Consumer complaint received 2017-12-13
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (TX)

I have a Chase safety deposit box. I have had the same for 21 years. I also have a checking account, savings account, home equity line of credit and an automobile loan with Chase. Yesterday I went to Chase to access my safety deposit box and could n't get in to it. My box is paid for every year in XXXX by funds being taken from my checking account automatically. My box is paid for until XXXX XXXX and would then be renewed automatically from my checking account just like it has been over the years since XXXX when I moved to XXXX Texas. I was told that I could not access my box and that it had been drilled and my contents had been emptied on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I was not notified in advance about this nor was I ever notified about this since. I first found out about this on XXXX XXXX, XXXX when I went to the branch. XXXX XXXX who was at the safety deposit desk could not explain what had happened and could not find any records about what had happened. We then spoke with the assistant manager XXXX XXXX who tried to help but could n't explain what happened. I was told that it might have to do with fraud on the box with someone trying to get into my box. My contents were taken off premises from a box I had paid for during the term of my lease of the box. There was a lot of confusion as to what happened and there was no-one at the branch that could explain what had happened. They started to make calls off premises to try and get some answers. Again they could n't get a satisfactory answer at the time I was there. They were able to locate my possessions off site and asked me to sign forms so I could retrieve my possessions which I refused to do because I felt my right had been violated and I did n't want to give up my rights. I had to leave for a business meeting and was told I would be contacted in an hour. The branch manager had been out of the branch attending a meeting and could n't be reached and they could n't reach him by phone because they said he would n't answer the phone while out of the branch. After not having heard from the branch for several hours I placed a call to the branch but it went to voice mail. I called back and got through to the bank and asked for XXXX XXXX the assistant branch manager who had given me her card so I could contact her about what had happened. There was a pause on the line and a man got on the line who did n't immediately identify himself. I had to ask if he was the branch manager which he said he was. His name is XXXX XXXX and he was curt and abrupt in his response to me and told me I had been given erroneous information as to what had happened to my box. He told me that at some point I had been sent a letter by regular mail requesting information about the account I have had for 21 years and because I had n't responded to this letter that was sent by regular mail not certified to make sure it was delivered they could go in to my box and remove its contents and that if I looked at the lease I would see that this was standard procedure. I did n't feel this was an approbate response. As I have said I have many accounts with the bank and just the previous day I had been asked by the Chase site to go paperless because it was good for the environment. I responded in the affirmative as far as notifications and offers but I still wanted to receive my statements through the mail. I received and email saying that this would be done. My conversation with XXXX XXXX went downhill. I felt he was escalating the problem and I got more and more upset with him and his willingness to help me. I asked him for his supervisors name which he gave me as the regional manager her. Her name I was told is XXXX XXXX but when I asked for her phone number he refused to give it to me and told me the would be in touch with me when she could. I had a lot of valuables in my safe-deposit box. I was a XXXX XXXX and kept my XXXX XXXX and other personal things in this box. I was told that what they had done was acceptable and that just sending out a letter and not receiving an answer was enough to have them go and remove everything. I have also noticed a discrepancy in the forms I have received in that the records indicate that the box was drilled onXX/XX/XXXX but was witnessed on XX/XX/XXXX