Consumer complaint received 2026-03-05 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: Chime Financial Inc
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
FORMAL REPORT 70-ACCOUNT MULE FARM OPERATING ON CHIME PLATFORM | BANK SECRECY ACT / AML COMPLIANCE FAILURE | INSTITUTIONAL REFUSAL TO ACCEPT FRAUD INTELLIGENCE To the Compliance Officers and Fraud Departments of the above-named institutions : I. PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER This letter constitutes a formal fraud report and regulatory escalation regarding a 70-account mule farm currently operating on Chimes platform under the name XXXX XXXX . These accounts are being used to receive proceeds from advance-fee fraud operations conducted via XXXX XXXX . This letter also documents Chimes institutional failure to accept, process, or act on detailed fraud intelligence provided by the victim across four separate support channels over the course of 90+ minutes on XX/XX/XXXX. As the FDIC-insured banking partners that hold the actual deposits and process the transactions underlying Chimes platform, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. bear direct regulatory obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act ( 31 U.S.C. 5311 et seq. ), FinCEN regulations ( 31 C.F.R. Chapter X ), and their respective OCC and FDIC supervisory requirements. The existence of 70 sequentially numbered accounts under a single name constitutes a pattern of suspicious activity that triggers mandatory Suspicious Activity Report ( SAR ) filing obligations under 31 C.F.R. 1020.320. II. THE FRAUD OPERATION On XXXX XXXX XXXX, I was targeted by an advance-fee scam conducted via XXXX XXXX from the account XXXX. The scammer impersonated a XXXX XXXX representative, claimed I was owed {$2500.00} in unclaimed funds, and directed me to Chimes platform to pay fabricated processing fees. Total Extracted : {$98.00} across three Chime Pay Anyone transactions Payment 1 : {$20.00} to XXXX Payment 2 : {$45.00} to XXXX XXXXXXXX Payment 3 : {$33.00} to XXXX XXXX Scammer Contact : XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) Scam Type : Advance-fee fraud with fabricated documents, legal threats, and social engineering The scammer employed an 8-stage attack chain including platform pivoting ( XXXX XXXX to Chime ), fabricated evidence ( doctored screenshots of payment confirmations, fake Agreement of Payment documents ), escalating fee structures, legal theater, and counter-intelligence tactics ( providing real government agency addresses when challenged ). The operation demonstrated professional-grade social engineering consistent with organized fraud infrastructure, not an isolated individual. XXXXII. 70-ACCOUNT MULE FARM DISCOVERY Following the fraud, I conducted systematic searches using Chimes own Pay Anyone search function. By searching for XXXX XXXX across sequential number ranges, I identified 70 confirmed active accounts under this name. All 12 search result screenshots have been preserved as evidence. Range Active Accounts Missing/Frozen Key Findings XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing First registration wave XXXX XXXX Isolated survivors from early wave XXXX XXXX of XXXX All XXXX absent Entire wave purged or never created XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing 100 % INTACT newest/unreported batch XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing Second triple-digit wave XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing 50 % attrition from individual reports XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing 50 % attrition XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing Higher survival rate XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing Account XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( caps variation ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing Account XXXX : XXXX XXXX ' ( caps variation ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing ACCOUNT XXXX : RECEIVED {$98.00} FROM VICTIM XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX missing Account XXXX : only account with profile photo Complete List of Confirmed Active Accounts ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Pattern Analysis : XXXX cluster is 100 % intact all ten accounts exist with XXXX frozen. This is likely the newest batch, not yet reported by any victim. By contrast, the XXXX and XXXX show 50 % attrition, indicating older clusters where individual victim reports have resulted in account-by-account freezes. The gap between account XXXX and account XXXX represents XXXX missing numbers. An entire early wave ( accounts XXXX ) was either mass-purged by Chime or abandoned by the operator after detection. The operation then restarted at XXXX with a fresh registration wave. Name capitalization variations on accounts XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) and XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) indicate deliberate KYC evasion slight name entry variations designed to bypass duplicate account detection systems. Account XXXX is the only account with a profile photo ; all others display the default green XXXX initial, consistent with bulk automated registration. This infrastructure provides resilience against takedowns.With 70 active accounts, the operator absorbs dozens of individual account freezes without disruption. Each victim who reports one account triggers a freeze on that single account while the other 69 continue processing payments. At current attrition rates, this farm could sustain operations for months or years. IV. CHIMES FAILURE TO ACCEPT FRAUD INTELLIGENCE On XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to report this mule farm to Chime across XXXXour separate channels over the course of 90+ minutes of active effort. The following is a timestamped account of each interaction : XXXX XXXX Email to XXXX Sent formal fraud report with subject line : Organized advance-fee fraud operation using systematically created Chime mule accounts. Report included all account handles discovered at that time, full scam timeline, evidence inventory, and requested actions ( freeze accounts, audit cluster, refund victim, file SAR ). XXXX XXXX Autoresponder received Chime responded with automated message : Your experience is important to us Please contact us through the app or phone at XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. No case number. No acknowledgment of content. No human reviewed the report. XXXX XXXX In-app support launched App presented AI chatbot XXXX with no option to reach a human fraud specialist. XXXX XXXX Three chatbot exchanges Chatbot treated mule farm intelligence report as routine support ticket. When informed the dispute involved money sent to a person, XXXX responded : Transfers to Chime members are instant and cant be reversed youll need to resolve it with them directly. The chatbot instructed a fraud victim to resolve the matter with the scammer. XXXX XXXX Live agent reached Connected with agent XXXX via LiveChat. Submitted screenshots of formal fraud report documenting the mule farm. XXXX confirmed receipt of evidence. XXXX XXXX Transfer to Dispute team XXXX stated disputes must be handled by specialized phone team and initiated transfer. Chimes system called my phone while simultaneously displaying its own anti-fraud warning : We didnt make this call. If someone says theyre Chime and asks you to move money, hang up. Call disconnected. XXXX XXXX Repeated transfer failures Multiple transfer attempts, each disconnecting. XXXX final response : You can contact our Member Services team instead at XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. After 30+ minutes of in-app support, I was directed back to the same phone number the autoresponder suggested at XXXX XXXX. Evening Phone call : 36 minutes Called ( XXXX ) XXXX. After 36 minutes including holds and transfers, a representative verbally stated they would investigate. No case number provided. No refund committed. No accounts frozen. When I reported 70 confirmed active mule accounts and asked for an email to submit evidence, the representative confirmed that Chimes email support channel is no longer functioning. There is no email address to submit fraud intelligence to Chime. Summary : Four channels. Over 90 minutes. XXXX accounts frozen. XXXX case numbers. No refund. No written channel to submit evidence. The email support channel referenced by Chimes own autoresponder has been confirmed non-functional by Chimes own phone representative. V. REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS AT ISSUE The existence of 70 accounts under a single name on a platform operated by FDIC-insured banking partners implicates the following regulatory requirements : Bank Secrecy Act ( 31 U.S.C. 5311 et seq. ) Requires financial institutions to maintain effectiv e AML programs, including systems to detect and report suspicious activity. Seventy sequentially numbered accounts under one name receiving proceeds from fraud constitutes a textbook pattern of suspicious activity. SAR Filing ( 31 C.F.R. 1020.320 ) Requires national banks to file Suspicious Activity Reports for transactions involving {$5000.00} or more that the bank knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect involve funds derived from illegal activity, or are designed to evade BSA reporting requirements. The aggregate transaction volume across 70 accounts likely far exceeds this threshold. Customer Identification Program ( 31 C.F.R. 1020.220 ) Requires banks to implement procedures to verify customer identity at account opening. The existence of 70 accounts under a single name with capitalization variations indicates systematic failures in identity verification and duplicate detection. OCC Third-Party Risk Management ( OCC Bulletin 2023-17 ) Requires banks to manage risks associated with third-party relationships including fintechs. XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX are responsible for ensuring Chimes compliance with BSA/AML r equirements as their fintech partner. CFPB Consent Order ( 2024 ) The CFPB assessed a {$3.00} XXXX penalty against Chime in XXXX for mishandling customer complaints. The conduct documented in this letter represents a continuing pattern of the same institutional failures. VI. REQUESTED ACTIONS I hereby request the following actions from each addressee : From XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. : 1. Immediately freeze all 70 identified accounts and any additional accounts under the name XXXX XXXX pending investigation. 2. Conduct a comprehensive audit of all transaction activity across the identified account cluster to determine aggregate fraud volume. 3. File Suspicious Activity Reports ( SARs ) with FinCEN for the identified account network if not already filed. 4. Confirm whether Chime reported this mule farm to your institution and, if so, what actions were taken. 5. Review and remediate your Customer Identification Program as applied to Chime accounts to prevent future bulk account creation under a single identity. 6. Provide a written response to this complaint within 15 business days confirming actions taken. From Chime Financial , Inc. : 1. Freeze all 70 identified accounts immediately. 2. Refund the {$98.00} extracted via the three fraudulent Pay Anyone transactions to XXXX XXXX . 3. Provide a written explanation for why email support has been discontinued while the autoresponder continues directing customers to it. 4. Provide a case number and written acknowledgment of this complaint. 5. Explain what internal controls exist to detect bulk account creation under a single identity, and why 70 accounts under XXXX XXXX were not flagged. VII. EVIDENCE PRESERVED 12 screenshots of Chime Pay Anyone search results documenting all 70 accounts Complete XXXX conversation thread with scammer ( XXXX ) Five types of fabricated documents provided by scammer ( doctored screenshots, fake payment agreements ) Three Chime Pay Anyone payment confirmation receipts ( {$20.00}, {$45.00}, {$33.00} ) Screenshots of AI chatbot XXXX exchanges including resolve it with them directly response Complete LiveChat transcript with agent XXXX including evidence submission and repeated transfer failures Chime anti-fraud banner displayed during their own outbound transfer call Original email to XXXX and autoresponder reply Chime help article confirming Pay Anyone transfers can not be disputed All evidence is available upon request and will be submitted with corresponding regulatory complaints to the CFPB, OCC, FinCEN, FDIC, and Texas Attorney General. VIII. CONCURRENT REGULATORY FILINGS This letter is being submitted concurrently with formal complaints to the following agencies : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) consumerfinance.gov/complaint Requires formal written response within 15 days Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) helpwithmybank.gov Regulates XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ( FinCEN ) XXXX BSA/AML violation reporting Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ( FDIC ) fdic.gov/consumers/assistance Both partner banks are FDIC members Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Division Victim resides in Texas FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center ( IC3 ) ic3.gov Federal fraud reporting IX. CLOSING This is not a routine customer service complaint about {$98.00}. This is a formal report of industrial-scale fraud infrastructure operating on a platform backed by two FDIC-insured national banks. Seventy active mule accounts under a single name represent a systemic failure in account verification, transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity detection. When a victim provided Chime with actionable fraud intelligence complete with account identification, pattern analysis, and evidence the institution could not process it. The email channel was dead. The AI chatbot told the victim to negotiate with the scammer. The live agent could not handle disputes. The phone team offered only a verbal, undocumented well investigate after 36 minutes. The mule farm remains fully operational as of the date of this letter. I expect a written response from each addressee within 15 business days confirming receipt of this complaint and actions taken. Failure to respond will be documented in follow-up filings with the CFPB, OCC, and FinCEN. Respectfully submitted,

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation