{"id":"synchrony","page":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/#/c/synchrony","html":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/c/synchrony/","generated":"2026-10-15","company":{"id":"synchrony","name":"Synchrony","aliases":["synchrony bank","synchrony financial","carecredit","care credit","mysynchrony"],"sector":"bank","parent":"Synchrony Financial","website":"https://www.synchrony.com","official_domains":["synchrony.com","synchronybank.com","mysynchrony.com","syf.com","carecredit.com"],"security":{"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Synchrony will never email you with a request for information. If an email asks you to provide private information, do not provide it.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Phishing emails that appear to come from Synchrony warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for completing a survey, or announce changes to online services.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"phishing-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report a phishing scam that uses Synchrony Bank's name","value":"+1-866-226-5638","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"The same article says that Synchrony Bank emails with links that do not come from customer.service@mail.synchronybank.com or consumerbanking@e.synchronybank.com may be phishing.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/blog/banking/how-to-avoid-phishing","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"regulators":["cfpb","occ"],"notes":"Synchrony Bank is a federal savings association (OCC). It issues store and co-brand credit cards for many retailers, CareCredit health cards and Pay Later products, and offers Synchrony Bank savings. Each store card has its own service number on the back of the card.","channels":[{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"fraud-report-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report suspected fraud or identity theft","value":"+1-866-834-3205","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"fraud-case-phone","type":"phone","label":"Existing fraud case","value":"+1-866-412-7866","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"carecredit-phone","type":"phone","label":"CareCredit, manage your account","value":"+1-866-893-7864","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","fee_reversal"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"savings-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Bank savings, CDs and IRAs","value":"+1-866-226-5638","hours":"Bankers Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Sat-Sun 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET; automated service 24/7","purposes":["fraud","frozen_funds","fee_reversal"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"savings-international-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Bank, international customers","value":"+1-937-534-3624","purposes":["fraud","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"savings-mail","type":"mail","label":"Synchrony Bank (savings) regular mail, including returned forms","value":"Synchrony Bank, P.O. Box 669802, Dallas, TX 75266-0955","purposes":["frozen_funds","poor_service"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"pay-in-4-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Pay Later, Pay in 4","value":"+1-855-945-3576","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"pay-monthly-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Pay Later, Pay in Monthly","value":"+1-844-373-4960","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"escalation":[{"rung":"frontline","channel":"general-phone","note":"Or the number on the back of the store card."},{"rung":"written_complaint","note":"Card customers can send a secure message after signing in. For billing errors, write to the address in the billing rights section of your statement."},{"rung":"regulator","regulator":"cfpb"},{"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator"}],"playbooks":[{"issue":"fraud","summary":"Call the fraud line, then return the Fraud Investigation Form Synchrony mails you.","evidence":["list of transactions you did and did not make (merchant","date","amount)","police report","FTC identity theft report"],"steps":[{"do":"Call Synchrony to report the fraud. A team member helps gather information to open a claim.","channel":"fraud-report-phone"},{"do":"List which transactions you made and which you did not, with merchant name, date and amount."},{"do":"Watch for the Fraud Investigation Form (about two weeks). Mark each transaction, sign it and return it as its instructions say."},{"do":"For questions on an open claim, call the existing fraud case line.","channel":"fraud-case-phone"},{"do":"Place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus, file a police report, and report identity theft to the FTC. Complain to the CFPB if Synchrony does not act.","regulator":"cfpb"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"Synchrony mails a Fraud Investigation Form, usually within about two weeks; failure to return it may affect your claim.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Fraud claims typically take about 60 days, and up to 90 days in some cases. A temporary credit is applied to the account pending the outcome.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"You are still responsible for payment on any non-fraudulent transactions you made.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"issue":"unauthorized_charge","summary":"Report it as fraud by phone and follow the Fraud Investigation Form process.","evidence":["statement with the charge","date you noticed it","card status"],"steps":[{"do":"Call the fraud line.","channel":"fraud-report-phone"},{"do":"Return the signed Fraud Investigation Form when it arrives."},{"do":"If Synchrony does not resolve it, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":"cfpb"}]},{"issue":"transaction_dispute","summary":"Contact the merchant, then dispute through the card's service number or a secure message in the online account.","evidence":["statement showing the charge","receipt","record of contact with the merchant"],"steps":[{"do":"Try the merchant first and keep proof."},{"do":"Call the number on the back of the card, or sign in and send a secure message.","channel":"general-phone"},{"do":"For a billing error, also write to the billing rights address on your statement within 60 days."},{"do":"If Synchrony does not resolve it, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":"cfpb"}]}],"tips":[{"kind":"official","text":"Synchrony says it will never email you with a request for information.","issues":["fraud"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_blockers":["Most store cards have their own service number; use the one on the back of the card.","Synchrony's contact pages list no dispute page, complaint form or complaint mailing address; disputes go by phone or secure message after sign-in."]},"playbooks":{"fraud":{"company":{"id":"synchrony","name":"Synchrony","sector":"bank","website":"https://www.synchrony.com","account_url":null},"issue":{"id":"fraud","name":"Fraud or scam"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Call the fraud line, then return the Fraud Investigation Form Synchrony mails you.","evidence":["list of transactions you did and did not make (merchant","date","amount)","police report","FTC identity theft report"],"steps":[{"do":"Call Synchrony to report the fraud. A team member helps gather information to open a claim.","channel":{"id":"fraud-report-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report suspected fraud or identity theft","value":"+1-866-834-3205","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"List which transactions you made and which you did not, with merchant name, date and amount."},{"do":"Watch for the Fraud Investigation Form (about two weeks). Mark each transaction, sign it and return it as its instructions say."},{"do":"For questions on an open claim, call the existing fraud case line.","channel":{"id":"fraud-case-phone","type":"phone","label":"Existing fraud case","value":"+1-866-412-7866","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"Place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus, file a police report, and report identity theft to the FTC. Complain to the CFPB if Synchrony does not act.","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}}],"channels":[{"id":"fraud-report-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report suspected fraud or identity theft","value":"+1-866-834-3205","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"fraud-case-phone","type":"phone","label":"Existing fraud case","value":"+1-866-412-7866","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"savings-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Bank savings, CDs and IRAs","value":"+1-866-226-5638","hours":"Bankers Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Sat-Sun 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET; automated service 24/7","purposes":["fraud","frozen_funds","fee_reversal"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"savings-international-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Bank, international customers","value":"+1-937-534-3624","purposes":["fraud","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"Synchrony mails a Fraud Investigation Form, usually within about two weeks; failure to return it may affect your claim.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Fraud claims typically take about 60 days, and up to 90 days in some cases. A temporary credit is applied to the account pending the outcome.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"You are still responsible for payment on any non-fraudulent transactions you made.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"rules":{"in_force":[{"id":"efta-reg-e","title":"Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)","citation":"12 CFR 1005.6; 12 CFR 1005.11; 12 CFR 1005.2(m) (Regulation E)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"For debit cards, ATM transfers, ACH and other electronic fund transfers from a consumer account (including P2P payments that meet the EFT definition), the consumer has 60 days after the statement is sent to report an error. The institution must investigate within 10 business days, or within 45 days if it provisionally credits the account within 10 business days. Liability for unauthorized transfers is capped at $50, $500 or more depending on how fast the consumer reports.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points":[{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer reports a lost or stolen access device within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is limited to \"the lesser of $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers that occur before notice\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer does not report within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is \"the lesser of $500 or the sum of\" up to $50 of transfers in the first two business days and later transfers the institution shows would have been prevented by timely notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"An unauthorized transfer that appears on a periodic statement must be reported \"within 60 days of the financial institution's transmittal of the statement\" to avoid liability for later transfers that timely notice would have prevented. The institution must extend these time limits to a reasonable period when extenuating circumstances (for example extended travel or hospitalization) delayed notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Notice of an unauthorized transfer may be given in person, by phone or in writing. Written notice is considered given at the time the consumer mails it. Lower liability under state law or the account agreement controls.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"An unauthorized EFT is a transfer from the consumer's account initiated by someone other than the consumer without actual authority and from which the consumer receives no benefit. It does not include a transfer by a person to whom the consumer gave the access device (until the consumer tells the institution that person is no longer authorized), a transfer made with fraudulent intent by the consumer or someone acting with the consumer, or a transfer by the institution or its employee.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/2/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Errors covered by the error-resolution procedure include an unauthorized EFT, an incorrect EFT to or from the account, an omitted transfer on a statement, a computational or bookkeeping error, receiving the wrong amount of cash from an ATM, and a request for documentation or clarification about a transfer.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The consumer must give notice of an error no later than 60 days after the institution sent the periodic statement on which the error first appears. The notice must let the institution identify the consumer's name and account and say why the consumer believes there is an error. If notice is oral, the institution may require written confirmation within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The institution must investigate and decide within 10 business days, report results within 3 business days after it completes the investigation, and correct an error within 1 business day after it finds one. It may take up to 45 days only if it provisionally credits the disputed amount within 10 business days. It need not provisionally credit if it asked for written confirmation of an oral notice and did not receive it within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Longer periods apply in some cases: 20 business days instead of 10 for transfers within 30 days after the first deposit to a new account, and 90 days instead of 45 for point-of-sale debit card transactions, transfers not initiated within a state, and new-account transfers.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"If the institution finds no error, it must give a written explanation and tell the consumer of the right to request the documents it relied on. If it debits a provisional credit, it must notify the consumer of the date and amount and honor checks and preauthorized transfers for five business days after the notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"P2P (CFPB guidance, not rule text): the CFPB's Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs state that any P2P payment that meets the definition of an EFT is covered by EFTA and Regulation E, and that when a consumer is fraudulently induced into sharing account access information with a third party, the resulting transfer by that third party is an unauthorized EFT.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"CFPB guidance (Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs): an institution must begin its investigation promptly on an oral or written notice of error and may not require a police report or require the consumer to contact the merchant first. Consumer negligence, such as writing a PIN on the card, cannot be used to impose greater liability.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"id":"tila-unauthorized-card-liability","title":"Credit card unauthorized-use liability limit (Regulation Z)","citation":"12 CFR 1026.12(b) (Regulation Z)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"A cardholder's liability for unauthorized use of a credit card cannot exceed the lesser of $50 or the amount obtained before the cardholder notifies the card issuer. Notice can be in person, by phone or in writing. A state law or the card agreement that sets lower liability controls.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points_omitted":2,"points":[{"kind":"limit","claim":"Liability for unauthorized use \"shall not exceed the lesser of $50 or the amount of money, property, labor, or services obtained by the unauthorized use before notification to the card issuer\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Unauthorized use means use by a person other than the cardholder who does not have actual, implied or apparent authority for the use, and from which the cardholder receives no benefit.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Notice to the issuer may be given in person, by telephone or in writing, at the cardholder's option. Written notice counts as given when received or when the time ordinarily required for transmission has passed, whichever is earlier.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]}],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[{"kind":"official","text":"Synchrony says it will never email you with a request for information.","issues":["fraud"],"source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","note":"Or the number on the back of the store card.","channel":{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"Card customers can send a secure message after signing in. For billing errors, write to the address in the billing rights section of your statement.","candidate_channels":["carecredit-phone","savings-mail"]},{"index":2,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":3,"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Most store cards have their own service number; use the one on the back of the card.","Synchrony's contact pages list no dispute page, complaint form or complaint mailing address; disputes go by phone or secure message after sign-in."],"security":{"official_domains":["synchrony.com","synchronybank.com","mysynchrony.com","syf.com","carecredit.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Synchrony will never email you with a request for information. If an email asks you to provide private information, do not provide it.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Phishing emails that appear to come from Synchrony warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for completing a survey, or announce changes to online services.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"phishing-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report a phishing scam that uses Synchrony Bank's name","value":"+1-866-226-5638","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"The same article says that Synchrony Bank emails with links that do not come from customer.service@mail.synchronybank.com or consumerbanking@e.synchronybank.com may be phishing.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/blog/banking/how-to-avoid-phishing","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":30},"verified_from":{"page":16},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 30 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":"2026-10-12"},"context":{"dossier":true,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Synchrony Bank is a federal savings association (OCC). It issues store and co-brand credit cards for many retailers, CareCredit health cards and Pay Later products, and offers Synchrony Bank savings. Each store card has its own service number on the back of the card.","warnings":[]},"unauthorized_charge":{"company":{"id":"synchrony","name":"Synchrony","sector":"bank","website":"https://www.synchrony.com","account_url":null},"issue":{"id":"unauthorized_charge","name":"Unauthorized charge"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Report it as fraud by phone and follow the Fraud Investigation Form process.","evidence":["statement with the charge","date you noticed it","card status"],"steps":[{"do":"Call the fraud line.","channel":{"id":"fraud-report-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report suspected fraud or identity theft","value":"+1-866-834-3205","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"Return the signed Fraud Investigation Form when it arrives."},{"do":"If Synchrony does not resolve it, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}}],"channels":[{"id":"fraud-report-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report suspected fraud or identity theft","value":"+1-866-834-3205","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"fraud-case-phone","type":"phone","label":"Existing fraud case","value":"+1-866-412-7866","purposes":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"carecredit-phone","type":"phone","label":"CareCredit, manage your account","value":"+1-866-893-7864","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","fee_reversal"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[],"rules":{"in_force":[{"id":"efta-reg-e","title":"Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)","citation":"12 CFR 1005.6; 12 CFR 1005.11; 12 CFR 1005.2(m) (Regulation E)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"For debit cards, ATM transfers, ACH and other electronic fund transfers from a consumer account (including P2P payments that meet the EFT definition), the consumer has 60 days after the statement is sent to report an error. The institution must investigate within 10 business days, or within 45 days if it provisionally credits the account within 10 business days. Liability for unauthorized transfers is capped at $50, $500 or more depending on how fast the consumer reports.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points":[{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer reports a lost or stolen access device within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is limited to \"the lesser of $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers that occur before notice\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer does not report within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is \"the lesser of $500 or the sum of\" up to $50 of transfers in the first two business days and later transfers the institution shows would have been prevented by timely notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"An unauthorized transfer that appears on a periodic statement must be reported \"within 60 days of the financial institution's transmittal of the statement\" to avoid liability for later transfers that timely notice would have prevented. The institution must extend these time limits to a reasonable period when extenuating circumstances (for example extended travel or hospitalization) delayed notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Notice of an unauthorized transfer may be given in person, by phone or in writing. Written notice is considered given at the time the consumer mails it. Lower liability under state law or the account agreement controls.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"An unauthorized EFT is a transfer from the consumer's account initiated by someone other than the consumer without actual authority and from which the consumer receives no benefit. It does not include a transfer by a person to whom the consumer gave the access device (until the consumer tells the institution that person is no longer authorized), a transfer made with fraudulent intent by the consumer or someone acting with the consumer, or a transfer by the institution or its employee.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/2/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Errors covered by the error-resolution procedure include an unauthorized EFT, an incorrect EFT to or from the account, an omitted transfer on a statement, a computational or bookkeeping error, receiving the wrong amount of cash from an ATM, and a request for documentation or clarification about a transfer.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The consumer must give notice of an error no later than 60 days after the institution sent the periodic statement on which the error first appears. The notice must let the institution identify the consumer's name and account and say why the consumer believes there is an error. If notice is oral, the institution may require written confirmation within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The institution must investigate and decide within 10 business days, report results within 3 business days after it completes the investigation, and correct an error within 1 business day after it finds one. It may take up to 45 days only if it provisionally credits the disputed amount within 10 business days. It need not provisionally credit if it asked for written confirmation of an oral notice and did not receive it within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Longer periods apply in some cases: 20 business days instead of 10 for transfers within 30 days after the first deposit to a new account, and 90 days instead of 45 for point-of-sale debit card transactions, transfers not initiated within a state, and new-account transfers.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"If the institution finds no error, it must give a written explanation and tell the consumer of the right to request the documents it relied on. If it debits a provisional credit, it must notify the consumer of the date and amount and honor checks and preauthorized transfers for five business days after the notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"P2P (CFPB guidance, not rule text): the CFPB's Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs state that any P2P payment that meets the definition of an EFT is covered by EFTA and Regulation E, and that when a consumer is fraudulently induced into sharing account access information with a third party, the resulting transfer by that third party is an unauthorized EFT.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"CFPB guidance (Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs): an institution must begin its investigation promptly on an oral or written notice of error and may not require a police report or require the consumer to contact the merchant first. Consumer negligence, such as writing a PIN on the card, cannot be used to impose greater liability.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"id":"fcba-billing-error","title":"Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)","citation":"12 CFR 1026.13; 12 CFR 1026.12(c) (Regulation Z)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"For credit card and other open-end credit accounts, a written billing-error notice that the creditor receives within 60 days after it sent the first statement with the error starts a dispute process. The creditor must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within 2 complete billing cycles (no later than 90 days). Until then, the consumer need not pay the disputed amount and the creditor may not collect it or report it as delinquent. A separate rule lets a cardholder assert claims and defenses about a card purchase against the card issuer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/13/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points_omitted":9,"points":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"A billing error includes a charge for credit not made to the consumer or an authorized user; a charge for property or services not accepted by the consumer or not delivered as agreed; a failure to credit a payment or other credit properly; a computational error by the creditor; a charge for which the consumer asks for clarification, including documentary evidence; and failure to send a statement to the last address the creditor received in writing at least 20 days before the end of the billing cycle.","issues":["billing_error","unauthorized_charge","refund_request"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/13/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"id":"rosca-negative-option","title":"Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) negative option requirements","citation":"15 U.S.C. 8401-8405","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"A seller that charges consumers online through a negative option feature (for example an automatic renewal or a free trial that converts to paid) must clearly disclose all material terms before taking billing information, get the consumer's express informed consent before charging, and provide simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges. The FTC enforces ROSCA.","source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points_omitted":1,"points":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Before obtaining the consumer's billing information, the seller must provide text that \"clearly and conspicuously discloses all material terms of the transaction\".","issues":["cancel_service","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"The seller must obtain \"a consumer's express informed consent before charging the consumer's credit card, debit card, bank account, or other financial account\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"A post-transaction third-party seller may not charge a consumer for an online sale unless it discloses the material terms and gets express informed consent, including the consumer's full account number, before charging. An initial merchant may not pass a customer's account number or other billing information to such a seller.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8402","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A ROSCA violation is treated as a violation of an FTC rule on unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and the FTC enforces ROSCA with its FTC Act powers and penalties. Report violations to the FTC.","issues":["cancel_service","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8404","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"id":"tila-unauthorized-card-liability","title":"Credit card unauthorized-use liability limit (Regulation Z)","citation":"12 CFR 1026.12(b) (Regulation Z)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"A cardholder's liability for unauthorized use of a credit card cannot exceed the lesser of $50 or the amount obtained before the cardholder notifies the card issuer. Notice can be in person, by phone or in writing. A state law or the card agreement that sets lower liability controls.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points":[{"kind":"limit","claim":"Liability for unauthorized use \"shall not exceed the lesser of $50 or the amount of money, property, labor, or services obtained by the unauthorized use before notification to the card issuer\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Unauthorized use means use by a person other than the cardholder who does not have actual, implied or apparent authority for the use, and from which the cardholder receives no benefit.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"The issuer can hold the cardholder liable only if the card is an accepted card, the issuer gave adequate notice of the maximum potential liability and of how to report loss or theft, and the issuer provided a means to identify the cardholder or authorized user.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Notice to the issuer may be given in person, by telephone or in writing, at the cardholder's option. Written notice counts as given when received or when the time ordinarily required for transmission has passed, whichever is earlier.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If state law or the cardholder agreement sets lower liability, \"the lesser liability shall govern\". When an issuer gives 10 or more cards to employees of one organization, the issuer and the organization may agree to different liability terms, but an employee can still be held liable only as this section permits.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]}],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","note":"Or the number on the back of the store card.","channel":{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"Card customers can send a secure message after signing in. For billing errors, write to the address in the billing rights section of your statement.","candidate_channels":["carecredit-phone","savings-mail"]},{"index":2,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":3,"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Most store cards have their own service number; use the one on the back of the card.","Synchrony's contact pages list no dispute page, complaint form or complaint mailing address; disputes go by phone or secure message after sign-in."],"security":{"official_domains":["synchrony.com","synchronybank.com","mysynchrony.com","syf.com","carecredit.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Synchrony will never email you with a request for information. If an email asks you to provide private information, do not provide it.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Phishing emails that appear to come from Synchrony warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for completing a survey, or announce changes to online services.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"phishing-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report a phishing scam that uses Synchrony Bank's name","value":"+1-866-226-5638","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"The same article says that Synchrony Bank emails with links that do not come from customer.service@mail.synchronybank.com or consumerbanking@e.synchronybank.com may be phishing.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/blog/banking/how-to-avoid-phishing","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":30},"verified_from":{"page":16},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 30 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":"2026-10-12"},"context":{"dossier":true,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Synchrony Bank is a federal savings association (OCC). It issues store and co-brand credit cards for many retailers, CareCredit health cards and Pay Later products, and offers Synchrony Bank savings. Each store card has its own service number on the back of the card.","warnings":[]},"transaction_dispute":{"company":{"id":"synchrony","name":"Synchrony","sector":"bank","website":"https://www.synchrony.com","account_url":null},"issue":{"id":"transaction_dispute","name":"Dispute with a merchant through the bank"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Contact the merchant, then dispute through the card's service number or a secure message in the online account.","evidence":["statement showing the charge","receipt","record of contact with the merchant"],"steps":[{"do":"Try the merchant first and keep proof."},{"do":"Call the number on the back of the card, or sign in and send a secure message.","channel":{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"For a billing error, also write to the billing rights address on your statement within 60 days."},{"do":"If Synchrony does not resolve it, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}}],"channels":[{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"carecredit-phone","type":"phone","label":"CareCredit, manage your account","value":"+1-866-893-7864","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","fee_reversal"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"pay-in-4-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Pay Later, Pay in 4","value":"+1-855-945-3576","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"pay-monthly-phone","type":"phone","label":"Synchrony Pay Later, Pay in Monthly","value":"+1-844-373-4960","purposes":["transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[],"rules":{"in_force":[{"id":"fcba-billing-error","title":"Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)","citation":"12 CFR 1026.13; 12 CFR 1026.12(c) (Regulation Z)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"For credit card and other open-end credit accounts, a written billing-error notice that the creditor receives within 60 days after it sent the first statement with the error starts a dispute process. The creditor must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within 2 complete billing cycles (no later than 90 days). Until then, the consumer need not pay the disputed amount and the creditor may not collect it or report it as delinquent. A separate rule lets a cardholder assert claims and defenses about a card purchase against the card issuer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/13/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points_omitted":8,"points":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Claims and defenses (12 CFR 1026.12(c)): when a merchant does not resolve a dispute about property or services bought with a credit card, the cardholder may assert against the card issuer all claims (other than tort claims) and defenses from the transaction, and may withhold payment up to the amount of credit outstanding for that purchase plus related charges. The issuer may not report that withheld amount as delinquent until the dispute is settled or judgment is rendered.","issues":["transaction_dispute","refund_request"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"Claims-and-defenses limits: the cardholder must first make a good faith attempt to resolve the dispute with the merchant, the purchase must exceed $50, and it must have occurred in the same state as the cardholder's current designated address or within 100 miles of it. The $50 and location limits do not apply when the merchant is the card issuer, is controlled by or controls the issuer, is a franchised dealer in the issuer's products, or got the order through a mail solicitation the issuer made or took part in.","issues":["transaction_dispute","refund_request"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/12/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]}],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","note":"Or the number on the back of the store card.","channel":{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"Card customers can send a secure message after signing in. For billing errors, write to the address in the billing rights section of your statement.","candidate_channels":["carecredit-phone","savings-mail"]},{"index":2,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":3,"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Most store cards have their own service number; use the one on the back of the card.","Synchrony's contact pages list no dispute page, complaint form or complaint mailing address; disputes go by phone or secure message after sign-in."],"security":{"official_domains":["synchrony.com","synchronybank.com","mysynchrony.com","syf.com","carecredit.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Synchrony will never email you with a request for information. If an email asks you to provide private information, do not provide it.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Phishing emails that appear to come from Synchrony warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for completing a survey, or announce changes to online services.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"phishing-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report a phishing scam that uses Synchrony Bank's name","value":"+1-866-226-5638","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"The same article says that Synchrony Bank emails with links that do not come from customer.service@mail.synchronybank.com or consumerbanking@e.synchronybank.com may be phishing.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/blog/banking/how-to-avoid-phishing","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":30},"verified_from":{"page":16},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 30 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":"2026-10-12"},"context":{"dossier":true,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Synchrony Bank is a federal savings association (OCC). It issues store and co-brand credit cards for many retailers, CareCredit health cards and Pay Later products, and offers Synchrony Bank savings. Each store card has its own service number on the back of the card.","warnings":[]}},"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","note":"Or the number on the back of the store card.","channel":{"id":"general-phone","type":"phone","label":"General line (not sure which department)","value":"+1-866-419-4096","purposes":["poor_service","transaction_dispute","billing_error"],"access":"human_only","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/help/contact-us","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"Card customers can send a secure message after signing in. For billing errors, write to the address in the billing rights section of your statement.","candidate_channels":["carecredit-phone","savings-mail"]},{"index":2,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":3,"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"security":{"official_domains":["synchrony.com","synchronybank.com","mysynchrony.com","syf.com","carecredit.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Synchrony will never email you with a request for information. If an email asks you to provide private information, do not provide it.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Phishing emails that appear to come from Synchrony warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for completing a survey, or announce changes to online services.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"phishing-phone","type":"phone","label":"Report a phishing scam that uses Synchrony Bank's name","value":"+1-866-226-5638","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"The same article says that Synchrony Bank emails with links that do not come from customer.service@mail.synchronybank.com or consumerbanking@e.synchronybank.com may be phishing.","source":"https://www.synchrony.com/blog/banking/how-to-avoid-phishing","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":30},"verified_from":{"page":16},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 30 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":"2026-10-12"},"dossier":{"title":"Synchrony — how complaints actually go","last_verified":"2026-10-12","file":"dossiers/synchrony.md","markdown":"## In short\n\nSynchrony issues store cards, CareCredit and other co-brand cards, so start with the service number on the back of your card. A major money trap is deferred interest: if any promotional balance is left at the end of the period, interest is charged back to the purchase date. Fees and interest are a top CFPB complaint issue for Synchrony, and in the 12 months to June 2026 it answered 3.5% of CFPB complaints late, a higher share than Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi, Capital One or American Express. Synchrony is supervised by the OCC. It says it never emails you to ask for information.\n\n## How complaints actually go\n\n- A CFPB complaint goes to Synchrony for a response, generally within 15 days; a response after 15 days (or after 60 days if it asks for more time) is recorded as not timely. In the 12 months to June 2026, 573 of 16,455 Synchrony complaints (3.5%) were not timely and 9 were still in progress. [CFPB complaint database search](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/search/api/v1/?company=SYNCHRONY%20FINANCIAL&date_received_min=2025-07-01&date_received_max=2026-06-30&size=0)\n- Synchrony Bank is a federal savings association supervised by the OCC. The OCC asks you to try the bank first; it cannot act as your lawyer, get involved in matters that are in litigation, or seek monetary compensation for you. [OCC HelpWithMyBank: file a complaint](https://www.helpwithmybank.gov/file-a-complaint/index-file-a-complaint.html)\n- For a fraud concern, Synchrony lists 1-866-834-3205. [Synchrony: fraud protection](https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection)\n\n## What tends to work\n\n- A CFPB complaint after Synchrony's own channel fails: in the 12 months to June 2026, 3,113 of 16,455 complaints (18.9%) closed with monetary or non-monetary relief. [CFPB complaint database search](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/search/api/v1/?company=SYNCHRONY%20FINANCIAL&date_received_min=2025-07-01&date_received_max=2026-06-30&size=0)\n- Before you accept a \"no interest if paid in full\" offer, check that you can pay off the deferred balance in full before the promotion ends; if a balance remains, interest going back to the purchase date is added to it. [CFPB: six tips for retail store credit cards](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/archive/blog/six-tips-when-offered-retail-store-credit-card/)\n\n## Traps and fine print\n\n- Deferred interest: if the promotional balance is not paid in full by the end of the promotion, the lender can charge interest calculated from the original purchase date, not just on the remaining balance. [CFPB: the high cost of retail credit cards](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/issue-spotlight-the-high-cost-of-retail-credit-cards/)\n- Store cards cost more: in 2022 the average private label APR was 27.7%, against 22.7% for general purpose cards, and in December 2024 new cards from the top 100 retailers averaged 32.66%. Synchrony is one of four banks that issue more than 80% of store cards. [CFPB: the high cost of retail credit cards](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/issue-spotlight-the-high-cost-of-retail-credit-cards/)\n- If Synchrony decides a charge was not a billing error, you owe the amount and the interest and fees that built up during the dispute. You get at least 10 days to pay before it can report it as late. [CFPB: Regulation Z 1026.13](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1026/13/)\n- The CFPB's 2014 order against Synchrony (then GE Capital Retail Bank), which required about $225 million in relief for deceptive card marketing and for excluding borrowers from debt relief offers because of national origin, was terminated on May 12, 2025. [CFPB enforcement action](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/enforcement/actions/synchrony-bank-fka-ge-capital-retail-bank/)\n\n## By the numbers\n\n- CFPB complaints received July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 for \"SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL\": 16,455. Top products: credit card 8,451, credit reporting 4,052, debt collection 3,278. Top issues: incorrect information on a report 2,400, a purchase shown on a statement 2,071, fees or interest 1,820, negative or legal action taken or threatened 1,738, improper use of a report 1,272. [CFPB complaint database search](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/search/api/v1/?company=SYNCHRONY%20FINANCIAL&date_received_min=2025-07-01&date_received_max=2026-06-30&size=0)\n- Of those 16,455 complaints, 13,332 (81.0%) closed with explanation, 1,572 (9.6%) with non-monetary relief and 1,541 (9.4%) with monetary relief; 9 were in progress and 1 was an untimely response. 15,882 (96.5%) were marked timely. Data retrieved 2026-10-12. [CFPB complaint database search](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/search/api/v1/?company=SYNCHRONY%20FINANCIAL&date_received_min=2025-07-01&date_received_max=2026-06-30&size=0)\n- Complaint data is not a statistical sample. The CFPB says companies sometimes select \"Closed with explanation\" even when the consumer got relief, and complaints returned as administrative responses are not published. [CFPB 2025 Consumer Response Annual Report](https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_2025-cr-annual-report_2026-03.pdf)\n\n## Scams that target customers\n\n- Synchrony says: \"We will never email you with a request for information.\" If an email asks for private information, do not provide it. [Synchrony: fraud protection](https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection)\n- Phishing emails that use Synchrony's name warn of unauthorized access or suspicious charges, threaten to suspend or deactivate the account, offer rewards for a survey, or announce changes to online services. [Synchrony: fraud protection](https://www.synchrony.com/legal/fraud-protection)\n"},"guide":{"key":"bank","title":"Banks and card issuers — how complaints work","last_verified":"2026-10-12","file":"guides/bank.md","page":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/#/guides/bank"}}