Consumer complaint received 2026-03-18 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was approved for a CareCredit credit card issued by Synchrony Bank. At the exact moment of approval, CareCredit displayed a fully functional virtual card on screen and instructed me to " Start Using CareCredit '' immediately. I did, making purchases of {$520.00} on XX/XX/XXXX and {$1900.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, both on deferred interest promotional financing at 32.99 % APR. I chose CareCredit specifically because of those promotional terms. On XX/XX/XXXX, only XXXX days after account opening, Synchrony closed my first billing cycle. My own statement discloses : " Days in Billing Period : 5. '' My payment due date was set to XX/XX/XXXX. Synchrony never disclosed the statement closing date of the XXXX anywhere, not on the virtual card screen, not in the approval email, not in the cardholder agreement. I had no way to know a billing clock was already running toward a XXXX cycle when I made my first transaction. When I called on XX/XX/XXXX, Synchrony could not justify the XXXX cycle. Their only offer was to use my XXXX annual complimentary due date change, my own contractual benefit, to move the due date to XX/XX/XXXX. I requested that date change solely to protect my account from immediate harm while this complaint is pending. Accepting a due date adjustment does not resolve the underlying issue : Synchrony imposed an undisclosed XXXX first billing cycle, attempted to cure it using my own contractual benefit, and has never addressed the structural billing practice or the jeopardy to my promotional financing terms. This is not an isolated billing error. Every CareCredit cardholder who opens an account near the XXXX of any month and uses the instant virtual card faces this same undisclosed truncated first billing cycle trap, placing deferred interest promotions at risk before they have any notice a payment is due. I respectfully request that the CFPB 's Division of Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending review this complaint as a petition for a formal finding that Synchrony Bank 's practice of mechanically imposing undisclosed truncated first billing cycles on new virtual card accounts with deferred interest promotional financing constitutes an Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Act or Practice ( UDAAP ) under 12 U.S.C. 5531. Specifically : the injury is substantial ( deferred interest exposure at 32.99 % APR on {$2400.00} ) ; the injury is not reasonably avoidable ( the statement closing date is never disclosed ) ; and there is no countervailing consumer benefit to a XXXX billing cycle. The only beneficiary of this practice is Synchrony, which accelerates payment obligations and creates conditions for deferred interest revenue. A formal UDAAP finding would protect every CareCredit cardholder who opens an account near the statement closing date and uses the instant virtual card feature that CareCredit actively promotes. Additionally, I request the CFPB direct Synchrony to conduct a systemic lookback identifying all consumers harmed by undisclosed truncated first billing cycles on virtual card accounts with deferred interest promotional financing, consistent with the CFPB 's XXXX enforcement action against CareCredit which resulted in {$34.00} XXXX in consumer refunds.

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