topic Re: Synchrony just stinks in Credit Cards

Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:25:24 GMT

So, Sync closed my Wal-mart card out of the blue three days ago. Found this out when I logged into CK this morning. Called the regular number and the back door number for recon with no luck. They will not re-instate because of inactivity. Told me that there is no manual way to override their computer. I guess the robot takeover has begun. So frustrating! I guess my silver lining is that I needed to weed out the chaff. I have three other Sync accounts from my rebuilding days. Gonna cancel them all in the near future and never look back. <Insert cuss word here.>

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:51:14 GMT

Just for no activity?

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:52:10 GMT

Just do a search for Synchrony on these boards, no love lost with them, or something like that.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:57:40 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
Just for no activity?

A lot of issuers can and will close cards if there's been no activity on them for a very long time (making payments on an outstanding balance usually doesn't count). That's why a lot of people say that if you're not currently using a card but want to keep it, it's a good idea to make a (small) purchase every few months and then PIF. I would speculate that the OP hadn't been using their Walmart card for a very long time - I don't know how long because I don't think Synchrony discloses its inactive-card policy. Most issuers don't, but those who do generally say it has to be at least 6 to 12 months without being used at all.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:00:12 GMT

What sort of inactivity are we talking here? 6 months? A year? Personally I can fully understand if a lender closes an account that goes for an extended period of time with out usage.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Appleman — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:00:42 GMT

Synchrony does bite some people. Sorry to hear about the issues with them.

I remain a fan of Synchrony and use my Lowe's and Amazon cards with some regularity. My Nissan card gets occasional use and my Marvel rarely gets used now that I get 4% dining on my Uber card.

Many other cards in the market. Personally it feels like banks continuing to reduce their risk and exposure.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:04:20 GMT

Most creditors will close a card after a lengthy period of inactivity. Hard to blame them. They are extending credit that is going unused and therefore you are an unprofitable customer. If a card is important enough to you then it's not difficult to use it occasionally so that it's not closed.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:14:02 GMT

does the walmart card do this alot? ive been reading alot of stories of the walmart card either being closed or cutting peoples credit lines to make them go over 90% util

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:31:14 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
does the walmart card do this alot? ive been reading alot of stories of the walmart card either being closed or cutting peoples credit lines to make them go over 90% util

I'd forgotten about that last bit, which makes me glad that my Walmart store card is actually one of my smaller current CL's (at $4K).

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 19:49:39 GMT

So sorry that happened to you. Your post reminded me that I need to use a couple of my cards.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

jlitnns — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 20:03:06 GMT

Yea, bummer. I keep waiting for them to close my Ashley card, paid off a promo 2 years ago and still sitting there. For fun, a few months ago I requested a CLI and was denied.

I have Amazon store card as well, I use it about once a year for a promo for a month or so. In fact just made a purchase on it today.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

jbsilva21 — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 20:42:42 GMT

I got balanced chased on all of my Synchrony cards until some of them closed. They did the following.

- TJ Maxx Card - $200 CL used every month and PIF or below 10%/ CLD to $100 and then closed after put in the SD for 3 months

- Lowes - $3K, $1.8K, $500, $300 and then I closed

- Sam's Club $1K, $800, $300, $260, $120 and then closed 1 month after last CLD

- Walmart $1.2K, $1060, $840 closed with a balance to preserve limit reported

- Amazon $1K, $840 still open and I use this regularly and PIF

- PayPal Smart Connect $750, still open and not been CLD, have carried a balance of $500 but PIF several times and I use it regularly

- JCP $300 used every so often and PIF no CLD

I posted a while back about this and I was not sure why they were doing this. Every time I do a CLI request via online, online chat, and phone instant denial. The only thing I can think of is about 18-19 months before this all started I did have a 30 day late on an auto loan. Last time I did a cli request and got instant denial, the letter stated a finance company as the main reason. I am a joint owner on a Lending Club loan and that is about it. I have moved on and if they are chasing your balances, close them out and pay them off. Beat them at their own game and remain in charge of you reports.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

DaveInAZ — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 23:22:33 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
Most creditors will close a card after a lengthy period of inactivity. Hard to blame them. They are extending credit that is going unused and therefore you are an unprofitable customer. If a card is important enough to you then it's not difficult to use it occasionally so that it's not closed.

Yep. I learned that the hard way with my Target CC I got way back in my rebuilding days. I rarely shop there and after 8 months of no use they CLD'd from $1200 to $200. I used a couple months after that but they wouldn't budge on the CL so I closed it. "If you close it you can never have a Target CC again!" they told me, "Not a problem" I told them.

And yeah, it's so easy to keep a card active. I have a no fee Merrick Bank Visa w/$3100 CL from way, way back in my rebuild days. For years all it gets is a $10.80/mo. Netflix disc by mail bill, that seems to keep them happy.

And I have a $4000CL Visa from a local CU, low 11.5% APR and no fee cash advance or BT. But terrible rewards, so it get's a $20 monthly bill early in the month that I PIF by the end of the month to get a $0 balance reported, that keeps them happy.

My Walmart has a nice CL, but I only use for a $12 monthly prescription at their pharmacy right after the statement cuts and take a $60 or so cashback because it only has 1% rewards in store, other times I shop at Walmart I use a 2% card. But the Walmart store card gives 3% rewards for online orders, often with a discount for in store pickup, so that's when I use it most.

We all talk about our Daily Driver, the card we use the most for whatever reason, but don't forget about the little guys that help pad our available credit, it's easy to stick small bills on them to keep them active & happy.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 23:51:46 GMT

I'm kicking myself over this. I'm so careful with my bank issued cards to get in at least a small charge monthly. Just didn't think about my Wallyworld card. I know it's business, but a simple email to give me a chance to make a charge would have been nice. Funny thing is that I got an email this morning from WM for a promo 0% offer that I planned on using this weekend. For information purposes, the balnce was zero, and I've never missed a payment. Been 23 months since my last charge. Argh.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 00:33:55 GMT

This is why I have reminders set on my phone when to use those barely worth it cards. ^

Heck, if they didn't charge 24% interest, maybe I'd use it more often and carry a balance once in a while!

Re: Synchrony just stinks

9CLINE — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 01:40:56 GMT

Yeap have seen this a plenty here.. Sync, has been good to me but I do use about every 6mths the 3 of their cards I still carry. I was auth user on hubby's Care Credit that I'd forget I could use @ CVS and bad boy got axed after 3 yrs of non use... Now the HomeDepot backed by Citi Retail cut me last summer the day b4 I used it again, after 2 yrs..lol cut me to half which I don't mind..but I hate that $2501.00 stuff just take the 1$ too please...lol...

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 01:48:26 GMT

Sucks!...I haven't used my Synchrony account since I paid it off in June of 2017 but applied for a SP CLI and got $8000 bump, which was totally unexpected. Now I plan to use it every now and then to maintain activity on account.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 01:49:49 GMT

Not sure how Synch stinks for closing an account you were not using, They were not making money off of you and well they are a business.

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 11:29:04 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
I'm kicking myself over this. I'm so careful with my bank issued cards to get in at least a small charge monthly. Just didn't think about my Wallyworld card. I know it's business, but a simple email to give me a chance to make a charge would have been nice. Funny thing is that I got an email this morning from WM for a promo 0% offer that I planned on using this weekend. For information purposes, the balnce was zero, and I've never missed a payment. Been 23 months since my last charge. Argh.

23 months...yes, most issuers would close out an account that had been idle for that long. I wonder, would it do any good to try to contact Synchrony and see if they would re-open your account or give you a new one?

Re: Synchrony just stinks

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 11:31:00 GMT

@9CLINEwrote:
@Yeap have seen this a plenty here.. Sync, has been good to me but I do use about every 6mths the 3 of their cards I still carry. I was auth user on hubby's Care Credit that I'd forget I could use @ CVS and bad boy got axed after 3 yrs of non use... Now the HomeDepot backed by Citi Retail cut me last summer the day b4 I used it again, after 2 yrs..lol cut me to half which I don't mind..but I hate that $2501.00 stuff just take the 1$ too please...lol...

Can you use Care Credit for prescriptions at CVS, by the way? You can at Rite Aid, but the one in my town just closed.