Consumer complaint received 2024-08-05 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Card opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year> at XXXX, I visited Sam 's Club in XXXX XXXX, CA located on XXXX XXXX. The associate who rung up my purchases fraudulently applied for the Sam 's Club store credit card using my social security number without my consent. 


As the associate was checking out my items, she told me I had XXXX dollars on my account and asked me if I wanted to use it to reduce my total. I initially told her no, that I would like to save it to pay for the membership fees I share with my daughter. The associate told me that it was XXXX dollars just for me and that everyone gets it on their account. After she spent some time cajoling me, I agreed because I trusted that she was acting in good faith as an associate of Sam 's Club. She told me that the discount would be immediately applied and that all she needed was my social security number. She turned the keypad around for me to input my social security number, which I did. Thereafter I saw something that said to hit 'accept '. I wasn't sure what to do. The cashier said here let me help you. She turned the keypad back around and hit 'accept ' herself. I expected my bill total to be decreased, and I gave her my money to pay for my purchases. She ended up charging me the full amount of my total. The associate then revealed that the XXXX dollars would actually be sent to me in the mail in XXXX weeks. She then moved on to the next customer and would no longer engage with me. She didn't explain to me what just happened nor what she had accepted on the keypad. 


I was very confused, so I returned to Sam 's Club the next day on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX to speak to the manager regarding the incident. I described to the manager what the cashier did, that I was deceived about a potential XXXX dollar discount on my total. I expressed my confusion about why my social security number was needed. The manager conveyed she thought the cashier most likely used it to apply for the store credit card. The manager was dismissive of me and my concerns. The manager would not help me further and simply gave me the store credit card phone number to call. I attempted to get the manager 's name for my records as she had her badge turned away. She refused to tell me what her name was. I was shocked that a manager of Sam 's Club would outright refuse such a straightforward request.

I later called the number I was given for the store credit card and confirmed that the Sam 's Club associate did indeed apply for the store credit card in my name using my social security number. 


This is fraud, and this is illegal. I was never asked if I wanted to sign up for the store credit card. The Sams Club associate, in no uncertain terms, lied to gain access to my personal information and used it to apply for a credit card in my name without my knowledge or consent.

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 non-monetary relief