Consumer complaint received 2024-07-22 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
A few years ago, my husband and I opened a Care Credit account to help with XXXX  bills. In XXXX our XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and we started using the card more frequently to cover her treatment. Most of our purchases qualified for deferred payments, meaning no interest if paid in full within a specified timeframe, usually XXXX months from the date of purchase. I carefully monitor these purchases to ensure they are paid in full by the promotional expiration date. Earlier this year, many of those promotional purchases started to come due. So, in XXXX, I began to track the promotional balances and payment activity very closely to ensure I wasn't missing a deadline. On several occasions I discovered that my payments were arbitrarily split between multiple promotional purchases even though there was a balance remaining on the oldest purchase. This would result in interest for not paying off the promotional balance within the allotted timeframe. After discussing with customer service representatives, they would re-allocate the payment to the correct ( oldest ) promotional purchase but stated it would take XXXX billing cycles to reflect on my statement. During which time, I would have no visibility as to the outstanding balances. Other times, I would find that they had increased my promotional balance, sometimes in excess of the original purchase amount. For instance, I made a promotional purchase on XX/XX/XXXX for {$390.00} which needed to be paid by XX/XX/XXXX to avoid interest. When I logged into my account on XX/XX/XXXX, it showed a promotional balance of {$530.00}, {$140.00} more than the original purchase! I reached out and made them aware of the issue and requested that it be fixed. They told me it was because payments had been re-allocated which increased the balance. I disputed that and explained that's not how accounting works and they corrected it but have since added back a promotional balance plus interest that I paid off in XXXX. 

Their customer service reps make promises but those promises are not fulfilled and the account does not reflect what was discussed. For instance, to ensure my payments were allocated to the oldest promotional balance first, I started immediately reaching out to customer service after making a payment online to advise them of the payment and how I wanted it allocated. On XX/XX/XXXX, I made a payment of {$300.00} and requested that it be applied to the promotional purchase from XX/XX/XXXX for {$390.00}. I was told that would be completed as requested but when I logged in on XX/XX/XXXX the XX/XX/XXXX balance was only reduced by {$140.00} ( leaving a balance of {$250.00} ). So where did the remaining {$150.00} go? So, on XX/XX/XXXX, I reached out to customer service again to ask where the rest of my payment went and they said it could have been applied to a number of different purchases. I explained that none of the promotional balances had changed and they agreed to apply my payment to the XX/XX/XXXX purchase, for the second time. On XX/XX/XXXX, I checked my account and the promotional balance had been updated to reflect my {$300.00} payment showing a new balance of {$94.00}, as it should. On XX/XX/XXXX, I made a payment of {$94.00} and again reached out to customer service to apply it to the XX/XX/XXXX balance which would XXXX  out that purchase. They confirmed that had been done and that the promotional balance was paid in full. On XX/XX/XXXX, I logged in and discovered that my XX/XX/XXXX promotional balance had INCREASED to {$230.00}, despite confirmation on XX/XX/XXXX that it was paid in full. I contacted customer service again, asked for a manager this time, and through that interaction discovered that there was a " non-promotional balance '' that had been added to my account for {$380.00} which had not been there previously and was made up of a promotional balance of {$130.00} from XX/XX/XXXX plus {$240.00} in interest which I had paid in full in XX/XX/XXXX by the deadline. When I disputed that, the manager suggested I pay the promotional balance of {$130.00} again and they would waive the interest of {$240.00} but I declined as I had already paid the promotional balance in full and have the transcripts confirming that. When I pointed this out, the manager disconnected the chat and I was automatically connected to another customer service rep to restart the entire conversation. I then chose to call customer service to escalate the issue and address both the {$380.00} and {$230.00}. I was told both balances were made in error by the backend department and that they would be reviewing them. Any adjustments could be seen on my statement in 1-2 billing cycles and that there was no way to expedite the matter or receive any communication regarding the resolution. 

Since XX/XX/XXXX, I have reached out to them 18 times to address issues related to my account and am still struggling to have an accurate accounting of my balance, payment, and promotional activity.

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