Consumer complaint received 2024-08-15
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL (AZ)

I am in the process of selling my home and the property title search found a lien from Synchrony Bank XXXX Care Credit dating back to XXXX due to a judgement. The real estate attorney contacted me XXXX weeks ago via email on XX/XX/XXXX to notify me that Synchrony will not release any information for the account to attorney and needed to speak with me. I called the same day and the automated phone response while I was calling provided that I had an outstanding balance of {$4000.00} and when I spoke to a representative to request a payoff statement I was told that Synchrony doesnt provide would have to request the statement through the mail. I explained that this was an urgent matter I was trying to resolve and was told it would take 30 to 60 days to receive a response. The next day on XXXX, the real estate attorney and I called Synchrony together to try to explain the situation with the real estate closing and we were requesting a payoff statement be sent so the balance could be paid at closing to release the Lien and title. In that initial call, a supervisor was requested and told the attorney and myself that the account had a {$0.00} balance and nothing was owed. The attorney asked why a satisfaction of judgement was not filed with the court and we werent given any answer. We were told that I had to write to Synchrony Bank to request a payoff letter and/or satisfaction of judgement for the account. I ended up calling Synchrony a couple more times to verify the balance due and was told it was {$0.00} each time but the automated phone response still provided my account balance was {$4000.00}. 

I sent a written request to Synchrony Bank as instructed and sent it via USPS priority on XX/XX/XXXX and the letter was received on XX/XX/XXXX ( confirmed via signature tracking ). I called Synchrony on XX/XX/XXXX to confirm receipt and request a status. The representative informed me that the request was received and he had sent the satisfaction of judgement to be processed while we were on the phone. He would not provide any further details on the timing or the means by which the request was sent but assured me was handling it. I asked if Synchrony could send a payoff statement in the interim while the satisfaction of lien was in process and was told that they could not do that because they had already processed the satisfaction of lien. That made no sense to me at all. I sent all those details during the call to the closing attorney who advised they would contact the court to follow up on the satisfaction of the lien. 

There has been no update since that time and on XX/XX/XXXX, I called the attorney XXXX XXXX collections attorney ) who filed the judgement to inquire about the judgement and any actions they may have taken, I was informed that the file was closed and they had nothing further to provide. XXXX told me the file was closed by Synchrony and would not give me the date or reasoning. She gave me a phone number Synchrony provided to them to direct the customers to for account details. I called Synchrony the same day on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX to follow-up once again. When I spoke to the representative, I was told to send a written request to resolve the issue. I explained that I had already sent it as instructed and asked to a supervisor who provided his name as XXXX XXXX. I once again had to explain the situation and was told I had to send a written request. I became frustrated and told him I had already sent the request, it was received and he then questioned the address I sent it to. He confirmed the address was correct and then I was placed on hold for several minutes. The supervisor came back on the line and confirmed the request was on file. This was XXXX flag and seemed like the representative who told me the satisfaction of judgment he said had been processed on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX not have been handled at all. The supervisor told me that the balance was forgiven but the judgement could not be satisfied at this time but he said Synchrony was going to contact the court and advise that remediation was in process. He used the term remediation which I can only assume is because the account balance has not been corrected to the forgiven amount of {$0.00}. The supervisor told me to check with the court after 48-hours and the court would provide further instruction. Its now been almost 72-hours and no actions have been taken per the clerk of court nor have I received any information in the mail from Synchrony. I have communicated the importance of this issue being resolved and the title of my property being held due to the Lien. I now face legal consequences of losing the contract on the sale of my home and attorneys fees incurred as a result of the lien that Synchrony holds on my property. I have spent several hours trying to resolve this matter to no avail and I plan to take further action as a result. I am very upset with Synchronys arduous process and lack of action taken to resolve this matter. 

The fact that I, nor my attorney can receive a payoff statement as requested or a satisfaction of judgement to release the title to my property when the balance owed is {$0.00} is absolutely unconscionable and in no way helps the consumer resolve an issue that should have been rectified almost XXXX ago. I was scheduled to close on the sale of my house on XX/XX/XXXX. The date had been extended through an addendum to the contract to accommodate the time period to resolve this matter by Synchrony and this is inexcusable and harmful to the consumer. I do not understand how this business practice is allowed to continue under the guise of consumer privacy and Synchronys policies. I am absolutely at the mercy of Synchrony to handle this issue and its only a one-way communication process. Facts : I can not payoff the balance because no balance is owed. 
I can not receive a payoff statement nor can my attorney I can not have the lien satisfied with the court at this time I have not received a debt cancellation 1099-c filed with the IRS at any point from Synchrony ( I checked all tax transcripts ) The attorney for Synchrony no longer has the file and can not file a satisfaction with the court.