Consumer complaint received 2022-01-11
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, a contract was entered into with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CA XXXX ) for completion of two exterior hardscape projects at our home address. An addendum to the contract was also signed on XX/XX/XXXX for an addition to the backyard project scope. 

The first project was for backyard improvements in the amount of {$58000.00}. The second project was for front balcony XXXX in the amount of {$7200.00}. So, the total for the two projects was {$65000.00}.

The two projects were to be financed through two Synchrony Bank cards ( one in my name XXXX XXXX for {$35000.00} ( + {$29.00} activation fee ), and one in my wife 's name XXXX XXXX for the remaining project balance of {$30000.00} ( + {$29.00} activation fee ) with a special XXXX, no-interest financing promotion. Original statements showing the charges can be provided by your request. The Synchrony Bank address we sent our letters to is XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX. 

The contracts signed for the cards on XX/XX/XXXX, stated that the cards would not be charged until the projects were complete. However, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX charged the full amounts to the two cards before any work was even started and Synchrony allowed those charges to occur ( charges levied on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. In my opinion, this is a violation of the terms of the credit card agreements. 

The backyard project ( {$58000.00} + {$29.00} ) was finally completed in XX/XX/XXXX ( see attached email string between myself and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). However, on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX stated they could not perform the balcony improvement project work and agreed to cancel the project and refund the {$7200.00}. I confirmed my conversation with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX regarding the cancellation and refund of the balcony project amount of {$7200.00} via email to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX office manager XXXX XXXX ( attached ). 

We began to get the runaround from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX about the refund, with XXXX XXXX stating she would forward my information to " Upper Management ''. 

With no refund forthcoming by XXXX XXXX, we wrote to Synchrony Bank initially on XX/XX/XXXX. I stated in my letter that I disputed the charge of {$7200.00} because the work was never performed and also pointed out that the card never wasn't supposed to be charged in the first place until the project was completed. Synchrony Bank responded with a form letter saying that their investigation would take up to 60 days and that they would advise us of the outcome. We did not receive a response at all from Synchrony. In following up with a Synchrony Bank customer dispute supervisor by phone on XX/XX/XXXX, we were advised that the investigation had been closed, but she couldn't understand why from the notes. She stated the dispute would be reopened based upon the information we provided her on the phone call. Again, we never received a response from Synchrony Bank. We wrote to Synchrony Bank again on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX. In my XX/XX/XXXX letter, I told Synchrony Bank I expected them to respond within XXXX weeks given the already lengthy delays I'd experienced. I also sent a copy of the XX/XX/XXXX letter and attachments to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, I still have not received a response from Synchrony Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. In attempting to call Synchrony Bank last week to get a status update, I was on hold for XXXX minutes before the phone was answered. When I explained the situation and asked to speak with a supervisor, I was told I'd be put on hold for a brief XXXX minutes and then a supervisor would come on the line. After waiting another XXXX minutes, I hung up in total frustration with Synchrony Bank. 

In my opinion, fraud has been committed by a dishonest general XXXX company, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and resolution of this crime has not occurred because of both their dishonesty and by Synchrony Bank for allowing XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to violate the terms of the credit card agreement with us by charging the accounts before any work was performed, and then failing to respond to our numerous dispute letters. Please assist us in getting this matter resolved and a credit issued in a timely manner. Also, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need additional documentation. 

Respectfully, XXXX XXXX

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