Consumer complaint received 2025-11-06 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.

Complaint narrative:
Issue : Chase locked my account without notice and refuses to restore access due to a flawed verification process. 

Details : On XX/XX/year>, I discovered that my Chase online banking account had been locked. This happened shortly after I linked an external bank account and initiated a small {$10.00} test transfer a completely routine and authorized action. 

However, Chase did not contact me in any way before locking the account. I received no phone call, no email, and no verification request. My contact information on file is valid and fully reachable. As the legitimate account holder, I was given no opportunity to confirm that the activity was authorized. The account was simply locked without warning, which I find unacceptable. 

Since then, I have made multiple attempts to resolve the issue by calling Chases customer service lines. Every time, the verification process fails due to a drivers license verification question even though I never submitted a drivers license or learners permit to Chase. I have explained that I only held two U.S. learners permits many years ago. I no longer have access to the first one, and the second one I currently have did not pass their validation. As a result, I remain locked out of my account. 

I also contacted Chase Support through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to explain the situation. They responded that the issue required verification of an online activity and asked me to call their general support number. 

I followed their instructions and called the number, but again, the verification process failed specifically due to the drivers license question. 

Chase Support then claimed the matter had been escalated to their Executive Office, but I was never contacted by them directly. Later, Support provided me with a different phone number, which I also called and once again encountered the same verification failure due to the drivers license issue.

I informed them of this result, and they responded : In some cases, we will refer you to visit a branch when there are not enough ways to verify you over the phone. Do you have any Relationship Manager or Personal Banker that you work with who can vouch for your identity?

I explained that I live outside the United States, can not visit a branch, and do not have a personal banker. Their final response was : We are limited in providing general info only here in social media.

We suggest following the advice you received from the call center.

This left me with no further options.

As a non-U.S. citizen and non-permanent resident, I do not have the ability to enter the United States just to visit a Chase branch. This makes it extremely difficult for me to access my account or protect my rights if Chase insists on in-person verification only. 

I want to emphasize that I am not refusing to verify my identity. In fact, I have successfully passed Chases identity verification process multiple times in the past. I have always been cooperative and willing to provide accurate information. It is only this time that the process keeps failing due to reliance on the drivers license question, based on data I never submitted. 

This situation has caused significant inconvenience and serious emotional stress. As a customer, I have followed every instruction, made numerous phone calls, and offered to verify my identity yet Chase continues to block access to my own account based on invalid data and refuses to offer any practical solution.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation