Consumer complaint received 2024-05-21
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (CA)

On XX/XX/2024 I received a notification on my Chase mobile app that a charge of {$1000.00} was pending on my Business Debit card. I immediately put a hold on all charges to the account and contacted Chase to open a fraud investigation into my Business checking account. I was issued a new business debit card and have not had any other unauthorized charges made to my account. 

The charge was made at XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, CA, a business that I have never been to, or heard of, and who, ( according to my XXXX search ) is a mens barber shop. 

Chase informed me that the charge would be reversed while the claim was being investigated. After several weeks, I received a letter in the mail from Chase informing me that the claim was being closed as the information that they received from XXXX XXXX XXXX proved I authorized the charge. I immediately contacted Chase to inquire as to how I could further dispute this claim, as I most certainly did NOT authorize this charge. I was told to file a police report and contact the merchant directly, and that the proof from the merchant would be mailed to me within 7-10 business days. ( As of today, I still have not received this information from Chase ) I was also informed the {$1000.00} charge would be removed from my account, and it indeed was. 

After speaking with Chase, I immediately contacted XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and asked to speak with the owner. The owner, XXXX XXXX answered the phone and is who I spoke to. XXXX informed me that on XX/XX/2024, he was booked for a house call for 4 haircuts for {$1000.00} at the following address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX  XXXX XXXX, CA ( in the XXXX XXXX ). The name and phone number given to book the appointment was mine. Not only did I not make this call, I do not live at the above address, nor have I ever been there, or know anyone who lives there. On XX/XX/2024, XXXX went to the address above and gave 4 haircuts to XXXX XXXX woman, XXXX XXXX men, and XXXX children. After providing haircut services, he invoiced the above persons {$1000.00} through his business website and they paid using my Business Bank card number. The card was in my possession the entire time, and again, I did not authorize this charge, or authorize the unknown persons above to make this charge. My card has not been out of my possession. 

After speaking with XXXX directly, I then contacted the XXXX XXXX Police Department to file a police report. XXXX XXXX ( badge # XXXX ) came to my home and I gave him copies of my drivers license, as well as all of the information above, along with the letters I have received from Chase and he filed a police report on my behalf. 

After filing a police report, I again contacted Chase to find out how to upload my documentation to prove that I did NOT authorize this charge, and was walked through the steps to do so online. I was told to call back in 1-2 business days after uploading my documentation to have my claim reopened. 

Less than 24 hours after I spoke to XXXX XXXX, filing the police report, and uploading my documents to Chase I received a call from someone who said they were calling from the Chase Fraud Department and they were contacting me because there had been suspicious activity on my account. They claimed that there had been a charge to XXXX XXXX that morning and their department flagged it as suspicious and cancelled the charge, and they were calling to confirm that I didnt authorize it. I confirmed I had not, and immediately logged into my Chase Business account using my desktop computer online. I did not see any pending charges, and had not received any text alerts from Chase that I have set up as security for charges over a certain amount. I told the person that, and they said because the charge had been flagged, it would not appear on my account. They also said there appeared to be a new device that had been added to my account, and a wire transfer request for {$8000.00} out of Florida from an XXXX XXXX, and asked if I had authorized either of these. I confirmed I had not. The person asked me to check my account to see if any other unusual charges had come through, and I confirmed there were none. They asked if I had recently had fraud on my account, and I confirmed that yes, there had been, and I had recently received a new debit card. The person said that because of the additional flagged amounts and new device, they needed to escalate my account to a level four security issue and it would be passed up the chain to someone immediately. They asked me to please confirm the last known account balances to both my checking and savings, and I did. They then asked me to log in to my chase mobile banking app. 

I had been slightly suspicious about the entire conversation at this point, and did not log into my mobile banking app, or give any login or personal information other than my current balances. I then asked for the persons name and why it did not say Chase on my phone screen ( strangely, when I look at my call log now, it does actually say JPMorgan Chase with the number ) and the person said to look at the back of my debit card, and the number shown is the number I am calling from. Sure enough, it was, but it was the international number, rather than the XXXX number. I asked why and was told both numbers come from the same place. At that point, I said, I feel uncomfortable giving you any further information. Id like to hang up and call you back the the number on the card, are you ok with that? The person said of course, and then the line went dead. 

I immediately called the Chase Fraud line and told them what had just happened and Chase confirmed my suspicions that they wouldnt call me directly that way, and made sure I hadnt given any account login information. They also confirmed that they would be reopening my fraud claim after my documented proof had been uploaded yesterday.

After speaking with Chase, I immediately changed my banking user name and password, added two step verification to login to my account and added a security code.

After 3-5 business days, I contacted Chase again when I could see my claim still had not been reopened. I was told they needed more time to review and to call back in another 3 days. I called back today, seeing my claim was still not reopened and was informed by Chase that my request to reopen my claim was denied as the vendor ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) had proven that it was indeed me that authorized the claim. I immediately asked to speak to a supervisor, and that supervisor informed me that he would request the claim to again be reopened, but said he doubted it would since it had been closed and the request to reopen was denied. He said the team was backed up and he did not know why I hadn't received the paperwork that the vendor ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) had submitted to Chase to prove I authorized the claim. He said he would be resending that paperwork to me.

I am completely baffled as to why Chase would not reopen my claim when provided with all of the information above. I have banked with them for nearly XXXX years and have never had an issue like this. For them to simply go with the information from a vendor, without even confirming this information with me is beyond maddening. Besides being out {$1000.00}, I feel like I'm getting the run around with Chase.