Consumer complaint received 2024-02-07 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: LA

Complaint narrative:
I bought a refrigerator from Lowe 's in XXXX of XXXX. I made the huge mistake of getting a Lowe 's credit card in order to take advantage of the 5 % discount. Never again. 

The refrigerator was defective and made a sound like a bone breaking when I opened one of the doors. I paid the bill in full before the end of the month, and I waited for a couple of weeks to make sure the horrible noise wouldn't just go away with use. It did not. 

I went to the store in XX/XX/XXXX and asked them to swap it out. That put into motion the biggest ordering-delivering-accounting snarl I've ever encountered. Instead of just swapping out the refrigerator, they required me to order a second one because " they couldn't show 2 refrigerators out of inventory at the same time. '' It's hard to believe they had not encountered this situation before -- do they really always require a person to buy a 2nd refrigerator when the 1st one is defective? I ended up returning the 2nd refrigerator also, because it had a loud high-pitched whine. I ordered a 3rd refrigerator of a different brand, but before it could be delivered and the 2nd one taken away, Lowe 's called or emailed me to tell me it was not in inventory. I was completely disgusted by the whole mess and the HOURS AND HOURS I'd had to spend to try to straighten it out. I made many, many phone calls and at least 5 trips to the store. I gave up and bought a refrigerator from XXXX XXXX. I called Lowe 's and had them pick up the 2nd refrigerator on XX/XX/XXXX. After that, I DID AND DO NOT HAVE A SINGLE REFRIGERATOR FROM LOWE 'S. I also destroyed my Lowe 's credit card and will never buy anything from them again. 

The snarl was so tangled that at one point they showed I owed them for 4 refrigerators. Lowe 's told me they couldn't straighten it out and I would have to contact Synchrony Bank. 

After requiring me to spend many more hours writing, calling, and faxing letters, Synchrony investigated and decided in my favor. I received a check from Lowe 's for the amount I had paid for the 1st refrigerator in XX/XX/XXXX. It seemed the horrible ordeal of dealing with them was over. 

That, however, was not the case. After some time, Synchrony somehow forgot about their decision and started trying to collect money from me again. They again put lots of false information on my credit report. I told them on XX/XX/XXXX in a letter, which I both faxed and sent through USPS mail, that I would not contact them again ever, but if my credit report were not straightened out and all adverse events on it removed, I would contact CFPB. 

Their records and my credit report are still mangled. Synchrony has begun phoning and mailing me again. I ask for your help to end this horrible ordeal and restore my credit reporting.

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 monetary relief