Consumer complaint received 2024-06-05 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Back in XX/XX/XXXX I believed someone was using my identity to make purchases at XXXX XXXX XXXX stores because I received a text from Synchrony bank on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, asking me to verify my identity through its secured web site. I believe that the perpetrator obtained my personal information on the dark web to open a credit card with XXXX XXXX XXXX provided by Sychrony bank. In XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Synchrony Bank to conduct a Fraudulent charge investigation. The investigation has been going on since XX/XX/XXXX until now. In XXXX I received a letter from Synchrony bank dated on XX/XX/XXXX, stating that it is unable to approve my claims because I authorized, participated, or benefitted from the purchase, all of which are completely fraudulent. I then called Synchrony bank again requesting the investigation be reopened. In XXXX I received another letter from Synchrony dated on XX/XX/XXXX, stating that my claim of the fraudulent charge has been approved. But then few days later I started receiving collection calls demanding payments from Synchrony bank. When I called Synchrony bank to ask for the reason of the collection payment calls, Synchrony personnel told me that my claim of the fraudulent charge has been denied again. I then requested the investigation be reopened the 3rd time. I was told by Synchrony to sit and wait for their investigation to complete, and they will send me letter to let me know the outcome of their investigation and their decision on my claim. And I am still waiting. Besides the identity theft problem I am having with XXXX XXXX XXXX, I also experienced identity theft issues with the XXXX XXXX, Lowes the Home Improvement, Target and Smile Generation Credit card. I called all of those companied above and report this identity theft problem with them. Fortunately for me, I was able to have my name cleared from those fraudulent charges with all those companies I listed above. I also contact the XXXX credit bureaus : XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX to have my credit line frozen and an alert of identity theft put on place. I also contacted XXXX company and requested an investigation into the problem I am having with XXXX 's XXXX bank. And today, the XXXX of XX/XX/XXXX when I again called XXXX bank to check on the status of my claim, a case XXXX told me to continue to wait for their investigation. He also let me know which XXXX XXXX XXXX that the identity theft occurred : it is the XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, California. According to the investigation team of Synchrony bank, the perpetrator who conducted this identity theft had made XXXX purchases : the XXXX one was on XX/XX/XXXX, in the amount of {$15000.00}, and the XXXX one was on XX/XX/XXXX, in the amount of {$7500.00}. The XXXX totaled to {$22000.00}. What makes me very upset is even though I at the very beginning of the event I followed Sychrony bank 's guidance to verify my personal information to prevent fraudulent activities, but Synchrony bank somehow did not convey the alert fast enough to XXXX XXXX XXXX. And XXXX XXXX XXXX is at false by allowing the sale went through without proper checks and balance. I believe XXXX XXXX XXXX was so desperate for a sale of that great amount of money that it ignored the warning signs of fraudulent. I am now a victim of identity theft because XXXX XXXX XXXX irresponsible way of accepting applications from someone who stole my information.

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 explanation