AN ELDERLY Chase customer’s daughter was left stunned after the bank wouldn’t refund her for suspicious charges on her mother’s bank account.
Cynthia Jones of Houston, Texas, had been keeping tabs on her 78-year-old mother’s spending as she feared she would be taken advantage of.
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Jones’s lack of trust in others was confirmed when she saw over $1,000 missing from her mom’s Chase account, which the bank reportedly refused to return.
Because of her mother’s advanced age, Jones helped manage her finances to ensure nothing was awry on her Chase account.
Jones’s actions were not because she didn’t love or trust her mother anymore, she told local ABC affiliate KTRK. “It was because I don’t love and trust other people.”
In 2019, Jones noticed odd charges on her mother’s account that added to over $1,000.
The daughter recalled seeing no company name, address, or phone number tied to the charges on the bank statement – just the name “Adam.”
Research revealed that the funds were transferred via Zelle, a tool that Chase clients can use online to transfer money.
Her mom does not transfer cash online so someone likely had gained access to her mother’s Chase account, Jones told KTRK’s Ted Oberg.
BACK AND FORTH
The bank initially returned the funds to Jones’s mother and then took them back.
“It was disappointing because they would trust some cyber random, you know, thieves other than a customer of over 30 years,” said Jones.
The daughter sought help from the news station, which contacted Chase regarding the situation.
The next day, Chase mailed a letter to Jones’s mother.
“Thank you for sharing your concerns,” read the letter, stating that the bank had “reconsidered and approved the claim and credited your account $1,094.”
Jones was grateful for the help in restoring her mother’s stolen money.
The bank noted that Chase customers can un-enroll from Quickpay with Zelle through the Chase app, website, or by calling the bank.
The U.S. Sun reached out to Chase for comment.
STOPPING SCAMMERS
One in five older Americans falls victim to financial exploitation, with the average victim losing $120,303, according to the AARP Banksafe Initiative.
AARP and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging offer advice on protecting your elderly loved ones from financial scams.
One of the steps you can take is to add your loved one’s name to the Do Not Call Registry to prevent calls from telemarketers.
Top tips on avoiding scams from a bank
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam:
- Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
- Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
- Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
Also, be sure your loved one does not give out personal information to anyone they do not know and trust.
Another action you can take is shredding the financial records that your loved one no longer needs.
Additionally, encourage loved ones to seek a second opinion before signing any documents, especially ones they don’t fully understand.
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