Consumer complaint received 2021-03-26
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: ME
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Charged too much interest

Complaint:
I logged into my credit card account yesterday with intentions to pay my remaining balance in full only to discover compounded interest charges had been added to my balance. When I made the original purchase interest charges were 0 % for 18 months as long as the balance was paid in full. Covid-19 has affected my financial landscape. I am not currently working, and yet I made my monthly payments and am still committed to fulfilling my responsibility and paying off my balance. 

I called the credit card company early XXXX  to discuss my options regarding the 18 month interest deferral window. I did not ask for immediate relief, as many debtors were during this time. I wanted to continue to pay my monthly payments, even if it was a challenge given the circumstances. I knew that the effects of covid would have an impact on my ability to pay the entire balance within the 18 month time frame, so I called to request a 2 month grace period to allow for me to recover from the financial hardships I just faced. The agent was understanding and told me that was something they would provide a 2 month grace period at the end of the 18 months, and to call back when I was ready to pay the balance and they would take care of any interest charges, as long as I paid the remaining balance within the 2 month grace period. 

I reached out to the credit card company yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX and not only were they rude ( I spoke to one agent and 2 managers- the agent was respectful, the managers were rude ) but they said they did not have a record of my call in XXXX, and there was nothing they could do. They told me had I called before XX/XX/XXXX they would have been able to accommodate a 30 day grace period but they were not going to honor the 2 month grace period, and that they did not have a record of the XXXX call. I do not know if they were being truthful regarding notes on my conversation with the original agent from the XX/XX/XXXX call, if they deleted it, if the original agent was so busy given the many calls they must have been receiving around that time ( because many people were financially affected by covid and seeking relief ) and didnt record it. I do not know what is going on. I do know I spoke to someone and I was told I had a 2 month grace period, and now that is not being honored. I can not control whether the agents are doing their job correctly and documenting conversations as they should. I spoke to someone and they authorized a 2 month grace period, and now I am being charged {$470.00} in interested charges. First the agent said they couldn't extend the 18 month timeframe, and then they said they COULD have accommodated 30 days. It seemed like they just didn't care and were purposely trying to be difficult. 

I have made my monthly payments, I intend to pay my remaining balance in full. I am asking for Lowes to honor what the agent I spoke to on XX/XX/XXXX said would be done. I have been a loyal customer, and I am very disappointed in how this is being handled, especially in light of the circumstances. We are in the middle of a pandemic and I did the responsible thing by calling ahead of time and was given an accommodation that I was counting on and was ready and willing to adhere to only to find out I was misrepresented, or an agent dropped the ball.

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