Over nine months ago I started the battle to reclaim my identity. I had become lost in a sea of super sized body parts, a forest of fake eyelashes and hair extensions, a desert where the wind came in rushes of oooo's and aaaahhhh's. I gave up my identity as Porn Star Penny to reclaim the woman I wish to identify as, Jennie Ketcham. Now, nine months, later I am fighting again to reclaim this identity, not because I can't see through the vast wasteland my life had become, but because the financial institution that had sworn to protect my limited amount of cash is failing to do so. My identity and savings have been stolen, and it appears Chase Manhattan can do nothing to right what has been wronged.
I recently saw the headlines on Huffington Post urging me to leave my big bank in search of a smaller, more personal bank. I skipped over the giant warnings, clicking on Tiger Woods links and Casey Johnson stories, thinking, "Chase would never screw me over, I don't have enough money for them to notice I exist." The beginning of 2010 brought hope of a porn free world, but it also brought complete financial devastation when I checked my bank account and the entire balance had been drained. The charges were pending and I could not file a fraud claim until they'd cleared, so I sat patiently awaiting the inevitable drain of my funds praying Chase would come to the rescue in the end.
In the end, my claim was denied on account of Chase being convinced the magnetic strip on the back of the card is printed in the heavens and therefore cannot be cloned. I was hurt. Infuriated. I felt as though my claim manager had personally seen to it that my claim would not pass because he receives kickbacks for every denied claim. I begged him for an answer. I knew why I'd been denied, the heavenly magnetic strip, but I didn't know where to go next. He read his apology from a script and suggested once the signed affidavit claim denial shows up in the mail, I take it up with the police.
Which made me wonder... Who else is Chase screwing and what can we, as Americans, do about it? I surfed the world wide Interweb and came across a laundry list of complaints at ConsumerAffairs.com. Here are the first three in a long list of unhappy customers.
Rich of Denver, CO October 10, 2009: A series of bad business practices including inadequate disclosure, false filings with credit agencies including a false charge for 8, double cycle billing which was not disclosed prior to billing.
TAM of MARINA DEL REY, CA October 9, 2009: I recently ran accross multiple unauthorized charges on my checking account. Immediately, I contacted CHASE claim department and reported these charges as unauthorized and fraud. The customer service told me that there is nothing could be done. I asked to have any further charges to be blocked from my account. One week later, 25 more charges appeared on my account.... I have not heard or received any form from Chase. In the mean time, I continued watching these unauthorized charges, overdaft fees and service fees appeared on my account.
Kathy of Orlando, FL October 6, 2009: On Oct 1st I made a deposit at my local branch and noticed a big discrepancy in the balance, after checking my balance online, I went into the branch to notify them of an UNAUTHORIZED charge to my debit card...I COULD NOT DISPUTE THIS CHARGE SINCE I AUTHORIZED THE CHARGE TO THAT HOTEL ONCE BEFORE.
So what do we do? Do we give the big bank a second chance as we would an adulterous partner? Is it in our best interest to open an account at a small credit union where we have names and aren't just numbers? Should we bury our money in the backyard, and if we don't have a backyard, begin shoving it in our Tempur-Pedic mattresses? Why isn't our money safe at the bank, and who can fix this problem?
My affidavit finally appeared in the mail today, two weeks after they claimed to have sent it. Tomorrow morning I'll be at the police department doing what Chase should have done for me... following through on a claim to ensure the safety of a customer's money. The big bank may have won this little battle, but I guarantee this little woman will win the war. And upon winning this war and receiving what's rightfully mine, I will do as Huffington advised and take my money elsewhere.