Consumer complaint received 2026-03-23 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
Company Being Complained About : Synchrony Bank Subject : Unilateral Credit Card Closure Without Adequate Notice, Expired Notification Link, Refusal to Provide Written Explanation, and XXXX Credit Score Drop To Whom It May Concern : I am filing this formal complaint against Synchrony Bank regarding a series of failures surrounding the abrupt and unannounced closure of my credit card account. I am requesting a full investigation into this matter. BACKGROUND I held a Synchrony Bank-Lowes credit card for approximately XXXX years now due to home renovations. Throughout the entire life of the account, I maintained a perfect payment history, never missing or making a late payment. My account was in good standing at the time of closure as I was not necessarily using it as I wanted to pay it down some before using it again. I went to utilize it yesterday at lowes and the cashier recieved a " do not honor '' message on her screen.. XXXX XXXX ISSUE XXXX : ACCOUNT CLOSED WITHOUT ADEQUATE NOTICE After some research Synchrony Bank closed my credit card account without any meaningful prior notice or warning. The only communication I received was an email containing a link that went to my SPAM folder ... that link has since expired and is no longer accessible after I spoke with a representative today and they informed me to check my spam. This means Synchrony Bank 's sole form of notification is now unverifiable and effectively inaccessible to me as the consumer. When I was able to determine the reason for the closure, I was told it was due to " inactivity. " /a review of my account. The representative also said Synchrony looks at their consumers spending habits. Which is NONE of their business outside of the debts consumers owe to Synchrony and I've always paid mine on time. At no point was I informed... prior to closure that inactivity could result in the cancellation of my account. If so I would have not put off my project and utilized the card sooner in order to prevent the closure. A bank can not reasonably claim adequate notice was provided when the only notification they sent contains an expired, inaccessible link now with no notification in the original email that it would expire. They also hadd the opportunity to send a written letter in the mail and did not do so.. XXXX XXXX ISSUE XXXX : MEASURABLE FINANCIAL HARM The closure of my account has caused direct and significant financial harm : My credit score dropped XXXX points immediately following the closure. The loss of my available credit limit caused my credit utilization ratio to increase substantially. This score drop has the potential to negatively affect my ability to obtain credit, secure additional items for my home, and access favorable interest rates going forward. This is not a minor inconvenience as a XXXXpoint drop is a serious and damaging consequence for a customer who did everything right. AND was making the smart choice to pay her balance down before utilizing the card again. XXXX XXXX ISSUE XXXX : REFUSAL TO PROVIDE WRITTEN EXPLANATION BY POSTAL MAIL After discovering my account had been closed, I contacted Synchrony Bank by chat and formally requested that a written explanation be mailed to my home address. Their representative refused, stating that Synchrony Bank only communicates via email and could not send correspondence by postal mail. I find this policy unacceptable. Not all consumers rely on email as their primary form of communication, and a blanket refusal to provide written postal correspondence to a customer who has suffered measurable financial harm is unreasonable and potentially exclusionary. ALSO adding to this is the fact that the original email had a link that was expired and went to my spam when any other correspondance from Synchrony for my ontime payments and everything else show up in my normal inbox. I have retained a complete copy of my chat session with the Synchrony Bank representative in which this refusal was explicitly stated. This transcript is attached to this complaint as supporting documentation. XXXX XXXX SUMMARY OF GRIEVANCES XXXX. My account was closed without adequate prior notice. XXXX. The only notification provided contained an expired link that is no longer accessible to me as the consumer. XXXX. I was never informed that inactivity could result in account closure. XXXX. I was given no opportunity to prevent the closure. XXXX. My credit score dropped XXXX points as a direct result. XXXX. Synchrony Bank refused to provide a written explanation by postal mail. XXXX. I have a chat transcript documenting the refusal, attached herein. REQUESTED ACTIONS I respectfully request that the CFPB : XXXX. Investigate Synchrony Bank 's practice of closing accounts without adequate prior notice to customers. Especially those in good standing. XXXX. Investigate whether an expired email link constitutes sufficient legal notification of account closure. XXXX. Require Synchrony Bank to provide a full written explanation of the closure, mailed to my home address. XXXX. Investigate whether Synchrony Bank 's refusal to communicate by postal mail is a systemic policy and whether it violates any consumer protection regulations. XXXX. Explore whether the account closure can be reversed or whether Synchrony Bank can take steps to remediate the credit damage they caused. XXXX. Take any appropriate regulatory action if these practices are found to be unfair, deceptive, or abusive under applicable consumer protection laws. I have documented my credit score after the closure and am prepared to provide additional supporting materials upon request. I am willing to take this matter further if need be as well. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to a prompt response. Enclosures : XXXX. Chat transcript with Synchrony Bank representative ( dated XX/XX/23 ) XXXX. Documentation of credit score drop XXXX. Screenshot of expired email notification from Synchrony Bank

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