Consumer complaint received 2025-10-21 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: Synovus Bank
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
I purchased a home on or about XX/XX/year> and my mortgage lender paid off some of my consumer debt with excess seller credits. I called in to XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( essentially same company, different name ) to update the address on my account and each company were each sent a check for the balances on the accounts. I noticed that I was unable to use either card for XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX  and that my balance was {$0.00} and available credit was also {$0.00}, despite a {$490.00} payment by check to XXXX XXXX and a {$210.00} payment by check to XXXX XXXX. Upon calling in to see why I was unable to use my cards, I was informed that there was a temporary hold placed on both account for the change of address, and they requested a bank statement with the new address to verify. I sent a bank statement by email to both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX with the requested information on or about XX/XX/year>. After letting the XXXX business day review period pass, I was still unable to use my cards and again called in to XXXX XXXX. The member I spoke with explained to me that my bank statement was received and that it satisfied the requirement for verifying my change of address, however the member told me that there was now another temporary hold placed on the account due to XXXX XXXX not being able to " verify '' where the {$490.00} payment came from. They told me I had to provide another bank statement or document proving where the funds came from and, after explaining to them that I did not make the payment from my bank account rather it came from a check from my mortgage company, I sent another email on or about XX/XX/year> to each card issuer ( XXXX XXXX  AND XXXX XXXX ) with my Closing Cost Details page of my new mortgage, showing the payments to both accounts. Neither card issuer reached out to me to tell me that the documents provided were not acceptable, rather I had to call them to ask why the cards were not yet available to use. I again contacted XXXX XXXX on or about XX/XX/year> to again inquire about the status of the documents sent in. A member informed me that the Closing Cost Details page was not acceptable and that I would need to provide something different. I then went to my mortgage office and obtained the void checks that were initially sent to each card issuer. The copies of the checks was sent to each issuer on XX/XX/year>. It is now XXXX and I have contacted XXXX XXXX by phone AT LEAST XXXX per week since XX/XX/year> and my cards continue to be on a temporary hold status. I have been told by multiple members including supervisors that they would " reach out to by email '' to the office that initiated the temporary hold, and each time is a XXXX business day waiting period. After speaking with a supervisor during the week of XX/XX/XXXX, even HE stated he could not find a good reason on why the temporary hold status is still active. 

I understand that the initial temporary hold may have been for " fraud prevention '', however it has now been XXXX weeks since I sent in my bank statement and this has quickly transitioned from " fraud prevention '' to an unreasonable delay in restoring access to my credit limit. XXXX XXXX has blatantly violated the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Part XXXX ( a ) " A card issuer may  not unreasonably restrict or delay a consumer 's use of credit that has been extended unless it has a legitimate, disclosed reason ''. They are also in violation of XXXX  XXXX ( b ) ( XXXX ) " XXXX of XXXX XXXX Account XXXX ''. This section states that a creditor must provide notice before making any change that adversely affects the consumer 's ability to use credit ''. I was not notified by XXXX XXXX nor XXXX XXXX about any account holds UNTIL I noticed and called them myself. 

Under XXXX XXXX. XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ), the CFPB can penalize any financial institution engaging in unfair practices. This delay can be deemed as unfair because it causes substantial injury ( loss of credit access, inability to pay bills ) and the injury is not reasonably avoidable by the consumer. 

Despite providing all requested documents to XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, my account remains on a temporary hold with no end date in sight, causing material harm to my livelihood.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief