Consumer complaint received 2017-08-19
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NC
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
Amazon closed my card account with them on XX/XX/XXXX. They Never gave notification that the account was closed. I found out my account was closed after I tried to purchase a item and it was declined. After the declined notification, I logged into Amazon to view my account. The account was tagged as being closed and no further purchases were allowed. The billing statement showed a balance of {$470.00} at the time the account was closed on XX/XX/XXXX. I contacted Amazon and questioned why my account was closed. The response from Amazon was that my account was closed automatically by Amazon computer system if a payment was returned. I expressed to Amazon that my bank used, closed its doors to its customers without adequate warning, so the returned payment was not due to my fault. It was a bank error. I was asked by Amazon to provide proof so the account can be reopened. I emailed and faxed over information to Amazon in several instances. I spoke with over 5 different people claiming to be a Amazon supervisor who also claimed they were working on getting the account reopened. It was said to me by at least two individuals that once the account was automatically closed, it would be hard to reopen it unless approved by a supervisor. FUI : No one from Amazon contacted me to let me know the account was closed.
While Amazon looked into the situation, its company continued to bill me late fees on the closed account.
I contacted Amazon and questioned why I was being charged late fees on an account they closed. I again stated the account was closed in error. I was told by customer service at Amazon that the fees were automatically generated and I would have to pay the fees.
I refused. I explained that no where in my contract with Amazon does it state when an account is closed, that late fees would be added to the account if payments were not made on time. The supervisor I spoke with on XX/XX/XXXX begin to raise his voice at me over the phone. When I politely asked him to lower his voice when talking to me, the supervisor apologized for his actions. After the supervisor 's apology, I pointed out my concerns as to why Amazon charged me late fees when it is not in its policy to do so after an account is closed. The supervisor stated that this was common sense for customers to know although it was not written in Amazon store card policy. My next question asked to the supervisor was if he was calling me XXXX or other customers XXXX by saying I myself lacked common sense or possibly other customers that may be having similar issues lacked common sense too? The supervisor again stated that he apologized for his comment. I asked the supervisor to have someone from Amazon card center or Synchrony Bank to contact me in reference to the situation. No one called or wrote me.
Amazon decided to send and place sudden negative information on my credit report. They put " first time late '' status on my report. This was damaging to my credit report and unfair due to the fact Amazon was investigating to reopen the account.
I notified Amazon about this and was told again this was something automated. So my question to Amazon was why would they allow a automatic system have control of and even make decisions to close accounts or report to credit bureaus ... instead of live human beings to ensure accuracy of the information. I again received no real answer. I am requesting that my account be cleared and negativity be removed from my credit report.

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 monetary relief