Consumer complaint received 2024-08-20
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: Chime Financial Inc (VA)

On XX/XX/year> I made an online purchase through the XXXX app. I purchased a sofa in the amount of {$150.00}. Once I received the sofa and began to unpack the box I noticed that not only was the sofa frame broken but the sofa had obviously been used before. I was assuming the sofa was a return that XXXX received and they had mistakenly been sent it to me. The same day within a half an hour of my receiving the sofa I contacted XXXX and let them know that I needed to return the sofa that it was used and broken. I explained to XXXX that I knew or should I say was aware of the return policy which was 90 days. XXXX made every excuse under the sun and forbid me to return the sofa and provide me with a refund. The only solution they came up with is that I had XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and carry a huge sofa to the nearest XXXX XXXX store and that then they would only partially refund me because I would be charged a re-stocking fee. I explained to XXXX I am XXXX and do XXXX XXXX and that was impossible for me to do. I also explained it wasn't fair for them to charge me restocking fee when they sent me a used broken sofa. I explained to them that my nurse who cares for me Monday through Friday would be willing to return it to the local XXXX store which is an option through the 90-day return policy and then I could get a refund. XXXX refused that option to me. They made every excuse under the sun for whatever policy remedies I was provided that some reason they couldn't do. I went round and round for several days with XXXX to the point where they hung up on me several times they refuse to allow me to do a return and they finally ended up just deleting my online account so I didn't even have access to all my orders I had placed or any information about my orders. I decided my only remedy was to get Chime bank, which is the debit card I use to make the online purchase to back charge the transaction. I did this I believe on XX/XX/year>. Even after I filed the dispute I contacted XXXX several times to come and pick up the sofa via XXXX  and refund my money. They simply refuse to do it without some major penalty like 50 % restocking fee. So I disputed the transaction Chime. I provided them with screenshots of chats that I had with XXXX where they refuse to allow me to return the sofa. I also provided chime with a copy of the return policy which clearly states I had 90 days to do an exchange or a refund. I explained to chime how XXXX refused to allow me to return the sofa which was 100 % against their own return policy. I explained to them that XXXX had deleted my online account out of retribution and then I felt helpless as a XXXX woman who was just trying to get what I actually ordered replaced or my money refunded. Chime has basically told me over the phone that they're not going to refund my money that it is between me and XXXX and it's not their problem that XXXX has deleted my account or refused to allow me to return the sofa that was sent to me by XXXX. I am absolutely heartbroken and devastated that my financial institution has decided to side with a big corporation against a XXXX XXXX woman who has been defrauded basically by XXXX. I ordered a brand new sofa they sent me a broken used sofa. They have a 90-day return policy I called them within a half an hour of receiving the item to return it and get a refund they refused to allow me. XXXX took a step further and deleted my online account so that I would not have access to the transaction information. Chime has turned its back on me as a customer, not only that but when I filed my dispute chime told me it would be within a few days that they would investigate then come to find out they said that they have a 3 months to investigate my dispute. That is entirely too long to wait. I live on fixed income because I am XXXX with XXXX  XXXX. Chime is not protecting me or my money from a big corporation, XXXX which has a habit of defrauding it's customers.