Consumer complaint received 2025-11-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
For the second time in the last year, my paper statements have been turned off for my Care Credit account ( serviced by Synchrony Financial ) without my authorization. As a result, I was not aware that my deferred interest period was ending and I wound up getting charged {$470.00} in interest. I offered to pay my balance in full ( including any new interest incurred ) and requested that they waive the interest charges. They raised a dispute and denied it, claiming I received my statements via email. However the purpose of paper statements is to ensure I see them each month and to help me keep track of my bills ... whether or not they feel I received digital notification is irrelevant, as I specifically OPTED IN for paper statements and stopped receiving them on two occasions. Please see below for more detail : - On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed I'd missed a payment and was charged a late fee. I lost site of this bill, as I did not receive my paper statement in the email as I previously had been on a monthly basis. I contacted them and they agreed to waive the late fee and confirmed my interest free period would not be impacted as a result. 
- {$80.00} payment was processed following this and pulled from my bank account XX/XX/XXXX. 
- Signed up for auto pay XX/XX/XXXX. Also opted into paper statements again in the process. 
- On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed a higher charge than expected from my autopay. When I logged into my account, I saw that my payment had increased due to an additional {$470.00} in deferred interest that I had been charge following the expiration of my promotional period in XX/XX/XXXX. I was also charged {$36.00} in additional interest. At this point, I realized that I couldn't recall the last time I'd receive a paper statement in the mail - and because of this, had lost site of the ending of my promotional period. 
- Contacted Synchrony on XX/XX/XXXX to inform them that somehow my paper statements had been turned off without my authorization ( AGAIN ) and as a result, I was unaware that my promotional period was ending. They submitted a dispute for the interest charges, but it was denied. I was directed to a supervisor and she told me there is nothing they can to instructed me to write a letter to corporate, providing the following address : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX PA XXXX. 
- On XX/XX/XXXX, I processed a payment for {$1600.00} - for my remaining balance, along with the {$36.00} in new interest. I also opted back into paper statements. 
- Called Synchrony back on XX/XX/XXXX to try another avenue, but was informed by a supervisor that there is nothing they can do. When I mentioned that I was instructed to send a letter to corporate, she was shocked because that is not a proper channel or resolution they are told to recommend to customers ( which makes me strongly question the integrity of Synchrony and its employees ). I also asked her to make sure this was applied toward my other promotional purchase first ( vs the deferred interest THEN my promo purchase balance, as the promotional period was ending XX/XX/XXXX. She confirmed a request was submitted to reallocate this payment toward that balance to ensure I would not be charge any additional deferred interest. Supervisor I spoke to was XXXX, employee ID XXXX. 

This is the second time in just 12 months that my paper statements have been turned off without my authorization. As Americans, we have WAY too many bills to keep track of - these are my lifeline, an absolute necessity for me to manage my financials. I even pay the monthly fees and opt into paper statements constantly for other cards and accounts. 

I can not trust the reliability of Synchrony at this point. They may state that I've been getting statements digitally and/or that paper statements were turned off, but they can't prove that is true or that was done by my hand. While I can't prove it necessarily either, I can absolutely ensure you that I am being honest when I say I did NOT turn them off or see any digital statements that they claim were shared with me. 

I am a long-standing customer of Synchrony, especially from a Care Credit perspective. I ALWAYS pay the minimum amount due each month, usually more. But more importantly, I always, always, ALWAYS pay my promotional balances by the promo end date. I have NEVER incurred deferred interest charges as a result of participating in a deferred interest program. Look at my account history. 

I am a reliable customer who always does the right thing. This was not my mistake and Synchrony needs to own up to the mistake they've made ( twice now ) and refund the deferred interest that was incurred. To show good faith effort, I have not only paid my account in full, but also paid the additional interest that was charged in XXXX. I also plan to pay the {$30.00} in additional interest incurred over the last period, as well as the {$1.00} paper statement fee from XXXX. 

Please, Synchrony, do the right thing here. You're better than this. And I can't afford this, please don't put me into a worse financial position that I'm already in.

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