Consumer complaint received 2019-02-09
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Application denied

Complaint:
I am in the process of building my credit history by establishing some new accounts, and by making timely payments each month on those accounts. In the process of doing this, I have been relying heavily on the advice that I received from using XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX  respectively, which I believe to be reliable sources. As my credit profile has started to take form, some of the suggestions I have received by the two credit trackers were to open certain accounts to ( among other things ) create a good credit balance and ratio. Despite the usual recommendations on the type of cards to apply for ( e.g., XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX and so on ) one account I decided to apply for was the XXXX   Master Card.

Regretfully, after I applied for the Walmart credit card, I received a denial letter in the mail giving the following reason for denial : Number of Recent Credit Requests. I have reason to believe that this denial reason is not adequate. I have enclosed a copy of my XXXX report that will show that I have no more 3 recent credit requests within the past 90 days, and only 6 inquiries within a 2-year time span ( one of which was for the Walmart credit card ). Also, at the time of the initial credit application, the following inquiry has expired on my credit profile, and should not be included because it has been over 2 years : XXXX XXXX Requested on XX/XX/XXXX *I have recently contacted XXXX XXXX  to have this expired inquiry removed from my credit profile.

Therefore, I wanted to have my application for credit reconsidered by Synchrony Bank, so on or around XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Walmart Credit Services at ( XXXX ) XXXX, and this is where my nightmare began!

After speaking with 2 representatives ( because my call got disconnected on the first call ), I requested to speak with a supervisor. I spoke to a supervisor named XXXX, ID # XXXX  ( I asked her for her ID number specifically ) who assured me that she will submit a request to have my credit application reconsidered without me having to get my credit pulled again, and she also informed me to call back within 20 days to follow-up on this request. Why she told me to call within 20 days, Im not sure.

On XX/XX/XXXX, at around XX/XX/XXXX, EST, I decided to call Walmart Credit Services again, and spoke with the following representatives, and this is what occurred : 1. XXXX, who told me that he could not find my application after I provided my name, address, and social security number, as well as read to him the letter I received at my address in XXXX, NY. I was then provided with a phone number for Consumer Applications at ( XXXX ) XXXX, only to find out that this number was disconnected.

2. After calling back on the ( XXXX ) XXXX phone number, I spoke with XXXX, again explaining that I spoke with a supervisor named XXXX, ID # XXXX, and was following-up on my application only to be informed ( among other things ) that my application for credit would not be reconsidered -- and then my call was disconnected again.

3. I called Walmart Credit Services again, and spoke to XXXX, who said he actually found my application. However, he informed me that I was misinformed, and told me that in order to have my application reconsidered for credit, that I would need to reapply. Meanwhile, no one up to this point was able to identify the previous Supervisor I spoke with several weeks ago named XXXX, ID # XXXX! At this point, I requested to speak with another supervisor.

4. I was connected to a woman named XXXX, who identified herself as a supervisor ( she did not provide an ID number, upon my asking ). XXXX then informed me that Walmart Credit Services/Synchrony Bank did not have a process that will allow them to reconsider my application for credit ( as it is all automated ), and as such, she suggested that I reapply for the credit card. She also informed me that she did not have the ability to locate or identify the supervisor I spoke to several days prior, named XXXX, Operator ID XXXX, because there are several individuals named XXXX, and therefore it would be difficult to this individual. At this point I informed XXXX that I would like to contact the Executive Office for Walmart Credit Services and/or Synchrony Bank to file a complaint. I was provided with the following information : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX Incidentally, after conducting a XXXX search I came up with a name for the CEO for Synchrony Bank ( Creditor ), Ms. XXXX XXXX XXXX ( which was not provided to me when I asked ), as well as an alternate address to contact the executive offices located in XXXX, Connecticut. I am not sure what exactly is going on here, but I find this to be highly unprofessional, and unacceptable!

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