MrConsumer has a rarely used Chase Freedom Visa card and recently received the following email:
Immediately, a wave of mild panic set in. I scrutinized the email to make sure it was not a phishing attempt. But it really did come from Chase and the button really did go to Chase.
Clicking that button triggered a login request. After filling in the form properly and including a six-digit code I had just received in a separate email from them, I was faced with a request to do an even more elaborate verification process that required calling them and speaking to an automated system. So I did that and was now given a new 7 or 8-digit code to enter. At that point, I was able to get into my account, and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were no new charges on my account.
So… I called Chase customer service. Before you can speak to a human, you have to pass a voice-verification test, where they ask you to say your name and address. They presumably have made a voice print of prior calls, and then they compare that to my voice today. Then you can speak to a representative. The representative looked at my account and saw no activity and said nothing was wrong.
While on the phone with her, I made my way over to “Chase Credit Journey” which I don’t think I have ever used. You can check your credit score there, and see your Experian credit report. There, under alerts, was this:
*MOUSE PRINT:
It said an account I had with US Bank — not Chase — showed some activity after being dormant. What? Chase is telling me about a problem with US Bank? Perhaps I should be grateful to Chase for pointing out a potential problem, but I wasn’t.
Like the Chase card, I rarely use my US Bank AMEX but I did deliberately buy subway fare with it a few weeks ago to keep it active. So, while the alert was accurate, it caused needless worry.
Advice to Chase: If you are going to alert someone about possibly problematic activity on a dormant credit card, it better be about a Chase card. And if not, the warning email should clearly state the activity is NOT on a Chase card but rather on another account the bank monitors on customers’ behalf.
Credit card companies, i,e., banks have some of the worst customer service out there. I just cancelled my Capital One Mastercard since they treated me like the criminal after my card was used in an attempted fraudulent transaction. First, they sent a replacement card that couldn’t be activated. When I finally talked to somebody (you can’t accomplish much online) they said the reason was the replacement had the same numbers as the original card. It didn’t. Then they said in order to receive *another* replacement card, I had to send a copy of my government ID. The first time didn’t work, and when I attempted to do it again, the link didn’t work. The link to cancel apparently worked, but I never received an acknowledgment I cancelled.
They cancelled mine after I furiously confronted them over, yet again, holding up a time-sensitive transaction due to their poorly written AI fraud detection systems. They repeatedly flag legitimate transactions as fraud and block them, sometimes causing me to lose out on event tickets. Capital One is the worst at this and you’re right, their CS sucks
I’d say they definitely lived up to their name.
I, too, received the email from Chase. I believe the email indicated that the report was from Experian, but I no longer have the email. I did not call Chase, but I did check the Experian account, either from the email or from Chase credit journey, I don’t recall. I found I had used a credit card, that I normally only use for auto repairs, to purchase windshield wipers, after not having used it for about 6 or 7 months. Unlike Mr Consumer, I appreciated Chase’s notice, since, if it had been a fraudulent charge, I might not have noticed it until the next billing date. I spent just a few minutes to ensure that everything was fine, and continued on with my day.
This only makes sense if you’ve specifically asked Chase to do credit monitoring. And I haven’t, but they keep asking me for information that could be used for credit monitoring (they say it’s for account verification), but so far I’ve refused.
I’m surprised that you would click an email link even though you vetted it. I only use my bookmarks to login in when I get any email from any company, and if I cant find what the email is referencing and I’m still concerned I call, using numbers from statements etc, not one provided in an email (if there is one). For years I have felt that the easiest way for banks, credit card companies, etc to end phishing scams is to stop including links in emails.
Agreed. I would call directly and not click any links.
Set your credit card up to text you every time there’s a transaction. Then you’ll know.
I received a notice from chase, in the mail, last week that said my mortgage ending in number —- was going to be late due to the holiday on the first.
The thing is we paid off our mortgage in 2008!
Also, On the advice of an attorney I closed the checking account with them, last year, that we had opened in 1979.
So CHASE you around the block is clearly going bezerk!
That being said, I would recommend you NOT click such a button in the future and go directly to their site or call the number on the card. Scammers have gotten quite adept at making phishing emails look legit, even more so than just a couple of years ago. Look at what’s been happening with Paypal, phishing emails that actually are coming from them.
I get these all the time, so I can understand the confusion if you are not used to getting them. In Chase’s defense, it does state “Credit Journy” twice in the email screenshot provided. They need to do a better job at explaining what this is since some people may not get these alerts often.
If it wasn’t that my ‘Amazon’ card is from Chase I wouldn’t have one at all.
Credit Journey is about monitoring all accounts related to you. So, knowing that is important info to consider before stating that its service promotes unwarranted fear.
Grudgingly I have side with Chase here, although I can see where the confusion comes in.
Chase Credit Journey is a product from Chase Bank, similar to others like from Credit Sesame etc, monitoring your credit report.
Like others said, nowhere did it state there was a charge on a Chase card.
Looking at the report would have cleared it up much sooner
Side note: I do appreciate that banks like Chase fine tune their security verifications and try to stay ahead (really more “keep up”) with scammers’ tactics. A simple “yes” for voice verification is just not sufficient anymore.