Consumer complaint received 2023-10-28
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: OH
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Delay in processing application

Complaint:
My XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX credit card from Chase required an annual fee after the first year. When the promotional period was nearing its end in XXXX of XXXX, I contacted the bank to see if, in light of my perfect payment history and excellent credit rating, they would consider waiving the fee for a second year. The support rep indicated they could not do this. I indicated that I did not want an annual fee. The rep reiterated that there was no option to waive it. So I asked that my account, which had and remains at a XXXX balance, be closed. The rep did so. 

I returned to the Chase site to apply for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX card from Chase that has a lower level of benefits but no annual fee. I submitted my application online at the bank 's site and waited. 

Though I'm an existing customer with an active Chase XXXX XXXX in addition to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX card that I just closed, I soon received an email saying that I need to upload documents to verify my mailing address and date of birth. The email indicated a driver 's license was adequate for both purposes, so I photographed my driver 's license with my mobile phone and uploaded it to the site provided in the email. 

Again I waited. 

Next I received another email saying there was a problem with the documents I uploaded and I would need to upload them again. I took another photo of my driver 's license and uploaded it. 

In addition, I also received a letter in the mail at my home address, which is the billing address on both of my Chase accounts, indicating I needed to provide the same documentation by FAX in addition to providing a copy of the letter itself. The letter said I could send the FAX for free at any Chase Bank branch. After calling to confirm that I did NOT in fact need to send a photo of my driver 's license for a third time, I drove to the branch and asked them to FAX the letter to the number on the back of the letter said requested. 

Some days later I received yet another letter in the mail indicating that my credit card application had been declined on the suspicion of fraud. The letter indicated that if the application was valid, I should contact the bank. The letter provided two numbers to call, one for fraud specialists and another for a Customer Protection Group.

I called both numbers. Both directed me to a general customer service number rather than a team specializing in fraud. On the first call, I was offered the opportunity to provide my phone number for a callback. When I did so, the system asked me to punch in my number but then did not confirm that I had entered a callback number. 

On the subsequent calls, I indicated I would wait on hold. I was informed that my wait would be over 50 minutes. It was in both cases.

When I finally reached a customer service rep, I was told that the only way to get the details about the possible fraud was to check the status of my application, which would require me to again be placed on hold. I pleaded with the rep to not be placed on hold but to simply check the information while I waited. I was put on hold. 

After another 10 minutes of waiting, I was informed that my application had been approved just within the last few minutes. The card would be on its way to me within the next two weeks.

The card has not yet arrived.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation