Consumer complaint received 2024-03-27 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Application denied
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
In late XXXX, I applied for a line of credit at a XXXX XXXX store in XXXX XXXX XXXX. My application was denied, even though I have a credit rating of XXXX, own two homes and two cars outright and have no credit card debt. I pay my credit cards off every month. The sales person at XXXX XXXX could not believe I was rejected! He tried to discuss the rejection with his Synchrony bank contact, but the contact was unresponsive for at least a day or XXXX. Finally, the Synchrony contact told the salesman that I would have to wait XXXX to XXXX business days to receive a letter from the company via US Mail. I also contacted numerous people within Synchrony bank attempting to a person who I could talk to about the rejection but was told the same answer. There was simply no way to talk to a human being about why I was rejected. 


I have had a XXXX 's XXXX credit card with synchrony for XXXX  years. I never carry a balance, even though I spend thousands of dollars a year on that card. I contacted XXXX ' credit card customer service for help, after running into dead ends with the XXXX XXXX group. I went up the chain there, until reaching a high level supervisor who told me I would just have to wait for the letter 's response, once again. I strongly protested this process, because, coincidentally, I had received notice that day that a close friend had died and I wanted to have all bedrooms in my house available for out of town guests. But still could not reach a person who could help. 


Over the next few days, I continued my quest to peer behind the curtain to see what criteria Synchrony uses to reject lines of credit. Finally, I talked my way into speaking with a supervisor named, XXXX, ext XXXX ( or the last number could be an XXXX, my handwriting was poor there ). He was in the XXXX office. XXXX was somehow able to open my file when others said they couldn't. He told me that an old credit card, from a previous account I had with them XXXX years ago, might have been the reason for rejection. He said he had closed that account and advised me to try again. So, I went back to the store, in person, wasted more time, and reapplied. I was rejected a second time! I protested this again but kept being told I'd have to wait for a letter in XXXX to XXXX business days to find out why. A did receive a letter which was written on XX/XX/XXXX. It did give a specific reason for this rejection : " Prior application submitted too recently ''. ( copy enclosed ) I just shook my head, frustrated once again. 


I continued my saga by again contacting various agents, hoping to find a way I could speak to a human being in the department that issued the credit rejection letter. A partial listing of agents names I spoke to are : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. If i had known how convoluted this organization 's customer service department was, I would have documented everything more carefully. 


I had still not seen a letter stating why my first application was rejected. I requested another copy be sent to me. On XX/XX/XXXX a letter from XXXX XXXX, a credit bureau XXXX at Synchrony bank ( copy enclosed ) transmitted to me the original letter identifying why I was not approved. The letter said Synchrony bank had " checked a credit bureau and other data sources to verify information on your ( my ) application ''. It went on to say, " ... based on these checks, we are unable to confirm your identity with enough confidence to approve your ( my ) application at this time ''. ( Of course, as stated above, they were able to collect money from me, every month for 29 years for my XXXX 's XXXX card! ) The letter of rejection listed XXXX as the credit reporting agency they contacted ; but, the letter also said that XXXX 's recommendation was not determinant in making the decision to reject my application. Just the same, I contacted XXXX and spoke to XXXX XXXX, a credit agent there. I identified myself sufficiently that he was able to open my file. He said my credit rating was XXXX and that there were no identity issues with my report. He was incredulous that I was not approved for the credit line. 


I now had, at least, a vague reason why I was rejected. Once again, I talked my way up the ladder and talked to another supervisor who turned out to be in the XXXX. His name was XXXX, badge number : XXXX. I informed him what my letter said and what XXXX had said. He shrugged, showing no empathy for my plight. Smugly, as If I may not be able to comprehend it, he said there are other factors we use to confirm your identity. I asked him what they were. He said I should respond to my letter in writing if I had any further questions. I pressed the matter and said just tell me the 'other factors '. What are they? I said, you're a credit supervisor and you don't know? He suggested again to write the XXXX office referenced on my letter, if I had further questions. 


I still didn't give up. I was able to speak to a supervisor in the XXXX office named XXXX, badge number : XXXX. I talked to him on XXXX XX/XX/year>. Different from everyone else I had talked to, he thought my credit worthiness was not a factor at all in my rejection. Instead, he thought my application had been rejected because some fraud detection coding in the program kicked it out. I asked, why in the world the word 'fraud ', relating to my identity, did not appear as part of the reason for rejection!! If some form of fraud was detected in information regarding me, I want to know about it!! He replied it 'sort of ' did, when the letter said they couldn't verify my identity adequately. I asked how was I to infer that? He had no answerI At the end, XXXX suggested I might try applying again, since some time had gone by. I wasted more time and did, but was rejected for a third time! 


I despaired at that point and gave up my own pursuit to find out what happened. I've come to the conclusion that Synchrony Bank 's process is designed to drag out any questioning of why they reject a line of credit, hoping the customer gives up and drops the matter, as weeks go by. 


I don't need this line of credit. I could simply have gone elsewhere, but this has become a matter of principle to me. I feel I and others, I'm sure, have been victimized by Synchrony 's banks procedures! I am a resourceful person ; but, could not lift the curtain to see what the XXXX XXXX was thinking in rejecting my line of credit. I believe the obstacles are intentional!

I now have three rejections of credit applications with a major bank on my credit report. I still have no credit and have wasted way too much of my time on this! Synchrony bank must change their procedures, so that others don't that find themselves in the situation I am! Therefore, I feel justified in filing a complaint with the CFPB and want this complaint posted on the consumerfinance.gov website!

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