Consumer complaint received 2025-03-10 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Federal Trade Commission XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX RE : Formal Complaint Against XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX Synchrony Bank Dear CFPB and FTC, I submit this formal complaint against XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX and Synchrony Bank for engaging in unfair, deceptive, and unlawful debt collection practices, in violation of federal consumer protection laws. 
Violations of Federal Law 1. Unfair Debt Collection Practices ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) 2. False or Misleading Credit Reporting ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ) 3. Deceptive Litigation Practices in Violation of Federal Law Summary of Violations : 1. Filing a Lawsuit in the Wrong Jurisdiction The original creditor agreement specifies that Utah law governs any disputes. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX ignored this contractual provision and filed suit in Ohio, seeking an unfair advantage. 
This misuse of jurisdiction violates fair consumer litigation standards and is intended to pressure consumers into settlements.

2. Omitting the Arbitration Clause from the Lawsuit The original agreement contains an arbitration clause, which likely bars this litigation from proceeding in court. 
XXXX XXXX and its attorneys failed to disclose a legible copy of the arbitration clause, despite multiple formal requests. 
This is an intentional omission that misleads the court and denies me my legal rights. 
3. Failure to Provide Full Debt Validation ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I formally requested validation of the alleged debt. 
XXXX XXXX failed to provide the original contract, a full account history, or a purchase agreement proving ownership. 
Instead, they submitted partial and misleading evidence while omitting key documents, violating the FDCPA. 
Despite failing to validate the debt, XXXX XXXX continued collection efforts, which is unlawful under federal law.

4. False & Misleading Credit Reporting ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ) Despite my dispute, XXXX XXXX continued reporting the debt without verifying its accuracy. 
Synchrony Bank failed to confirm whether the debt was sold, securitized, or written off. 
This resulted in inaccurate and misleading credit reporting, harming my financial standing. 
5. Securitization of Debt Makes it Uncollectible Synchrony Bank securitizes its receivables, meaning that the debt may have been transferred to a trust and is legally uncollectible. 
XXXX XXXX has not provided proof that they have legal ownership to collect this debt. 
Debt buyers can not collect debts that have been securitized unless they can prove specific ownership, which they have failed to do.

6. Fraudulent Credit Reporting & Failure to Correct Disputed Debt Portfolio Recovery knowingly reported inaccurate debt information, despite the account being disputed. 
Synchrony Bank failed to provide documentation proving XXXX XXXX had legal authority to collect the debt. 
This violates FCRA reporting obligations and results in continued harm to my credit profile. 
7. Bad Faith Litigation & Misrepresentation XXXX XXXX attorneys refused to provide essential documents proving ownership of the debt. 
Synchrony Bank may have already written off or securitized the debt, making XXXX XXXX collection efforts improper. 
This deceptive litigation is meant to mislead consumers and pressure settlements rather than comply with legal standards. 
8. Failure to Respond to Good Faith Discovery Requests Portfolio Recovery refused to comply with multiple discovery requests regarding debt validation, ownership, and reporting. 
This is a systemic issue within their collection practices, violating consumer protection laws. 
9. Improper Service & Procedural Misconduct On XX/XX/XXXX, the judge ruled that I was never properly served with the original complaint. 
I informed XXXX XXXX attorney in XX/XX/XXXX that I had not been served. 
Attorney XXXX XXXX XXXX acknowledged this on the record but failed to correct the issue, continuing to litigate in bad faith. 
The judge restarted the case in XX/XX/XXXX after determining that XXXX XXXX failed to serve me properly before pursuing collection actions. 
This demonstrates XXXX XXXX pattern of abusing legal processes to 10. Misapplication of Law Due to Judicial Deference to Repeat Debt Collection Filers The judge overseeing my case has repeatedly deferred to XXXX XXXX XXXX ' experience in filing lawsuits rather than applying the actual law. 
Instead of ensuring XXXX XXXX complied with consumer protection laws, the court assumed that because they file debt collection lawsuits frequently, they must be correct. 
This harms consumers, as the judge failed to require : o Proper debt validation ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ). 
o Proof that XXXX XXXX actually owns the debt. 
o Recognition of the governing law ( Utah ) and the arbitration clause that likely bars this lawsuit. 
This bias toward repeat debt buyers creates a system where debt collectors file lawsuits without proper proof, knowing courts will favor them based on experience rather than evidence. 
11. Misuse of Litigation & Debt Collection Abuse by XXXX XXXX XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, the judge ruled that I was never properly served with the original complaint. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX litigated for over a year without properly serving me. 
Instead of dismissing the case for lack of service and failure to prosecute, the court improperly restarted the lawsuit, unfairly benefiting XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX and Synchrony Bank violated multiple consumer protection laws : o FDCPA ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ( b ) ) XXXX XXXX continued collection without validating the debt. 
o FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 ) XXXX XXXX reported unverified debt to credit bureaus despite my disputes. 
o Debt Buyer Procedural Abuse XXXX XXXX ignored the governing law ( Utah ) and omitted an arbitration clause that may bar the lawsuit.

Requested Actions I respectfully request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) and the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) : 1. Investigate XXXX XXXX XXXX & Synchrony Bank for violations of consumer protection laws. 
2. Order XXXX XXXX to delete the debt from my credit report and cease collection efforts. 
3. Impose financial penalties against XXXX XXXX XXXX for procedural abuse.

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