Consumer complaint received 2025-11-19 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint because the account being reported by SYNCB/VENM ( Synchrony Bank / Venmo ) , referenced as account number ending in XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, is appearing on my consumer credit reports as a derogatory Collection/Charge-Off account, yet this reporting status is inaccurate, unverifiable, incomplete, and not being supported with any legally sufficient documentation. Despite multiple disputes, requests for validation, and repeated attempts to obtain the required documentation from both the credit reporting agencies and the furnisher, the account continues to be reported inaccurately. The company has not provided any evidence proving that I am legally responsible for this account, nor has any bureau provided the required method of verification as mandated by federal law. 

This complaint describes in detail what happened, what steps I took, the inaccurate and misleading information being reported, the failure of SYNCB/VENM to validate the alleged debt, and the failure of the credit bureaus to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). The purpose of this complaint is to ensure compliance, transparency, and lawful resolution. 

1. Background of the Issue The SYNCB/VENM account appears on my consumer report as : Status : Collection/Charge-Off Reported As : Derogatory Past Due Amount : {$0.00} Closed On : XX/XX/year> Furnisher : Synchrony Bank Reporting Bureau Example : XXXX ( though it may appear on others ) The central issue is that this tradeline is being reported as a derogatory collection/charge-off without any supporting legal documentation, without any proof that the account belongs to me, and without compliance with mandatory validation or reinvestigation standards. 

I did not authorize this account, and I have no record, contract, agreement, application, or billing statement that establishes this alleged obligation. I contacted the credit reporting agencies disputing the accuracy and requesting validation, yet the bureaus verified the account without providing any supporting documentation, which strongly suggests that the so-called verification was conducted through an automated e-OSCAR exchange rather than a meaningful investigation. 

2. Inaccuracies and Deficiencies in the SYNCB/VENM Reporting The reporting of the SYNCB/VENM account shows multiple issues that constitute legal violations or at least procedural deficiencies under the FCRA and FDCPA.

A. No Original Documentation Was Provided No party has ever produced : A signed contract or agreement A credit application A promissory note An itemized statement of charges Any proof of account origination Any proof of my authorization A transaction history A complete payment history Any documentation showing I created, opened, or used this account Without these documents, the account is unverified and unverifiable.

B. Verification Appears to Be Automated, Not Investigative The bureaus returned results marked as verified, but did not : Provide documents Explain what was reviewed Identify the individual who verified the account Identify the verification method Explain whether the review was manual or electronic This suggests non-compliance with FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 2 ).

C. Missing, Conflicting, or Incomplete Data The SYNCB/VENM reporting lacks critical accuracy elements, including : Missing date of last payment Missing date of first delinquency No itemized past-due amount No breakdown of the charge-off No documented charge-off reason No final billing statement Incomplete information that affects interpretation of the account is considered inaccurate under FCRA 607 ( b ).

3. Steps I Took to Resolve the Issue A. Initial Dispute I disputed the account with the credit bureaus, stating that I did not recognize the account and requested that they : Verify the information Provide original documentation Contact SYNCB/VENM for source records Provide a detailed method of verification under 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) B. Bureau Response The bureaus responded extremely quickly, marking the account as verified, with no explanation, no documents, and no supporting evidence.

The lack of documentation clearly demonstrates that a reasonable reinvestigation did not occur, violating : FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 1 ) duty to reinvestigate FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) duty to provide method of verification FCRA 607 ( b ) duty to ensure maximum possible accuracy The bureaus can not simply accept automated furnisher responses.

C. Request for Validation from Furnisher I contacted the furnisher or attempted to do so. SYNCB/VENM did not provide : Any contract Any billing history Any validation Any explanation Any documentation supporting their right to report A furnisher can not legally verify what it can not validate.

4. How SYNCB/VENMs Reporting Violates Federal Law A. Failure to Maintain Maximum Possible Accuracy ( FCRA 607 ( b ) ) Reporting an account as a collection/charge-off without possessing original documentation is a violation of the accuracy requirement.

B. Failure to Conduct a Reasonable Reinvestigation ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ) The bureaus did not conduct a proper reinvestigation. They relied on automated verified responses rather than reviewing actual documents.

C. Failure to Provide Method of Verification ( FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 6 ) ) I requested the method of verification, but the bureaus and SYNCB provided no details.

D. SYNCB Failed to Provide Validation Under FDCPA To report an account to a bureau, a collector or furnisher must be able to validate the debt. SYNCB has not done so.

E. Reporting Without a Permissible Purpose If SYNCB can not validate the account, then the original permissible purpose is not established.

F. Incomplete or Missing Data The reporting lacks : Contract dates Payment history Original balance structure Date of first delinquency This violates the duty of completeness.

G. Potential Re-aging Issues If the date of first delinquency is missing or incorrect, this may constitute illegal re-aging under FCRA 605.

5. The Harm This Inaccurate Reporting Has Caused The reporting of SYNCB/VENM as a derogatory collection/charge-off has caused significant harm to my : Credit scores Ability to qualify for loans Creditworthiness Interest rates offered by lenders Housing opportunities Insurance costs These are real and ongoing injuries caused by inaccurate and unverified reporting.

6. The Bureaus Failure to Provide Documentation Every dispute response I received failed to provide : Evidence that SYNCB validated the debt A signed contract A billing history A date of account opening Date of first delinquency Documentation supporting the accuracy of the reporting Any explanation of the reinvestigation process The lack of documentation raises serious concerns about : Reliability of the reporting Whether the furnisher had legal right to report Whether the bureaus used automated verification Whether FCRA procedures were followed 7. How This Account Appears to Be Unverifiable Based on the responses from both SYNCB/VENM and the bureaus, it is clear that : No original documentation exists or was supplied The bureaus relied on automated systems Furnisher did not validate the debt No substantiated data was provided An account can not be reported if the furnisher can not validate it.

8. Why This Complaint Is Necessary This CFPB complaint is necessary because : My disputes have been ignored or handled improperly I have been provided with no documentation My rights under FCRA have been violated SYNCB appears to lack required validation The bureaus continue reporting harmful information A proper reinvestigation has not occurred I am requesting oversight so that SYNCB and the credit bureaus comply with the law.

9. What I Am Requesting Through This Complaint I am requesting that the CFPB require SYNCB/VENM and the credit bureaus to take the following actions : A. Provide Full Validation Documents This includes : Signed contract Account application Original terms and disclosures Complete account history Transaction-level billing statements Proof of ownership or assignment Date of first delinquency Charge-off details If SYNCB can not provide these, the account must be deleted.

B. Provide a True Method of Verification The bureaus must explain : What documents were reviewed Who verified the account Whether the verification was manual or automated What system was used What were the results of the reinvestigation When the verification occurred Why the information was determined to be accurate C. Correct or Delete the SYNCB/VENM Account If validation can not be produced, the tradeline must be removed immediately as required by : FCRA 611 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( A ) FCRA 607 ( b ) FDCPA validation requirements D. Cease Publishing Unverified Information Until validation is provided, the information should be suppressed.

E. Prevent Reinsertion If the account is deleted, it can not be reinserted unless all legal requirements are met. 

10. Conclusion The SYNCB/VENM XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX account is inaccurate, unverifiable, and being reported without proper documentation. The credit bureaus and the furnisher have not complied with the investigation, accuracy, or validation rules required under federal law. 

This complaint seeks transparency, lawful verification, correction of inaccurate information, and deletion of unverifiable information. I respectfully request that the CFPB intervene to ensure that the credit reporting agencies and SYNCB/VENM follow the law, provide the required documents, and conduct a lawful reinvestigation.

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