"Found" $$ from JP Morgan:real or fraud? (Updated 4/16)

[yoopermom]

I received a letter addressed to me at my last address (haven't lived there in 9 years, so it's a miracle that it was forwarded on), from J.P. Morgan, stating that I have to "act quickly to prevent the transfer of your Pre-Paid Card account funds to the state", gives an account number, and an estimated balance. I googled it and found nothing that looks fraudulent.

I called the customer service number, and the woman sounded very official, but told me that she could not give me any information without either the prepaid card number or my ss# (which I was obviously unwilling to give over the phone). She said that it was an unclaimed unemployment amount from over three years ago, but could tell me nothing else without looking at the account.

Included with the letter is an "account certification form" that asks me to "acknowledge ownership of the account above" with my signature and date, asks for address correction, and that's it. The rep told me that once it was returned, the amount shown would be mailed to me.

So, is this real or a fraud, and by acknowledging ownership of the account, could anything bad happen? Obviously a "found" $1270 would be great, but I find it hard to believe that I would have somehow not spent that originally ?

Advice, please? TIA!

Terri

 

[Traveliz]

I received a letter addressed to me at my last address (haven't lived there in 9 years, so it's a miracle that it was forwarded on), from J.P. Morgan, stating that I have to "act quickly to prevent the transfer of your Pre-Paid Card account funds to the state", gives an account number, and an estimated balance. I googled it and found nothing that looks fraudulent.

I called the customer service number, and the woman sounded very official, but told me that she could not give me any information without either the prepaid card number or my ss# (which I was obviously unwilling to give over the phone). She said that it was an unclaimed unemployment amount from over three years ago, but could tell me nothing else without looking at the account.

Included with the letter is an "account certification form" that asks me to "acknowledge ownership of the account above" with my signature and date, asks for address correction, and that's it. The rep told me that once it was returned, the amount shown would be mailed to me.

So, is this real or a fraud, and by acknowledging ownership of the account, could anything bad happen? Obviously a "found" $1270 would be great, but I find it hard to believe that I would have somehow not spent that originally ?

Advice, please? TIA!

Terri

Do you remember a card with type of balance? Call JP Morgan directly and ask...not the number on the card. This is what happens though when they are trying to trace the owner of money.

Does the mail go back to JP Morgan?

My daughter got one of these last month for an uncashed Disney check (employment) when she actually has always had DD...but there was a time the account was acting up so it was for real.

Liz

 

[gwynne]

They asked for your Social Security #. That would be a red flag to me. I'd call or email J.P.Morgan Chase. A quick google of JP Morgan Chase Internet Fraud brought up some helpful pages.

 

[yoopermom]

I've been racking my brain trying to remember. Before MI had d.d., we had to have debit cards, and I was laid off maybe 8 years ago, so it's possible I had a debit card at that time for my unemployment. I just find it incredible that I would have left over 1K on it! The address it says to send it back to seems to be JP Morgan (a po box in san antonio).

I'm just most concerned that by acknowledging ownership that I'm not setting myself up to "owe" money to anyone for anything.

Terri

 

[Traveliz]

They asked for your Social Security #. That would be a red flag to me. I'd call or email J.P.Morgan Chase. A quick google of JP Morgan Chase Internet Fraud brought up some helpful pages.

My daughter had to give her SS # to get her money back as well as change of address and sign something that affirmed she was who she said she was.

Liz

 

[jlewisinsyr]

If it is turned over to the state, you can still claim it as unclaimed funds, it will just delay the process.

As for the process of asking for a social security number, that is pretty normal when it comes to verifying an account balance. The debit card system for unemployment is not like a normal credit card where you would apply and have additional security information available that could be used to verify instead of just your social security number.

I would still be cautious, but from just the sounds of it, it sounds like a legitimate situation. It's possible the dollar amount is high because the state continued to deposit funds even after your last filing, a delay so to speak.

 

[marmalade]

I received a letter addressed to me at my last address (haven't lived there in 9 years, so it's a miracle that it was forwarded on), from J.P. Morgan, stating that I have to "act quickly to prevent the transfer of your Pre-Paid Card account funds to the state", gives an account number, and an estimated balance. I googled it and found nothing that looks fraudulent.

I called the customer service number, and the woman sounded very official, but told me that she could not give me any information without either the prepaid card number or my ss# (which I was obviously unwilling to give over the phone). She said that it was an unclaimed unemployment amount from over three years ago, but could tell me nothing else without looking at the account.

Included with the letter is an "account certification form" that asks me to "acknowledge ownership of the account above" with my signature and date, asks for address correction, and that's it. The rep told me that once it was returned, the amount shown would be mailed to me.

So, is this real or a fraud, and by acknowledging ownership of the account, could anything bad happen? Obviously a "found" $1270 would be great, but I find it hard to believe that I would have somehow not spent that originally ?

Advice, please? TIA!

Terri

Were you on unemployment 3yrs ago? I know in NY they have a debit card for unemployment benefits and it is thru Chase bank.

ETA: I found this, on page 2 it states Michigan uses JP Morgan Chase for its debit cards and there is a phone number to contact. I would call that number. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/uia/Electronic_Pmt_238723_7.pdf

 

[Coconut36]

They asked for your Social Security #. That would be a red flag to me. I'd call or email J.P.Morgan Chase. A quick google of JP Morgan Chase Internet Fraud brought up some helpful pages.

I agree. Huge giant red flag.

I am hung up on this part too:

She said that it was an unclaimed unemployment amount from over three years ago, but could tell me nothing else without looking at the account.

What would unemployment have to do with a pre paid card balance? If it is unclaimed unemployment (and that seems odd too but maybe I am wrong) I would contact your state unemployment office or contact JP Morgan Chase directly (via their website contact info) to find out what is going on.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I am hung up on this part too:


What would unemployment have to do with a pre paid card balance? If it is unclaimed unemployment (and that seems odd too but maybe I am wrong) I would contact your state unemployment office or contact JP Morgan Chase directly (via their website contact info) to find out what is going on.

Many states moved to debit card systems instead of the old checks/direct deposit system. So once the funds are deposited into the debit account they leave the state unemployment program and are now under the jurisdiction of the debit card company (and all applicable unclaimed fund's laws).

 

[yoopermom]

I just wanted to clarify that the form I received did NOT ask for my ss#, just to sign that I was the person identified as being on the account (which I am) and to provide updated contact info (which would be important, since my address had changed since then...).

MI does/did use this company to deposit their unemployment onto debit cards. I did receive unemployment 3-8 years ago (off and on). It is *possible* that I had a debit card for this purpose before I changed to direct deposit.

The woman on the phone simply stated that without either my ss# or the debit card # she could not give me info on the account due to security/privacy concerns (which I guess I understand, what if I had received that letter but wasn't that person...). She also stated that as long as the form is returned (either by mail or fax) the amount will be refunded to me promptly.

I've tried to call unemployment, but they hire, I think, 3 people to answer the phones at any one time, and I've been on hold for over half an hour...

Thanks for all your thoughts, good and bad!

Terri

 

[moburg]

Red flags? Uh, yeah!

Of course the person at the other end of the phone number they gave you is going to sound official. If its a scam, they depend on sounding official.

I would go to JPMorgan's website and find a customer service phone number from there to call. I suspect that you will discover it is a phishing scam. If it is, JPMorgan will want to know about it anyway. If not, then that customer service number should be able to help you.

 

[DebbieB]

I received a letter addressed to me at my last address (haven't lived there in 9 years, so it's a miracle that it was forwarded on), from J.P. Morgan, stating that I have to "act quickly to prevent the transfer of your Pre-Paid Card account funds to the state", gives an account number, and an estimated balance. I googled it and found nothing that looks fraudulent.

I called the customer service number, and the woman sounded very official, but told me that she could not give me any information without either the prepaid card number or my ss# (which I was obviously unwilling to give over the phone). She said that it was an unclaimed unemployment amount from over three years ago, but could tell me nothing else without looking at the account.

Included with the letter is an "account certification form" that asks me to "acknowledge ownership of the account above" with my signature and date, asks for address correction, and that's it. The rep told me that once it was returned, the amount shown would be mailed to me.

So, is this real or a fraud, and by acknowledging ownership of the account, could anything bad happen? Obviously a "found" $1270 would be great, but I find it hard to believe that I would have somehow not spent that originally ?

Advice, please? TIA!

Terri

Was the customer service # on the letter? I would not call that number. I would find a direct number from JP Morgan.

 

[S. C.]

My daughter had to give her SS # to get her money back as well as change of address and sign something that affirmed she was who she said she was.

Liz

Did she get the money?

 

[Rence]

When in doubt - do what has been mentioned several times - call the institution involved - but not with the number you got in the mail (email, voice mail) but with a number that you know to be truly for JP Morgan Chase. Ask them. Then you know you are really talking to JP Morgan Chase and not some scammer. They can verify the phone number or possibly even transfer you to the right department.

It is very easy to get a phone number - send out a scam (mail, email etc.) and just answer the phone in a very official sounding voice "JP Morgan Chase". Years ago I got an email that I knew was a scam (it was talking about my bank account at Chase - I don't bank at Chase) so I decided to give it a call. It was very realistic - they had the pre-recorded message - press 1 for this, 2 for that type phone menu system. A "We're sorry but all of account representatives are busy" message etc. Very very legit sounding. When I finally got a live operator, he greeted me with "Thank you for calling Bank of America" If you are going to go through all that trouble to make the phone call realistic with the recorded messages etc. at least answer the phone with the correct phony bank name.

 

[Pig Pen]

When I lived in Vermont the Attorney General's office had a hotline for consumer fraud questions. See if Michigan has something similar. You may be able to talk to someone or fax the information to them and they will check it out for you.

 

[Traveliz]

Did she get the money?

Not yet but it said 6 weeks and she just sent in the return. She still does work for Disney and there was enough information on the letterhead (real Disney font, real Disney phone numbers, her perner number, dates that matched when she worked for them, a Lake Buena Vista address to return the info to, an envelope like every other piece of her Disney business correspondence comes in) that I am confident she will.

Sort of like the JP Morgan person could tell the OP it was from unemployment funds ( I would think that would be a big sign that the person on the phone wasn't just gussing and hit someone who had unemployment on a debit card during those dates)

Liz

 

[novajeanjellybean]

Can you look up the phone number? Like a reverse look up or whatever? I don't think its a scam but I would try to at least verify the phone number. Good luck.

 

[marthachick]

I got an email last month from Lifetime TV saying I had won a contest. I wondered if it was a fraud. I Googled the address, phone no, etc. and found out it was legit. I got 5 Lifetime Christmas dvds and a nice check for $1,000 which is now in my savings account. I seriously thought about not responding but if I hadn't, I would be financing the majority of our beach trip myself this year instead of enjoying it on Lifetime TV. So, yeah, research it a lot, but if it makes sense and everything checks out, enjoy your money.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Lots of red flags. They should only ask for the last 4 of your social security # to verify it. Even at the Bank we don't ask our customers for the full number - only the last 4 are needed. There are so many legitimate looking scams out there I'd be really careful.

 

[jfulcer]

Check this out??

http://www.michigan.gov/treasury/0,1607,7-121-44435---,00.html