Consumer complaint received 2026-01-02 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
In XX/XX/year>, I opened a Synchrony Bank credit card in-store at a Harbor Freight Tools location in XXXX, WA to finance the purchase of a toolbox totaling approximately {$3000.00}. At the point of sale, a Harbor Freight associate explicitly advertised and enrolled me in a XXXX interest-free promotional financing offer. This promotional financing was the sole reason I agreed to the purchase and to open the Synchrony account. 

In late XXXX, during a comprehensive audit of my finances, I discovered that the account was never set up with the advertised promotional financing and has instead been accruing interest at approximately 32 % APR since the account was opened. I made consistent monthly payments in good faith, believing they were being applied toward the principal under the interest-free terms. Instead, the majority of each payment was applied to interest, resulting in {$450.00} in interest charges to date. 

After discovering the issue, I contacted both Harbor Freight and Synchrony Bank. Both parties acknowledged that the promotional financing was not applied due to an error at account setup, and that the account had been opened incorrectly. Synchrony representatives confirmed that the promotional financing was never attached to the account. 

Despite acknowledging the setup error, Synchrony Bank has refused to correct the issue, stating that I should have identified the problem earlier based on monthly statements. The account was opened under the express representation that promotional financing had been applied, and I was never affirmatively notified that the promotion was missing, failed to apply, or was not in effect. 

On XX/XX/year>, I initially spoke by phone with a male supervisor at Synchrony Bank ( name not provided ). The supervisor acknowledged the setup error but did not submit a request for retroactive correction, including refund of improperly charged interest or reapplication of prior payments toward principal. 

I called back the same day at approximately noon and spoke with another Synchrony representative identified as XXXX. During this call, XXXX confirmed that the prior supervisor did not include a request for retroactive refund of interest or correction of payment application. XXXX stated that she added this request herself during the call. 

During this same call, XXXX stated that Synchrony Bank can not provide any written confirmation of the dispute, the admitted setup error, or the scope of the back office review. She also stated that Synchrony will not pause interest accrual while the issue is under review, despite the dispute arising from an admitted account setup error. 

Synchrony has not provided any written acknowledgment of the dispute, any confirmation of the scope of the review, any timeline for resolution, or any assurance that improperly charged interest will be refunded or that the originally advertised promotional financing will be applied. 

I am disputing the interest charges as improperly assessed due to an admitted setup error and am requesting regulatory assistance to ensure the originally advertised promotional financing is honored and that I am made financially whole.

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