Consumer complaint received 2023-11-28
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (CA)

Around early XXXX time, I was reviewing my credit card transaction history and noticed a charge at " XXXX XXXX # XXXX '' on my Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card statement. This charge took place on XX/XX/XXXX  for {$160.00}. At this point, I looked into my wallet and realized the card was missing. At the time of the fraudulent charge, I did not have my card in possession and did not authorize anyone to use my card. The charge at " XXXX XXXX # XXXX '' on XX/XX/XXXX  for {$160.00} was not authorized and thus violated Truth in Lending ( Regulation Z ). At this point, I filed a dispute on the transaction and reported the card as missing. 

The charge was temporarily removed from my statement and a new card was issued for use. During this time, I was using the card online and with XXXX XXXX. None of the transactions after that point of the fraudulent charge that were made in-person with the physical card were authorized. 

On Friday XX/XX/XXXX  at XXXX I received a call from an investigator at Chase. The investigator asked me details about the transaction and asked me things like who was the merchant you gave the card to, what was the card number that the fraudulent transaction took place on, and why did you lose your card. The transaction was removed from my statement and the card number was updated and I was a little lost on the situation because it was from so long ago. Flustered, I asked more questions about what they were talking about because I was generally just lost about the situation. I informed them that I might have given the card to another merchant for an authorized charge, and left the card there, where it was stolen and then later used for an unauthorized charge at a different merchant not by me. 

At this point, the investigator informed me that she had conducted her investigation and I was responsible for the charge since I gave the card to a merchant. I explained to her that I paid a bill at a restaurant or bar and didn't get my card back. That doesn't make any subsequent charges that someone made on my card authorized. The investigator said that since the fraudulent transaction was made via chip, it was a secure transaction and could not be fraudulent. They also then mentioned that I could not have just lost the card, I would have lost other items as well and that I needed proof. I did not know what to say because I did not lose my wallet, I just left the card at a restaurant after paying and someone decided to use it fraudulently and make unauthorized charges. The investigator ended the call claiming the case was closed and I would have to call back to reopen it. 

At this point, I was so confused because I didn't have much details and needed to catch up my memory. I looked through my statement and realized that earlier that day of the fraudulent charge, I had eaten at the restaurant XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and the restaurant did not give back my card after I paid there. The card might have been stolen at the restaurant. I filed a police report documenting Identity Theft. 

I was incredibly unhappy with the way that J.P. Morgan Chase handled my dispute, using argumentative tactics to accuse me of making the charge. The investigator clearly did not understand that even if the transaction was made via chip, that does not authorize the transaction on my behalf. The transaction was not authorized and the perpetrator was conducting identity theft when using it. I was disappointed in how the investigator continuously accused me of making the charge, asked me to provide details over a month and a half after the incident and used that against me when I could not, and told me that the case was closed and that I would have to appeal in writing if I wanted to reopen the case.