Consumer complaint received 2024-09-16 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Below is a letter I wrote to Synchrony Bank explaining the situation with no response : I am writing to CareCredit Synchrony Bank to speak with a XXXX-level manager after several unsuccessful attempts to resolve my credit account issue over the phone and after speaking with customer service on several occasions. 

I entered into an interest-free agreement that ended in XX/XX/XXXX. I owed {$3500.00} at that point, and a {$4000.00} interest charge was added. While some of this is disclosed in the monthly statements, I want to explain how this appears from the consumer side. 

When I first obtained the credit and interest-free account, I contacted CareCredit Synchrony Bank . I spoke to someone overseas who assured me that my account and payment amount would be acceptable and that I had an interest-free period that would be acceptable if I made the minimum payment showing on my statement. Since I only used that account once for a medical procedure and was not regularly charging on the account, I no longer looked at statements. In my mind, I was making a payment that would satisfy the debt. Additionally, at some point, my account changed from one type of account to another, all within the Care Credit Synchrony Bank umbrella. I can not recall what transpired, but I had to access my account another way, and perhaps the account number changed. 

It was not until several months after XX/XX/XXXX, when my interest-free period was over, XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, that I became aware that my account now had the interest added. Synchrony Bank did not send an email warning or letter about the expiration of the interest-free period. Again, since I was not looking at statements due to paperless statements, which CareCredit encourages, I was not looking at them every month. 

In contrast, at this same time, I also had a XXXX XXXX interest-free account, which was almost ending. XXXX XXXX was diligent by providing a reminder email advising me of the timeline, which prompted me to look at the CareCredit account. That is when I noticed the additional interest charge. When I realized my situation with the CareCredit account, I called Synchrony Bank, and after being transferred a few times, I ended up with a person who was supposed to be a supervisor. She took notes of my explanation and told me a XXXX  manager would review it, and it could take 60 days or more for review. After waiting, I followed up, and once again, I bounced around and then advised that no other higher-level manager was following up. But I was informed I could write this letter and someone would consider my situation : I want to speak to a XXXX manager who has the authority to do something rather than attempt to patronize me. My account is a severe issue for me. I want to point out that if I had known that I needed to pay off {$3500.00} to avoid {$4000.00} of interest charges, of course, I would have done that. I have paid off the {$3500.00} balance, but the prior interest charges still exist. Also, I am in a bad situation right now, having been laid off a while back and unable to find work in my area of experience, making this a difficult time for me. While I paid off the remaining balance, I am doing so from retirement savings. If you look at my credit profile, I do not have a pattern of carrying credit card balances. Occasionally, I take advantage of zero-interest offers but have always paid them off in time. In the case of the XXXX XXXX account, I have just a few more months to pay that off interest-free and am on pace to do that. Any balances you see on credit cards are always paid in full at the end of the billing cycle and set up automatically to do so. 

Hopefully, someone with the authority to examine this situation and consider my predicament will contact me, or I will have no choice but to contact the CFPB and see if they can offer any assistance. 

Synchrony Bank can reach me at XXXX XXXX XXXX, my mobile number, and I will do my best to pick up the call. But if I can not, please leave a message so I can follow up or advise what day and time they will call again, and I will clear my schedule to be available. 

Thank you. 


XXXX XXXX

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