Consumer complaint received 2016-10-17
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: AK
Product: Credit card
Issue: Identity theft / Fraud / Embezzlement

Complaint:
My ex-girlfriend explained to me she wanted to build her credit and had opened a credit card with Synchrony Bank who administers Care Credit for XXXX and health related charges. She told me she had listed me as an authorized user on the account and asked me to charge my XXXX on her card and pay her directly for the charges. This way she could build her credit rating which was poor. 
I agreed and had XXXX performed and paid her several thousand dollars for those procedures believing it was her card alone and she was paying down the card as the charges came in. In reality, I later discovered she was only paying the minimum monthly payment and leaving the balance in full which was accruing at an interest rate of a usurious 29 percent! 
After separating from her I asked my dentist if I could open my own care credit account. To my shock, they stated that I already had an account open and that I owed over XXXX dollars on it! Evidently, the card she opened on line listed me as a cosigner, not an authorized user. I was never informed of this. I immediately called my ex-girlfriend infuriated and demanded an explanation. She stated that she had never listed me as a cosigner, only listing me as an authorized use. I called Synchrony Bank and told them I was not a cosigner. Synchrony Bank stated I was listed as a cosigner via an online application. I told Synchrony to give me the account number and send me statements of the card and they refused to do so unless I changed the address for billing. I called my ex back and told her I would close the account and she stated if I did so she would never make any payments on it again and then balance was over XXXX dollars at the time. She stated if I changed the account in any manner she would default leaving me the full debt. Synchrony stated I could close the account if I chose to however she stated that if I changed the address or closed the account she would default. She always maintained the account was her account and not mine and I had no right to change anything on the account! 
So, either Synchrony Bank has taken my information from an online application and changed me from a authorized user to a cosigner or the ex-girlfriend listed me as a cosigner not an authorized user without my consent. Either way I am a victim of identity theft and fraud. 

Synchrony bank refuses to release any documentation of the account to me including the account number unless I change the primary address on the account. I explained to them my ex threatens to default completely on the debt if I change the address. Synchrony bank continues to deny me any documentation although they have been informed of the consequences if I change the address. Synchrony bank claims it can not send out statements to me without removing my ex-girlfriends address from their billing list. I find that claim to be ridiculous in light of the circumstances. I believe Synchrony Bank has ulterior motives to get me to change the primary address to myself and this is why they refuse to send statements to XXXX addresses. Thus, I have no documentation or even an account number to file.

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