Consumer complaint received 2018-03-30
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
I am a XXXX-years old woman and I can not recall if I ever applied for an on store credit card through XXXX XXXX when back in XX/XX/XXXX ( allegedly ) I made a purchase of {$27.00} at XXXX XXXX XXXX Store located in XXXX XXXX XXXX. That was allegedly my only purchase and my only transaction made through the mentioned credit card. I dont remember ever receiving it and I have never ever used or activated any credit card from XXXX XXXX. From that day up to XX/XX/XXXX, when I was first contacted by a debt collection agency ( XXXX XXXX ) for the collection of the amount of {$290.00} on behalf of XXXX XXXX, I have never been contacted by XXXX XXXX and I have never received any letter, any written contract any statement of account, any account balance any solicitation to payment, any notification or any other letter from XXXX XXXX detailing my transactions and initial debt or late fee charges. This is the reason why I forgot about my on store credit line with XXXX XXXX and unfortunately also about the only purchase of {$27.00} made on XX/XX/XXXX ( as per copies sent to me by the bank ). I was finally sent a copy of my records ( I can not tell if what the bank sent is a full or partial copy of my records ) only after my daughter contacted the bank on XX/XX/XXXXvia phone and asked for details on my account and copies of my account activity. Prior to that I first heard about XXXX XXXX  last XX/XX/XXXX when I was contacted by the debt collection agency about the collection of the amount of {$290.00} I presumably owed to the creditor XXXX XXXX.

How this happened and how was it possible to send my name and my account to a debt collection agency without making sure I the debtor was previously correctly notified of the existence of my debt, I dont know. I can only assume that based on the copies of the account records the bank sent me on XX/XX/XXXX they listed an incorrect address in their letters if any were ever sent and thus none of those letters were delivered to me, assuming they ever sent any. As per copies sent on XX/XX/XXXX the address on their papers appears to be listed as XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  NY XXXX ( the building number XXXX and the street number XXXX XXXX  are all attached, no dashes, no space, no comma, name of addressee is Last Name First Name instead of standard First Name Last Name order. No Apartment Number is listed. No recommended Zip + 4 code format. Please compare this to the correct address which should instead read as XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX NY XXXX Please consider the fact that I live in a building where having indicated the exact address including the apartment number is of critical importance in order to have the mail delivered as there is no guard or service staff helping post employees in their task. In fact this finally corrected address is listed in the mail I finally received from the XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX office datedXX/XX/XXXX, after prior phone call made by my daughter to the office and prior contacts with debt collection agency. During the calls my daughter has repeatedly brought up the fact that I was not aware of the fact that I had a credit line opened through XXXX XXXX as well as the fact that I have never ever received any letter from XXXX XXXX.

For all the reasons stated above, while I recognize my initial debt of {$27.00} to XXXX XXXX and am willing to pay this debt, I do consider the successive practice of XXXX XXXX consisting in charging monthly late fees on my account without never ever notifying me or without any guaranties ( certified mail, return receipt ) making sure I ever received even a single letter from the bank as an unfair bank practice to say the least and as such in violation of federal consumer protection laws and regulations.

To unfair bank practice would also amount the successive step of sending my account for collection without a prior final notice to me the debtor and without evidence I received such notice. Please consider the fact that I have an excellent credit score having me and my family already paid off a mortgage loan of {$100000.00} in record time. There is no reason for which I would have avoided on purpose to pay a bill of {$27.00} to XXXX XXXX if I was aware of my debt and if I was ever correctly notified by them. Upon receipt of my debt validation letter, the debt collection company wrote to me that my file has been closed and returned to the creditor and that they are no longer pursuing collection activity on my account ( please see attachments ).

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