Consumer complaint received 2019-05-23
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: LA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
My PayPal Master Card/Synchrony Bank XX/XX/XXXX statement, closing date XX/XX/2019 showed I had a rewards balance of {$60.00}. In the past I had always redeemed my rewards balance online and applied it to my balance before the due date and then paid off my balance in full so I would have no interest charges. I had done this for about a year with no problems, but this month I was not able to redeem my rewards balance on line. I would get a message that stated " Your rewards redemption failed ''. I thought it was a typical glitch in the system so I would wait a day or two and try again. I tried at least a dozen times but kept getting the same message, so on XX/XX/2019 I decided to try calling the customer support number on my PayPal Master Card/Synchrony Bank statement. I spoke with Tech Support first and was told that there was nothing they could do about it and was transferred to another department and spoke with a lady named XXXX. She told me that there was a glitch in the system and she would check into it and get back with me. I left her my direct phone number but I never heard back from her. I again repeatedly tried to redeem my rewards online but kept getting the same message " Your rewards redemption failed ''. 

On XX/XX/2019 I decided to pay off my pending balance of {$1300.00} less the amount of my rewards balance of {$60.00} and close my account. I then sent PayPal Master Card/Synchrony Bank certified mail on XX/XX/2019 explaining the situation and assumed by this would resolve the issue and Synchrony Bank would apply my rewards to my balance. On XX/XX/2019 I received two letters from Synchrony Bank acknowledging receipt of my letter but have not received any response from them since and now being billed for the balance of {$60.00} + late fees of {$38.00} per billing cycle and interest charges. As of last statement with a closing date of XX/XX/2019 Synchrony Bank is now showing that I owe them a balance of {$120.00}. Synchrony Bank has also filed a delinquency of payment on my credit report which has resulted in a poor credit rating on my current credit report. 

At the time of the rewards problem I was also having issues with Paypal and my Paypal account. My Paypal credit card and my personal Payal account had been frozen because of what Paypal called suspicious activity and I could no longer use my credit card or move any money out of my PayPal account, but oddly they would let me deposit money if I wanted to. Go figure! I tried repeatedly to resolve the issues at PayPal 's request but was unable to do so. To this day my account is still frozen. I tried closing the account but they will not let me close the account. I have had this account with PayPal for about 20 years and had the PayPal/Synchrony Bank credit card for a little over a year, then all of the sudden I became suspicious to them. PayPal was demanding all kinds of information from me, i.e. copies of my bank statements, picture ID, social security number ( which they had on file ), copies of utility bills, etc.

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