Consumer complaint received 2017-02-28
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: PA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Other bank product/service
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
Wednesday, XX/XX/2017 -- While on the Norwegian Getaway, I decided to attend an art auction put on by Park West Gallery. I talked to XXXX at the registration table and told him I was interested in attending but did not have my Collectors credit card with me. He said that the card numbers " were only an email away ''. I went to the auction, and agreed to " reserve '' a painting and we set an appointment for later in the evening to finalize the sale. I attended the meeting and told the Art Director, XXXX, that my friend had been on a cruise recently and for using her card that she did not physically have with her, she was given a free piece of art. He said he would do the same. He then attempted to talk me into additional purchases. I declined and told him to put the {$220.00} + the shipping/ appraisal purchase on my existing card. I later found out that he had opened a new credit card earlier that day without my knowledge or permission. 
Thursday, XX/XX/2017 -- I noticed that the charge was put on my room account instead of the existing card. Later that evening, my friend XXXX and I attended a VIP event where there was no auction. They pressured her into making a reserving a piece by XXXX at the price of {$12000.00}. 
Saturday XX/XX/2017 -- I attended another auction alone and was pressured into " Reserving '' an acrylic on acrylic statue by XXXX for the same price ( {$12000.00} ). I was also asked, by one of the assistants XXXX (? ), if I could bid on the piece XXXX was going to buy as a formality. She said that the piece had to come across the bidding floor. I agreed as it seemed legitimate. A meeting to finalize my sale was set up for later in the evening. At some point in the day, I decided NOT make the purchase. I did attend the meeting since I had agreed to be there. I also wanted to have the purchase of the original piece moved from my cabin to my original Collectors Club card. It had more than enough available credit to make the purchase. I walked into the meeting and before I could tell XXXX that I had changed my mind, he told me that he had good news for me. That he had found an existing credit card in the system and that between that and what I had as available credit on my existing card, the XXXX piece would be covered.I then told him that I had decided against the purchase and to move the original purchase from my ship account to the existing card I had. After a high pressure conversation to convince me to keep the XXXX piece, ( he even told me that since XXXX was very ill, if, XXXX forbid, he were to pass away, the value would increase. And if it did n't increase to the amount I thought was right, I could refuse the purchase. ) He said that Park West Gallery would put the statue on hold for 1 year ... ..in a hold location ... and that I could cancel at any time before that year was up. I still declined. He then ripped up the paperwork that he had already prepared and moved the cost of the original purchase to my original card. He then turned his attention to my friends purchase. The same offer was made to her and she agreed along with being told that she could also have a free piece. We agreed to have it put in my shipping tube so she could save the {$35.00} cost. 
Wednesday, XX/XX/2017 -- A new Park West Collector 's card arrives in the mail. Per the paperwork attached to the card, it has {$5000.00} limit, but per the Park West website and XXXX credit report, it has a {$10000.00} limit. I checked the Synchrony web-site ( they hold the credit card for Park West ) and sure enough, there was a new card on my profile I have contacted Synchrony and Park West Gallery but have yet to receive any calls back.

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 non-monetary relief