The last time this happened, I was able to see the bright side and was and still am grateful. However, this just should not, on principle, be repeatedly happening. I’ve just had to write this email to my bank:

I’m writing to report an incident that has occurred, for the second time, with my Chase Premier Personal Checking account.

A fraudulent check was allowed to go through on this account on 3/20/13 in the amount of $29.95, despite the fact that the check (which has a scanned image available online) has many glaring obvious signs that it is fraudulent:
1.) The “authorized by” name is not mine; it’s “[Mr. W]”, which is a name that is NOT on this account. (This is not a joint account.)
2.) The sequence of the check number is totally off; among a bunch of legitimate check numbers in the 600s (612, 613, 614), the fraudulent check number is 6052994.
3.) The check is issued under Washington Mutual Bank FA ASB, and not Chase Bank like all of my other checks.
4.) There’s no signature whatsoever on this check either by the supposed issuer of this check, or by the payee.

I’m alarmed that with all of the above red flags, the check was still permitted to go through and be honored by my checking account, the only link to my account being the routing number and account number at the bottom of this fraudulent check.

Even more alarming is the fact that this is the SECOND TIME something like this has happened at Chase Bank, the first time in January 2011 under very similar circumstances (fake check with a different name, address, banking institution name, no signature, sequence number way higher than my current sequences, and my name was nowhere on the check, only my routing number and account number on the bottom). Upon the first incident, I had alerted Chase Bank and the fraud department recommendation is that as it appears the account has been compromised, I should close the account immediately and open another checking account under a new number. I did this, to much trouble as I had to stop and transfer all direct deposits, automatic billpays, and everything linked to this account.

I again alerted the fraud department this time by calling 866-564-2262 on 3-26-13, and was again advised to close this account and set up a new one, and that I would be credited the fraudulent check’s amount of $29.95 and get a return call from someone within the fraud department within 24 hours. It’s been 2 days and I haven’t received a call nor seen the credit applied to my account.

Chase Bank has always provided me with excellent customer service, pretty much unrivaled by any other bank I have done business with, and I would prefer not to switch banks. With Chase, I have my checking account, a joint savings account with my husband, a credit card, and a HELOC. It is a hassle to move everything to another bank, and I would prefer not to do that. However, I have no confidence that Chase Bank has security measures in place to prevent money from being stolen from me, even in the current small amount of $29.95. It seems far too easy for a fake check with blaring signs of its inauthenticity to pass muster with whomever processes the checks, and it’s a scary to think that I may have easily lost thousands of dollars due to fake checks because of someone’s carelessness in making sure the name on the check at least matches the name on the account. It is equally stressful to think that I would have to close/reopen accounts, unlink and relink billpays, direct deposits, etc. every couple of years because of something like this recurring, even though I’ve already changed account numbers from the last fraudulent check’s processing.

I regret that I may not be able continue doing business with Chase Bank, but would like you to be aware of what is occurring with regards to your security measures.

Thank you.
Cindy [last name]

There are such striking similarities between this occurrence and the last one in 2011 that I now think it’s a total scam by the same people, possibly an inside job. How else could people possibly keep linking my individual personal checking account, in which Mr. W is never mentioned, to Mr. W, even tho this is 2 different account numbers? They must’ve started with our joint account and then used his name to issue the fake check from the linked checking account, this time made out to some “Web Entertainment” company that I also believe is fake because the reference phone number of this company again is not a working number. So someone makes up a fake company, opens an account under the fake company name, steals a bunch of $29.95 payments in fake checks from checking accounts and puts it in their fake company account, then withdraws the cash and closes the account before many red flags are raised by the victims, who may see an ambiguous “Web Entertainment” company and just figure it’s some online purchase or subscription they’d forgotten about. I don’t use e-checks often, maybe once a year to occasionally pay my property taxes that way (which was done AFTER the date of this scam this year), so it’s not like my checking account info is all out there with shady companies. The inside person looks up checking account info on the Chase databanks for the fake checks, then he or someone in alliance allows all these fake checks to go through.

As soon as I find a fully-accessible bank that won’t nickel-and-dime me for billpays and fees and ATM usage, I’m out. Bye, Chase. You made perfect products for me, but this is just not acceptable.