Consumer complaint received 2022-02-03
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I opened a TJX rewards card online on XX/XX/XXXX ( account XXXX ) while sitting in the state of Colorado. I received the card in the mail within 7-10 business days after opening this card. I did not use this card until XX/XX/XXXX at the XXXX   next to my apartment in the state of Colorado ( XXXX, CO ). On this same day, I received an email from TJX  Rewards, and I ignored it/never opening it assuming that it was an email regarding how I just used my card for the first time, later realizing it was actually an email saying that my statement for that month had closed on XX/XX/XXXX and my payment will be due on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another email stating that my bill was due from my XXXX statement and upon viewing this bill, I saw a charge for {$550.00} only from XX/XX/XXXX. I knew that I had only used my card on XX/XX/XXXX for the first time and only spent ~ {$32.00} and that charge was not on this statement but rather on my XXXX statement. I immediately called the customer service number on the website ( XXXX ) and filed a complaint along with being transferred to the fraud department. After a 37 minute phone call, the women stated that I would hear back regarding the fraud complaint in 30 days by hard-copy mail only. On XX/XX/XXXX, I still had not heard anything, so I called the same number again ( XXXX ), this time speaking with a man who told me that no fraud complaint had ever been filed. Being shocked, since I spent almost 40 minutes on the phone with someone a month ago, the man still stated that he wasn't sure what the issue was but was going to send me a new card and open a fraud complaint. Again, another month passes and I hear nothing, although I did get my new card ( new account XXXX ). On XX/XX/XXXX, I call a different number that I found via XXXX for fraud with synchrony bank. I called them and explained that I had previously open a fraud complaint and still haven't heard anything back. AGAIN, They stated that no fraud complaint was ever noted on my account. I was then transferred to XXXX in the fraud department ( phone number XXXX ) and also XXXX in investigations ( phone number XXXX ) and they successfully marked the charge as fraud. After a few days, I finally received a notice in the mail regarding the fraud charge. On Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter via email from TJX Rewards stating that " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has reviewed your claim and is unable to approve it because you authorized, participated in or benefited from the purchase ''. I called the number on the bottom of this letter ( XXXX ) to appeal this decision. The man, XXXX, on the line stated that the claim was denied because I used " a temporary slip with a passcode that was given to me after I opened the card in the store '', I went on to explain that I did not open the card in any store, that I was sitting in my house in Colorado on my computer when I opened the card. He stated he would re-open the case. Upon calling back the next day to get some questions answered and being that I wanted to provide more proof so it does not get denied again, the person ( XXXX XXXX, stated that in their notes, it actually does not say whether the card was opened in person or online, it just says I used a temporary code that was given. They also couldn't even tell me if the California charge was made in person or online, but they believed it was made in person at the XXXX  in XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I took a look back at my emails, noticed an unopened email from TJX Rewards from XX/XX/XXXX and it was an email with a temporary code, that I had never even noticed nor had I used. I asked XXXX if i could send them this code and email to verify if that was the temporary code used in the fraud charge, however, he stated no that it would not help. I asked how they had proof that I used the temporary code and not someone else, and they did not have an answer. I made sure that my case was re-opened and I asked if I could send proof of where I was on the day of the fraudulent charge ( XX/XX/XXXX ) being that I was actually traveling in the state of Nebraska and clearly not in California. They stated that I could. This is where we are in the case currently. It has now officially be 3 months dealing with this.

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