Consumer complaint received 2022-10-03
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
When I upgraded my cell phone with Verizon they offered me a {$10.00} credit each month if I used their Synchrony Bank XXXX XXXX for auto pay for the cell phone and paperless statement. I agreed to that. Verizon had a Verizon UP rewards program that issued a few dollars each month and I always choose to use it as a credit against my monthly bill. It became very confusing with the Verizon Up points because Verizon would text me ( after paying that month 's bill ) that I had points to use and when I would go on line to have them credited against my bill it would state that I couldn't use the credit against a XXXX balance. For an example, on XX/XX/XXXX I was billed for my Verizon cell phone the amount of {$53.00}. I had reward credits of {$1.00} which I deducted from the bill amount and I paid the credit card for {$51.00}. 
Verizon cancelled the Verizon UP rewards program without notice so I was using these points thinking I was saving {$1.00} XXXX each month. When I incurred Interest and late fees I called Synchrony Bank XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to try to understand what the late and Interest fees on my bill. I spoke to XXXX who basically said that I had an unpaid balance of {$1.00} hence the late charges. This is when I was informed that the Verizon Up reward program had been cancelled. XXXX held her position on the late fees and after much frustration I cancelled the credit card. I began paying the Verizon bill via auto pay by my bank. I paid the balance due of {$55.00} via my bank checking account on XX/XX/XXXX. 
I started getting calls from Synchrony Bank XXXX to call them every day to the current date. 
On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I called Verizon ( on hold for XXXX minutes ) and spoke to XXXX. He said my new bill each month was going to be {$91.00} because I withdrew from their Synchrony Bank XXXX auto pay and paperless statement. This would amount to a {$35.00} increase in my monthly bill. This was not acceptable to me and I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was transferred me to XXXX. In talking with XXXX for close to an hour we set up through Verizon to be able to take the amount of the bill out of my checking account, returned to the paperless statement and my monthly bill was going to be {$59.00} XXXX. 
I returned a call from Synchrony Bank XXXX and was told my account was sent to collections. 
I called Verizon after receiving a bill for {$91.00} to see what had happened. In speaking to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX she was as confused as me and put in a call to the Synchrony Bank XXXX people to try and prevent collections and resolve these issues. After another XXXX minutes specking to The XXXX XXXX it was clear she wasn't going to offer any help on late and interest fees even though XXXX said my account was paid to date. I told them both before I hung up that I was going to file a complaint with FIC. 
It seems to me the the arrangement with Verizon and the Verizon Visa through Synchrony is in conflict. Verizon cancelled the Rewards program without notice that I can recall.

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