Consumer complaint received 2026-05-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern : I am submitting this complaint regarding inconsistent and potentially unfair credit card payment-hold practices involving large electronic payments withdrawn from verified consumer bank accounts but not promptly restored to available credit. In my case, I made several large electronic payments from the same checking account I have successfully used for years. One payment of approximately {$8000.00} was made toward my XXXX XXXX credit card account with an {$11000.00} credit limit. That payment was processed normally and the available credit was restored the following business day. However, during the same general timeframe, I made additional large payments involving accounts associated with : Amazon Store Card / Synchrony Bank approximately {$4000.00} XXXX XXXX account approximately {$5000.00} In both cases, the funds were immediately withdrawn from my checking account, yet the available credit was withheld for approximately one week under what representatives described as a verification process. I contacted customer service multiple times and spoke with supervisors regarding these restrictions. During those calls, I was informed that the payments had been automatically flagged because of the large amounts involved. I was further told that the restriction was computer-generated and that supervisors could not manually override or accelerate the release of the funds despite confirmation that : the money had already been withdrawn from my bank account, the account used had been successfully utilized for years, and there were no allegations of fraud or insufficient funds. This practice raises serious concerns regarding : temporary deprivation of consumer liquidity, artificial inflation of credit utilization ratios, potential negative impacts on consumer credit scores, and the ability of institutions to retain use or float on consumer funds after payment collection has already occurred. The inconsistency of treatment is also concerning. One issuer restored credit availability immediately after payment collection, while others imposed extended holds on substantially similar transactions from the same established bank account. I respectfully request that this matter be reviewed to determine : whether these automated payment-hold practices are reasonable and transparent, whether consumers are being unfairly deprived of access to available credit after cleared payment collection, and whether these institutions financially benefit from retaining consumer funds during these extended verification periods. I also request clarification regarding : the criteria used to trigger these holds, whether manual review authority actually exists, and whether consumers are properly informed of the potential consequences to credit utilization and account access. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Al XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Illinois XXXX

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 monetary relief