Consumer complaint received 2024-02-01 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: HI

Complaint narrative:
My XX/XX/XXXX statement showed that I owed {$150.00}. I mailed the check on XX/XX/XXXX. The payment was posted to my account on XX/XX/XXXX. 

My XX/XX/XXXX statement showed that I owed {$52.00} ( {$23.00} for a new purchase and {$29.00} for a late fee ). I called Synchrony on XX/XX/XXXX, to speak to them about the late fee. Their automated telephone answering system informed me that it could waive the late fee charge of {$29.00}, so I requested the waiver ( it should be noted that the automated telephone answering system did not provide me any warnings about the waiver of the late fee ). I then mailed Synchrony a check for {$23.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from Synchrony titled " You missed a payment. Let 's get back on track. '' This email indicated that I had a past due amount of {$16.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I tried to find out more information about the missed payment notice via Synchrony 's chat feature. Unfortunately, this did not help because the only thing the person on the other end of the chat was concerned with was when Synchrony would receive a full payment. Out of frustration with the person on the other end of the chat, I believe I ended the chat by stating that I intended to pay off the account in full. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after I logged out of the chat feature, I called Synchrony. I spoke with a person named XXXX and explained the situation to him ( he appeared to agree with me that something was wrong ). XXXX told me he would file an " escalated ticket '' for my issue. When I asked him for a reference number so that I could check up on the " escalated ticket, '' XXXX told me that there is no reference number, but his notes would be attached to my account and anyone I spoke with after that could see the information and answer my questions. It should be noted that today I found out that my communications with Synchrony on XX/XX/XXXX, were with Synchrony 's collection department. 

My XX/XX/XXXX statement showed that on XX/XX/XXXX, my account was credited {$29.00} for " refund of late fees. '' This statement also showed that my payment of {$23.00} was credited to my account on XX/XX/XXXX ( in total, on XX/XX/XXXX, my account was credited for {$52.00}, which is the total amount that was due for my XX/XX/XXXX statement ). This statement also showed that I had {$65.00} in new charges and that XXXX added on another late fee, this time the late fee was {$40.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed Synchrony a check for {$65.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Synchrony to find out the status of the escalated ticket, which XXXX told me was created. I spoke with a person named XXXX. XXXX could not tell me anything about the escalated ticket that was made on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX told me that the reason I was charged the {$40.00} late fee was because I did not make the minimum payment ( {$40.00} ) for my XXXX statement. I explained to XXXX that my account was credited with a total of {$52.00} prior to my due date, so the entire bill was paid off. XXXX then tried to tell me that the waiver of the late fee was used to pay for the new purchase that I had made after my XXXX statement was issued. Question, if a late fee is waived, how can the amount of the waiver be credited to new purchases that I am not required to pay for yet while leaving a balance for my XXXX statement? 

Anyway, this explanation indicated to me that Synchrony was simply using this as an excuse to be able to charge me fees and interest. As a result, I canceled the credit card ( and my XXXX credit card, which is also managed by Synchrony ). It should be noted that, for as long as I have had the credit card, I have always paid my monthly balance in full. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received my XXXX statement. The XXXX statement shows that my XX/XX/XXXX, payment was credited to my account on XX/XX/XXXX. This statement also shows that Synchrony charged me {$1.00} in interest presumably because I did not pay off the {$40.00} late fee that I am disputing. This statement shows a new balance of {$41.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Synchrony to find out the status of the escalated ticket. I spoke with a person named XXXX. XXXX was not able to tell me anything about the escalated ticket and proceeded to tell me that there is nothing she can do about the {$40.00} late fee. I was then transferred to a supervisor named XXXX. XXXX told me that he could not tell me anything about the escalated ticket issued on XX/XX/XXXX, because that was the collection department. XXXX told me that he would issue an escalated ticket for my issue. When I asked XXXX about how long it would take for my escalated ticket to be processed, he said about a month. When I mentioned that I was trying to figure out when to file my complaint with CFPB, XXXX told me to do it anytime because the complaint will not affect Synchronys processing of the escalated ticket. 

I am complaining because I believe Synchronys actions were/are designed to get people into a hole with Synchrony so that Synchrony may charge and collect additional late fees and interest.

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