Consumer complaint received 2017-02-09
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: FL
Product: Credit card
Issue: Customer service / Customer relations

Complaint:
My name is XXXX and I writing this letter to complain about Synchrony Bank. I have a Sam 's Club credit card issued by Synchrony Bank. I only used it a few times and carried a small balance on it. I never got a paper nor electronic bill but in XXXX, I was able to log on and paid off that small balance. At the time, I was n't aware that the card had been deactivated but apparently, it had. Synchrony Bank informed me that they had deactivated the card because they had mailed me a new XXXX with a chip which I never got. I found out about this when I tried to use the card at Sam ; s Club to pay for a purchase. After many failed attempts and dealing with uncooperative, rude Synchrony Bank customer representatives, I was told that my card could not be reactivated because neither my home phone nor my cell phone met Sychrony Bank ' security requirements. Synchrony Bank rejected my cell phone because it is under my husband 's name. They rejected my home phone because it is internet-based. Please note that Synchrony Bank never told me in the past that I needed to have a land-line or a cell phone under my name in order to have an account with them. The first time I heard of this rule was when this problem with the card came up. I contacted Synchrony Bank 's headquarters and spoke to a consumer service representative who told me I had no choice but to fax my license so that they could verify my home address. Although I had never been subjected to this before and found the whole procedure irregular, I did. Twice. Every time, Synchrony Bank claimed the XXXX department could not read my license number because it was too dark. I have lived at the same address since XX/XX/XXXX. I 've had the same phone number since XX/XX/XXXX. I deal with other financial institutions using my home address, home and cell phone numbers with no problem. Synchriony Bank refused to accept my cell phone number because it is under my husband 's name. They rejected my home phone number because it is connected over the internet. I am feeling unjustly targeted and feel this is retaliation because I complained. I paid off this card in XX/XX/XXXX. I should be able to use it. I faxed my license twice and they claim they can not read it. I am a law-abiding citizen. My information is easily verifiable. Synchrony Bank never stated in their policies that I needed to have a phone registered to my name in order to maintain an account with them. Yet, they are denying me use of the card that I paid off because my cell phone is under my husband 's name? Because my home phone is connected through the internet? Is this legal? They asked me to fax my license and I did. Twice! It still did not give me use of my card. In fact, they have n't even offered to just send a new card. Nothing. I have other cards from other companies and whenever necessary, they contact me either on my cell phone or home phone. I have never been subjected to the kind of treatment I am receiving from Synchrony Bank and I demand to know why. I am being given the run around and, although I do have other active credit cards, I want to assert my rights to a fair and ethical treatment as I am entitled to. What they 're doing to me is wrong and they can not justify it. Not when I have maintained consistant, regular relationships with other financial institutions. As it stands now, I am still fighting to get use of my card back. The last time I heard from Synchrony Bank was the second week of XX/XX/XXXX in fact, when they left a message on my home phone informing me that they still could not read my license and asked that I fax it again, for the third time. That 's when I decided to contact you. Please help me resolve this matter. 
Thank You for your attention to this matter. 
XXXX

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