Consumer complaint received 2026-05-29 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: AR

Complaint narrative:
Consumer : XXXX XXXX Creditor : Synchrony Bank Account : TJX Rewards Credit Card EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This complaint concerns Synchrony Bank 's handling of a TJX Rewards credit card account that originated from an approximately {$27.00} purchase and ultimately became a charged-off balance of approximately {$340.00} despite multiple payments made by the consumer. The consumer disputes Synchrony 's payment-processing practices, the adequacy of ACH disclosures, the assessment of fees, and the accuracy of subsequent credit reporting. The consumer initiated payment through Synchrony 's online payment portal on XX/XX/XXXX. At the time payment was initiated, sufficient funds were available. Synchrony 's system displayed a payment confirmation indicating the payment had been accepted, and the consumer 's banking application reflected the payment as deducted or committed against the available balance. The consumer reasonably believed the payment obligation had been satisfied. The consumer later learned that Synchrony treated the payment as returned for insufficient funds after a delayed ACH presentment. This event triggered returned-payment fees, late fees, interest charges, escalating delinquency reporting, charge-off reporting, collection activity, and substantial credit damage. TIMELINE OF EVENTS XX/XX/XXXX Consumer receives USDA mortgage pre-approval up to approximately {$140000.00}. XX/XX/XXXX Mortgage officer indicates likely qualification up to approximately {$200000.00}. XX/XX/XXXX TJX account opened. XX/XX/XXXX Consumer tenders payment through Synchrony 's online portal via bank card. Funds available at time of payment. Consumer receives payment confirmation from online portal, indicating payment acceptance from Synchrony bank. Consumer 's banking app shows deduction of funds after payment made on Synchrony online portal. XX/XX/XXXX Payment due date. Synchrony assesses late fees equivalent to original charge. Claims insufficient funds on this date. XX/XX/XXXX Synchrony later treats payment as returned for insufficient funds, adds secondary fee. XX/XX/XXXX Consumer tenders second payment in XXXX {$27.00} as is indicated in consumer payment history and verified on recorded call with Synchrony agent. XX/XX/XXXX Additional payment posted. XX/XX/XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX 2 additional payments made on XXXX and XXXX over the phone with Synchrony agent. Consumer uses debit card from XXXX XXXX account. Payments accepted and deducted immediately. Balance is now reportedly over {$200.00} from a {$27.00} charge derived from fee escalation charges. XXXX Account progresses through 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, 120-day, and 150-day delinquency reporting before charge-off status. XXXX Collection activity begins. Balance reported at approximately {$340.00}. PAYMENT PROCESSING DISPUTE The consumer disputes Synchrony 's treatment of the XX/XX/XXXX payment. The payment was initiated prior to the due date while sufficient funds were available. Synchrony 's online system indicated that the payment had been accepted. The consumer 's banking application reflected the payment as deducted or committed against the available balance. The consumer was not adequately informed that the payment remained contingent upon later ACH presentment or that sufficient funds needed to remain available for an additional period after the payment appeared accepted. The consumer contends that if adequate disclosure had been provided, sufficient funds would have been maintained to ensure successful completion of the transaction. FEE ESCALATION CONCERNS The original account balance was approximately {$27.00}. Following the disputed payment event, Synchrony assessed : Returned-payment fees Late fees Interest charges Additional penalties Several individual fees equaled or exceeded the original purchase amount. Despite multiple subsequent payments by the consumer, the account balance continued to increase and ultimately reached approximately {$340.00}. Consumer payments total approximately {$130.00} for an original charge of {$27.00}. The consumer requests a complete accounting showing every fee, payment, reversal, interest charge, and balance adjustment applied to the account. In compliance with UCC 3-603, states If you tender full payment on a note when it is due and the creditor refuses, your obligation to pay interest on that amount after the due date is discharged. Consumer claims tender of payment was made, for full amount, via Synchrony 's online portal 4 days prior to due date, which then accepted payment as displayed. Consumer banking app reflected deduction of payment from balance at which time sufficient funds were available, as disclosed by deposit amounts in consumer 's banking app statement. At no time was disclosure made to the consumer the ACH would be performed 4 days later. By all evidence and communications presented to consumer, the obligation was met. Having met her obligation, by any means of information available to her, consumer reasonably withdrew monies to perform payment for rent obligations, thereby negating the {$27.00} funds creating an insufficient fund triggering event. CREDIT REPORTING CONCERNS The consumer 's records indicate that multiple payments were made after the initial dispute. Subsequent payments over phone were immediately withdrawn from consumer bank account without any disclosure of waiting periods for ACH even though every transaction was performed through an online banking card ( debit card ). The account nevertheless progressed through increasingly severe delinquency statuses and was ultimately reported as charged off. The consumer requests verification of : Every payment received How each payment was applied Every monthly report furnished to credit bureaus Delinquency status reported each month Balance reported each month verification of any disclosure to consumer that ACH would be performed several days later. CREDIT DAMAGE Prior to the Synchrony reporting, the consumer maintained substantially stronger credit and qualified for mortgage financing. ~715 Following the disputed account activity, the consumer experienced significant credit deterioration, loss of financing opportunities, reduced mortgage eligibility, and ongoing derogatory reporting. EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit A USDA Mortgage Pre-Approval Letter Exhibit B Mortgage Officer Email Exhibit C TJX/Synchrony Account Information Exhibit D TJX Statement Showing Original Purchase, Fees, and Payments Exhibit E Credit Reporting History Exhibit F Credit Score History Screenshots Exhibit G Bank Account Records Showing Available Funds Exhibit H Synchrony Payment History Screenshots Exhibit I Synchrony Call Transcript Exhibit J Collection Notice Exhibit K Additional Supporting Documentation

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