Consumer complaint received 2016-01-22
Product: Bank account or service — Cashing a check without an account
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals — 
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (CA)

I went to the Chase branch located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CA XXXX earlier this morning around XXXX PST. My intent was to cash a {$4000.00} personal check as a non-customer. I presented two forms of ID and I was willing to provide my thumb print if that is still required, but I was not allowed to cash the check. I was instructed by the teller that the limit for a non-customer is {$2500.00} a day. I then asked her if I could get that amount in cash and the rest in a cashier 's check and she told me no. I asked her to escalate to the manager and XXXX XXXX walked up to the teller window. 
I explained to XXXX that the check was a personal loan from my friend and manager to finalize some construction at my house. I asked if she can cash the check and if possible to call the customer to verify the check was issued because I was willing to wait. XXXX proceeded to tell me that their policy does not allow to cash a check for a non-customer because they have no recourse if the check is returned. I asked XXXX to call the customer to verify the check and she proceeded to hand me the check back along with my two forms of ID as if to imply that the conversation was over. I then asked what if I opened an account, would I then be able to get the funds and she said yes. I was willing to do that and stepped over to the side while she found someone to assist. Ironically, she had to deal with another customer who was upset and was going to close his account due to fraudulent activity on his account ( makes me wonder what is Chase doing ). 
I found this to be a huge inconvenience that XXXX was not willing to look at the totality of the transaction and make an informed decision. When she finally stepped out of the teller window I told her that I do n't have time for this and that the minute I open the account I would be closing it out and she said that 's exactly why they ( Chase ) do n't prefer to do transactions with non-customers. She gave me her card and said that if my bank wanted to call and verify the funds that she 'd be willing to help. Luckily, my bank ( XXXX ) did n't cause me any hassles what so ever as they made enough of the funds available so that my contractor can cash the check I wrote for the work he 's doing, and the rest of the funds would be available by Tuesday the XXXX. 
I informed XXXX at Chase that I used to work at XXXX ( now XXXX ) and was familiar with the check cashing practices. I told her that if the issue was that the branch did n't have {$4000.00} on hand to give thus only giving me a portion that I would accept a cashiers check for the difference. But apparently, they do n't like working with " non-customers ''. She even alluded to the fact that if I was a business customer that I would perhaps receive different service. 
This is exactly why I closed my bank account at Chase years ago. The big banks have lost sight of customer service and the branch managers are not empowered to make rationale and reasonable decisions. I would understand if I walked in with a {$20000.00} check, with one ID or no ID, or in a drunken state, asking to cash it. But I did not. I got upset and frustrated towards the end and stormed out of the branch because the situation was ridiculous. 
I hope this complaint makes its way as high up as possible as that branch manager was a joke and Chase 's policies are a joke. They 're XXXX of the biggest banks in the world and they could n't cash a {$4000.00} personal check where the customer provided two forms of ID and was willing to wait for them to call the issuer of the check to confirm if the check was valid!