Consumer complaint received 2026-02-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
CFPB Complaint Letter Synchrony Bank ( XXXX Card ) To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX DC XXXX XXXX Re : Formal Complaint Against Synchrony Bank Repeated Improper Transaction Blocks and Excessive Identity Verification Account Ending : XXXX ( XXXX Credit Card ) Date : XX/XX/XXXX To Whom This May Concern, I am submitting this formal complaint regarding Synchrony Banks ongoing mishandling of my XXXX credit card account ending in XXXX, which has resulted in persistent transaction denials, excessive identity verification demands, and substantial inconvenience over the past XXXX and a half months. 
Since approximately XX/XX/XXXX, Synchrony Bank has repeatedly blocked my card after every few legitimate transactions, regardless of amount. These transactions have ranged from approximately {$15.00} to {$250.00} and are consistent with my normal spending history. None have been unusual, suspicious, or inconsistent with prior activity on my account. 
Despite this, my card is routinely declined every few transactions, triggering a fraud alert that requires me to contact Synchronys fraud department and complete an intrusive identity verification process.

Each time, I am required to : Call the fraud department Click a verification link sent via text Take a selfie Upload a government-issued photo ID Submit a verification code Wait on hold, often for extended periods Re-explain the issue to multiple representatives I have completed this process at least XXXX ( XXXX ) times over the past several months. 
Despite complying fully on every occasion, the same issue continues without permanent resolution. 
No representative has ever provided a clear explanation for why this continues to occur or why my account can not be properly cleared. 

Most Recent Incident On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, at approximately XXXX XXXX I contacted Synchronys fraud department at XXXX and completed the full verification process yet again, because my card was declined as usual a couple of days ago and the day it was declined I called and the representative told me she couldnt help me and Id have to call back. What?? 
So tonight, after I did the ID verification, the rep placed me on hold for approximately XXXX minutes, and informed me that the department responsible for lifting the block was closed, and therefore my account could not be restored at that time. 
The verification code I was provided was : XXXX This response is unreasonable, unacceptable, and demonstrates a serious breakdown in Synchronys internal controls.

Legal and Regulatory Concerns Synchrony Banks conduct appears to violate multiple federal consumer protection standards, including but not limited to : 1. Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ) 15 U.S.C. 1666 By repeatedly interfering with my ability to use my open, active line of credit without valid justification, Synchrony is impairing my lawful access to credit.

2. Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ( UDAAP ) Dodd-Frank Act, 12 U.S.C. 5531 Requiring excessive, repetitive identity verification without resolution, transparency, or meaningful remediation constitutes unfair and abusive conduct.

3. Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( EFTA ) and Regulation E While fraud monitoring is permitted, institutions must implement reasonable systems that do not unduly burden consumers or prevent normal account usage.

4. Failure of Reasonable Fraud Management Practices Synchrony has failed to properly calibrate its fraud detection systems, resulting in repeated false positives that disproportionately impact my account. 
This pattern reflects negligent account management and systemic failure to resolve a known issue. 
Harm and Impact As a result of Synchronys actions : I am routinely prevented from using my card for lawful purchases Ive lost hundreds of dollars in rewards that I couldve been earning I have lost significant time resolving the same issue repeatedly I have been subjected to excessive and invasive verification procedures I have experienced stress, frustration, and disruption to my personal and business activities My confidence in Synchronys ability to manage my account has been severely damaged This is not isolated. It is an ongoing pattern. Ive had this account for many years and never had this issue until the last few months of XXXX. 
Requested Resolution I respectfully request that the CFPB require Synchrony Bank to : Conduct a full internal investigation of my account Permanently correct whatever internal flag or system error is causing these repeated blocks Remove any unnecessary or improper fraud restrictions Provide written confirmation that my account is cleared for normal use Implement safeguards to prevent recurrence Provide a formal explanation for this prolonged failure Conclusion I have fully cooperated with every verification request. I have done everything asked of me. There is no reasonable justification for requiring the same invasive process repeatedly over several months without resolution. 
This conduct is unreasonable, disruptive, and inconsistent with federal consumer protection standards. 
I am requesting the CFPBs immediate review and intervention. 
Thank you for your attention to this matter. 
Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, AZ XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX 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 explanation