Consumer complaint received 2021-01-31
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: TX
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Personal information incorrect

Complaint:
As offered on their website, I applied for a Credit Card with XXXX XXXX XXXX  / XXXX. 
On XX/XX/2020, I received a response back, via email on Synchrony Bank letterhead stating : Your request was denied for the following reason ( s ) : Credit bureau reports applicant is deceased. 
I am not deceased, I have never been deceased, I have no intention of being deceased any time soon. 
Their email states : Some information used to make this decision was obtained from the consumer reporting agency ( agencies ) listed below. This consumer reporting agency ( agencies ) did not make this credit decision and is unable to provide you with the specific reason ( s ) for our action. 
If you believe there may be information on your credit bureau that is not correct, we suggest you contact the consumer reporting agency below to verify the information. 
If more than one agency is disclosed the reason ( s ) shown are based on the report provided by the first listed agency. XXXX , XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX XXXX I contacted Synchrony Bank, and was basically told that I could not speak to anyone there about my credit rejection, and that Synchrony Bank refused to contact XXXX or anyone else to clear up the false statement in their letter that I was dead. 
A credit report was requested from XXXX, which showed all my accounts current and did NOT show that I was dead. 

XXXX indicates that they get information from various other sources in reporting back to Synchrony Bank, but that whatever false information they gathered, they dont keep any records of, so there is no way to find out who is reporting me as being deceased. 
-As it turns out, XXXX is just a dummy XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX XXXX 
The credit inquiry was sent, Return Receipt. 
I used the USPS system to track the letter and discovered that any correspondence does NOT go to California. Instead, the mail is forwarded to some secret place in XXXX, Georgia. 
Anyone using the USPS return receipt system, for which you have to pay, is not allowed to know where any correspondence with XXXX actually goes. 
-There is no telephone number for XXXX other than a computerized service which just takes your information in a long convoluted process, the same as the online form. You are not allowed to speak any actual person. 
-There is an alleged Fax number for XXXX XXXX which was tried many times and the XXXX office indicated the signals they were hearing on the dialup showed the machine was just turned off. 

-XXXX also responded along with their consumer credit report : A copy of your XXXX , XXXX ( 'XXXX '' ) report is enclosed. 
Please note that XXXX also. acts as a reseller of certain credit data and other information provided by XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX ( 'XXXX '' ) ( the XXXX XXXX '' ). 
If XXXX prepares a credit score for a client ( typically a credit grantor ), XXXX may include XXXX Data in such score. 
XXXXdoes not retain the XXXX XXXX used to prepare such credit score. 

If you are interested in obtaining your XXXX consumer disclosure report, please contact XXXX and they will assist you in obtaining a copy of your credit report. XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  If you believe any information in your XXXX consumer disclosure report is incorrect, you have the right to dispute the accuracy and/or completeness of the information directly with them. 

Summary : XXXX is indicating they are protected from any legal action resulting from denial of credit by filing false information against the credit applicant, and so is everyone else involved. 
The consumer has No rights, No one to speak to, No recourse. 
There is NO record or indication in ANY credit report from the 3 major agencies, nor any of the entities listed above that indicate that I am Deceased.

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