Consumer complaint received 2019-10-27
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: TX
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
I made a payment via money order to Synchrony Bank for {$110.00} for my XXXX 's account. I emailed the company that I would be making this payment by mail XX/XX/2019 which was before my due date on the XXXX of month. I have paid this account for approximately 22 months and this is the first time paying via money order and the first problem with Synchrony. I double checked my online account to make sure this payment was received by XX/XX/2019 ( my due date is the XXXX of the month ). The payment was not posted. I had no choice but to make a second payment to XXXX online on XX/XX/2019 because I wanted to keep my account in good standing. I emailed the company ( 2nd written communication ) to inquire where my first payment via money order went because the payment did not post by 9/11/19. Also, I informed the company I made a second payment and that I would like to apply these payments to XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. On the company website, a customer is allowed to post up to 12 months of payments with a date for each payment and I had already let them know my dilemma with these payments. Several days after XX/XX/19, I noticed my online account stated the money order posted to my online account on XX/XX/19 and the online payment on XX/XX/19. This is strange because the money order posting was not done by XX/XX/19 which forced me to make sure my account was current by making a second payment. This is a deceptive practice. Why did they not update my account if they received the payment on XX/XX/19? Either someone was withholding the fact they had the money order and knew this would force a good paying customer to pay anything to keep the account current or they wanted me to ignore that the payment had not cleared and make up a date to post after XX/XX/19 which would force me to be late on my account. I was never late. I paid XX/XX/2019 on time and I sent an extra payment. I asked the company in writing on XX/XX/19 to apply those payments as I asked since no one would get back to me regarding my payments. I emailed the company again on XX/XX/19 ( 3rd time ) regarding this payment issue and I received a response about a week later on XX/XX/19 that my payment of {$110.00} was received and money would be applied to my account and they gave me a balance reducing my account by {$220.00} ( for the 2 payments I had made ). I thought everything was cleared up, but on 10/19/2019 at XXXX, I received an email stating I owed {$250.00} on XX/XX/2019. I called company on XX/XX/2019 and asked why I am being asked to pay double again plus incurred a late fee. The initial agent said that he could not help me so I asked for a supervisor. I was transferred to " XXXX '' who told me should would expedite my account but she was not a supervisor. She reassured me that she would take off the late fee of {$28.00}, apply the payments for XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. The other issue would be to fix how they dinged my credit from {$6000.00} to {$1900.00}. I now have {$300.00} to spend which will not buy anything at a XXXX 's store. I planned to buy something, but I will not now, not after this fiasco. All I was trying to do was keep my account current and stay on my budget. I can not afford to make double payments all the time. I feel someone manipulated my account and now that I am reading up on the various reviews about Synchrony that this type of tactic is common in their bad business practices. I have been a good paying customers with several accounts. I am upset. By XX/XX/XXXX, my online account showed my balance the same {$1500.00}, the late fee waived, the credit limit at {$1900.00} not {$6000.00} and that I am late and owe {$220.00}. So, I emailed the company again. I also went onto the site where it indicates to contact them at a special email that goes to the Office of the President. They want you to email them directly first before complaining to the XXXX, FTC or CFPB. I have been communicating with them constantly throughout this issue and no one from Synchrony will help me. I received a call on Friday XX/XX/19 from XXXX. She read about my dilemma and said there was nothing she could do except to mail back {$110.00} ( one payment ) to me and then I could afford to pay them {$220.00} that I owe for XX/XX/2019. Why would any company do that when they have the money already to apply to my account? That check they would send to me would put me on notice in writing by the company and force me to be late when I never was. I refused XXXX in that regard. I work in the legal field and understand why they are trying to force me to accept a check back from them, but that is not correct business practices. The company should apply the second payment to XX/XX/2019 and reinstate my credit since I was never late. If they put documentation within their website that you are allowed to make payments in advance, then why are they accepting these 2 payments for XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/2019 when it was their fault for never posting the original payment on XX/XX/19 as they did after 9/11/19 ( my due date )? I feel duped. These are deceptive practices. I specifically asked them to apply the payments to XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXXwhich they did not and to not charge me a late fee and they did. I asked XXXX to find me a supervisor who will correct this. I have filed a report with the XXXX. My next step after emailing CFPB will be to go to the Attorney General 's office in Texas where I live, Ohio ( company HQ ) and Florida ( where the company accepts its payments ). I think Synchrony needs to be investigated for their business practices and withholding payments which were received and not properly posted and forcing its customers to make extra payments and not applying the payments properly in that regard. Something is not right here especially after reading multiple reviews where other consumers have faced the exact same issues and the company continues this bad business practice. This is not good customer service when customers are entrusting Synchrony with their hard money that they expect to properly post to their accounts. I expect my payments to be appropriately applied to XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/2019 and for any late fees and/ or indications of late fees and payments to be removed from my credit account and also for my credit to be restored. My credit was dinged due to this and I have been paying this account for almost 2 years and even paid off another account for XXXX 's at the same time as this account was activated. I am not a deadbeat and I do not appreciate Synchrony not working with me to remedy this situation. I need help in order to keep my account current so that I can continue to pay them {$110.00} and possibly make another purchase. After this mess, I have loss faith in the company. It is not fair to me as a good paying customer to deal with this and feel helpless when I did nothing wrong. I sent those payments in good faith and the company failed to make this right. I just want this to be remedied as soon as possible and as I have asked repeatedly to no avail. Thank you.

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