Consumer complaint received 2019-08-13
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: IN
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
Some background first. On XX/XX/XXXX I purchased a televison from HH Gregg, in order to get free interest I had to take a card out which was filled out by the clerk and not until after paying the card off did I realize my last name was misspelled, the letter i was in place of an e. I added a washer and dryer on XX/XX/XXXX with the same no interest promotion and paid it all off on XX/XX/XXXX without any interest due. I did not use the card again and let it expire. 
In XXXX of XXXX I discovered an email from Synchrony stating I owed {$3800.00} plus dollars, I contacted the local police and made a report explaining someone somehow used my information I also contacted Sychrony and the call taker explained I would not be responsible. A couple days later I'm telling my son who has the same name but has his own home and he says he and his wife  had applied for a card from Synchony and received one and charged about that same amount. ( we have had issues with the post office sending our mail to each others home ). I recontacted Sychrony to try and get this resolved and my son also called them to try and get it fixed by having the bills go to him  on a new account not tied to me. I was also told I had to fill out a fraud statement which I did. My son gave me the card he received and it was a new number I had never been issued but it was still spelled wrong. 
In XX/XX/XXXX I received a response from Synchrony stating the bill was my responsibily since it was family. I called the fraud department and reiterated that my son was an adult and did not live in my house so he was not a household member nor was he ever on my original credit card, only myself. Also I was told they did not have an application from my son in the computer, however I was shown a heading from Synchony to my son sent to his address. I also received another email stating I had a new card and to activate it. Since I did not want a new credit card to begin with I never activated this card but Synchony took the charges my son made on the second card and transferred them to this third card which was not activated. 
I cant imagine some of this is legal. If it is any child of any age ( even ones who have broken off all contact with parents ) could intercept their parents mail and buy all sorts of things and never be responsible for any of it. How can credit card companies activate cards without the recipient accepting the card let alone switching from card to card.Why have a number to call to activate if they can do it without your permission. My son is XXXX years old, has his own family but Synchony is saying I'm still responsible. Seems pretty unethical. Additionally does my name being misspelled play any role at this point? I have worked hard at keeping things paid on time and not having debt and I don't want to be in the middle of this when I made none of the purchases.

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