Consumer complaint received 2024-12-20 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Can't close your account
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Early in XXXX I opened a joint checking account at Chase for my elderly mother so that I could manage her financial affairs. I was her Power of Attorney. The checks were issued with both our names and I used the account to pay for her living expenses. Last month she passed away on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I attempted to move money to cover some of her final expenses via wire transfer but Chase blocked my transfer because I wouldn't submit to their interrogation about why i was transferring money. Note that the money was going from an account on which I was a signatory to an account that also was in my name. Three days later I attempted again to transfer money and once again and again I refused to provide them a " reason '' for my transfer. That is a clear violation of my rights to access my own money. The call ended with the agent indicating she was approving the transfer request. 

However, less than 10 minutes later, I received an email that again, Chase had denied my wire transfer request. I called and spoke to a supervisor who attempted to rationalize the denial because " the funds had not been in the account for three business days ''. Note that the money was transferred in from my mother 's XXXX XXXX  account ( not the first time ), and neither of the first two representatives mentioned this arbitrary three-day curing. Moreover, the supervisor admitted the funds were showing in my " available balance '' and if I walked into the branch I would be able to withdraw the funds. 

So clearly, the refusal to process my request was retaliation for my unwillingness to share personal information about why I was transferring money. Again, they had already fully verified my identity, the money was IN an account with my name on it, and was being transferred to an account with my name on it.

Two days later, upon learning of my mother 's passing, they froze the account. I spent two hours going round and round with about half dozen people in three departments and could never get an answer as to why a joint account had been frozen. Even after verifying my identity they kept telling my I had to go to the branch.

So I called the branch where I had opened the account and the branch manager said, " we don't know how to do that, call corporate ''. A big circle of " call someone else ''!

Two days later, I set up an appointment at a different branch and they called and asked what I needed. I explained the horrendous experience and was told I needed to bring in a copy of the will, the death certificate and my ID and they would close out the account. So I delivered the will. During this discussion the banker told me that the Chase manager who set up the account failed to set it up as a joint account ( that was my request ), and instead set it up as my mother 's account with me having POA access.

Five days later I delivered the death certificate and was told it would take three or four days to get everything uploaded and that they would call when processing had been completed and I could come in and close the account.

They called and five days later I again ( third visit ) went to the branch. Again I gave them my ID and they asked me to wait while the final steps were taken.

An HOUR later, the manager came out to say they couldn't close the account because not all the " required '' paperwork had been submitted. I asked what was still needed and they basically read a list of the computer. Documents I had never heard of. So I asked where I could get those documents and the branch manager said " I don't know ''!

A couple days later I contacted an attorney who outlined the month long ( minimum ) steps that I would have to take to provide the document Chase was demanding. More importantly, the attorney indicated the cost in legal fees and filings would be over {$3000.00}. ( The account only has about {$6700.00} dollars in it. ) So basically, a Chase error on the front end is going to cost me almost half of the amount that I am trying to retrieve.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation