Consumer complaint received 2023-12-20
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: MA
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
On Tuesday XX/XX/23 I dropped off a package to USPS. Maybe an hour or two later after I dropped off the package, I received a text message that said they could not send my USPS package and needed my credit card info to return the package.The text message had a link to click on and asked for my name, my address, phone number, and email address. Because I had just sent a package earlier in the day I thought this was a legitimate text from USPS and clicked on the link on the text message and put in all the required information. I entered my name, address, phone number, email address and entered my Synchrony Bank TJX rewards master card information. 

Two days later on XX/XX/23 at XXXX, I receive an email from DICKS Sporting Goods saying I just made an online purchase of {$980.00} for items I never bought and never authorized. I immediately called the number on the back of my TJX rewards mastercard to report the unauthorized charges and to close my account and send me a new credit card. At XXXXXXXX XXXX  that same night, I receive another email from DICKS Sporting Goods saying the items are ready to be picked up. And at XXXX I get another email from DICKS Sporting Goods saying the items were picked up. I NEVER bought the items online, authorized the charge on my credit card for those items, or picked up the items purchased on my credit card that night. I was home and did not leave my house at all that evening. 

When trying to figure out how my credit card information was stolen and used, I remembered the odd text I got two days earlier from what I thought was USPS. I reviewed the text and realized the text was from an XXXX email account and NOT from USPS. It was then that I realized this text was a fake text and a scam that unfortunately tricked me into putting my information. 

My fraud claim from the Synchrony Bank Fraud Investigation Unit had been denied multiple times even after I called to appeal the decision and sent them copies of the emails I received from DICKS, a picture of the scam text message, and an explanation of what happened. I received a letter from Synchrony Bank Fraud unit saying my fraud claim was denied because the items were shipped to my address, and that I authorized, participated in, or benefited from the purchase. I now have to pay {$980.00} for items I NEVER authorized and items I NEVER picked up or received. According to the emails I received from DICKS, A XXXXXXXX XXXX  baseball bat and a XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX was purchased with my credit card and my name, address, email address were used for the online purchase. I would NEVER purchase those items.Ii do not play baseball and no one i know or in my family does. And i have NO IDEA what a XXXX XXXX XXXX is or what it does. I would NEVER purchase these items. I do not trust that in the future, if my card is stolen and used, that Synchrony Bank fraud unit will do a proper investigation and fear that I will owe money for fraudulent charges again. For this reason, I have canceled my credit card account. I am disappointed in their decision, as I have had this card for many years and never missed my payments. 

I do not believe I should have to pay for items I did NOT authorize from my credit card. I will also not be using or recommending any future credit cards from Synchrony Bank if this issue is not resolved.

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