Consumer complaint received 2023-09-11
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NH
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
On XXXX I purchased a treatment plan for dental aligners from XXXX. To purchase my aligners and begin treatment, a representative from XXXX care team walked me through their payment options. Under her advice I set up a payment plan by opening a credit card account with Synchrony Bank/Care Credit . 
- I opened the Care Credit acct to make one purchase of XXXX offered at a 36 month promotional/deferred interest period. A payment plan was set up to pay off XXXX $ a month, estimated to take a total of 28 months to complete. No other purchases have been made with this card. 
- Purchase was made on XX/XX/XXXX, last payment estimated to be XXXX 
- I called Synchrony Bank on XX/XX/XXXX and this information was provided to me by an employee. I was advised that when my original purchase was paid off, the interest accrued on my account would be waived and I could close my account at that point. This was carefully explained to me by the employee with no room for misinterpretation. 
- I made my final payment and CLOSED my account oXXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX alerts for a due payment continued to be sent. I called Synchrony and after being passed around to a variety of departments, employees seemed unfamiliar with the promotion my account was opened under and I was told I must pay off the XXXX $ in interest accrued on this credit card. They suggested I call XXXX aligners to resolve the issue which seems absurd to me. 
- Due to my dispute with these services, I have made no further payments. As a result, late penalties have been accruing and they have notified me they will report this to credit bureaus. 

I'd like to emphasize the terms and agreement were not fully explained to me and were sent after I opened this credit account. In the agreement, there are written examples of promotional periods up to 24 months used to explain their promotional policy. 

I dont have access to any more information on the details of the particular promotional period I was enrolled in either from Synchrony Bank/Care Credit nor my XXXX account. The app used to make payments offered no further information, but directed me to call customer service. The only way I have been able to find any information throughout this ordeal has been by calling the company. 

The only document that was sent to me in writing was the 'Credit Card Account Agreement'- Terms for the lending agreement. 

The document says my account agreement applies to any special promotion, and that any special promotional terms different than the agreement will be explained on promotional advertising and other disclosures provided to me [ Terms explained by XXXX, Customer Services for Care Credit falls under this ]. I have closed my account, and therefore can no longer access any online, past bank statements, documents or other information regarding it. I have no documents I can upload to this complaint. 

The section for Special Promotion Financing in this document outlines the same terms explained to me when I purchased the XXXX kit and what the credit company 's customer service explained to me when I called them on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX 

I have notified my lawyer and this complaint is the next step I have taken to resolve this issue.

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 monetary relief