escalate or expedite this. The delayed solution caused me serious financial distress, as I struggled to cover expenses and taxes. I was given a new deadline by Chase - XX/XX/XXXX. I filed a police report on XX/XX/XXXX. After interacting via phone with Chase on XX/XX/XXXX, I was given a new deadline of XX/XX/XXXX. I called Chase on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the case was still open, but that I had to wait 120 days instead of 90. I was given no additional info. I called again XX/XX/XXXX, so past the 120 days, and I was told it still hadn't been solved. My case was escalated internally at Chase at this point. on XX/XX/XXXX, Chase told me that " XXXX XXXX has a backlog '' and that they could not give me a time frame. On XX/XX/XXXX I also filed a complaint with the CFPB, nine months after it all started, and received a written response from Chase on XX/XX/XXXX as a result. The response essentially just told me to continue to wait, with no deadlines or updates provided. Somehow, the CFPB considered this response to be perfectly acceptable, and closed my unsolved case. In XXXX of XXXX I interacted with XXXX at the JP Morgan Chase Executive Office on four separate occasions over the phone, she was my escalation contact. She repeatedly told me to keep waiting, stressing that XXXX XXXX had been unresponsive. I also tried the regular Chase Claims Department helpline and visting a physical Chase Bank location in person for help, with no success. In XXXX I spoke several times with XXXX XXXX at the Chase Complaint Escalation Group. He told me to keep waiting. On XX/XX/XXXX I received written correspondence from XXXX XXXX after reporting them to the CFPB. They said that they could not share any information with me, and that I had to go through my bank ( Chase ) for updates, despite the fact that my check was fraudulently cashed at XXXX XXXX. In the letter, sent to me 10 months after I first filed my claim, they acknowledged that such cases are usually solved within 120 days. Between XXXX and XXXX of XXXX I called XXXX, XXXX, and the claims department so many times I lost count. They told me to keep waiting for a solution. On XX/XX/XXXX I was sent a letter from Chase saying that they were not able to recover my funds as the depositing bank ( XXXX XXXX ) was not responding. They closed my case. I have copies of the check, the tax bill it was originally for, a log of all communication, and more. Please help!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation