Consumer complaint received 2020-07-22
Product: Credit card or prepaid 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. (CO)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a text message from Chase regarding my credit card ; they wanted to know if a charge to XXXX  was an authorized charge. I had not ever made any purchases through XXXX, so I replied immediately to the text " no, '' to indicate it was not an authorized charge. I then checked my credit card statement and found there were multiple pending charges to XXXX  and a single charge ( for {$300.00} ) to XXXX XXXX, all listed as " pending '' charges. 
None of these were authorized charges, so I called and spoke with a Chase representative. I told them that all of the charges to XXXX were fraudulent, as I had never made any purchases from them, and that I had not authorized any charge to XXXX XXXX ; I explained I had never stayed at this hotel and I had not authorized the charge for anyone else to stay at their hotel. I still had the card in my possession, as it had not been physically stolen. I do not know how my credit card information was stolen, but no one else was authorized to use the card ; employees of multiple local merchants had temporary access to the card while I was making payments, and could have taken the information at that time. This old card was cancelled and they sent out a replacement card. 
The Chase representative assured me that I would not be held responsible for fraudulent charges. They listed off the XXXX charges to me, but missed one when reading back, so I let them know that charge was also fraudulent, and I emphasized again that I had not authorized any charge to XXXX. 
I asked about whether I should file a police report and Chase stated that they would handle the investigation internally ; they advised I did not need to file a report. 
I am attaching a copy of the email sent to Chase on XX/XX/XXXX. At that time, I specifically addressed the charge for {$540.00} to XXXX XXXX, since that was the only charge that still showed on my account. The other charges to XXXX XXXX XXXX had already been removed. 
I have also included the notice sent to me yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX. 
I waited to have the charges removed, but as of XX/XX/XXXX, two charges to XXXX  still showed on my statement. I called and spoke to Chase again and explained they had neglected to remove two of the fraudulent charges. They apologized for their error, and stated they would reverse the charges. They said again that I would not be held responsible for fraudulent charges. A credit was applied for these charges. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I logged into my account to make a payment, and saw that a new charge from XXXX XXXX had been applied to my current statement, in the amount of {$540.00}. At the time, I did not realize this was a separate charge from the one that had been previously removed, but believed it might have been an adjusted amount applied from the hotel. The current statement started on XX/XX/XXXX, but this charge was dated XX/XX/XXXX. 
I called Chase again that day to ask why the charge was back on my account. I emphasized that it was a fraudulent, unauthorized charge. The Chase employee assured me, again, that I would not be held responsible for fraudulent charges and that it would be removed. I asked to confirm that this did not indicate a new breach of data. The Chase employee confirmed that the charge was from before my credit card was replaced, and that it did not indicate any compromise to the new/replacement card. They could not answer why this charge had only just appeared on my statement, but stated it would be corrected within 24 hours. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, the statement was unchanged, but as of XX/XX/XXXX, a credit had been applied for {$540.00} to correct the fraudulent charge to XXXX. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I logged in again and saw that the charge to XXXX was still present, but the previously applied credit had been removed. I called again and spoke with a customer service representative who said he could not explain why the credit for the fraudulent charge had been removed, but he said the same thing as all others had said, that I should not be held responsible for a fraudulent charge. I confirmed that it was not an authorized charge. He assured me someone from the Chase Fraud Recovery team would call by the following day. 
Also on XX/XX/XXXX, I called and spoke with an employee at the XXXX XXXX that was listed on the fraudulent charge. They confirmed that the reservation had been made online via XXXX. The reservation was not made in my name. The person who stayed at the hotel did not check in under my name. Since the reservation was made online, they required no proof that the charge was authorized and never requested to see the credit card. The charge for {$540.00} was for the room & tax and the charge of {$300.00} ( which had been removed at the time ) was to cover a room smoking fee and gift shop charges made to the room. They could not release the name of the person who stayed at the hotel despite it charged to my card. 
I was unable to speak with anyone at XXXX since I did not have a confirmation number - since I did not authorize the charge - but a hotel employee ( the room manager, Sherif ) stated he would contact them on my behalf and call back to let me know what he could find out. He did not contact me again. 
By the end of the day, XX/XX/XXXX, I had not received the call from Chase 's Fraud department that I was promised. I called Chase, but I was told by a customer service representative that it was now out of the Fraud team  hours, and it was too late to speak with anyone. They could not explain why I did not receive the call I was promised, or why the fraudulent charge was still on my account. I requested to speak with a supervisor, who identified herself as XXXX, at that time. She told me that my call request had just been sent to the Fraud team 's " basket '' as of that day, not the previous day when I made the call, so I could not expect a call for another 24-48h hours. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called within the Fraud team 's business hours ; they told me I needed the Fraud Recovery department, and said they would transfer me to the correct number. After the transfer, I went to a voice mail with no option to speak to a person. I called Fraud again, and was told that the Fraud Recovery department was not doing any business by phone due to COVID, and that I could only contact them by email, despite several people having previously assured me I could speak with them and that I should receive a call. 
On that date, I also called the XXXX XXXX back to speak with their room manager. He said that he did not have any new information as he had not heard back from XXXX, and he told me he would contact me when he did. I never heard anything back from him after that time. 
I drafted a letter summarizing my problems to Chase and submitted it as of XX/XX/XXXX. In the letter I explained that all charges to XXXX and all charges to XXXX XXXX were unauthorized, fraudulent charges. I requested that they send me a copy of any investigation so that I could submit it to Consumer Finance Yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from Chase. The letter indicates that I was not held responsible for most of the fraudulent XXXX  charges. However, they indicated that I would be held responsible for one of the XXXX  charges in the amount of {$5.00}. They also said they were holding me responsible for both of the XXXX charges - the room fee for {$540.00}, as well as the {$300.00} fee that had been removed from my credit card as of XX/XX/XXXX. The reason listed for all three charges was " You notified us that this transaction is valid. '' This is not true, as I have reported repeatedly that the charges were not authorized. 
I attempted to call Chase today, XX/XX/XXXX, but after being on hold for an extended period, I received a message stating that " due to extenuating circumstances, '' they could not help me at that time, and I was hung up on. I still intend to call them, but the lack of help so far makes me believe I need to reach out for additional help. I am at a loss for how they can claim that I authorized these charges after I have contacted them so many times and indicated every time that all charges to these merchants were fraudulent. 
I have attached a copy of the letter I sent to Chase on XX/XX/XXXX ; in that letter, I address the charge to XXXX for {$540.00} as my primary complaint, as all other charges had been removed at that time. I have also included the notice I received from Chase yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX.