Consumer complaint received 2025-09-13 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, ten separate charges of {$30.00} each posted to my checking account from XXXX in Maryland, shortly after my one legitimate {$11.00} XXXX purchase in XXXX, Washington. I have never been to Maryland, no one else had my card, and I reported the charges promptly to Chase.

At the time, Chase sent a notification to my phone asking me to confirm whether the transactions were unauthorized. I confirmed they were unauthorized, cancelled my card, and requested a replacement. I also told Chase by phone that the only purchase I made that day was at XXXX in XXXX, WA, and I made it clear I did not authorize or approve any charges in Maryland. 

On XX/XX/year>, the ten charges were refunded temporarily while Chase conducted an investigation.

Weeks later, Chase called and told me they would send me a letter to sign in order to complete the investigation. They confirmed my address, but I never received that letter. 

On XX/XX/year>, I received my first denial/finalization letter, crediting only {$60.00} and refusing the remaining {$240.00}. 

On XX/XX/year> they reversed the {$240.00} and removed them from my account. 

Over the following three months, I made multiple calls to Chase and four separate visits to my branch trying to resolve this : First visit : Staff called claims, confirmed my address again, and said another letter would be mailed. I never received it. 

Second visit : After more delays, staff had the claims department fax a form for me to sign, which they faxed back on my behalf to re-open the case. 

XX/XX/year> denial : Despite this, I received a second denial/finalization letter with the same result. 

Form error : The form I was required to sign was later reviewed by a branch manager, who confirmed it was the wrong type. It was worded for cash loads or merchandise not received, forcing me to check boxes that inaccurately described my case. My dispute was always about unauthorized debit transactions, not merchandise issues, which I had made clear since day one.

Chase repeatedly told me my case was closed because I failed to return a letter. I never received any physical letters, even though I successfully received my replacement debit card. Only later, while reviewing records to prepare this complaint, did I discover these letters were sent electronically without clear notice. This explains why I never responded. By contrast, Chase did send me phone and email notifications for my denial letters, which I did receive. 

After the second denial, branch staff tried to escalate my case to the reassertion team. Claims told them the department was closed and we had to call back during business hours ( XXXX ET ). When I returned two days later during those hours, specifically at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX claims again said they were closed and refused to confirm their actual hours. A branch employee witnessed this inconsistency. 

During these calls, claims representatives also suggested I had a close relationship with the merchant. My branch representative pushed back, pointing out that while I had shopped at XXXX before, that does not mean I authorized these Maryland charges. I also personally reiterated that I did not make them and could not have, since I was in XXXX XXXX. 

At one point, a Chase representative told me the charges could not be tracked because they were completed using a digital wallet. I never authorized such transactions, I have never been to Maryland, and no one else has access to my card or devices. The same representative admitted that when he looked up the lot number, it led nowhere, appearing instead as if the charges came from XXXX headquarters, similar to how gift card transactions are processed ''. This strongly suggests the charges were not standard in-store purchases. I also made it clear I have not or authorized anyone to buy such " gift cards ''. 

Another representative also asked me to provide receipts for the {$300.00} purchase, something I could not possibly provide since I never made these transactions. 

Finally, I contacted XXXX directly, but they declined to investigate or provide a refund. 

This process has been confusing, inconsistent, and unnecessarily burdensome. I have spent months visiting branches, making calls, and re-explaining my case, only to receive two identical denials. I remain out {$240.00} for fraudulent charges.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief