Consumer complaint received 2022-10-10
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Delay in processing application

Complaint:
I feel I have been discriminated against in applying for a business account and a business credit card with Chase Bank. 

I preface this by saying this my second business. I have owned and operated another business that I also founded since XXXX of XXXX and use a different bank for the service. However, I have been looking to change banks after some growing challenges with my current bank and thought I might test the waters by opening the checking account for my second business with Chase. I was wrong.

I see Chase was previously sued for discriminating against XXXX  customers, and I am sad to say I suspect a similar situation here. 

I opened the business account in the XXXX, Texas office in XXXX of XXXX. I'd originally planned to fund the account the same day, but the banker, XXXX, encouraged me to wait to fund the account online to avoid fees. Also, I was given the runaround about why the funds took so long to be made available for me to use. In fact, XXXX went as far as telling me that my previous bank hadn't released the funds for the transfer when I could see that the wiring bank had already released the funds. 

I was never given a sheet of temporary checks even though I asked for them and was discouraged from applying for a business credit card in the office. I had mentioned to the banker while in office that I had frozen my social, so I needed her to let me know if I needed to unfreeze it for the process. 

When I applied for the card online a few weeks later, instead of receiving an instant notification of whether I'd been approved, I received a notification stating that I'd be notified of the bank 's decision. 

Since that time, I've received several phone calls asking me for additional information, including the original XXXX documentation from the IRS. Suspecting fraud myself, I went into the bank with the document. Then, instead of asking me for my driver 's license while there ( which I presented to my banker ), I was told I didn't need it only to later have the banker request I bring in my driver 's license. So, I had to make another trip. 

I have had my social security card frozen for a few years now, and I asked the banker what the issue was with my card when I returned to present my passport because the notification I'd received said I needed to present proof of where I was born. I told her that I had the card but not the book because it is lost ( I did apply to repace it with the Department of State in XXXX, but I still have not booked an appointment to replace it ). She told me the bank only need proof of address and dismissed my comment about the proof of birthplace. 

When I presented her my driver 's license, she made a comment about my address being my mailing address and flipped it over as if she were inspecting it for counterfeit evidence. I'd since updated my address since I'd moved, so the address differs from the address on the IRS ' employer identification number. However, it now matches the information on the credit card application I submitted to Chase. The banker already knew I had problems with delivery, internet and access to other services because of my builder not having made my address live ( I live in new construction and was the first person to close in my neighborhood. ).

She said that the bank suspected identity theft, and I wanted to know why but she never said. She never asked me about my social being frozen. She said Chase wants to make sure I'm not committing fraud. I told her the verification questions she asked me were very easy for anyone to figure out, as they are public information -- where you went to school and professional licensure ( I am a pharmacist, and one of the verification questions asked was which professional license I ever held. The correct answer " intern pharmacist. " ). 

She said she'd call the bank 's credit card tomorrow, as in XX/XX/XXXX to " let them know. '' However, I received no follow-up. 

I am repeatedly told the bank will " notify me of their decision '' regarding the card. 

I have never received this kind of treatment when applying for credit cards, qualifying with mortgage lenders, or buying a car. 

I am not one to label everything as a race issue, but what else can this be? It's been more than two weeks, and I still don't have a business credit card. They just keep nitpicking for more information.

I am a licensed pharmacist, so why would I impersonate myself? If they suspected me of crime, why not alert the authorities? They could easily do a background check. Instead, they are continuing to harrass me and ask really silly questions anyone could find on XXXX. That alone tells me that being XXXX and discriminatory is far more important to them than protecting my identity.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation