Consumer complaint received 2025-08-12 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
CFPB Complaint against Synchrony Bank XX/XX/XXXX I have had a Synchrony Bank High Yield Savings account since XXXX, XXXX. In the intervening years, I have used this account as my principal savings account, and frequently transferred funds into and out of this account. In XXXX, XXXX, I contacted Synchrony Bank to tell them I would be moving out of the country to the XXXX, and that I wanted to ensure that I had access to funds deposited in my account from abroad. I was told that I would, but also that I could use the Visa debit card associated with the account for purchases and to get money from ATMs in the XXXX, that there would be not foreign transaction fees assessed for overseas purchases, and that any ATM fees associated with ATM transactions would be reimbursed up to {$5.00}. I was also told I would continue to be able to log into my account on the Synchrony Bank website, as I had been doing for years with only an emailed secure access code. 

Everything I was told by Synchrony Bank was false. I was unable to log into my account because Synchrony tried to send an SMS to a non-functioning XXXX phone number, and they refused to update my phone number to my local XXXX phone because Synchrony 's autodailers can't dial or text to a non-US phone number. Because I am unable to log into my account, I am unable to access funds or check my balance, much less transfer funds to a non-Synchrony account. I also attempted to use the debit card both at merchants and at ATM machines. The card was unreadable, so I was never able to determine whether it would work here, or whether Synchrony 's statements about no foreign transaction fees or reimbursed ATM fees were true. 

I was unable to contact Synchrony through the account website, but I did attempt on multiple occasions to use the chat function with which it is supposedly possible to speak with a " live banker ''. That, too, was false. The employees of the chat center, who appear to all be named " XXXX '', have no access to account information, and their only function is to tell people to call the XXXX call center during normal business hours. They can provide no other information and have no services to impart to customers. In short, they are useless! And poorly trained, and unresponsive, and rude! The chat center in no way allows Synchrony customers to " speak '' with live bankers because the employees of the chat center are not Synchrony bank employees and have no ability to access customer account information. In short, it is a scam! XXXX of the chat center employees told me to call a special number for international banking -- XXXX -- during normal business hours because, she assured me, they would accept a collect call. Apparently, neither that employee nor anyone else at Synchrony is aware that ANY call placed from a foreign country to a XXXX number will incur full long distance charges, whether it is placed to a toll-free or collect number. 

On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX local time, Friday evening Eastern time, I placed a call to the number given to me by the chat center employee, and I heard a recording claiming that Synchrony would accept all charges, which was false. When a rep finally answered, it was a lower-level CSR. I immediately asked to speak with a manager, and after XXXX or XXXX requests, was eventually put through to a female manager allegedly in the " international banking '' department. She assured me that everything I was told about using my debit card in the XXXX was true, which it was not. I explained the problem I was having with accessing my account because Synchrony required a secure access code which they could only send by text or voicemail to a XXXX number. She seemed baffled by this, and said she would have to " check into it ''. I reiterated that I had no access to the funds in my account whatsoever, that I could not make purchases with the debit card, and that I was unable to transfer funds out of my account to another bank. She reassured me that she would " check into it '' and provide a solution " soon ''. I never heard from her again. 

That call, as well as previous and subsequent attempts to call the international banking line, cost me more than {$15.00} in long distance charges through the local XXXX XXXX, and I expect that amount to be credited to my account immediately. I subsequently made multiple attempts to get the chat center to send a message to the international banking department to contact me by email. They claimed they couldn't, but in fact chat center personnel have no access to any real banking personnel or account information. The chat center is a scam, and it should be closed immediately, In addition, the " international banking '' manager I spoke with should be investigated by her superiors, and appropriate disciplinary action taken against her immediately for lying to me and misleading me about my ability to access funds in my account through the debit card. Synchrony bank has consistently engaged in fraud, provided blatantly false information, and has blocked all access to the funds in my High Yield Savings account. The CFPB needs to urgently take action against this fraudulent bank to protect its customers from losing access to their funds. 

I want the CFPB to publish this description on consumerfinance.gov so that others can learn from my experience. 
The CFPB will take steps to remove my personal information from this description but someone may still be able to identify me. Learn how it works. I consent to publishing this description after the CFPB has taken these steps.

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