Consumer complaint received 2026-04-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Card opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, Comenity Bank responded to my existing CFPB Complaint ID XXXX with a response type officially listed as Closed with Non-Monetary Relief. Their described relief stated : We closed the account. However within that same CFPB response package, Comenity attached a demand letter requesting payment of {$6100.00} and presenting XXXX payment options for the remaining balance. This is a direct contradiction within their own CFPB filing. A company can not classify a response as non-monetary relief while simultaneously demanding payment within that same response. I want to be absolutely clear I had no knowledge whatsoever that I was signing up for a credit card at any point during this transaction. The XXXXXXXX XXXX sales associate described the financing exclusively as a XXXX interest-free loan. The words credit card, revolving account, or line of credit were never spoken to me at any point. I was given no explanation of what I was signing. I signed a receipt on an electronic signature pad that displayed no credit terms, no XXXX, no account type, and no disclosures of any kind. No reasonable consumer presented with only a signature line on an electronic pad, with no verbal explanation and no visible terms, could be expected to know they were opening a revolving credit account. I did not discover these accounts existed until a physical credit card arrived in my mailbox XXXX days after the transaction. Comenitys claim that they are a separate entity from XXXX does not absolve them of responsibility. As the issuer of a store-branded card exclusively opened by XXXX employees XXXX their behalf, XXXX sales XXXX was acting as Comenitys agent at the point of sale. Comenity can not simultaneously profit from a retail partnership with XXXX and disclaim all responsibility when those same employees engage in deceptive practices while opening those accounts. XXXX investigation concluded that my intent was to pay with another form of payment. This reasoning is circular and nonsensical. If their own investigation confirms my intent was to pay differently, that is not evidence that I owe them money that is evidence that their card was used without my intended authorization. Furthermore XXXX suggestion that I simply find another way to pay completely ignores the fact that a second unauthorized account was simultaneously opened with XXXX XXXX for the remaining balance of the same transaction. Comenitys proposed resolution was never a realistic or complete solution. XXXX further stated they would only remove the account and associated inquiry from my credit report once the purchase amount has been satisfied. This is a direct attempt to use credit reporting as leverage to coerce payment on a fraudulent debt. All three major credit bureaus XXXX XXXX, and XXXX have already removed both unauthorized accounts from my credit report as of XX/XX/year> based on my FTC Identity Theft Report and FCRA Section 605B blocking rights. Comenitys own demand letter concludes with Please accept our apology. Were sorry for any confusion or inconvenience this matter may have caused you. A creditor with a legitimate and enforceable debt does not apologize for pursuing it. This apology undermines their collection position entirely. XXXX XXXX the second account opened during the same fraudulent transaction by the same XXXX XXXX employee on the same date formally cleared me of all liability citing identity theft on XX/XX/year>. Comenity Banks refusal to issue the same resolution for an identical fraudulent transaction is inconsistent and unsupported. I made an initial payment of {$220.00} solely because I was still under the impression this was a loan as described at point of sale. This payment was made entirely under false pretenses and I am requesting a full refund of {$220.00} as part of the resolution.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation