Consumer complaint received 2025-12-16 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: GA

Complaint narrative:
On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I was a passenger in a XXXX  that was involved in a car accident. Because of my XXXX ( XXXX  XXXX XXXXXXXX ) and injuries from the XXXX, I was transported from the scene by ambulance and hospitalized for an extended period. My purse, wallet, Chime debit card, phone, XXXX, briefcase, and other belongings were left in the XXXX vehicle and were out of my possession while I was in the hospital and heavily medicated. Different parties ( XXXX driver, ambulance staff, hospital staff, and hospital lostandfound ) gave conflicting explanations about who had my property. Eventually, the hospital lostandfound contacted me and returned my bag, but my Chime card and other items were missing. 

After this loss, numerous unauthorized transactions were made on my Chime checking account using my debit card, including XXXX  rides, XXXX charges, XXXX XXXX transactions, restaurant and retail purchases, and other card charges that occurred after the XX/XX/XXXX accident while my card and bag were out of my control. I did not authorize these transactions and could not have used my card because I did not have it, was in the hospital, and was dealing with disabilityrelated medical treatment. I later reviewed my account and identified a small number of legitimate transactions ( for example, certain insurance payments and transfers to my son ), but the majority of the activity after XX/XX/XXXX was unauthorized. In the Chime app, there are XXXX disputed debit card transactions in this period. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Chimes member protection and dispute department and reported this as fraud. The call was recorded. During that call, I clearly explained that my card and belongings were lost in the XXXX  accident, that my bag was only later located by the hospital lostandfound without the card, that I was hospitalized due to my XXXX and XXXX, and that I did not authorize the many transactions after XX/XX/XXXX. I specifically told the dispute representative which transactions were mine and which were not. The Chime representative stated that they would dispute all of the unauthorized activity and opened multiple claims, including : ( XXXX ) claim XXXX for unauthorized debit card transactions totaling approximately {$2000.00} ; ( XXXX ) claim XXXX for an unauthorized XXXX transfer of {$10.00} ; and ( XXXX ) claim XXXX for an unauthorized XXXX debit of {$2.00}. 

Chime sent me emails confirming these disputes and saying they would investigate. Later, Chime sent Important Account Information letters with its decisions. For claim XXXX ( XXXX {$2.00} ), Chime admitted an error occurred and credited {$2.00} back to my account. For claim XXXX ( PayFriends {$10.00} ), Chime concluded that no error occurred and denied the claim. For the main debitcard claim XXXX ( unauthorized debit card transactions totaling {$2000.00} covering XXXX transactions ), Chime also concluded that no error occurred, refused to credit any funds, and closed the claim. In my app, every XXXX of the XXXX disputed debit card transactions in claim XXXX is marked Denied, even though they occurred after my card left my possession in the XXXX crash. 

I believe Chime has a pattern of mishandling my disputes and taking advantage of my XXXX and medical situation. This is not the first time Chime has denied my legitimate fraud disputes. On a prior occasion, Chime also initially denied returning my money until I filed federal complaints with agencies such as the CFPB and other regulators ; only after those complaints did Chime correct its error. I can provide documentation showing that Chime has repeatedly ignored my disabilityrelated circumstances, failed to protect me when my card was lost or stolen, and only acted when forced by regulators. 

In my view, Chime has failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and has violated its obligations under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E ( including 12 CFR 1005.6 and 1005.11 ) in handling this lost/stolencard fraud. I promptly reported that my card was lost in a XXXX accident, that my belongings were out of my control, that my bag was later recovered without the card, and that I was hospitalized due to my XXXX during the disputed charges. Despite this, Chime treated dozens of postloss debit card transactions as authorized, denied the entire {$2000.00} claim, and only corrected a {$2.00} ACH error. I am requesting that the CFPB require Chime and its partner bank to : ( XXXX ) reopen and properly reinvestigate claim XXXX using the call recording and my supporting evidence ; ( XXXX ) reimburse all unauthorized debit card transactions that occurred after my card left my possession, including related fees ; ( XXXX ) review Chimes pattern of denying my disputes until regulators get involved ; and ( XXXX ) ensure Chime properly considers my XXXX and medical circumstances when evaluating fraud and error claims

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation