Consumer complaint received 2018-12-18
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (KY)

On XX/XX/, my Chase checking account was fraudulently charged for the amount of {$200.00}. The transaction took place at a grocery store an hour away from where I live and attend school. Whoever responsible for the transaction made a small purchase and paid a fee in order to get {$200.00} in cash back, taking almost all the money from my checking account. I have never made a purchase in the city where the transaction took place and my Chase debit card has never left my possession. The morning after I was awoken by several calls from the Chase fraud department alerting me of the potentially fraudulent activity. I immediately checked my account and found that a charge had occurred without my consent. I contacted Chase and began the process of getting a new card, new pin number, and my funds back. This process was simple enough, I received a new card in the mail and went to a branch to assign a new pin to my new card. Chase quickly returned my funds to my account and I assumed the situation had been resolved. I was extremely relieved to have my money back. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX, the money was taken back out of my account by Chase due to a " claim reversal ''. I immediately contacted Chase and got in touch with their claims department. I was told that I would need to fax proof of my location on the day of the transaction, and in 3-5 business days my money would be returned to me. I attended both work and class on the day of the transaction however on short notice I was only able to get documentation from my employer that I was clocked in on XX/XX/XXXX an hour away from where the transaction took place. The following day I went into a Chase branch and spoke with a banker who faxed the documentation to the claims department. The banker spoke to the claims department about my case and told me that he did not see any reason I would not get my money back after providing proof. He was informative about the ways that my information could have been stolen and used without my consent. I was told to contact the claims department in 3-5 business days. In the following weeks I contacted the claims department multiple times. I have been told that my claim is being investigated by an outside office and that it is out of the hands of Chase themselves whether I get my money back. The validity of the fraudulent transaction was being investigated despite Chase first notifying me about activity that had been deemed suspicious by their standards. My claim has been denied multiple times despite providing the document from my employer. I finally asked the representative to please connect me with someone who could give me more information. I spoke with an Escalation specialist named XXXX who looked at my claim and made notes of the extra information I gave her. She then submitted the claim for investigation again, which took another 3 to 5 business days. This claim was denied also. I have pleaded with Chase to please give me my money back, I even offered to provide more proof of the location of myself and my mother whose account is connected to mine. I was told that more documentation would not be needed. Without the further documentation, the claim was submitted again and today I received a letter saying that my case was closed and could not be reopened again. I do not know what else to do. The absence of this money set me back tremendously with bills right before the holiday season. I am a student, I work as a server for tips and {$200.00} is sometimes all the money I can make in a whole week. I did not travel an hour away between work and school to a city where I have never purchased anything and pay a fee to get cash back from a grocery store when there is a Chase ATM right down the street from me. My family and I will be closing our Chase checking accounts soon because we no longer trust them with our money and other than consulting an attorney we do not know what else to do about this situation.