topic Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal in General Credit Topics

Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Junejer — Wed, 29 May 2019 21:06:19 GMT

Early Sunday morning, I received an alert from CK that I had a new inquiry from Syncrony Bank for a Paypal Mastercard. I didn't apply for the card, so I called them to speak with them. As it turns out, they were about to issue a MC with a $3K CL and mail it out to me. I suspect that someone was looking to intercept it at my mailbox or Syncrony Bank figured this was a way to get a new customer. I had them cancel the card, as I do not need it. Back in April, I did look on their website to see if I was pre-approved for anything. The Discover card didn't interest me, so I passed.

I figured that since this is fraudelent that I would dispute this with EQ and that it would be a no-brainer for it to be removed. Wonder of wonders, EQ comes back with the results that it is a valid inq. Am I wrong to think that potential suitors shouldn't just be able to do a HP on my reports? Should I pursue this further or should I just drop it? This crap takes time and energy, and I know darn well that EQ didn't do a darn thing to investigate this properly. It is for reasons like this that people hate CRAs.

I'm going to apply for a HELOC in the summer and I don't want an inquiry to show up that didn't yield any fruit.

Thoughts?

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

FinStar — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:24:13 GMT

Hey @Junejer. Sorry to hear that something unleasant popped up over the weeknd. If it were me, I would pursue it due to the fraud and unauthorized nature of the situation. Yes, it can be a PITA for sure and more so with EQ. Not sure if the account has even reported to the others like TU or EX since SYNCB can be quick like that.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Junejer — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:37:34 GMT

Hey FinStar, thanks for the reply. Syncrony canceled the account and is not sending a card out, so there is nothing to report to the other CRAs. The bank acknowledged the transaction as fraudulent. I would imagine that if EQ would have actually contacted them, they would have told them so. I know I need to see this through on principle. I'm going to hammer on the bank.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

FinStar — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:42:54 GMT

@Junejer wrote:
Hey FinStar, thanks for the reply. Syncrony canceled the account and is not sending a card out, so there is nothing to report to the other CRAs. The bank acknowledged the transaction as fraudulent. I would imagine that if EQ would have actually contacted them, they would have told them so. I know I need to see this through on principle. I'm going to hammer on the bank.

Most definitely. Plus, if you can obtain any correspondence or confirmation from SYNCB, then if you have to go through the EQ dispute process you have supporting evidence that the inquiry should be removed.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

CreditInspired — Thu, 30 May 2019 11:43:58 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
Hey @Junejer. Sorry to hear that something unleasant popped up over the weeknd. If it were me, I would pursue it due to the fraud and unauthorized nature of the situation. Yes, it can be a PITA for sure and more so with EQ. Not sure if the account has even reported to the others like TU or EX since SYNCB can be quick like that.

+1000

OP, the PITA you'll suffer right now will be nothing compared to the PITA you'll experience if someone starts applying for other CCs and/or loans in your name since it appears they already have enough information to apply for a CC.

Since EQ validated, if I were you, I would immediately dispute with CFPB

GL2U

EDIT: @Junejer, a thought, did you ask EQ to recode the HP to a SP since you didn't apply for the CC?

A 2nd EDIT: I just noticed I responded to a Moderator Emeritus. My answer is with the utmost respect.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

pizza1 — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 02:46:26 GMT

@Junejer , I just had to jump on and say HI!!! WOW...its been awhile, but very nice indeed to have you posting on the forums again

If you havent done so already, Id put a fraud and freeze on all 3 CRA's asap! Also, as stated above, if you can get something in writing from Synch that it was fraudulent, then you can fax that over to the CRA's demanding they remove the INQ or at the least make it a SP. Im sorry that you're having trouble, thats a terrible thing to deal have to deal with, especially right before you're wanting to get a loan!

Good Luck to you, and update your thread when you get a chance . Good to see you!

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 06:59:08 GMT

i would also file a police report for attempted id thieft. Once you file that you can get anything removed.

DW and I went all through this before. We let relative go to jail.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

bourgogne — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 13:52:51 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
i would also file a police report for attempted id thieft. Once you file that you can get anything removed.
DW and I went all through this before. We let relative go to jail.

^^^ this exactly, a police report is the gold standard to get fraud stuff dealt with + you should set up a new gmail or whatever address and use it to freeze all 3Bs. if someone has your info to open an account they can also attempt to undo a freeze so anything you can do to break that chain is a good idea. id theft is a big deal, right up there with a dui on the pita scale

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Junejer — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 14:31:48 GMT

@CreditInspired wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
Hey @Junejer. Sorry to hear that something unleasant popped up over the weeknd. If it were me, I would pursue it due to the fraud and unauthorized nature of the situation. Yes, it can be a PITA for sure and more so with EQ. Not sure if the account has even reported to the others like TU or EX since SYNCB can be quick like that.
+1000
OP, the PITA you'll suffer right now will be nothing compared to the PITA you'll experience if someone starts applying for other CCs and/or loans in your name since it appears they already have enough information to apply for a CC.

Since EQ validated, if I were you, I would immediately dispute with CFPB

GL2U

EDIT: @Junejer, a thought, did you ask EQ to recode the HP to a SP since you didn't apply for the CC?

A 2nd EDIT: I just noticed I responded to a Moderator Emeritus. My answer is with the utmost respect.

@CreditInspired Thank you for the information on the CFPB. I will definitely file a report with them about my experience with EQ.

I have put a freeze on all three CRAs.

@Backwoods, I suppose I can file a police report, although I have no idea who could have applied for this card in my name.

I got the confirmation letter from Syncrony saying that the account would be closed due to fraud. I'm finishing up a business trip and will handle all of this when I return

home.

Thank you for the stellar information that resides on this forum.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Junejer — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 03:53:16 GMT

Additional update: Filed a report tonight with CFPB and attached the letters I received from Synchrony. Attempted to file another online dispute with EQ. Their system took me from step one to step three, skipping step two, which allows me to attach the letters from Synch.

Called them and was transferred to the fraud department. Apparently, according to the fraud rep, you can't dispute a hard inq. This is why my dispute came back in two days as valid. I'm sorry, but there is something wrong with a system that the default is that I can't dispute a fraudulent inquiry. They are sending Synch a request to remove the inquiry from my report. I won't hold my breath, but I really hope it takes this time, as I can't devote any more brain power to this at this point.

I'll update when I hear something. I hope my chronicles help others to bypass some of the angst that I have endured.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:28:40 GMT

I can tell you from experience that Eq is a royal pain to deal with, and the guy that told you that in the fraud dept was an idiot. I had to go through this on my last go round of credit repair. I ended up disputing via snail mail with supporting docs attached, and that's when they removed the inquiries from my report. (My ex hubs decided to help himself to my newly repaired credit. I had 5 hard inquiries I had to get removed 😡) Eq was the only one that gave me issues until I mailed in my dispute. Good luck, hope it works out for you!

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:20:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I can tell you from experience that Eq is a royal pain to deal with, and the guy that told you that in the fraud dept was an idiot. I had to go through this on my last go round of credit repair. I ended up disputing via snail mail with supporting docs attached, and that's when they removed the inquiries from my report. (My ex hubs decided to help himself to my newly repaired credit. I had 5 hard inquiries I had to get removed 😡) Eq was the only one that gave me issues until I mailed in my dispute. Good luck, hope it works out for you!

Oh boy, I hope you went after your ex for that.

Re: Unauthorized Inquiry by Syncrony Bank/Paypal

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 12:59:36 GMT

Well I convinced him I was going to. His whole family begged and pleaded with me to not file identity theft charges. He now believes if he so much as lists me as a reference for something, I'm going to get him sent to prison. Luckily, my credit was not as good as he thought it was, so he was apping for stuff I was nowhere close to getting approved for, like Amex and high dollar unsecured personal loans. He's not real bright. In retrospect I wonder how I ever fell for him to start with. My excuse is youthful stupidity.