Chicago Housing Development Business Battles Bank Over $40,000 in Fraudulent Charges

The small Chicago housing development business, Lexington Homes, found themselves in a major financial battle with their bank over more than $40,000 in fraudulent charges. The owner, Jeff Benach, suspected that the charges were from a ghost merchant.

The ordeal began when Lexington Homes ordered renderings for their upcoming project in Lincoln Park. However, the renderings provided by a Canadian company did not meet their expectations. After canceling the order and attempting to pay for the work, Benach started noticing large charges on his Chase credit card from a different company based in the same Canadian city.

Upon further investigation, Benach discovered that someone had fraudulently used existing vendor accounts to set up fake invoices, resulting in over $40,000 in charges to his credit card. Despite filing a complaint with Chase fraud and even involving his attorney, Benach struggled to prove the fraudulent nature of the charges.

After reaching out to the I-Team for assistance, Chase finally acknowledged the fraudulent activity and agreed to credit back the full amount to Benach’s account. A spokesperson for Chase stated, “We regret the delay, but are glad to have this resolved in our customer’s favor.”

Benach was relieved to have his money returned and emphasized the importance of monitoring charges on accounts and disputing any suspicious activity immediately. This incident serves as a reminder for both businesses and consumers to stay vigilant and proactive in protecting their finances.