Consumer complaint received 2019-08-16
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit 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 XXXX XXXX, I made a purchase from XXXX XXXX Jewelry in XXXX XXXX, NV, of a wedding band that was to be made to fit with my engagement ring. The jeweler 's representative talked me into signing up for deferred interest financing of the purchase, which under normal circumstances would be fine, however this was not a normal transaction. Within 72 hours, I contacted the jeweler 's representative and asked to her to cancel this the wedding band, as it was determined by my husband and myself that purchasing both rings at one time would be too expensive. 

The jeweler claimed they could not cancel the purchase, that it was special order. However, the wedding band would be required to be made AFTER the engagement ring so it could fit properly next to and under the engagement ring. I insisted the order be cancelled and reiterated that cancelling at that point, less than 3 days after the purchase, would not cause the jeweler any harm as there is no way the ring had been started since it would not occur for at least 21-30 days from the time of purchase to allow time for the engagement ring to be made. They continued with the process of making the engagement ring and ignored our future requests to cancel the wedding band. I made multiple attempts to contact the owner of the company to discuss the matter, however we were always told he was out of town. It wasn't until we left a negative online review of our purchase that the owner decided to send a threatening email which stated he would have his attorney file libel charges for making false allegations against him online. 

The jeweler took over 90 days to make the engagement ring, and despite insisting multiple times to cancel the wedding band, they stated they made it anyway. However, the engagement ring was sent but we never received the unwanted and cancelled wedding band order, DESPITE BEING CHARGED IN FULL FOR BOTH. 

The jeweler charged us IN FULL, for BOTH rings on the date of purchase, which had a 12 month deferred interest promotion. We have disputed the wedding band portion of the purchase several times with Synchrony Financial, the credit card issuer, and each time they NEVER contacted me despite providing them with proof of cancellation request shortly after purchase. The issuer also continued to count the time during dispute as part of the 12 months of the special promotion period, even though we fully dispute the purchase. 

We have even gone so far as to travel all the way from our home in Florida all the way back to XXXX XXXX to resolve the issue, however the owner refuses to give us equal compensation for the wedding band purchase. We have gone above and beyond in attempts to resolve this, yet the credit issuer, Synchrony, refuses to protect us as consumers, from an unscrupulous Jeweler. Its been 15 months and we are still being charged for an item we did not want, do not have, and now we have been charged deferred interest on the purchase by Synchrony Financial. This is just not right, we deserve to have rights when making purchases.

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