Consumer complaint received 2023-10-04
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Old information reappears or never goes away
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL (CA)

In XXXX  we purchased two air conditioners from Lowes. We purchased them on the 0 % interest plan. In XXXX  at the end of the term we paid off the remaining balance of approx {$3500.00}. Due to an error, the payment left a {$20.00} balance on the account. I do not recall anyone contacting me to address this extremely minor aledged shortage. Why would they think my intent was to defraud them for {$20.00} when I just made a final payment of {$3500.00} Lowes and Synchrony bank proceeded to send derogatory credit reports to the Credit reporting companies which significantly affected my credit score and cost me money due to undesirable interest rates. Late payments were recorded for XXXX - XXXX of XXXX and a charge off was recorded for {$20.00} on XXXX of XXXX. Not only is this amount of charge-off negligible but the late charges were in contradiction to Lowes policy that if the amount of less than {$50.00} it will not be reported to the credit agencies. I learned this by talking to the customer representatives. 

In XXXX of XXXX  I disputed the charge. Lowes and Synchrony Bank reviewed my claim and responded that they had reported the information accurately. In doing so they had my credit report updated to reflect that the charge off had occurred on the date I had disputed the charge. Apparently go retaliate against me disputing the charge in the first place. I know that these departments receive bad marks if they report inaccurately so it is not in their interest to admit a mistake. Now the XXXX credit report shows the late payments as stated above and a charge off of {$20.00} 38 months after it actually occurred. This charge off will remain on my credit report for another 7 years. 

Approx 6 weeks ago I contacted Synchrony Bank and explained the situation. They had indicated that this was indeed a mistake and that they were submitting a claim to have it removed. The premise for acknowledging the wrongdoing was 1- the balance ( {$20.00} ) was it was below the amount they will report ( {$50.00} ) and 2- that apparently there was some kind of a system upgrade and the data conversion may have made the mistake. Despite this, I subsequently received a letter from Lowes and Synchrony Bank stating that the information had been reported correctly and that no changes to my credit report would be made. 

On XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  I again contacted Synchrony Bank at the number indicated on the letter - XXXX. I spoke to a representative XXXX # XXXX. XXXX was not very helpful and did little to help figure out a solution. While he would admit the amount was not large enough to report to a credit bureau, and that the charge off date was indeed XX/XX/XXXX, he did little to help. I would suggest Synchrony listen to the recording to learn from this experience. This type of customer experience is deplorable. He only interrupted me and said the only thing I could do was to write a letter! In this day and age, they want a letter. Probably by fax. 

I am now left with no confidence that Lowes and Synchrony bank will fix this error and as such I feel this complaint is my last resort.