Consumer complaint received 2024-06-29
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Unable to open an account
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (CA)

On XX/XX/2024, I needed to open a new checking account to receive my direct deposit from my new job. It was past XXXX XXXX, so I used chase.com to open a new checking account. I already had a credit card account with chase and online account access and access through the mobile app. I entered all my information at chase.com including my address, details and I received a message by email saying that the account would require 1 to 2 business days to open and that they would contact me. I needed the account opened that day, to sign up for direct deposit the following day, so I decided to open an account at another bank, which I successfully did. 

Approximately XXXX minutes after opening the account, I received a call from Chases identity verification department, and they asked me several questions to verify my identity, and then asked me if I was the one who had chosen to open the bank account. I answered the questions correctly and stated yes I wanted to open the account. They then told me that the account would be immediately opened. I told the representative over the phone that I did not want the account opened, because the timeline in the email said wanted one to two days which was not sufficient time and I had already opened an account at a different bank. She could not explain why the email stated one to two business days, and how she had the ability to open the account immediately. I told her to cancel my application, and to make sure the account was not opened. She did that over the phone and I received an email from Chase automated system saying that my checking account application had been canceled, and with that I felt reassured that the account would not be opened. 

Five days later, I tried to log into the mobile Chase app, and I received a message that my account was blocked, and that I had to call customer service to unfreeze my account. I called and answered the identity verification questions correctly and was told the account block was lifted. Within 15 minutes of finishing with the customer service agent on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email saying that my checking account was opened and that I would be receiving my debit card in the mail. I called Chases customer service again, to ask them why the account was opened in the first place, if my application was canceled. The customer service representative could only tell me that the account was already opened on XX/XX/XXXX despite me having canceled the application and receiving an automated email that showed that. 

Im filing this complaint, because banks like Chase need to be more honest with their customers regarding the timeline of opening accounts, and they can not use fraud prevention as a justification to be dishonest to the customer and claim accounts will require one to two business days to open and then call them within minutes, verify their identity, and then immediately open the account for them. XXXX happy to verify identity questions at any time, and I promptly answered their calls and verified my identity every time, but it is dishonest and disingenuous to send automated emails that are not in line with the information coming from live agents. Furthermore, despite a live agent canceling my checking account application, and receiving an email verifying as such, the account was still opened without my knowledge. My mobile app access and online banking access was blocked from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX so I did not know about the account being opened until I called them again and verified my information manually despite having verified my information correctly on XX/XX/XXXX, the first time. 

I wouldve been happy to call Chase, and verify my information the first time on XX/XX/XXXX, but instead of being asked to do this, I was simply told that it would require one to two business days, which was too long for me and caused me to go to another bank. I want more honesty and transparency in communications from the bank regarding the timeline to open an account, and I do not want mixed messages from live agents and automated system emails. Please the attachments below, thank you.