Consumer complaint received 2019-03-21
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: OH
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX card complaint Synchrony Bank Once again I was faced with deceptive loan practices by Synchrony bank when I purchased a guitar XX/XX/XXXX on XXXX for {$890.00} with a 12 month interest deferred credit card loan through my XXXX XXXX card that is provided by Synchrony Bank. 
Note that many years ago I had previously cancelled an XXXX XXXX  card before due to the same deceptive loan practices. 
The card statement terms and conditions clearly state : You have a deferred interest promotion ( s ) expiring on XX/XX/XXXX. You must pay each deferred interest promotional balance in full by its expiration date to avoid paying accrued interest charges. Please see the promotional purchase summary section on this statement for further details. 
Deferred interest : To avoid paying Accrued lnterest Charges on any deferred interest promotion ( s ), you must pay at least your minimum payment due, if any, each month and the entire applicable Promotional Balance by the Expiration Date. 
Eligible card purchases may be billed under one of the following promotions : No Interest if Paid in Full within 6, 12, 24, months. 
We will charge this fee it we do not receive the total minimum payment due on your account BY 5 p.m. ( ET ) on the due date. 

1. The XXXX XXXX card statement ( attached ) calculated {$25.00} a month minimum payment. However I calculated {$75.00} a month for 11 months and {$74.00} as the final - 12th month payment. I had already made a payment of {$75.00} in XX/XX/XXXX for the XX/XX/XXXX deadline due date. This payment had been credited to my account. The terms state To avoid paying Accrued lnterest Charges on any deferred interest promotion ( s ), you must pay at least your minimum payment due HOWEVER I WOULD accrue interest if I only paid the minimum payment. See # 2 for more issues related to this deception. 
2. As I stated in complaint # 1 above The XXXX XXXX card calculated {$25.00} a month minimum payment. However I calculated {$75.00} a month for 11 months and {$74.00} as the final - 12th month payment. I had already made a payment of {$75.00} in XX/XX/XXXX for the XX/XX/XXXX deadline due date. This payment had been credited to my account. Synchrony does not provide these valid payments on their system. It appears they want to trick consumers. Read on to complaint # 3. 
3. I had calculated {$75.00} a month for 11 months and {$74.00} as the final - 12th month payment. However the Synchrony system blocked me from entering the last scheduled payment of {$74.00}. I tried at different times that on XX/XX/XXXX to make the entry and I was still blocked. Highly deceptive and manipulative in my opinion. Read on it gets worst 4. So I contacted and DOCUMENTED ( attached ) the live chat with a customer service agent ( XXXX and her manager, XXXX ) and told her that the system would not allow me to schedule the last payment. I direct you to the attached terms and conditions which I have also excerpted at the beginning of this complaint. I was making early payments and was told I would incur late fees. I was also told that should I pay off the balance early I would also incur a late fee. Look at the attached script and you will see that I was very clear and concise when I told the agent XXXX that I had already made a payment in XX/XX/XXXX for the XX/XX/XXXX payment and that I could not enter the XX/XX/XXXXlast payment. The degree of deception that I was witness to was appalling and sickening : '' XXXX, I see that all your payments are scheduled for the 10th of every month. However, the due date id the 01st. You will incur late charges. If the payments are not processed by the 01st of every month, late fee will be charged for all your payments. '' " I am referring to the future payments. Also, early payments are not considered for future billing cycle. '' " The payments need to be processed after the statement is generated and by the due date. '' " I am sorry for all these confusion ; however, please know that early payments might also result in late charges. '' " Yes, early payments are not considered for future billing cycle. '' In response to me stating that I would pay off the balance : " Thus, will result in late fee. '' Her manager also chimes in. He apparently is making up his own terms and conditions above and beyond what is documented in the statement : " The due date is 1st of each month. The payment has to be made after the statement date and by the due date. '' Her manager contradicts the customer service agent and says that if I pay off the balance that night would there be no penalty. " Yes. There will be no penalty. '' I have a discount credit of {$50.00} that is being processed through XXXX by the merchant that I purchased the guitar from ( RE : XXXX XXXX ). Once I have recovered that money through this Synchrony XXXX XXXX credit card I will be canceling the credit card. Synchrony continues its deceptive loan practices. This has to stop!

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