Consumer complaint received 2022-09-13
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. (HI)

What follows is a recount of the fraudulent financial scam details written days after it occurred : On XX/XX/XXXX I received a call from a Texas area code ( when XXXX XXXX XXXX DEA office ) from agents from the US Treasury , Social Security Office , DEA regarding criminal charges associated with my social security number in Texas XXXX A XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that lead investigators to an address where XXXX kilos of XXXX and evidence of fraudulent credit card accounts created to launder money in my name. They knew my social security number. Over the next seven hours, they continued to speak to me in a governmental manner, transferred me between agents and any time I called back, it was answered by an agent and then I was transferred to the primary contact. He convinced me that my assets associated with my SS # needed to be held somewhere safe while the US government replaces my old SS # ( prevents further criminal activity ) with a new one where my assets can be transferred. The only legal way to execute ( because its illegal for an individual without a SS # to hold more than {$500.00} ) this is to purchase gift cards using my assets ( savings account in cash, available credit ), scratch the numbers off of the back and read the numbers to him, the next morning an agent from the XXXX Social Security office would arrive at home with a cashiers check and a new SS #. I executed this process on XX/XX/XXXX with the entirety of my savings account, {$29000.00} and the following day using available credit totaling {$20000.00}. The agent stayed on the phone with me for hours both days, for my safety and when we got disconnected, they called me or I called them. On XX/XX/XXXX after I had completed the transactions and recited the numbers, the line was disconnected, when I called back, the receptionist at the legitimate XXXX XXXX DEA answered and I knew Id been defrauded. I called the FBI who provided me with a website to make a report to the Social Security office. I called my husband, he told me to go to the police station. I went to the XXXX at XXXX on XXXX and made a report ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ) while the crime was in progress. The agents continued to call me as I waited for an officer to take my statement. Sgt. XXXX answered the phone, yelled and threatened the criminals and demanded the return of my money. The calls stopped which XXXX said was his intended outcome. I gave my recorded statement in the presence of my husband, XXXX. XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX once finished I asked to call Chase Card Services as I was concerned about my accounts because the criminals had my social security number. 

I called the fraud department using the number on the back of one of my credit cards and was transferred to XXXX who reissued my credit cards. Though the criminals didnt have my account numbers, it made me comfortable to receive new cards. I explained the entire fraud scenario to him before he reissued the cards, he said he could see that the charges were still pending because I had executed the ( 3 ) transactions on ( 3 ) separate cards, all with XXXX as the merchant, about 3hrs prior to making the police report. He instructed me that we needed to wait 2-3 days for the transactions to post and then Chase would reverse the charges. I expressed to him my concern that when I called back once the charges posted that I would receive a fraud specialist other than himself. He said he was making notes in my account to document my situation and his instructions to me. He indicated that in criminal cases where a police report has been filed, Chase chooses to remove the customer from the situation by reversing the charges and then they work directly with law enforcement to try to recoup the funds. He said he understood that I think that this is so much money that there is no way Chase will refund it, but we will because you are the victim. He then spoke directly with XXXX. XXXX and provided him with the phone number for law enforcement to communicate with Chase ( XXXX ). On XX/XX/XXXX when the transactions posted to my accounts, I called Chase Card Services in order to follow the steps Id been given. For 90 minutes, I was transferred between the fraud department and the disputes department until I reached a customer service manager in disputes. I repeatedly explained to her the situation, my conversation with their fraud specialist and the steps to follow and expectations he set forth. I was not disputing any policy, I was simply trying to exercise the instructions I had been given. She and other management had reviewed the recorded conversation from XX/XX/XXXX and she apologized that the representative gave me misinformation, but it was now an internal issue. There is no one else for me to talk to, I can not have a copy of the recording because it will be used for internal training purposes. I told her that I do not accept that. I called my trusted financial institution in time of crisis and consumer expectation is that the information they provide is accurate and honored. The next day, I received a letter in regards to each account, alerting me that my dispute had been closed and the charges were valid. 



What follows is a bulleted timeline of the various actions Ive taken in an effort to receive the restitution promised by Chase as well as their responses. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I retain a XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX 1st demand letter from XXXX XXXX is sent to Chase XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I begin communications with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX specifically a consumer fraud specialist XXXX XXXX, to learn the timing of events, specifically whether there was an opportunity to reverse the credit card charges instead of waiting days for them to post. I also connect XXXX XXXX XXXX ( assigned to my case ) and XXXX XXXX via email introduction to aid in the police investigation XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX demand letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX sent to an alternate contact at Chase XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX provides XXXX response to the 1st demand letter dated XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX informs me of XXXX XXXX XXXX unexpected death XXXX XXXX I notice that the interest on ( 2 ) of my credit cards with fraudulent balances increased from 15 % apr to the maximum 24 % apr. I call Chase Card Services to relay the situation and request that my apr is lowered as I was not delinquent on any payments. The representative denies my request and informs me that the apr rate is applied at the discretion of Chase and she can not offer me options to lower it. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I issue a third demand letter, Intent to File pro se and Complaint to the following contacts at Chase via USPS XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Vice President, Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I receive a voicemail from XXXX at Chase Card Services in New York informing me that my case is being reviewed. 

XXXX XXXX I pay the existing balances resulting from the fraudulent charges on each credit card in order to reduce the financial burden of the continuing interest charges. I close ( 2 ) of the ( 3 ) accounts. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Legal counsel retained by Chase in XXXX XXXX calls to request an extension in order to catch up on the case ; I decline their request due to the financial hardship of paying off ( 3 ) balances and the desire to move the anticipated legal process along. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Legal counsel retained by Chase in XXXX XXXX emails me a document to sign acknowledging that I will not seek damages greater than {$75000.00}. I sign the document in good faith, to avoid court and recoup the funds used to pay down the fraudulent charges and corresponding interest. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I file a Complaint and Summons pro se with XXXX XXXX Superior Court . 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX Superior Court sends written confirmation the Complaint has been filed and endorsed with case number : XXXX XXXX 

XXXX XXXX I issue Proof of Summons and Alternative Dispute Resolution packet to the following Chase recipients via USPS but fail to have them officially served by an Agent of Service : XXXX XXXX XXXX General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Vice President, Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Assistant General Counsel XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I submit Case Management Conference requirements to the court via Agent of Service as I am living outside the state of California. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I return to the XXXX XXXX Superior Court in person to check the status of my filings, as there is no online record of my filing. My Case Management Conference paperwork was received but not recorded as received. The clerk backdates it to XX/XX/XXXX, but Ive already missed the deadline and the appearance in court is pushed back. I learn that I have failed to have the defendant properly served the Complaint and Summons. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I use an Agent of Service to properly serve Chase and submit Proof of Summons with the XXXX XXXX Superior Court . 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I consult with an attorney regarding the realities of moving forward pro se, and discover that I have exceeded the six month window to properly serve the defendant notice of filing the Complaint and Summonst. I have missed the deadline by a week and will need to refile and start the process from the beginning. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I file with the XXXX XXXX Superior Court in person XXXX Request for Dismissal because the cost in both time and money is beyond my capabilities. 

XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I file with the XXXX XXXX Superior Court in person XXXX Notice of Entry of Dismissal and Proof of Service XXXX