Consumer complaint received 2020-04-17
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: GA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
I opened an account with Care Credit on XX/XX/XXXX to pay the balance on a medical bill so I would have more time to pay it so it doesn't go to collections. Approved credit limit is {$1500.00}. I was given the account number over the phone so I paid my doctor 's bill on XX/XX/XXXX and charged the full amount {$1500.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX I get a notification from my XXXX credit monitoring service that my CareCredit account has exceeded its credit limit. 

I called CareCredit to inquire about this on XX/XX/XXXX I was informed that my billing cycle closed on XX/XX/XXXX so the credit protection had been processed and added to the bill and therefore this is why it's showing I'm over my credit limit. I asked how my billing cycle could have already ended on XX/XX/XXXX when the account wasn't opened until XX/XX/XXXX and I didn't actually receive the card and terms and agreements in the mail until XX/XX/XXXX. I was told by a customer service agent and two managers that the billing cycles are assigned to accounts randomly and that there was nothing that could be done to fix this on my credit report. One manager also told me that I agreed to the terms and agreements when I made a charge to the card. I asked her if she could tell me where in the terms and I agreements I could find a statement that tells the consumer that their billing cycle is randomly assigned and could close before they even receive the actual card so be careful of making charges immediately because if you max out your credit and have purcahsed credit protection it will take you over your credit limit and will be reported as such on your credit report. The manager stated to me that I had a valid point and that is not stated anywhere in the terms and agreements but there was still no recourse. I was approved for a {$1500.00} credit limit. The charges showing with the credit protection charges added were {$1500.00}. I asked if they could report my credit limit as {$1500.00} so it will not show asI exceeded my credit limit. I was told the only way to do this was to request a credit limit increase. I told her I did not want another request on my credit and that I initially requested a {$2000.00} credit limit but was only given {$1500.00}. The manger informed me that the credit increase request would be a soft inquiry to my credit report and I gave her permission to proceed with the credit increase request amount for {$1600.00}. The credit increase request was denied. I was told I could cancel the credit protection. I asked if canceling the credit protection would remove the history of the high balance because it will still show that I exceeded my credit limit. I was told that they could not do that either. 

I do not feel that I should have to be forced into having this negative information impacting my credit report when I was not given the appropriate information before hand about the billing practices so I could make an informed decision about when I chose to make a charge to the credit card. I was never informed as to what specific date add-on charges are calculated and added to the account.

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