Consumer complaint received 2020-04-21
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't increase or decrease your credit limit

Complaint:
I, like many around the world, fell on hard times during this pandemic due to Covid-19. It began XXXX when my payment was due. {$27.00}. Due to the looming threat of the virus, my work had slowed down tremendously. I wasn't able to make a payment until XXXX. I assessed a late fee and paid the minimum. I was then laid off XX/XX/XXXX. I applied for Unemployment Benefits, but so had most of XXXX XXXX. I was not able to receive benefits until a month later. After having to pay rent and for food, I was not able to pay my Synchrony Bank Amazon Credit Card bill for the month of XXXX. Something about eating and having shelter over my head seemed to make more sense. I received a call about payment and after explaining my situation, I was granted a deferment. I was very appreciative. I then received an email from them on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX saying that i had a letter from them. I clicked the link and logged in and there was a letter saying that they would remove all late fees and reports of delinquency to my credit report. It was dated XX/XX/XXXX. I was grateful, but it also felt unnecessary since I was only a week late with a minimum payment of {$27.00}, but ok. It wasn't like I was a month or two of not paying, ignoring calls, etc. 

I thought all was well, until today. I looked at my credit report and it had dropped by 20 points do to a credit decrease of {$760.00}. The company to do this? Synchrony Bank Amazon Credit Card. The decrease raised my credit utilization to 89 % for this card. Unbelievable. I thought that maybe this could be resolved. I contacted the company. This was my experience : 1st Time : I called and was picked up on. I explained that I would like know why my card limit was decreased and explained that it had dropped my credit score by 20 points. The response of the representative was 'Let me check something. ' I was placed on hold with a horrible loud and annoying message saying 'You are on hold. ' repeatedly. After six minutes, I could not listen anymore and hung up. I called back. 

2nd Time : I called and spoke with someone and explained the limit decrease and credit score drop. I was told that I was sent a letter on XX/XX/XXXX to my email, explaining the credit decrease. I checked my email. I checked my spam. I even checked my trash which doesn't get emptied until a month after something is deleted. There was nothing there. I explained that the only email I had received was the letter explaining they would remove reports of delinquency. He had no answer for me other than, 'I don't know what to tell you, we sent it. ' I asked if they could resend it. They said 'no '. I asked if I could have the reason and he again mentioned the letter that I did not receive. I asked if I could have my credit restored or the decision reversed and he said he could not do that. He said hat I had two late payments. I said, 'No I had one late payment. The other was deferred. Also, its a little hard to make payments during this time, I think its 'XXXX  ' you guys are decreasing people 's limits during a pandemic when they may need it most. ' ( I'm from the XXXX XXXX, so I cuss ) He asked me not to swear, so I amended my statement and replaced 'XXXX  ' with 'garbage ' and was hung up on. 

3rd Time : After being hung up on for no reason whatsoever, I contacted them thru Live Chat. I've attached a transcript of the conversation. Basically the same conversation, but with something different this time. I told them I would be reporting this to the CFPB and they asked me if i would like to apply for a credit line increase and what my annual income is. Now, here is something that is really cold and heartless to do. Especially, because I had a good job and made a livable amount of money until I was laid off due to all this. I told them that they had my information and asked them to restore my credit limit to {$1400.00} like it used to be. The representative said she needed my salary. I gave her what I made last year. It wasn't approved. I told her that her company was horrible and that they were XXXX. Because they are. 

I am not really worried about having the credit limit increased so I could go on a shopping spree. I hope, like most Americans, to have access to it if I would need to. For piece of mind. But it's mainly for my credit score. And these guys lowered it with their actions and then humiliated me by making me beg them for it back. And didn't do it. During a time of uncertainty. We could get sick. Industries could go away forever. Unemployment could rise even more than it has. All this is happening and XXXX XXXX is making XXXX XXXX dollars. Synchrony bank is XXXX  people over for {$27.00} and Amazon 's stock went up when everything is crashing. And during it all these guys are cutting people 's credit limits. What if I had needed that money to get my kid diapers. Or buy formula or clothes or whatever for my family. Every other company and CC company has been great and helpful. These guys ' are trash.

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