Consumer complaint received 2025-07-10 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Two weeks ago I received a paper check from my employer for payday. I deposited via mobile deposit on the Chase Mobile Banking App. Two days later the check was returned and stated " refer to maker. '' I was at work when I noticed this so I spoke to my employer and they said that they received fraud alerts for every payroll check they wrote for that pay period. It should be noted that my employer also banks with Chase and the co-owners responsible for signing the paychecks are listed on the Chase business account.

I witnessed them physically clear the fraud alerts on their account and then I called Chase customer service to inquire about what to do with the check that was returned. I received a direct instruction from Chase Customer Service to take the physical check to a local branch and deposit it with a teller. I did as I was instructed.

While at the bank, I handed the check to the teller and told her my situation and asked to deposit it. I was immediately met with a weird look, like she thought something was off. She claimed to have deposited the check and that the hold would be lifted from it in a day or two. She handed me a deposit slip. I told her that I was not feeling comfortable with the whole situation and asked for the check back. I have been in law enforcement for the last ten years and wanted the check back because I knew that by the way she treated me once I told her what I needed, she immediately considered me a suspect of fraudulent activity. Consequently, she refused to give me the check, and in an almost possessive tone told me that she would be hanging on to it.

I left the bank and awoke the next day unable to access the Chase Mobile Banking App. When I tried to open it, I was directed to call a specific number. I received an email stating the same thing. When I called the number and verified my account information, I was immediately directed to the Chase fraud department where a rude gentlemen explained that all my accounts were locked, no money in, no money out, and he would not tell me why. He stated that it could take over a week to resolve this and then asked if there was anything else I needed.

I immediately traveled in person to my local Chase bank and asked to speak to a manager. I was at the bank for a total of 5.5 hours while the manager went back and forth with via phone with the fraud department to find out how to resolve this. The only information that we received was that my employer needed to complete some type of " higher form of verification '' in order to lift the hold on the check. I asked the manager to relay to the fraud department that I don't care about the check and I want my accounts unlocked. They said again that there was nothing they could do.

My accounts were completely locked for a week. I had no access to my savings and checking accounts and luckily my parents were in town and were able to help me with regular living expenses.

I will be consulting with an attorney to decide whether or not to sue Chase for how my accounts and I were treated. If it had been a week where major bills were due, Chase could have caused me to have late payments reflected on my credit report and that has a lasting effect on my financial future and not a single person besides the local branch manager seemed to care about the situation. I filed a complaint with Chase but all they stated was " thank you for the feedback. '' Fast forward to the next pay period. I tried to mobile deposit the new paycheck and again it was returned. I called customer service to complain and this time, I'm assuming because of the stir I caused last time, they provided me with even less service. I asked to be escalated to a supervisor on the phone and all she told me was that she'll make a note regarding the issues. I asked why they keep returning these checks even though everything regarding the checks is fully legitimate, and she told me that she could not tell me anything and was essentially ushering me off the phone. I hung up in frustration and started looking at ways to legally pursue Chase and landed here as one of the steps.

After this complaint is submitted I will be consulting with an attorney and plan to file a lawsuit against Chase because I know that is the only way to get them to listen. I do not make millions and I know that in the grand scheme of things, neither myself nor my employer truly matter to them as clients, but I refuse to sit here and be treated like a fraud suspect by the bank when, as cliche as it sounds, I saw multiple actual criminals get away with fraudulent activities using Chase bank.

Chase does not seem to care that these actions can literally ruin the life of someone who is unfortunately living paycheck to paycheck. They need to learn.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation