Consumer complaint received 2025-10-14 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Summary of Complaint Summary of What Happened On XX/XX/year>, I discovered that {$15000.00} was stolen from my XXXX  Savings account ( held by Synchrony Bank ). 
An unknown individual gained unauthorized access to my account, added a XXXX XXXX account without my consent, and transferred out my entire balance over two days. 
Despite clear, documented evidence of fraudincluding a XXXX XXXX XXXX address ( XXXX ) used to access my account while I was in XXXX, XXXX has denied my claim five times under the same claim number ( XXXX XXXX XXXX stating the activity was consistent with my normal behavior. 
This response violates the Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( Regulation E ), which requires a reasonable investigation and limits consumer liability for unauthorized transfers. 

Detailed Timeline of Events XX/XX/year> An unauthorized XXXX XXXX account was added to my XXXX account without my knowledge or consent. 


No security alert or verification was sent by XXXX. 


XX/XX/year> Unauthorized transfer of approximately {$9900.00} from my PayPal Savings account to my XXXX XXXX. 


Funds were then transferred to the unauthorized XXXX XXXX account. 


Access originated from XXXX address XXXX ( XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX 


I was in XXXX, TX at that time and did not authorize this transaction. 


No fraud alert or two-factor authentication was triggered. 


XX/XX/year> A second unauthorized transfer of approximately {$5700.00} occurred to the same XXXX XXXX account. 


No alerts were sent by XXXX. 


XXXX stolen : {$15000.00}. 


XX/XX/year> I discovered the missing funds while checking my account for an XXXX payment. 


I immediately reported the theft to XXXX ( Claim ID : XXXX ). 


XXXX XXXX XXXX I contacted XXXX at least XXXX times, including multiple requests to speak to supervisors. 


Each time, XXXX denied my claim under the same claim number, asserting the activity matched my normal behavior. 


No evidence or rationale was provided. 


Last contact : XX/XX/year>. 


XX/XX/year> I contacted XXXX XXXX, the bank that received my stolen funds. 


XXXX XXXX Claim Number : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX they could not proceed without XXXX XXXX a claim, which XXXX has refused to do. 


I also filed an FTC Identity Theft Report ( Ref. # XXXX ) and a police report with the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 



Evidence of Unauthorized Access IP Address : XXXX ( XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ) I was in XXXX at the time. 


Unauthorized Account Added : XXXX XXXX account added XX/XX/year>. 


No Alerts Sent : No notification for new account linkage, large withdrawals, or out-of-state logins. 


Suspicious Timing : Transactions occurred at XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXcompletely inconsistent with my usage. 


XXXX XXXX : Account added months of inactivity test transaction full balance withdrawn. 



Violations of Regulation E ( 12 CFR Part 1005 ) Unauthorized Transfers ( 1005.2 ( m ), 1005.6 ) These transfers were not authorized or initiated by me. 


Limited Liability ( 1005.6 ( b ) ) I reported the fraud within XXXX  days, well within the XXXX limitmy liability should not exceed {$50.00}. 


Failure to Investigate ( 1005.11 ) XXXX ignored clear evidence ( foreign IP, unauthorized bank account, abnormal pattern ). 


Failure to Provide Provisional Credit ( XXXX ( c ) ) No provisional credit was issued within the required XXXX business days. 


Failure to Maintain Adequate Security Controls No alerts or authentication requests for suspicious activity. 



Why PayPals Normal Activity Claim Is False I did not add the XXXX XXXX account or authorize the transfers. 


Logins originated from XXXX XXXX, not XXXX 


Transactions occurred at abnormal hours ( XXXX a.m. ). 


The fraud followed a known takeover pattern : add external account wait test withdraw. 


I received no benefit from the transfers. 


XXXX ignored all warning indicators and repeatedly denied my claims. 



Requested Resolution Immediate reimbursement of the full {$15000.00}. 


Reimbursement of any lost interest or related fees. 


Written explanation of XXXX investigative process and denial rationale. 


Direct coordination between XXXX and XXXX XXXX to recover stolen funds. 


Comprehensive review of XXXX and Synchrony Banks security and notification practices. 



Supporting Documentation ( available upon request ) XXXX Claim : XXXX XXXX XXXX Claim : XXXX FTC Complaint Ref : XXXX XXXX Police Dept. Case # : XXXX XXXX Evidence : XXXX ( XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Transaction history and screenshots showing PayPals denials and absence of fraud alerts. 



Impact on Consumer Financial loss : {$15000.00}. 


Emotional distress : Repeated denials despite overwhelming evidence. 


Loss of trust : XXXX refusal to comply with Regulation E protections. 


Time burden : Dozens of hours spent contacting XXXX, XXXX XXXX, FTC, and law enforcement. 



XXXX XXXX This complaint is filed pursuant to : Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1693 et seq. ) Regulation E ( 12 CFR Part 1005 ) XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX Reform and Consumer Protection Act Conclusion The evidence clearly shows that I was the victim of identity theft and unauthorized electronic fund transfers. 
XXXX and Synchrony Bank failed to : Protect my account from unauthorized access, Conduct a proper investigation, and Provide the consumer protections required under federal law. 


I request that the CFPB compel XXXX and Synchrony Bank to : Immediately refund {$15000.00}, Provide written findings from their investigation, and Demonstrate compliance with Regulation E to prevent further consumer harm.

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