Consumer complaint received 2020-12-30
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NJ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I've had an Amazon card with Synchrony for approximately five ( 5 ) years and I have never missed a payment. I specifically got this card for the rewards points it offers when making XXXX purchases. 

Recently, on or about XX/XX/20, I tried to make a payment to my account using the wrong account number. I saw the payment did not go through, and tried again ( using the same account number ). Within a day of making my second attempt at payment, I realized the wrong account was used and used the correct account to pay an amount ( around {$1000.00} ). This payment would have essentially brought my account balance down to {$0.00}. Notably, my minimum payment due would have only been a round {$30.00}. I also called a customer service representative to make sure everything was ok and he told me to rest assured, my card would be temporarily frozen but fixed within a few days. Within a few days, the {$1000.00} was drawn from my account. A couple days after the {$1000.00} payment, Synchrony unilaterally closed my card in its entirety. 

Thereafter, I called Synchrony, explained the misunderstanding and what their representative told me. They replied that there was nothing they could, because the wrong bank account was used twice for payment they automatically hat to close my account ( despite withdrawing {$1000.00} from the right account before doing so ). Customer support said I had to speak with billing. I begrudgingly spoke with billing and they told me they believe the account should be reopened, because it wasn't as if I intentionally used a wrong account and the payment using the correct account was processed almost immediately after the erroneous one. I spoke with customer service one more time and was assured there was nothing they could do. 

When speaking with customer service, they told me that they would have reported the closed account to XXXX. I told them this was very frustrating as it would hurt my credit score, and asked that they explain the misunderstanding to XXXX. They supervising representative I spoke with refused to do so. I asked if they could tell me the specific department at XXXX they contacted, or a specific representative from XXXX  that they spoke with regarding my closed account, so I could at least contact XXXX and explain the misunderstanding. Again the supervising representative I spoke with refused. I ultimately had to file a dispute with XXXX ( and I uploaded all the supporting documentation that led up to my dispute, showing I did nothing wrong and I have never missed a payment ). 

Now, after all this, my card reflects that I have a balance of {$270.00} and that I accrued {$95.00} in XXXX XXXX ( for using the Synchrony card, the whole purpose I applied for this card ). I am unable to apply the XXXX XXXX to my current balance using the Synchrony phone app or the Synchrony website. I called customer service again this morning and, incredulously, Synchrony will not let me use those points I accrued because they unilaterally closed my account despite no missed payments and what was a clear oversight. Synchrony basically induced me into using their card, with promises of cash back, and then closed my account and will not offer me the cash back that I earned under the agreements of the card. These practices are unconscionable, predatory, and in bad faith.

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