Consumer complaint received 2020-07-21
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Company closed your account
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. (NC)

During Covid-19, our state was included Shelter-place order when I sold one of property that belongs to me and my husband. We have been banking with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for almost 3 decades, and the nearest branch they had was in XXXX, NC, which was 4 hours away. We wanted to have an account with a bank with a local branch, so we picked Chase Bank. When we set up the accounts online, we had to transfer amount into the accounts because the local branch was closed due to Covid-19. Chase banks accepted our transfer deposits, but a week later we received a letter urging us to contact their Fraud department or they will close our accounts. We contacted Chase Fraud department asap, spent about 30 minutes on hold and additional 10-15 minutes verifying myself to them, I then was told abruptly that they are closing my accounts, citing they can't disclose reason. They also told me that I should receive my money from the accounts 5-7 days via mail. That was XX/XX/2020. I also received a letter from Chase to verify this, that the accounts were closed, and I will receive my money via check via mail soon. I waited for my check from Chase for over two weeks - trying to give the XXXX a chance due to delay from Covid, before calling and reach out to Chase on XX/XX/2020, after waited for over 2 hours on the phone, spoked with varied operators and was finally transferred to their fraud department, was then told that the check was never mailed out, and the Fraud department told me that I have to go to local branch in person with 2 verification/ID, then Chase will cut me a cashier 's check that day. I was at my summer house that week, so I traveled back to their XXXX branch, spent another 30 minutes on XX/XX/2020, met this Junior bank officer XXXX XXXX and her supervisor, XXXX XXXX, in-person that day, I was told that it will be hours before they can find out what's going on, was told that they will contact me asap and I reluctantly left their office and went on my previously scheduled vacation believing that they will call or email me the status as they've promised. I came home from my vacation on XX/XX/2020, went straight to the local branch after not hear back from anyone from Chase since XX/XX/2020, after spending another 2 hours in-person with the local banker officer XXXX XXXX - was got assigned on the last minute to work with me on my case from scratch. XXXX XXXX was definitely most helpful, with getting through the rounds of transfers and holds, and we were told that now we'll need to supply a faxed in statement of my bank statement from accounts of XXXX and it'll be reviewed for another 24-36 hours, and then I'll need to go through the same one number, on hold for hours, before they will return me the money. Luckily my husband XXXX XXXX was present and we were able to pulled up our account statement, downloaded and XXXX XXXX was able to fax-in to their Fraud department within minutes that day. This was Friday, around XXXX, on XX/XX/2020. Before leaving the branch, we've made another appointment with XXXX XXXX this morning Tuesday, XX/XX/2020 XXXX am at the XXXX branch, once again appear in person, making another attempt get my money back from Chase bank. Come Tuesday XX/XX/2020, XXXX XXXX, days after XXXX XXXX submitted the requested paperwork via fax, Chase Fraud  department now require me to submit another bank statement - citing me being the victim of identity theft. XXXX XXXX was very calm on the phone with his fraud department, advocating that I am not fraud and he spent another 30 minutes going through the previous submitted statement paperwork line by line, to prove that they've had all the information they need. I have recently received my report from the Chex system before today 's meeting, along with my credit report, there were absolutely no mention of any identity fraud on any of the reports. I asked them to give me an answer for them to close my account, they couldn't and didn't respond to my request. I was then told that a check will be out and I should now expect it to arrive in two weeks. Not trusting Chase Banks once again, I've made another appointment with XXXX XXXX to follow up on the status of that check - by XX/XX/2020. I am concern that Chase have now hold my money for over a month now, with no penalty, and still don't know when they will return my money. Chase Banks created an illegal excuse of security/identity fraud to close the new customer 's account without probable cause and try to hold their money indefinitely by making it as difficult as possible, for the clients to retrieve their money, This shouldn't be legal, and Chase Banks is being dishonest and try to steal and keep everyday peoples ' money. Chase banks closed my account since XX/XX/2020, without reason/cause, and have kept my money since and refuse to return the money. Today was the first time I found out why I was treated like a criminal, with their baseless accusation of me committing identity theft without any evidence. Had I not be able to go to the branch in-person, without XXXX XXXX 's help, Chase would have been able to keep my money for even longer period of time. No one should trust their money with Chase banks, because Chase will try to keep the money by using gratuitous rounds of attempts to waste the consumers 's time after spending hours on Chase 's one customers ' service time that filter all calls, making it impossible to get any result.