JP Morgan Chase Washington Mutual WaMU/Chase - Debit Fraud Claim Denial - and why not - you have NO recourse. Seattle, Washington

I was actually looking for what to provide WaMu/Chase so they would consider reopening my fraud claim when I came upon multiple online reports of what seems to be their standard operating procedure of just denying claims outright.

I noticed a $200 withdrawl from my banking account at a Citibank atm all the way across town on a day that I was in non stop meetings at work. I contacted WaMu/Chase's fraud claim number right away. I was told that based upon this being an atm withdrawl, my card was most likely skimmed. I later came to find out that I have a neightbor who's card was also skimmed, so this most likely took place at a nearby atm we both use.

The representative form WaMu/Chase told me that the funds would be recredited to my account (this would take 7 - 10 business days), an investigation would be opened, and that an affidavit would be mailed to my home for me to fill out. They counseled me not to close my account, but merely to get a new card since they felt only the card had been compromised. They would issue me a new card. In the mean time I filed a police report with my local Sheriff.

Of course the amount was never credited and the affidavit never came. On the 7th business day I receive a letter from Wamu/Chase stating that my claim had been denied because I gave permission to the person who used my debit card. This is highly unlikely since I live alone, and my closest relatives are out of state.

I called the number right away to find out if they could tell me who they determined that I gave permission to use my card. No they could not tell me that. They did say that since the PIN had been entered correctly that that was an *obvious* indication that I had given permission to use my card. That and the fact that only $200 had been stolen. So apparently I wasn't robbed *enough*. I wanted to speak with Alex Wilson (probably a pseudonym), the investigator on my claim, to know how he had decided to deny the claim. I was told that there was no way to do that, he only worked in writing; or for that matter there was no way for me to speak to a supervisor.  I was told there was nothing I can do, unless I could come up with further evidence that the withdrawl was fraudulent. I asked what further evidence WaMu/Chase would accept, and they refused to tell me.

Just on a hunch, I called Citibank to see if anyone had requested to see the atm videotapes from that day. The woman I spoke to at Citibank was slightly more helpful, saying that, yes, those infamous Wamu/Chase "backroom" investigators would have most likely contacted Citibank to view the tape if they were trying to prove I was lying (which is basically what Chase is accusing me of at this point). Except no one had contacted the branch to see their tapes. I don't know if she was supposed to tell me that, or the next thing she said which was "you would think that if they were going to deny your claim, they would want to have proof to show you why they were denying it."

You would think, but so far Chase can't explain to me how they "know" I gave a complete stranger permission to steal $200 from me. I'm lucky it's only $200 and the  overdraft fees that Chase stole from me as a result, and not the thousands I have heard others have lost at the hands of this bank.

And really, why should they explain? As the system is set up now, we have no protection for our money as it sits in Chase's system, and no recourse against Chase's draconian self protections if our identity and funds are stolen. Tomorrow I go to open a different checking account at another bank. I guess that's all I can do.