How to Sue Chime in Small Claims Court

So you’re looking to sue Chime?

At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people ripped off by big companies like Chime. And we’ve helped get millions of dollars in settlement offers…

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Tired of hitting dead ends when trying to get a refund from Chime? Feeling like there’s nowhere to turn?

You’re not alone. It seems like many people have tried all the Chime customer service options, but still feel unheard.

There are different ways to file a complaint against Chime, but none have the same power and leverage as taking legal action.

So, if you’re thinking of suing Chime, where do you even start? You might expect there to be tons of class action lawsuits against them, but it’s often more complicated than that.

What many people don’t know is that hidden clauses buried deep within their contracts frequently allow companies like Chime to push legal claims into the private realm of consumer arbitration, away from conventional courts.

But here’s the thing: your Chime contract doesn’t have the power to take away your right to pursue legal action by suing them.

Here’s what you can do…

Two options to Sue Chime:

Consumer Arbitration: This involves accessing an official and independent dispute resolution process that is not a court. It provides an opportunity to seek compensation for your complaint without the need to appear in person. For many, this can be a preferable option.To find out if you can take Chime to arbitration, you can check your contract or user agreement with them. Many companies’ standard contract are available on their websites. You can do a search for “arbitration” arbitration within the contract text — it is usually mentioned near the very top of a contract.
Learn more about the consumer arbitration process here.
Small Claims Court: If you prefer to avoid the arbitration system, you can opt for Small Claims Court. You should know that the procedures for Small Claims Court may vary depending on your jurisdiction.Taking Chime to Small Claims Court will typically involve appearing in person and completing necessary forms.

If you’re ready to sue Chime in Small Claims Court, read on below:

Taking Chime to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

MAKE SURE YOUR CLAIM QUALIFIES FOR SMALL CLAIMS COURT.

Are you ready to take Chime to small claims court? Small claims courts are restricted to particular sorts of issues, so start by making sure yours qualifies. There are three things you should keep an eye on:

The amount of money: Every small claims court sets a maximum dollar size for the claim you can bring. In most states it’s either $5000 or $10,000, but it can be as low as $2,500 (in Kentucky and Rhode Island). You can find a list of all 50 states’ monetary limits here.
The type of relief: There are two types of awards that you can seek in a lawsuit – monetary (a dollar value payment) and equitable (any non-monetary request). Most small claims courts can only grant monetary awards.
Who are you suing: According to Chime’s Terms and Conditions, at least some “Chime Accounts” are actually a product provided by The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank, N.A.. You may need to check your own agreement to determine whether your suit should be brought against Chime itself or one of these other entites.

SEND A DEMAND LETTER.

Small claims courts generally demand that you first attempt to resolve your issue with the person you’re suing (the “defendant”) on your own before filing a claim. So, if you want to sue Chime in small claims court, you must first send them a demand letter.

You can write your letter in a few lines. Tell Chime who you are (your name, address, phone number, and account number), what the problem is, and what you want them to do about it. The entire letter might be only a few sentences long; remember that you’re simply checking a box before submitting your real claim.

When you’re done writing, you need to mail a hard copy of the letter, preferably as certified mail or some other service that allows you to confirm delivery, to their legal address.

According to our most recent research, Chime is legally based in Delaware and receives mail at this address. (Check your contract to confirm if this is the right address for legal notices):

CHIME TECHNOLOGIES, INC
C/O HARVARD BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
16192 COASTAL HWY
LEWIS, DE 19958

If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.

FILL OUT COURT FORMS.

In order to sue Chime in small claims court, you’re going to need to fill out some paper work.

Each state has a set of forms that need to be filled out to file a claim, and sometimes counties will provide additional forms. The correct forms for your location will be available for free on your state court’s website.

Make sure you fill out enough forms – most states that require you to file forms by mail or in-person will ask for 3 or 4 copies. If you don’t have the right number, they will not accept your claim.

FILE YOUR COMPLAINT FORM WITH THE COURT.

When you’re done filling out the court forms, it’s time to give those forms to the court. This process, called “filing” can be a bit tricky.

Many courts will require you to physically come to the courthouse during specific hours and days to hand-deliver the forms to the court’s clerk. Other courts may allow you to file by mail, fax or (for a few courts) online.

All courts will require you to pay a filing fee before they allow your to sue Chime in small claims. This fee, which will be published on your court’s website, can sometimes be waved if you are low income based on certain requirements.

When you file your forms, the court clerk will provide you with a stamped copy of the forms and a court date. Keep it safe and bring it with you on the day of your hearing.

“SERVE” YOUR FORMS ON CHIME.

If you’ve made it this far – good work! Suing Chime in small claims can be a long and tough process.

Once you’ve filed the documents necessary to bring your lawsuit against Chime, you must notify them of the suit. This is known as “serving” Chime. You must deliver a copy of your filed papers to Chime in order to do this.

Look at your court’s website for instructions on how to properly deliver your forms to Chime, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Courts have many strange rules about how to serve a defendant, and your claim will be dropped if you do not follow them perfectly. So be careful!