Consumer complaint received 2022-04-05
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: ND
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
Summary While I understand fraud prevention is dynamic, Synchrony willfully ignored opportunities to remedy a situation and put the onus and associated stress on me, even though I had already verified myself. Synchrony 's proposed quick fix of the video selfie would have been an invasion of my privacy. Requiring customers to submit video-selfies whenever requested by a financial institution is wrong at face value and could be found unacceptable by a constitutional law expert. 


My Customer Experience from XX/XX/2022 The last time Synchrony prevented me from using my GapVisa credit card, I was only 4 hours away from my home. At that time, I received a text notification which allowed me to confirm it wasn't a fraud attempt. It was all taken care of with one text and one follow-up phone call. In the past, my only complaint about Synchrony card services was that whenever Id call for assistance, it always seemed like I had the wrong phone number, even though I used the one printed on the credit card. I previously enjoyed using this GapVisa credit card for all sorts of purchases including gas, groceries, and online shopping. It seems Synchrony isnt appropriately staffed, to the detriment of card holders and vendors who want to process transactions. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I authorized an out-of-state business to use my GapVisa credit card for a purchase. Synchrony card services didn't provide me with a text or email notification when Synchrony blocked this transaction. ( I have reviewed my inbox, junk mail, and text messages. ) The business eventually called me and said my card wasn't being accepted. I was embarrassed but was reassured that it's likely because of the out-of-state element. 

I called Synchrony card services and spoke with a representative ( sounded like a woman, but I didn't get her name ) around XXXX XXXX She sent me a text message that included a link for me to validate/verify my identity. I clicked on that link, which opened a new browser window that had ZERO further instructions. The same representative then told me that verification was sufficient, and I could continue with my purchase. I called back the business and told them what Synchrony had said : that it was initially stopped because the out-of-state transaction looked suspicious. However, the transaction still didn't work the next time it was attempted. The vendor and I confirmed the number, expiration date, security code, and zip code were correct. 

I called Synchrony again and XXXX said I now needed to send a SELFIE VIDEO and DL photo in order to further verify my identity and that the ENTIRE ACCOUNT had been frozen. The alternative was a standard mail letter with a confirmation code that I wouldnt receive for a week, with my credit card account remaining frozen until completion. I told XXXX that the selfie video request was a violation of my expectation of privacy and not appropriate considering I, the customer, didn't do anything wrong. I was simply trying to make a purchase and had already validated my info with another representative. 

After I asked to speak to someone else, XXXX put me on hold. While waiting on hold, an automated message said something very similar to, " Your call couldn't be transferred, please hang up and try again. '' THIS HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES! Another time, I was transferred to XXXX, who sighed loudly on the phone and said, wow in an exasperated tone. At one point, XXXX hung up on me because he said he couldnt hear me. Im certain my phone wasnt muted on my end and I could hear him the entire time. Another time I was on the phone with XXXX and asked to speak with a manager, he put me on hold and once again an automated message said something akin to, " Your call couldn't be transferred, please hang up and try again. '' Another time, I was on the phone with someone who called himself XXXX. He hung up on me when I asked WHY my account was requiring escalated verification despite my previous validation at XXXX. 

I recall swearing while in-conversation with a representative when I said, " I should be able to buy whatever the f*** I want. '' I was then scolded by the phone representative. I was upset but would never call people names. At one point, I put my phone down and yelled into a pillow. 

While Synchrony card services blocked my purchase attempts on my GapVisa card, they didnt halt the eventual purchase with the out-of-state business using my spouse 's XXXX brand credit card which is also serviced by Synchrony. Not a single issue occurred with that transaction despite us having the same billing zip code. I have closed this GapVisa account with a XXXX balance after almost 10 years of being a customer. 

It should be noted, if I had been a person without a camera-phone in a dire situation, Synchrony bank could have left me without access to funds. 



For the benefit of other consumers, I'd like Synchrony to answer the following questions. Besides that, I'm not interested in hearing from them or providing them with any more of my time. 

1. Why didnt I receive a single fraud notification alert, like in the past? I recall double-checking my settings a few months ago and the alerts were still turned on. 

2. Why werent Synchrony representatives able to put me on-hold without hanging up on me? Its a liability to have folks doing their job incorrectly whether the source is poor training, substandard technology, or a lack-of-care. 

3. Why wasnt I connected with a supervisor? If I was speaking with a supervisor, why didnt they identify themselves as such? 

4. Does Synchrony have employee rating factors that punish folks for escalating calls? 

5. Why wasnt a qualified person able to override the situation when it was clear all transaction attempts were coming from the same business and I provided acceptable verification at XXXX pm?

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