Consumer complaint received 2021-07-23
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CT
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Privacy issues

Complaint:
This Credit concern is a Personal Line of Credit, first established c/o PAYPAL and in apx. past five-years managed by Synchrony Bank, XXXX CT. 

Yesterday, XXXX, PayPal website prompted placing a Telephone Call @ XXXX ; Updating of Addresses and Contact Information has been a task for recent-weeks, PayPal includes a separate hyperlink-access to a portion of what is Synchrony Bank settings.

First attempt had a general vagary ahead of any initial-progress ; presenting a telephone on file provided to access account, followed by last four digits for Social Security number preceded what appeared an altered-read of something similar to the US Patriot Act and, then starting the process, a telephone number associated w/ the account was asked for again.

Providing both Landline and Smartphone numbers assuming this to have been updating procedures, once provided smartphone, the male on the recorded line rapidly ushers in a requirement that a 5-second video be submitted to Synchrony Bank prepared hyperlink to be submitted only to SMS Text Message, showing the equivalent of a photo ID Protesting this demand, Synchrony Bank states this being the only manner to update Address on File. Deemed atrocious, the call ends on my own accord. 

Another call is then placed to the same telephone number after searching 'XXXX  ', finding a handle for Synchrony Bank offering assistance, yet not being Official, Registered, or connected to this Lender/Credit Provider. Account has near to 10 years of visibility on this particular public-website.

Connecting w/ another Customer Service agent, clarification was demanded for this invasive and/or predatory practice of generating digital similarities and submitting said digital content, previous conversation having disallowed any other option in order to properly maintain known addresses.

When asked the legality of such a requirement, this process was flatly proclaimed as being legal. Pressed further for what Statute it is attached to this Company Practice,
Synchrony Bank fumbled an attempted response, becoming evasive, terse and halting progress by turning the matter upon my own initiative - labeling my nature as problematic, uncooperative and refusing to abide by their rigid demand.

Asked what would occur should another 15 year account holder have the same wish for accuracy yet not have a smartphone want to update records, a 'Fraud Reporting ' postal-mail address was recommended.

Re-iterating there not being a Fraud issue, Synchrony Bank condescendingly asks if they may continue w/ providing this Mailing Address for a copy of a State Issued ID be mailed. When asked if this is a XXXX CT Address, caller hesitates again. The call is declared over, again by my own accord just after a brief synopsis of how this contact w/ Synchrony Bank has altered confidence in their lending practices and that there exists a channel with the FTC for such occurrences.

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