Consumer complaint received 2024-09-11
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (MD)

I called Chase to inquire about their " Pay Over Time '' plan which, from time to time, has promotional offers tied to its use. In specific, I was interested in using the plan to pay for my daughters ' tuition, {$26000.00}, but pay off the charge over time ( in this case, 24 months, as was offered ). 

I have two cards with Chase, a Southwest card and a XXXX XXXX, and have used this program once already on my Southwest card. Thus, I am very familiar with how the program works. 

Prior to making this payment to the school, I called to confirm that this promotion was still active, and, crucially, that I was still eligible given that I had already used the promotion on one of my two cards. I was assured that since I have not used the promotion on my second card, that I would be eligible for the same program - no interest, no fees for 24 months so long as I make the monthly installment ( i.e., 1/24th of that charge every month ). I asked the Chase representative to repeat herself and confirmed it twice over. There was no misunderstanding about what I was told. 

Subsequent to that conversation I went to the schools website and made my payment. All of this took place on or about XX/XX/year>. 

When I logged into my account on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX so I could opt into the Pay Over Time plan, sure enough that feature was there, but the payment plan now included {$300.00} in monthly fees. This amounts to {$7300.00} over the life of the loan, or an effective interest rate of 24.41 %. 

I immediately called the bank to resolve this issue. The agent heard my complaint, was apologetic, but said that he could not resolve my issue at the time. Instead, he would need to request that the recording of my XX/XX/XXXX conversation be pulled and open a formal investigation. This was great news, as I was 100 % certain that the tape would confirm my story. 

I did not receive a return call from Chase. 

I then called back on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with a supervising agent named XXXX. He told me that, in fact, the previous agent did not request a recording of the initial call, and that an investigation had not been initiated. He, too, was apologetic, and committed to doing both of those things himself. He then committed to calling me back on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX pm. I had plans to travel that day, but rescheduled my flight to ensure I could dedicate the necessary time to my conversation with XXXX. XXXX did not call me back as promised. 

At XXXX XXXX  of that day, after waiting in vain for XXXX call, I called and spoke with another agent. This time, the agent found a note that I had called on the previous Friday, but there was no mention of XXXX commitment to calling me back with the findings from his investigation. This new agent helped me file a new complaint related to my being dismissed and lied to by XXXX. She further confirmed that an investigation would commence. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called back to inquire. This time, I again was told that no recording had been requested, and was further told that there were no notes about XXXX commitment to call me. I was then informed that all of this was entirely fruitless given that there was nothing the team could do to help, and that the only people who might be able to help me were located in Chase Banks Executive Office. 

I then called the Chase Executive Office and lodged a formal complaint ( Case # : XXXX ) which was assigned to a case manager, XXXX ( not sure on spelling ). I opened this case with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I called to speak with XXXX on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, and was told by a receptionist that she would return my call that day. She did not. 

I called her multiple times over the subsequent days, until finally connecting with her on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. In that conversation she committed to doing an investigation, and returning my call. 

Mercifully, XXXX did as she promised, and got back to a week later, XX/XX/XXXX, with the conclusion of her investigation. I was told a number of contradictory, misleading, and incorrect things during the course of that conversation ( I will note, that XXXX was incredibly professional, and I harbor no ill-will towards her whatsoever ). 

Among other things, XXXX said the following : 1. She could not find any recordings from my previous conversations. Very upsetting, and very convenient, I might add. Also, it seemed rather easy for her to pull these recordings in fact, we looked at other days when I called and on those too, she found no recordings. Odd, certainly, but especially odd given I had been told on XX/XX/XXXX, prior to reaching out to the Chase Executive office, that it takes 15 days for recordings to be pulled.

2. She told me that even if she could find the recordings, the only purpose those would serve would be in training Chases agents against providing similarly misleading advice in future conversations with other clients of the bank. This was incredibly odd because ( a ) I was offered this on XX/XX/XXXX for the express purpose of helping me resolve my issue, and ( b ) according to XXXX, it was irrelevant what the agent had told me because the bank was not willing to honor the advice I had been given under any circumstance. This begs the questions, why string me along and offer to investigate at all? And why bother training the agents if the advice they are giving is entirely irrelevant anyhow? 
3. I was encouraged by XXXX to go into a Chase bank to discuss the promotional plans next time prior to making a purchase to ensure there was no misunderstanding. But at the same time, she told me, even if the agents in the bank gave me bad advice, or otherwise misled me, I would be on the hook to pay off the charge in whatever way Chase deemed me responsible. Which begs the question of why would I ever go into the bank for support if that, too, could end up being part of the problem, and that the bank would not honor the assurances of its agents. 

I had been very clear that I wanted to pay my charge in accordance with the plan I was offered, and that I wanted to resolve the issue before the billing cycle closed on XX/XX/XXXX. Of course, due to all the back and forth notably, me following up numerous times, and being ignored by agents for a month by the time this investigation was concluded, the billing cycle had closed, and now I am being asked to either come up with $ XXXX or just commit to paying $ XXXX in fees over the course of the payment plan. Neither of these options are fair, reasonable or satisfactory. 

After doing a quick search online, I have found many other people who have had similar issues with Chase bank related to their Pay Over Time plan. Mine issue is unique in that I called in advance of using said plan, and only did so with their guidance and still, I am being abused. 

But, even when the plan works, it is itself misleading and predatory. The introductory offer is advertised as no interest or fees for 24 months. The subsequent charges are then advertised as having only a fixed monthly fee not interest, get it? - that amounts to nearly the same interest rate that the card offers to begin with ( in my case, 24 % vs. 28 % ). The intent of these promotions is to lure people into the plan, and then have them default on what seems like a very compelling idea upfront ; I dont mean to sound cynical, but Chase is certainly not offering people this plan out of the goodness of their heart. 

In my situation, its all the more frustrating because I communicated directly with the bank to ensure the plan would work as needed, and when it didnt, I was promised a resolution that required me to run around after their agents for a month, only to be told that the bank was unwilling to rectify this situation, despite the obvious errors ( and worse ) made on its part, and the serious impact it had on me personally. 

All I am seeking is the ability to pay off my charge as promised, using the payment plan that is currently active on other Chase credit cards, including my Southwest card.