Consumer complaint received 2021-02-25
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: TX
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
I have had the Amazon XXXX XXXX XXXX serviced by Synchrony Bank since they were offered in XXXX. Payments were always made on time and in full. I have never carried a balance, my account has been and continues to be on auto-pay, attached to a checking account with plenty of funds. I have impeccable credit, with a credit score of XXXX per XXXX, so I am not a risky customer. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an alert from XXXX that my Synchrony Bank account was closed as " either settled for less than the balance or because you haven't used it in a while '' and that this may negatively affect my credit score. I logged onto my Sychrony Bank account and, indeed, it showed it was closed on XX/XX/XXXX. I called the Synchrony Bank customer service number ( XXXX ) and was told it was closed due to " high risk of non-payment. '' I have a {$6000.00} credit line, my current account balance is {$220.00} and it is due on XX/XX/XXXX ( a week from now -- not overdue ). I do not know why they felt my account was at high risk for non-payment. 

I asked to speak with someone about why this has happened and to see if it could be rectified, and I was told there is no human to talk to and that closed accounts can not be reopened. I requested a review of the situation, and on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Synchrony Bank as follows : -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding your Amazon.com Store Card account. 
We have reviewed your request and are unable to accommodate for the following reasons : We are unable to reinstate your credit line on this account. If you are interested in establishing a new account, you may apply in the store or online. 

Any charges made to your account will remain and subject to the cardholder agreement governing your account. Please refer to your next billing statement for your balance and payment due date. 
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - They are unable to review my account because they are unable to do so? This is not an answer. I have mailed a letter to Synchrony Bank asking for a person to review the closure, in the event a computer algorithm falsely identified something as a risk. I have now had my credit score ruined and have to file this Consumer Finance complaint and call the credit bureaus due to no fault of my own.

I can not determine what caused Synchrony Bank to close my account. I did explain to them in my letter that I have been traveling for the past couple of months and have ordered a few necessities ( vitamins, hair care products ) from Amazon to be sent to me at some temporary locations while traveling, uncertain if this caused any alarm ( although I should be able to send Amazon orders to anyone at any address ). And because of my travels I had to purchase a new laptop and cell phone, which may have required me to re-authorized access to my account on those devices. I was never alerted about any potential fraudulent activity on my account or unauthorized access, and I have seen no unauthorized charges. Any other bank would contact me if they suspected fraud, give me a new account number, and there would be no problem.

I checked my credit score with XXXX today, and it shows a credit score drop to XXXX with the notes that there has been a " serious delinquency '' and " too few accounts currently paid as agreed ''. These issues are false, and if this is what has been reported by Synchrony Bank to the credit bureaus, they are committing fraud against me. Perhaps they have confused me with another customer, but this needs to be fixed immediately. 

Through no fault of my own, I am now having to repair my credit due to the actions of Synchrony Bank. I am closing my purchase of a house next week, and if I was in the process of getting a mortgage for that I would be at risk of losing my loan! Fortunately, I am paying cash, but this is an unacceptable situation. I am not in financial trouble, and would appreciate assistance rectifying these actions by Synchrony Bank.

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 non-monetary relief