Consumer complaint received 2025-11-11 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year> I began using this card again for some unforeseen veterinary charges due to my dogs Illness of {$310.00}, i also set up autopay for $ XXXX so that the balance would be paid in 6 months and no interest would be charged. On XX/XX/XXXX, I also made a onetime payment of {$100.00}. Unfortunately, my dog needed further care which continued to add to the balance of this account, XX/XX/year> an additional {$410.00} was added, XX/XX/XXXX an additional {$340.00} was added and XX/XX/year> {$330.00} was added to the account. This is a differed interest account and no interest is charged if paid in full in 6 months. 

Being aware the 6 months to pay in full, as my balance increased, I increased the amount of my automatic payments so that I could pay the balance in full in the allotted time. My auto pay was modified from {$40.00} to {$200.00} on XX/XX/year> and then again on XX/XX/year> from {$200.00} to {$300.00}. All to account for recent changes and to assure the account would be paid in full within the allotted 6 months. 

No auto payments were made by synchrony until XX/XX/year> and the autopay amount was for {$40.00}, the agreement that I originally made in XXXX. Please note this amount was modified two times to {$200.00} and then {$300.00}. No payments have been automatically taken from my account until XX/XX/XXXX and this payment reverted to my original autopay amount of {$40.00}, not the next one of {$200.00} or the one of {$300.00} made XX/XX/XXXX. 

When I changed the autopay to {$300.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, I received the following correspondence, via email, from Synchrony : Hi XXXX, Your Autopay settings for your CARECREDIT / SYNCHRONY BANK account have been updated. 
Monthly Payment Amount : {$300.00} Monthly Payment Date : XXXX day of every month Payment Method : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Payment Method Type : Checking Ending in : XXXX Want to review your payment options? 
Log In Now Head off identity theft before it happens. For more information about identity theft, please visit the Federal Trade Commission 's ( FTC ) consumer website. 
This is an unmonitored email box. Please do not reply to this email. 
ABOUT THIS EMAIL MESSAGE : This email was sent by Synchrony to provide important account servicing information regarding your CARECREDIT / SYNCHRONY BANK account.You may receive account servicing emails even if you have requested not to receive marketing offers by email for your CARECREDIT / SYNCHRONY BANK account. 
Credit is extended by Synchrony Bank, which is located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX, USA.www.synchrony.com This letter was sent via email on XX/XX/year> and prior to my payment due date on XX/XX/XXXX. According to the letter my new payment amount would be taken on the XXXX of each month. I happened to notice that my bank account was debited only {$40.00}, instead of the {$300.00} I agreed to and as was expected based on their correspondence of XX/XX/year>. This may not seem an issue as less money was taken but I increased the amount of my monthly auto payment when i had to add to the balance due to additional vet bills. I do not intend to pay Synchrony any interest on this account as I pay according to the terms. Unfortunately, had I not noticed that they are not withdrawing the appropriate amount that they indicated they would by their letter dated XX/XX/year>, upon which I relied, I would have charged interest. 

My main complaint is that i set up autopay, i was sent correspondence, with no fine print, indicating if i did not allow time for transaction it would refer to the original autopay ( note another auto pay change was made prior to this to increase the amount to {$200.00}, why was that amount not taken ). I relied on this correspondence that $ XXXX would be taken which would pay off the balance in due time. 

I chatted with customer service and asked why they did not honor their letter and was told there was not time to process. I inquired as to why they sent the letter confirming my autopay on the XXXX of each month for {$300.00}? She indicated there must be fine print, there is not. 

Synchrony mislead me ( and other account holders ) with their correspondence, failed to take the correct amount, or the second amended amount of {$200.00} that i agreed to XX/XX/year> or the {$300.00} i was informed via XX/XX/year> letter which clearly states the {$300.00} would be withdrawn on the XXXX of EACH month ( no exclusion of XXXX mentioned ). The problem becomes that you have autopay set up and make a payment in between it will not do the autopay amount agreed to. Therefore, it is impossible to set up auto pay if you intend to make additional payments. At this point, if i make the additional payments it will mess up my auto payment for next month. 

I believe the truth in lending laws prevent them from sending correspondence which is clearly not correct and is also evidenced by my account history and the amount they withdrew. This could cause substantial interest charges had I not caught their error. I know this is done to everyone and seems unfair to just charge what they want not what you agree to. I am lucky and caught their error and will disable all auto pay and pay this directly, as I do what I say, unlike synchrony. 

I feel this is predatory as well, as I received correspondence {$300.00} would be taken, it was not, this if it had been the end of my 6 months interest free, or if i had not noticed they did not charge as i had requested, it could have added interest to my account. I feel they are doing this on purpose and not clearly spelling out the terms of AutoPay and also sending correspondence that is clearly incorrect. All of this has caused confusion, time arguing with customer service who was unable to even forward me to a supervisor, reverse the {$40.00} payment and put through the {$300.00}. They were unable to do this. I told them a complaint would be forthcoming with the CFPB as their correspondence is clearly NOT correct and a violation of the Truth in Lending Act.

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