Consumer complaint received 2025-01-17 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Please examine my case and protect me against the unlawful charge of CHASE VISA CREDITCARD. I did not stay the reservation when I realize the listing is an unlicensed, unlawful business. 

I appealed my case with CHASE VISA Dispute Team. Chase Dispute Team rule the charge is valid and demand I make full payment. Below is summary of my case for your review. 

XX/XX/year> : I made an XXXX  reservation using CHASE VISA CREDITCARD. The Host is XXXX and XXXX. Their listing on Airbnb is called Enjoy the XXXX Luxury Experience : Room in XXXX XXXX, California. Reservation is from XX/XX/XXXX XXXX for {$1000.00}. XXXX is XXXX XXXX, California. My reservation is non-refundable at time of booking. Documents attached. 

XX/XX/year> : After my reservation was made and payment collected, AirBnB Host message me check-in instructions. Host said once at the gate tell the guard you are visiting the XXXX residenceplease dont mention AirBnB as it doesnt matter to the guard and it wont help you get in. I am greatly alarmed at the given instructions. I do not know Host. I am not there to visit them. I am there on an AirBnB reservation that I paid for. 

From the deceptive check-in instructions, I realize this listing is a gated community with HOA. Host do not disclose it is an HOA community in their listing description. Any short-term rental business within a gated HOA community will need approval from XXXX XXXX before it is legal to conduct the business. Furthermore, according to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, short term rental such as AirBnB, Hosts are require to register with the city and obtain a permit and a business license. 
( source : https : //www.bnbcalc.com/blog/short-term-rental-regulation/Mission-Viejo-California-guide ). ( source : City of Mission XXXX : XXXX ) Host unable to provide any proof of licensure or XXXX approval to run the AirBNB listing that I reserve. I request to cancel with full refund. Host denied and kept my full payment of {$1000.00}. 

XX/XX/year> : I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX reporting my concerns of the legitimacy of my reservation. Unlicensed listing is unlawful and should not be allow to put up the room for reservation. It clearly violates the law and I request for cancellation with full refund. 

AIRBNB communicate with XXXX. Host did not present proof of licensure, and denied refund. AIRBNB claim I did not cancel within cancellation timeline, therefore the charge is valid. I do not understand. My reservation is non-refundable, there is no cancellation timeline. Furthermore, the issue here is licensure. This Host do not have a license, or XXXX XXXX approval to put up the room for short term rental. The listing is unlawful! XXXX said they are only a listing platform and can not assist me further. 
I did not stay the reservation. It is an illegal listing. It is unlawful and I am being deceived. I contact CHASE VISA CREDITCARD to open dispute to remove the charge. CHASE VISA CREDITCARD opened my case with CHASE Dispute Department and I was instructed to wait. 


XX/XX/year> : CHASE Dispute Team notified me the charge is valid and reinstate the charge {$1000.00}. Reason : Host did not violate cancellation policy. I called and spoke to CHASE XXXX XXXX. I was told CHASE do not need Host to provide evidence for licensure, or XXXX XXXX approval. Said it is AIRBNBs responsibility. Ultimately, I was told I need to pursue the case directly with AIRBNB and XXXX. 


XXXX said they can not assist me further. Host deny refund of my money. I submit appeal to CHASE Dispute Team again, to re-open my case. 


XX/XX/year> : CHASE Dispute Team rule the charge is valid, again. And notified credit reporting agencies that I disagree with the resolution. Again, CHASE Dispute Team said it is AIRBNBs responsibility to verify licensing of listings on their platform, and that I need to trust XXXX. CHASE Dispute Team further claim Host did not violate cancellation policy and therefore I need to pay the full amount {$1000.00} for the reservation, even if I dont stay. 

CHASE Dispute Team said final verdict is made by VISA and they have nothing to do with it. I was told VISA is a stand-alone entity, not relating to Chase creditcard or Chase Bank . And VISA ruling is final verdict. I request for contact of VISA. CHASE Dispute Team said they do not have such information and transfer my call to credit reporting agencies. I report my case again, and credit reporting agencies said it is not within their scope of practice and can not assist me. 


XX/XX/year> : I spoke with XXXX XXXX XXXX, a CHASE Private Client Banker. I presented my case to be re-examine at CHASE BANK level. XXXX XXXX forward my case to CHASE Escalation team and promise it will be seriously re-examine. 


XX/XX/year> : XXXX from CHASE Escalation Team contacted me. He assured me he will handle my case personally and a verdict will arrive within 3 days. He provided me his direct contact XXXX, ext XXXX. I waited over 3 days and no respond. I called back and left many messages. No return call. 


I continue waiting for a verdict until XXXX, XXXX. During that time I did not use CHASE VISA creditcard for any further transactions. I paid off all remaining balance, with the exception of the XXXX charge {$1000.00}. 

XX/XX/year>, I receive emails, text messages, and phone calls from CHASE VISA creditcard demanding payment. I logged into my account and found numerous late fees and interest charges impose on my account. 

I immediately contact CHASE VISA creditcard and got transfer to CHASE Dispute Team. The agent told me XXXX never re-open my case. Reason is because timeline for dispute ends XX/XX/year>. Therefore, my case is permanently closed. I never receive any follow up for the 4 months I waited. 

CHASE Dispute Team said I am responsible to pay the {$1000.00}. Interest charge and late fees will continue to incur if I dont pay. Furthermore, I was told if I do not make payment, it will be report to credit reporting agencies and ultimately my credit score will be affected. 

This is clearly not right. The XXXX listing that I reserve is an illegal and unlawful listing. Host do not have permit, license, or approval of XXXX XXXX to run the business. XXXX did not follow the law of verifying listings on their platform are licensed and legal. Chase Dispute Team did not protect me, the consumer, from this illegal business. I request to cancel with full refund from XXXX and XXXX  prior to check-in date and got denied. I did not stay the reservation. I should not be held liable to pay {$1000.00}. 


I hope the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will grant me a fair verdict and remove the charge {$1000.00} from my name. And impose necessary ramification against these unlawful business entities. Please protect honest consumers from these illegal businesses. 


Respectfully Yours,

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation