Consumer complaint received 2025-03-21 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: KY

Complaint narrative:
1It is society norms that we trust banks to act ethically, and in good faith, etc.

This is my second complaint against Chase Bank  (A bank that was bailed out by tax payers like me in XXXX).  This complaint concerns an event that occurred on a different date than 1st complaint.

On XXXX XXXX XXXX I made an appointment with  a Chase Banks banker named XXXX XXXX for XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to open a checking account.  I could not open it up on line as it stated unable to verify my identity,  I would need to go to the  Chase bank in XXXX  KY.  The person that recommended  Chase bank was suppose to receive a $XXXX  referral  reward. I was to receive a  XXXX XXXX XXXX for opening up a checking account by meeting certain criteria which I would.  I received an appointment confirmation on XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  The reason for the XXXX time is I live XXXX minutes from XXXX, Ky and I wanted to get several errands done if I need to travel that distance. Errands: Chase bank, then county agent, then 90 minute bible study, and lastly 1 hour or more at gym. 

On XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX (appointment date) I was in the shower when the phone rang.  I came out of shower to answer.  It was banker XXXX XXXX XXXXrom Chase bank.  He asked me if I could reschedule my XXXX meeting with him for another day as  an employee at the  bank had double booked him. I asked him to first ask the other person because I had a schedule of errands for the rest of day.  Then he stated  one of his colleagues was going to take the other appointment, thus  to come in. 

 I arrived at Chase  Bank at XXXX.  I walked in  and I introduced myself to someone.   This older lady comes from somewhere and states very demandingly,  urgent , and XXXX  that she needs to talk to me immediately!!  I stated I was there to see him and I pointed over to an office.  And she states I need to talk to you in a urgent and demanding voice again.  It was actually scary.   My instant thought was, Ticked off manager is  upset and was going to start yelling at me for reporting an employee at this bank to corporate a couple  days ago.  Before I believe I can even sit down in the office she  demandingly states, We dont know if your  a con artist in major bank fraud ring or a victim! I had to ask her to repeat what she was saying a couple time I believe as I had no idea what she was talking about.  I had coupons and wallet I believe I laid on desk.  Thus she starts interrogating me: I need to figure your position in this master fraud plot! It was like I was in this nightmare scenario, and here is this evil witch in front of me. I again had to ask her to repeat things as I had no idea what she was talking about and she was talking hastily.  I thought  the police were coming any minute.  I  was/am completely dumbfounded and traumatized by  this mouthy person who acts like  I have done something wrong. Shes asking me all these questions very hastily, but whenever I ask her anything she refuses to answer.   (I walked in this bank to open a checking account with 2 coupons ).
    She ask me why very meanly: Why a person in Kentucky would be doing  business with a bank in XXXX.  Thus  she did know I had funds at a XXXXXXXX XXXX (I have a high yield savings account at a XXXX XXXX that pays 4 3/4 percent). My life's savings are are in that bank.   She told me I may not or I did not have any money in that XXXX XXXX  I was traumatized and I still am.  I asked her where she got the information from and her response was," We are not allowed to disclose that.  The  interrogation continued.   I basically had to explain every detail of how I had ended up banking in XXXX  and why.   I asked her what her bank was paying in interest.  She wouldnt tell me.  She also wanted to know  how I found  that bank and I stated the same place I found your bank, on bank rate.com. She continuously belittled me for banking so far away.  I believe she checked my identification.  She ask me how the money got from XXXX (my bank here) to bank in XXXX. I stated it was bank to bank.  She asked me how it was done a couple times and she inserted wire transfer, but I was dumbfounded from being traumatized I couldnt remember.  I asked her for the for the names  of different type of  transfers as I 2told her it was not called a wire transfer: because I had thought the wire transfer cost money, and this was free but added a day or so longer transfer time. She would not answer me.  I stated it was a 3 letter abbreviation, I asked her if there was a 3 letter abbreviation for one of them.  She was playing interrogator and wouldnt answer.    It came to me, I thought it was ACH, I informed her and asked her if that was the 3 letter abbreviation one.  Again she wouldnt answer me.  Then she started treating me like I was stupid.  She asked me in several different ways why I would trust doing a wire transfer that far away and how I trusted it. She stated money could be be taken several ways along the route.  I explained under a dollar is sent back and forth between banks and that's how you know.  Then you check. I also sent a fairly large amount over first and once that showed up, I transferred the rest.  I asked her how her bank transferred money if there was a safer way and she wouldnt answer.  I think again she stated my  money wasnt in the XXXX XXXX and she had no idea where it was.  Then shes insulting  me again on why I would wire money so far away.  
Demanding questions continued.  It was just was a  nightmare scenario.  Basically I was either a master criminal or  a XXXX XXXX XXXX   .  She continued acting like an interrogator from a TV show,  but I was stunned,traumatized.  She didnt even allow me to talk to the bank in XXXX After approx. 30 minutes minutes of mean interrogation, she  states its up to her discretion if we give you a checking account.  I think at this point she led me to believe I was a victim.  She would ask me more questions and several times she mentioned it was her discretion if I could open  an account.  I dawned on me that if I truly had no money why is she keeping that option open. It made no sense.  The discretion  thing came up again and I am thinking what is she wanting from me.  A favor of some sort? If a man used that numerous time to a female, it would be deemed inappropriate. I demanded  were she got this information from concerning me and the XXXX XXXX. She stated her teller found it on the internet.  I found that answer odd to say the least.  Then she states how do you plan on funding the account.  I stated my social security checks.  She stated well I dont know if I want you to have an account here.  And again were back to her discretion. Then she looks past me and over were XXXX XXXX office is and states oops bankers gone,youll have to come back another time. Then  she makes a smirking gesture with her  mouth/face towards me.  I started talking very stern at her.  My main questions were why did you have me come here,  you could of ask me all these questions on the phone, I could of contacted people then. Nothing made any sense: I dont know if she was punishing me for contacting corporate. Why would she keep me there interrogating,  refusing to give answers to my questions,  constantly berating me,  asking me the same questions like she was stalling me from leaving.  Everything she did could have been done with a few questions.  I  started leaving and went back again and repeated my points.  I also told her I have a excellent credit score.
When I left there I felt like crying. I didnt know what to do.  I did not want to call my banks, but first you must understand. Why? I have a severely XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX that will never work.  I am XXXX, my savings  could be the difference in her becoming homeless some day if she out lives me. I live a very frugal lifestyle for her well being.  I burn and chop wood for heat. I drive a 12 year old car.  My house stinks from burning wood.  I shop with coupons etc.  I live  30 minutes from town thus I try to drive once a week.  I have a huge garden for food even though I hate gardening. If  I lost my life saving it could  mean my severely handicapped daughter could be homeless someday.
I was literally traumatized  by her repetitive questions, degrading me for opening a savings count in XXXX treating me like I was a con artist.  Plus having me believe I had been conned out of my life savings thus my  stupidly according to bank lady. I THOUGHT I HAD JUST CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO BE HOMELESS SOMEDAY!
     I got in my car. I didnt know what to do. I was scared to call the XXXX XXXX and wondered if they even existed any longer even thou I thought I had conversation with them a few weeks earlier. I couldnt bring myself to call them, as I thought no one would answer, I was dumbfounded and numb. I just started to drive with no place in mind.  I drove to the edge of town, and it came to me I had forgotten all the errands still left to do.  I drove back  to 2 blocks from the bank to see someone that works for the county concerning questions about my property.  I ended up telling him my bank story, he did not give me any advice, but was a good listener, which calmed me down a smidgen.  I went back to my car and told myself I needed to try to talk to XXXXXXXX XXXX.  Then I decided to go to library to make phone calls.  I got to library,  went to the computer lab room which was empty  and worked up  courage to call the bank and get bad news as line was probably disconnected.   XXXX XXXX I thought theyre probably closed as it is after XXXX XXXX.  I was mad at myself, I would have to wait till tomorrow if no one answered. (My brain was stunned,  I had completely forgot that XXXX is mountain time zone thus 2 hours behind KY.)   My heart was racing and I was trembling as I made the call to XXXX XXXXI did not want the bad new.   Part of me was hoping they were closed, I did not want to deal with bad news.  I get a recording that states everyone is busy and to leave a message.  My message to them was my name and number,  followed by something to Chase Bank informed me that your a con bank and you stole all my money.  Please call me back!    I waited several minutes , no call.  Back to trauma. Then it dawned on me to call the parent bank which is XXXX XXXX XXXX  I call them and somebody answers,  I blurt out what Chase Bank had told me about them.  She immediately checked my account and gave  me the figure that was correct amount.  I was overcome with joy, but traumatized. I told her what Chase bank had told me.  This wonderful young lady reassured me everything was fine with my account and was doing her best to get me back to  being calm.  Then she informed me that what Chase had done was illegal.  If a bank informs you that you have been scammed they have to tell you where they got that information.  While me and her were  talking XXXX XXXX was calling me.  She continue to tell me that it was beyond mean what Chase  bank had put me through and stated she hoped it never happens to her or something to that point.  Next I meant to call XXXX XXXX  and accidentally called XXXX XXXX XXXX other number and received a recording.  I then called XXXX XXXXXXXX and explained to a male banker  what I had been put through.  The male told me he needed to check something,  he informed me that my name was not on the hot list, so he had no idea how Chase concluded I was a scammer or a victim or something to that.  His thought was Chase did all that to me to try and get out of honoring a coupon. He then told me he needed to check something else.  He then informed me that Chase uses ACH to do money transfers.  That made me very mad because of how many times the Chase mean woman berated me for using ACH to do money transfers and how unsafe it was. Then find out their bank uses it.  Next I called XXXX XXXX and got a pleasant young lady.  I told her the story of what Chase bank had done to me,  she informed me that it is illegal for a bank person to tell you what the Chase mean lady told me about being a victim of a scam and not informing me were they got the information. This young lady was in disbelief  that a bank person would be so mean to do that to somebody and was glad it wasnt her or something to that.  We then put extra security on my account.   I left the library and went to Bible Study, I  am religious,  I walked in and started telling them what Chase had put me through and I was still traumatized. A couple there told me they use to bank with Chase when they moved here, but closed their account because people at that branch(I think) were so mean.
         I am still traumatized stunned and by what Chase did to me. They need to be punished. I believe this falls under elder abuse and abuse of a disabled person.  It was hateful, mean and reckless, with a total disregard for several  consumer rights in  banking.  Chase needs to be punished and so does banking personnel at that bank, the lady mainly involved needs to be arrested for abuse.  Age discrimination. Also did not want to honor The reason it took me several weeks to report this because I have to relive the trauma all over again every time  I  start typing  it.  
Evidence;  page XXXX.  Meeting details with XXXX XXXX  
                  page XXXX  Meeting confirmation and reason 
                  page XXXX  referral persons code thus they get $XXXX  if I open checking account
                  page 7. XXXX XXXX  coupon for opening checking account
                  page 8.  telephone log with the time  when I contacted my banks after leaving Chase bank.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation