Credit card -- Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers -- Complaint #18398320
Misleading Credit Limit Increase Feature Harms Consumer's Credit Score
Complaint Overview
Complaint ID: 18398320
Company: Synchrony Financial
Product: Credit card
Sub-Product: Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-Issue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
State: Pennsylvania
ZIP Code: 190XX
Date Received: 2025-12-31T12:00:00-05:00
Date Sent to Company: 2026-01-01T12:00:00-05:00
Company Response: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Submitted Via: Web
Risk Assessment
Risk Level: high
The risk is high because the consumer alleges a material feature of the credit card was misrepresented, leading to direct financial harm (inflated credit utilization) and damage to their credit profile, which could indicate a pattern of deceptive advertising.
Consumer Sentiment: negative
Topics: Credit card, Advertising and marketing, Deceptive practices
AI Analysis
CFPB complaint 18398320 was filed against SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL regarding Credit card (Store credit card), specifically about "Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers". A consumer alleges that Synchrony Financial's store credit card advertised a feature allowing credit limit increases that was not actually available, leading to inflated credit utilization and damage to their credit score. The complaint was received on December 31, 2025 from Pennsylvania. The company responded with "Closed with explanation".
Consumer Narrative
My complaint is based on false and misleading advertising and ongoing damage to my credit score caused by Synchrony Bank and XXXX refusal to correct a known issue after months of complaints. When I applied for the XXXX XXXX XXXX Credit Card, the disclosures and advertising clearly stated that I could increase my secured credit limit at any time in minimum {$50.00} increments, up to my approved maximum credit limit. My approved maximum credit limit was {$1000.00}. This feature was a material reason I applied for and opened the account. I have had this account for approximately XXXX months with perfect payment history and no late payments. Synchrony Bank has emailed me confirming that I am eligible for a credit limit increase, and multiple Synchrony representatives have confirmed by phone and text that I am eligible and that there are no issues with my account. XXXX and Synchrony continue to advertise that if a customer does not initially deposit the full approved amount, the secured credit limit can be increased at any time up to the original approved limit. In practice, this advertised feature is not available, and I would not have made a smaller initial deposit had I known the increase functionality would not be honored. As a result, my credit utilization has been artificially inflated, causing material and ongoing harm to my credit profile, including a significant credit score decline, and denial of credit accounts. interest due to having to finance instead of purchase outright due to such a low credit limit. This has cause me real financial harm. Despite repeated attempts to resolve this, when I attempt to increase my secured credit limit through the required XXXXlinked portal, the process consistently fails with an error and can not be completed. Synchrony Bank has stated the issue is caused by XXXX system because the increase must be processed through XXXX credentials. XXXX customer support acknowledged the issue is on their side but refused to fix it and instead advised me to delete my long-standing XXXX account and reapply for a new card, which is unreasonable and harmful. I am requesting that this advertised and contractually promised feature be honored, either through a system fix or manual processing of my secured credit limit increase, along with a written explanation and confirmation that my account remains in good standing.
What You Should Do -- Consumer Action Plan
Consumers should carefully review all advertised features and disclosures before opening a credit card, and keep records of all communications regarding promised benefits.
Legal Context & Consumer Protection Laws
This case involves potential violations of consumer protection laws related to deceptive advertising and unfair practices in credit card marketing.
Regulatory Insight
Regulators may scrutinize advertising claims for secured credit cards, especially those promising specific features like easy credit limit increases, to ensure they are not misleading.
Resolution Likelihood
likely
State-Specific Consumer Protections
The complaint originates from Pennsylvania and involves a store credit card issued by Synchrony Financial.
Industry Comparison
This situation is common in the credit card industry where promotional offers and advertised features may not always align with the actual customer experience.
Related Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CFPB complaint 18398320 about?
CFPB complaint 18398320 involves Credit card (Store credit card). The consumer reported an issue with "Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers", specifically "Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card". This complaint was filed against SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL on December 31, 2025.
Which company is complaint 18398320 filed against?
Complaint 18398320 was filed against SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL. You can view all complaints against this company on their profile page at /company/synchrony-financial.
What was the company's response to complaint 18398320?
SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL responded with "Closed with explanation". The response was marked as timely by the CFPB.
When was complaint 18398320 filed?
Complaint 18398320 was received by the CFPB on December 31, 2025. It was sent to SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL on January 1, 2026.
What state was complaint 18398320 filed from?
Complaint 18398320 was filed from Pennsylvania. You can view all complaints from this state at /state/PA.
Was the consumer satisfied with the resolution of complaint 18398320?
Dispute information is not available for complaint 18398320.
What product category is complaint 18398320 about?
Complaint 18398320 is categorized under "Credit card", specifically "Store credit card". This is one of the product categories tracked by the CFPB.
How was complaint 18398320 submitted?
Complaint 18398320 was submitted via Web. The CFPB accepts complaints through web, phone, mail, email, fax, and referral channels.
What are the consumer's legal options for complaint 18398320?
This case involves potential violations of consumer protection laws related to deceptive advertising and unfair practices in credit card marketing. This relates to a Credit card complaint against SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL involving "Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers".
How likely is complaint 18398320 to be resolved?
Resolution likelihood: likely. The company's current response is "Closed with explanation". The company did respond in a timely manner, which is a positive indicator.
What does the risk level mean for complaint 18398320?
This complaint is rated as high risk. The risk is high because the consumer alleges a material feature of the credit card was misrepresented, leading to direct financial harm (inflated credit utilization) and damage to their credit profile, which could indicate a pattern of deceptive advertising.
What regulatory actions apply to complaint 18398320?
Regulators may scrutinize advertising claims for secured credit cards, especially those promising specific features like easy credit limit increases, to ensure they are not misleading. The CFPB tracks complaints like this one to identify patterns of misconduct across the Credit card industry.
What should the consumer do about complaint 18398320?
Consumers should carefully review all advertised features and disclosures before opening a credit card, and keep records of all communications regarding promised benefits.
Are there state-specific protections for complaint 18398320?
The complaint originates from Pennsylvania and involves a store credit card issued by Synchrony Financial. This complaint was filed from Pennsylvania.
How does complaint 18398320 compare to industry norms?
This situation is common in the credit card industry where promotional offers and advertised features may not always align with the actual customer experience.
What specific advertising materials contained the misleading claim about credit limit increases?
The consumer mentions disclosures and advertising materials, including emails and representations made by Synchrony representatives, that stated the secured credit limit could be increased at any time in minimum increments.
How has the inability to increase the credit limit impacted the consumer's credit utilization?
Because the consumer made a smaller initial deposit than the full approved amount, and cannot increase it as advertised, their credit utilization ratio is artificially inflated, negatively impacting their credit score and leading to credit denials.
Disclaimer
This analysis is AI-generated and does not constitute legal advice.