Consumer complaint received 2024-02-15
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Cashing a check
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (VA)

I deposited a check to my Chase checking account on XX/XX/XXXX for {$3300.00} after selling a car to XXXX XXXX XXXX in which he signed multiple contracts stating he would pay this amount. This check has been verified as valid from the issuer ( XXXX XXXX ) and by Chase on multiple occasions. However, Chase randomly closed my account claiming that the check was fraudulent soon after I deposited it. I reached out via phone on XX/XX/XXXX and was hung up on multiple times before reaching a manager after XXXX hours. I explained the situation to the manager and he said that XXXX ( who made the check payable to me ) would need to verify via phone number that I was the intended recipient despite the fact that he endorsed the check. XXXX was ready and willing to comply with this, however their fraud department claimed that the phone number could not be verified to him. XXXX said this was his only phone number and that he has had it for over XXXX  years. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX and they said that they would continue to withhold the funds from me until they could verify XXXX by phone number. On XXXX XXXX weekend XXXX, I went in person to the XXXX XXXX where it was issued. They confirmed that they had transferred the funds to Chase bank. I also went in person to a Chase bank and the teller told me they closed my account but had issued a check for {$3300.00} that should arrive by XX/XX/XXXX. I waited until XX/XX/XXXX and no check arrived. I called Chase again on XX/XX/XXXX and they continued to state that they needed to verify with XXXX and would not help me. On XX/XX/XXXX I went to the Chase bank in XXXX XXXX and spent XXXX XXXX speaking with XXXX XXXX, associate banker. She called the fraud dept on my behalf and they told her the same thing about being able to verify XXXX number. She told me, and I quote, XXXX will need to BUY a new phone and get a completely new phone number, that way they can verify him and release your funds. I told her that is impossible and an outrageous request of someone. She said there was no other option but did enter an escalation request. On XX/XX/XXXX she came back saying that the escalation team said the only option was for him to BUY a new phone to verify. I emailed her back and said that my last course of action will be to file a complaint or to take legal action and she never replied to that email. It has been XXXX XXXX  and I still have not received money I am legally entitled. Chase is completely out of line in this and has treated my case very negligently and nonchalantly by not offering me viable courses of action to a check that has been verified as valid multiple times. I filed a federal complaint on XX/XX/XXXX against Chase. A lady from their executive office sent me a rude and demeaning voicemail saying that she wasnt going to help at all and that she basically would not take my complaint seriously. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an unhelpful letter stating that they in fact did not take the complaint seriously and again told me that XXXX would need to BUY a new phone number to verify. They offered NO OTHER SOLUTIONS OR OPTIONS. It has been almost XXXX months now and Chase continues to withhold and use my money fraudulently. XXXX XXXX only has XXXX phone number and can not pay {$1000.00} for a new phone. He is also XXXX XXXX XXXX and is currently XXXX out to XXXX  for months and can not even access a phone. I have various contracts signed by him as proof of this. I have further learned that Chase frequently pulls this scam, with XXXX of people reporting the exact same issue. Attached is the legal contract signed between XXXX and myself which clearly matches the signature on the check. The check itself is also attached and shows that he ENDORSED AND AUTHORIZED the payment to me TWICE. This is my last resort before having to get a lawyer because XXXX is diligently XXXX XXXX XXXX in the middle of a XXXX XXXX with the XXXX.