Consumer complaint received 2020-07-13
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Application denied

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020 I my dentist told me a new upper denture would cost {$1800.00}. So I asked if he had any type of payment plan and his receptionist told me to apply for a Care Credit card and they offered a 12 month same as cash option. She said a lot of the dentist 's patients used it so as soon as I hung up the phone, I went on line and filled out the application for the Care Credit Card. 

After I filled out the entire application I was told I needed to call them at XXXX so I printed out that paper and called the number. The person who answered the phone told me I needed to go to " XXXX '' and would need to submit a video of me holding my driver 's license. He said I could black out my license number but they needed this for them to verify who I was. 
I told the Care Credit Card rep that I had recently refinanced my house and purchased a new XXXX pickup truck and my credit rating was very good. He said that didn't matter and I needed to supply them with my picture to verify my identity. I told the rep that was crazy and said I'd pay for it out of pocket. 

I then got thinking that possibly someone had stolen my identity so I immediately went to all three credit reporting agencies and down loaded my credit reports. Everything on them was as it should be and there was nothing out of the ordinary. So, the next day, I decided to call each credit reporting agency and talk to a rep from each company. When I told each of them Care Credits request that I send them a video of me holding my drivers license, all three people told me NOT to do it and said they could see no reason for me to be denied the card. So, I decided I'd let it go and pay out of pocket for my dentures. 

Then on XX/XX/2020 I received a letter from Synchrony Bank who is the parent company of Care Credit. The letter thanked me for my recent application and said in order to finalize my application I needed to call XXXX. When I called the number a rep from Synchrony Bank said she'd have to transfer me to the Care Credit rep, XXXX but before she did that I asked her why they needed a picture of me and she said it was for my protection. When I talked to XXXX at Care Credit, he said the same thing and I told him I wasn't sending a video of me to them and I was done with them. 

I thought that would be the last I'd hear from them but on XX/XX/2020 Synchrony Bank emailed me a letter stating their agents had checked multiple data bases that contained my social security number, address, and phone number and had also checked my credit reports again too, and none of that information proved to them I was who I said I was. My wife were both dumbfounded but, knowing I had recently talked to the reps from all three credit reporting agencies, I said I was satisfied that no one had stolen my identity and couldn't figure out why Synchrony Bank couldn't figure out who I was. 

Move on to XX/XX/2020 when my wife and I went shopping at XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX At the check out the cashier said we could save {$45.00} off of our bill if we signed up for a XXXX XXXX XXXX Master Card. Knowing the issue I had with Care Credit, I told them OK and signed up for one. I was IMMEDIATELY approved for the card and the cashier said I'd be receiving the card in the mail in about a week. 

Sure enough, on XX/XX/2020, I received my new XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with a very high credit limit on it. When I called to confirm the card, there was no issues what so ever. BUT, the really odd thing about that is the company who approved me for the XXXX XXXX XXXX Master Card is SYNCHRONY BANK who had emailed me a letter on XX/XX/2020 stating after all of their research they couldn't verify I was who I said I was when I applied for a Care Credit Card. 

I was going to leave it all go until I attended a graduation party for my nephew on Saturday, XX/XX/2020. I told a few people at the party the problems I had trying to get a Care Credit Card and 3 of the people I talked to had Care Credit Cards and NONE of them had to submit their picture to receive the card. They said they filled out the online application and were approved immediately. 
They also said I should contact you folks and get this ironed out because something like this could affect my excellent credit rating in the future. 

So, that brings me to filing this complaint today against Synchrony Bank, who said in a letter they emailed to me on XX/XX/2020 they can't verify my identity to get a Care Credit card but on XX/XX/2020 verified my new XXXX XXXX XXXX Master Card when I called the number provided to activate the card.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation