Consumer complaint received 2016-09-27
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA
Product: Money transfers
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Other service issues

Complaint:
I attempted to complete an International Wire Transfer to my brother-in-law in XXXX from my Chase Bank Account and was denied access to do so. I first signed myself up for the Wire Transfer Service online. I entered in all of the relevant data including the XXXX XXXX, my brother-in-law 's full name, personal address in XXXX, Bank Account Number, and Bank Name and Address for my brother-in-law 's Bank Account at a reputable XXXX Bank called XXXX. I was given an error code when I attempted to initiate the wire transfer from my Chase Business Account and when I called the online support number, was told it was because the terms of this specific account would not allow me to use it as the " Wire From '' Account. I then asked if I should attempt to do so from my personal account and was told by the telephone representative " not to bother because it would n't be allowed to go through '' that " XXXX is an XXXX country ''. Amazingly when I looked up XXXX Countries AND Sanctions, XXXX was not on any of the lists? I was then told that I HAD TO go into a Chase Bank Branch to have a Banker help with my wire transfer transaction. I informed them that I felt discriminated against and why would they not allow my wire transfer to go through via the online portal? They gave me XXXX explanation. I then informed them that I would not pay one cent over the online wire fee of {$40.00} because it seemed like an attempt to make me pay the in-branch {$50.00} wire transfer fee and essentially inconvenience me and charge me {$10.00} more to do so. I went into the local Chase Bank Branch and was assisted initially by the Assistant Vice President of Private Client Banking at the Branch. She attempted to contact the proper department of Chase Bank to ask why I was unable to initiate an online Wire Transfer? They told her this time that there should be no reason. We attempted to do so again from her computer on her desk via my personal Chase Account. We still received an error message. She called back the proper Chase Bank Department and they told her that there was a technical problem with the online wire transfer technology for ALL Chase Bank Customers and that the feature would not be available temporarily for a time to be determined. She apologized and agreed to attempt to initiate the wire transfer from her system in the Branch and credit my account for the discounted fee, but because of my trouble, agreed to waive the fee this one time since we had spent over an hour by this time, trying to get my wire transfer to go through. She explained that she would n't be able to waive the fee on this visit, but once it went through she 'd credit back my account for the fee. Unfortunately, when she attempted to complete the wire transfer through Chase 's banking portal, she also received an error message. She called the same Chase department back again and they stated that Chase Bank did n't " do business with the bank provided by the XXXX XXXX '' which was XXXX. Again, no explanation as to why and no offering to send the wire transfer even when explained that Chase bank is not " doing business '' with XXXX, but rather I am as the customer whose funds are being wire transferred to this Bank. Regardless, Chase Bank gave zero explanation for denying the International Wire Transfer to XXXX and for why I was being discriminated against when they 've allowed other International Wire Transfers to be transferred from their financial institution. The Branch Manager was called over by the Assistant VP and she recommended contacting the Office of the Executive Staff of Chase Bank. They did so and we received a very rude representative on the phone. She was unhelpful, also offered ZERO EXPLANATION, and claimed that an analyst would look at my situation and contact me within 48 hours. The same day I opened XXXX & initiated wire.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation