Consumer complaint received 2024-08-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I placed an order for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX in small size in blue/grey XXXX way from an XXXX XXXX XXXX called XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. I processed the amount of XXXX XXXX, equivalent to {$5800.00} usd, through XXXX XXXX XXXX Synchrony bank credit account. The advertisement description described the bike as a brand new bike with XXXX ridden. Therefore, I was expecting to receive a complete XXXX XXXX bike. However, I received a bike that is different than described on description and not functional. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, when I took the bike to a local bike shop for assembly, I saw the bike has a paint crack on the bottom of the frame, damages on the wheels, signs of use, malfunction of a gear shifter, and missing seatpost clamp, where it holds the seatpost so that the seat does not move up and down during the ride. Without this part, I can not even adjust the seapost height because it goes all the way down when you put the seatpost. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent XXXX emails to the merchant and explained that the bike is missing the seatpost clamp and has the damages on the bike. However, I did not hear back from the merchant. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I reported and opened a chargeback dispute with Synchrony bank to resolve the issue. The representative successfully reported the problem, and explained me that if the investigation team needs supporting documentation from me, they will contact me. Therefore, I did not submit any document with my request. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the merchant sent me an email asking why his fund got blocked by XXXX. Therefore, I explained the condition of the bike I had received with pictures. Then, the merchant wrote me to send the bike back to them without any return instruction, return label, and refund process. The XXXX XXXX XXXX website does not have any instruction of return and refund process. Therefore, on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX, I called the Synchrony bank XXXX department and explained that the merchant wants me to send the bike back to him. I was worried about sending the bike back to him and lose the money at the same time. However, the representative told me to wait until the investigation team contacts me. Therefore, I decided to wait for the investigation team to contact me. 

Until XX/XX/XXXX, the shop owner was sending me emails asking me to send the bike back, but still without any return instruction or refund process. He was blaming me that I'm stealing the bike from him. Also, he was threatening me writing, " I should come to XXXX  '' on XX/XX/XXXX email. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I've received the result of the chargeback dispute claim, and Synchrony bank denied my dispute. The reason for the denial is " No proof of return was provided. Merchandise has not been received back. '' As referred earlier, I asked the representative about what to do with this merchant wanting his merchandise back to him, and his answer was " wait for the investigation team to reach out to you. '' On the same day, since the claim was closed on merchant 's end, I sent an email to the merchant that I will return the bike, so please provide a return label and promise me the full refund. However, the merchant refused my request writing, that I kept the bike for XXXX months, so he will follow the bank 's response to the dispute charge. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the bank and asked for the reason why my case was denied. However all she did was reading the letter from the bank. When I explained the situation, she was suggesting me to reopen the chargeback case with them. Same as before, they did not ask any supporting documentations. In order to know how to submit my supporting document to the bank, I called them XXXX more time at XXXX A.M. Then another representative explained me that I need to have a case number to submit the supporting document. However, they only accept those documents through mail or their portal, where I can only submit XXXX files and keep making errors for each submissions. Additionally, I asked if I can resolve this issue by returning the bike back to merchant and get a full refund. Then he told me not to do that, because there's a high risk of me losing both money and the bike. He advised me to let investigation officers to deal with the problem. 

I just followed their instructions about the dispute chargeback process, and they closed the case in the merchant 's favor. I asked the representative about returning the bike as soon as I received the return request from the merchant. He advised me to not to and just wait for the investigation team to reach out to me. Then, the investigation team never got in touch with me but sent me a message that the dispute was denied because the merchandise was not returned to the merchant. 

Please help me with this case. I was not able to participate for bike tour rides due to this issue. Even now, I can not participate XXXX XXXX bike riding tours and events.

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