Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Deposits and withdrawals
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX I initiated a transfer of XXXX USD from my wife XXXX XXXX XXXX account to my Synchrony high yield savings account under my name. This flagged my account for fraud. My account has since been restricted. I have called Synchrony bank four times since then. During first phone conversation, I was told fraudulent activity usually takes 10 business days to resolve in a security investigation. After 10 business days, I called again and was told fraudulent activity has been elevated and will take up to 90 calendar days to resolve. It has now been 84 calendar days since the original transfer. After speaking on the phone with them they said it has been elevated with the security investigation department, but there is NO timeline on when my account will be unrestricted. I also have no received no documentation or any real verification outside of phone calls initiated by me that it is being investigated and has been elevated. I have asked for a direct line to their security department and was told that can not be done.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CO
Zip: 801XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Problem when making payments
Subissue: Problem during payment process
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/2023 following Synchrony customer service supervisor info how to get higher payment added to fixed payment promo statement, that all I had to do was pay off new charge, which I repeated back, saying the amount, I took a cash reserve with local bank to do so, and minutes later called back customer service to do as supervisor had said, say I wanted {$250.00} paying now allocated to the new charge, so it would be paid in full. I was given a confirm number of payment, told in 48 hrs would be applied, including weekends. XX/XX/2023 found no allocation to pay off in my account, but found money misallocated to other promos that had fixed payments and were not past due. Called & chatted with bank & told allocation was scheduled to happen by end of that day, XX/XX/XXXX Mon, would see it by Tuesday. XX/XX/2023 Tuesday, no changes. Called to see what happened, and now told check back by the XXXX of XXXX, could be then, that sometimes it can take 1 to 2 billing cycles, and as I heard the rep coming up with more and more vague dates, realized sounded like a runaround to cause me to lose window of time payment could be applied without additional money. At no time was I told that the minimum of the fixed payments had to be paid on top of that, but was being told that my {$250.00} had satisfied the minimum, which turned out to be only true if I didn't want to pay off my new promo, as I would have to minus the minimum from new promo, and that would leave me {$140.00} short, so realized now it seemed this was purposefully getting kept from me as if to deceive me long enough to lose the window of time to pay the difference. When I got that lightbulb moment, then sent an internal message in reply to yet another generic response from a pleasant synchrony worker for help that I realized i had to pay the fixed payments normal minimums in order to have my original {$250.00} applied just to the new promo, and I would be doing that, but I would also be filing this complaint so that the consumer finance would help to oversee that Syn would do the right thing and actually apply my payments to my purchase I wanted to pay off, and not try to trick me I didn't need to pay more in order to do so. This last email got a response that due to nature of my last letter, it would be forwarded to the corporate office for help. So finally got them to stop giving canned response when said was filing formal complaint against lack of action from them and mismanagement of my payments to apply that money to another promo that had a fixed payment so in effect break two contracts I had with them to only have x dollars fixed payments until paid off. But still to date in my account the money paid stays applied to other promo and not to the new promo as Synchrony printed promotion tells me I can do, which is pay off before 6 months without interest or penalty. Even after I paid on XX/XX/2023 the {$110.00} for the fixed payment 's minimum, days yet ahead of payment due date, still none of the misappropriation amounts change, my {$250.00} I paid to pay off my new {$250.00} charge on XX/XX/2023, has been returned to that and that charge counted as paid in full. However, I was told in 24 hours the payment would be applied, but I heard those words before, so this time I need to seek supervised help on this allocation, that they both are actually applied and done, instead of being told they are 'done ' yet nothing changes. This to me is a stall tactic to block my being able to do a pay off, and make it more expensive for me to pay off by tacking on next billing cycle money due, and see if I will pay the higher monthly due the system is stuck on using my auto pay so that they can charge me fees for the auto pay is {$30.00} less than this new charge, but {$110.00} is only what I owe, and not {$140.00}. I am finding that Synchrony entreats me to get help by telephone, but on the back of paper statements they say that any help by phone does not count, yet I am told to make allocations by phone, so this seems a setup to think you are going to get to pay off your promo early easily only to find yourself facing seeing your money applied in wrong ways, and then a bunch of wait a few more days, and more days and so on as some kind of method to trick you to wait too long, and then blame it on their system. In the initial brochure I got on this carecredit, it says I could pay off my promo any time, but when I have come to actually do it in order to stop a sudden higher monthly payment I was not told would happen, am finding not being informed correctly of dollar amount to do so, and seems perhaps to get trapped into a system response that will then misapply the funds in other ways, and blame it on the system. 100 % though no promises have resulted in the wrongly moneys changed and the paid in full made.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33165
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Fees or interest
Subissue: Charged too much interest
Consumer Complaint: AS PROMISED, CLOSING A COMPLAINT AS DUPLICATE AND CLAIMING ITS THE SAME AS THE ONE YOU PREVIOUSLY RESPONDED TO, IN WHICH YOU FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR PROVIDE FACTS TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION FOR MOST OF THE ISSUES RAISED, HAS RESULT IN THIS COMPLAINT BEING OPENED. CLOSE THIS ONE, AND I WILL OPEN ANOTHER. THIS WILL THEN CONTINUE UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY PROPERLY RESPOND TO MY CONCERNS WITH MORE THAN JUST PUFFERY AND VAGUE PR TALKING POINTS. DON'T BELIEVE ME THAT I WILL KEEP OPENING COMPLAINTS, JUST ASK XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. IT TO ME OPENING XXXX COMPLAINTS BEFORE THEY GOT THE HINT THAT I WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL THEY PROPERLY RESPONDED. THAT SAID, THIS COMPLAINT IS SPECIFIC TO MY CARE CREDIT CARD WITH SYNCHRONY BANK. WHILE IT MAY INCLUDE SIMILAR THEMES ARE PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, IT IS NOT A DUPLICATE COMPLAINT AND SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED AS SUCH. CLOSING THIS COMPLAINT AS A DUPLICATE WILL ONLY RESULT IN NEW COMPLAINTS BEING FILED UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED. ISSUE 1. Simply stating " We would like to stress compliance is very important to Synchrony Bank, and we follow all applicable laws and regulations '' is not evidence that you actually do. It would be no different then if I were to get caught committing an unlawful act and me telling the authorities " I have a deep respect for the law and I promise I would never do anything to violate it. '' ISSUE 2 : Regarding any obligations you alleged are the responsibility of a third party, such as " the merchant, at the point of purchase '', while its possible that Synchrony has made the merchant responsible for those obligations in the contracts it has with its merchants, in the CONSUMER Contract Terms & Conditions, the language of which Synchrony has exclusive control over, are very clear in how it defines the parties to the contract and those parties obligations. For example, in once pertinent section Synchrony declares " At times, WE may offer you special financing promotions for certain transactions ( special promotions ). The terms of this Agreement apply to any special promotions. However, any special promotional terms that are different than the terms in this Agreement will be explained on promotional advertising or other disclosures provided to you. '' In another pertinent section, Synchrony declares " Synchrony Bank may be referred to as we, us or our ''. '' No where in the CONSUMER terms and conditions Synchrony has written and strictly demands consumers comply with, are the words " Merchant '', " Provider '', " Point of Sale '', or " Point of Purchase '', ever mentioned, nor does Synchrony flat out state, insinuate, or even vaguely hint that it will or may assign any of its obligations to a proxy third party, such as the merchant. Nonetheless, if Synchrony is stating that it has employed its merchants to communicate the promotional terms which it will be applying to a transaction, Synchrony is still responsible for ensuring those it employees by hire or contract, comply with the law, and if/ when they don't the responsible party for their failure is still Synchrony. I as a consumer entered into a credit contract with Synchrony NOT THE MERCHANT. ISSUE 3 : Most transactions on my Care Credit Card were placed on promotional terms for deferred interest, however those promotional terms were selected for me and at no time was I ever presented with any/ all of the available options for promotional terms before, during, or after the transaction those promotional terms were assigned to were processed. This means others made decisions about those financial transactions on my behalf without authorization. While the promotions may seem like a benefit for me as a cardholder, each of those transactions had multiple options for promotional terms and I should have been the only one that chose which terms were right for me. In the terms that govern my Care Credit Card, it states " Please see any special promotion advertising or other disclosures provided to you for the full terms of any special promotion offered '' and indicates the possible options for promotional terms are 6, 12, 18 or 24 months with no interest if paid in full. At no time have I ever received any promotional advertising or other disclosures that would have informed me of the terms of these offers. ISSUE 4 : On May 31st Synchrony made the decision to close all my accounts I had established with it, using the vague excuse that the reason for their decision was " Activity on account ( s ) with Synchrony Bank indicative of high risk of failure to pay '', however even though I have made many attempts to get specific information on what actions they are talking about, Synchrony has failed to provide clarification. Knowing that I have done nothing to violate the terms of each card agreement between myself and Synchrony, so your actions have left me seeking justification. While they have not specifically provided me with such, now that time has passed, it is beyond clear what their intent was in closing my accounts. Allow me to explain ... As a result of Synchrony closing the XXXX accounts I held with them, my credit score dropped XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX points with the 3 major bureaus. This substantial drop caused my credit rating to drop from " Good '' to " Poor '', leading other credit providers I had relationships with to believe I had become a greater risk than I actually am, so several of them lowered the amount of credit they had extended to me, with one of them also deciding to close the account I held with them. In total on top of the amount of credit I lost when Synchrony closed my accounts, I also lost access to {$58000.00} of credit from other credits thanks to Synchrony. Add that to what Synchrony itself took away and my access to credit dropped {$110000.00}. Why is this important? Because by causing all this damage to my credit profile Synchrony has destroyed my financial situation and ironically has now made me a high risk of failure to pay. It is my assertion that Synchrony knew or should have known, how their actions would impact my credit profile and the damage they would do or were likely to do but did so anyways, solely for their own financial benefit. By knowingly destroying my financial stability, Synchrony knew they would leave me unable to payoff the {$18000.00} in current promotional deferred interest plans on my Care Credit card, before the promotional period ends, which they and/ or their network of merchants under their employ directly or by contract, selected for me without my knowledge or consent to whatever promotional terms, including the length of the promotional they felt like, without any input from myself. This means that they stand to earn {$3300.00} in interest from me that is currently being deferred, and would have been paid off before then end of the promotional period, had 1 I selected the term length and 2. they not have substantially damaged my credit with their actions. Synchrony 's actions are the very definition of " Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ''.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 92101
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Trouble using your card
Subissue: Credit card company won't increase or decrease your credit limit
Consumer Complaint: I have an XXXX credit score pay all my cards off every month and only debt I have is my mortgage and a small car payment. I was surprised when Synchrony Bank the issuer of my Care Credit Mastercard reduced my credit limit overnight from {$10000.00}. to {$1000.00}. I called and spoke with an agent who told me the reduction was done as " punishment '' for not using the CC card since XXXX 2021. I explained that my XXXX visits had been good and our dogs had been heathy ( card is restricted to medical/dental/vet charges ) I asked for the explanation he had just told me to be provided to me in writing and the agent said he would email it to me. But after a brief pause on hold though, he transferred me to another agent who said the previous agent had " misspoke '' and that the credit limit reduction was actually due to " adverse info in my credit report ''. I then asked why my other two cards with Synchrony were unaffected if that was the case? I pointed out that my Lowe 's card had a $ XXXX credit limit. But the agent couldn't answer that question nor shed any ight why the two things could not be reconciled against each other. The agent said I would be mailed the credit limit reduction explanation letter. The letter never came and despite multiple assurances from Synchrony that they would provide me ( re-send ) with an explanation letter -- the explanation letter never comes.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: AZ
Zip: 850XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Subissue: Threatened to sue you for very old debt
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/XXXX They said about was over XXXX. The initial I used was about XXXX and numbers don't add up. They rejected what I could offer to pay at the time.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: LA
Zip: 710XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: N Accordance with the fair credit reporting act XXXX XXXX # XXXX XXXX has violated my rights 15 US C 1681 section 602a states i have the right to privacy.15US C 1681 section 604a section 2 it also states a consumer reporting agency can not furnish a account without my written instruction.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MI
Zip: 48066
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Problem when making payments
Subissue: Problem during payment process
Consumer Complaint: synchrony bank told me that it was payment left on my account. I called HSN the person who I get the items from several weeks ago. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I needed to pay the full-balance on the account. They look at the account and told me it would be over 80 or 90 to pay the account. off. I notice on my credit report that I was 60 days late. At no time did I receive a letter in the mail from the company that anything was late. Synchrony Bank have a history of over charging people for items that was not on the account. I feel like this bank has falsely reported information to the credit company. I have neve been late on this account for over 7 years. I paid the balance in full and they told me from HSN account had been paid. Now Synchrony Bank has place an item on my account so it would show late. I did not owe this balance case the told me they would not report it as being late due to the fact my husband had the information and his e-mail was attached to the account. I was not aware that he has his e-mail on the account. He was letting his friend buy things on the account without my knowelge.. I am asking you to make this bank provide documentation that the item on the account was not paid to HSN.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 75044
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Subissue: Overcharged for something you did purchase with the card
Consumer Complaint: I purchased 3 airline tickets from XXXX on XX/XX/2023. I was charged 6 times. I disputed the double charges but only was credited one overcharge. When I contacted credit card ( Synchrony ) they said I only disputed one charge. A new dispute was opened for the other 2 double charges. Charges was cleared after a month or so, then the charges was reversed and they said I owe it. {$610.00} for something I did not receive. XXXX is showing the credit card I purchased airline tickets. But when I call XXXX they tell me they see the problem and will fix it, that it was a computer glitch. 6 months later no results. Now are taking monthly payments out of my account.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: OH
Zip: 451XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-01
Issue: Problem when making payments
Subissue: Problem during payment process
Consumer Complaint: I have been having issues with my PayPal credit account with synchrony bank. I have a {$0.00} balance on it, and they keep locking my account and saying something is suspicious on my account. I'm not sure what's suspicious about a {$0.00} balance. I was sent 2 letters on 2 different occasions in the last 2 months that they've locked my account. The letter has the incorrect phone number. I've told them twice, and they do not seem to care. Every time they are not interested in hearing that my account keeps getting locked, they act like I should be happy that it was unlocked. Only to be locked again a few weeks later. I have called them on XX/XX/ and also
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MI
Zip: 48185
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-02
Issue: Getting a credit card
Subissue: Application denied
Consumer Complaint: I tried applying for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard on XX/XX/2023 and twice on XX/XX/2023. All three applications were denied and I was given a reason of " unable to access your credit bureau file due to a freeze '' by letter while all three bureau files were unfrozen at the time of application.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IN
Zip: 47906
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A