topic Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!) in General Credit Topics

Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

sznnmnt — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 15:21:44 GMT

My credit has been screwed over and I am so dumbfounded as to how it all happened so fast and it was all a very big misunderstanding. I was trying to buy my hotel and flight package after months of looking at deals and planning. I had to book it soon, should have booked it back in December. Prices are only going to go up. I finally pull the trigger and my sizable card with <8% utilization was declined. I was wondering why and tried it a few more times. Declined for a total of 3 times. I finally get the sense to call Sychrony to see what the hell is going on and why I can't purchase my flight package. They said it was due to "suspected fraud". I told the lady, no, I 'm trying to use my card to book my travel. She then starts to go over the different attempt at charges and mentions one for $600 or so for Iberian Airlines. I don't know why that one was charged. So, automatically since I did not recognize that charge( I don't really know how these travel sites work), they say fraudulent activity was taking place, file a report and unbeknownst to me they make it sound like I'm just going to get a new card in the mail and everythings good. No, that is not what's happening. My account is being closed. I call to ask if I can get the card info so I can finalize my travel plans - No, you must wait till you get your card in 7 - 10 business days. I look at my credit reports in the next couple of days and my $8000 card is closed! Equifax is quick to say card is maybe closed? So false, wrong info being transmitted. I'm so fn screwed. I'm trying to get a DCU car loan in the next few weeks! d@%^it!!! I'm so very upset. Now the history on the card has to restart, avg age goes down. Nothing but all bad. I know it can't be undone. I thought I knew what I was doing in the credit rebuild arena as I have learned so much in the last year from credit experts that have helped and that I've been working around. I totally did not see it coming!

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 15:31:32 GMT

Synch will sometimes close a card if there's fraud and open a new one. They generally transfer the account info over.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 15:35:49 GMT

Unfortunately Sync has a habit of closing cards for fraud and issuing new ones but the new account should have all your history added to it. I wouldn't worry about it. It's an annoyance but your account is still open.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

AverageJoesCredit — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 17:05:05 GMT

Probably in the time you need it , youll see account closed but eventually it will right itself on your report. Im sorry for your experience but if you didnt charge that Iberian flight, that was fraud and be glad they caught it.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 17:08:36 GMT

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
Probably in the time you need it , youll see account closed but eventually it will right itself on your report. Im sorry for your experience but if you didnt charge that Iberian flight, that was fraud and be glad they caught it.

Hard to tell but I think it was OPs charge (" I don't really know how these travel sites work"), my guess is OP was expecting a charge to the travel web site rather than to an airline. But maybe not....

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 08:44:06 GMT

IME, They close the account and it keeps all the history and they open a new account along with all the new account penalties except for a hard inquiry, and it also has the payment history.

So prepare to go into a new account scorecard with a possible AAoA hit. I’m sorry this happened to you. I don’t think it should be right. But synchrony is as synchrony does.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

CreditInspired — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 12:19:42 GMT

@sznnmnt wrote:
My credit has been screwed over and I am so dumbfounded as to how it all happened so fast and it was all a very big misunderstanding. I was trying to buy my hotel and flight package after months of looking at deals and planning. I had to book it soon, should have booked it back in December. Prices are only going to go up. I finally pull the trigger and my sizable card with <8% utilization was declined. I was wondering why and tried it a few more times. Declined for a total of 3 times. I finally get the sense to call Sychrony to see what the hell is going on and why I can't purchase my flight package. They said it was due to "suspected fraud". I told the lady, no, I 'm trying to use my card to book my travel. She then starts to go over the different attempt at charges and mentions one for $600 or so for Iberian Airlines. I don't know why that one was charged. So, automatically since I did not recognize that charge( I don't really know how these travel sites work), they say fraudulent activity was taking place, file a report and unbeknownst to me they make it sound like I'm just going to get a new card in the mail and everythings good. No, that is not what's happening. My account is being closed. I call to ask if I can get the card info so I can finalize my travel plans - No, you must wait till you get your card in 7 - 10 business days. I look at my credit reports in the next couple of days and my $8000 card is closed! Equifax is quick to say card is maybe closed? So false, wrong info being transmitted. I'm so fn screwed. I'm trying to get a DCU car loan in the next few weeks! d@%^it!!! I'm so very upset. Now the history on the card has to restart, avg age goes down. Nothing but all bad. I know it can't be undone. I thought I knew what I was doing in the credit rebuild arena as I have learned so much in the last year from credit experts that have helped and that I've been working around. I totally did not see it coming!

OP So sorry this has happened at a time when you needed Sync the most. So instead of beating yourself up, accept this minor mishap as a lesson learned. When a CC is declined, call in to see what the problem is, especially if you know you entered all the info correctly. Charging the same thing 3 times, IMO, would have made any CCC close the card--and that's for your protection.

As others have said, most likely another card will be shipped to you.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Revelate — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 13:03:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
IME, They close the account and it keeps all the history and they open a new account along with all the new account penalties except for a hard inquiry, and it also has the payment history.

So prepare to go into a new account scorecard with a possible AAoA hit. I’m sorry this happened to you. I don’t think it should be right. But synchrony is as synchrony does.

That would be strange if so, I actually don't know any lender that does it that way for fraud? New account number yes, but not new tradeline in the sense that it will keep the old open date ergo no new account scorecard (or at least not for that).

Generally the old tradeline gets whacked too in my experience, but I never used my Wally enough to ever get a fraudulent charge unlike my Chase accounts that get swiped everywhere. Pretty sure based on experience Amex / BOFA similar too but that was a while ago for me.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 17:10:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hard to tell but I think it was OPs charge (" I don't really know how these travel sites work"), my guess is OP was expecting a charge to the travel web site rather than to an airline. But maybe not....

Wow, it's been so long since i used a travel site. Does the Hotel/Airline charge your card even though you book through the 3rd party site?

I'm guessing it would, after all why would Orbitz etc. be charged then charge your card.

If this is the case then it really isn't fraud, right? I wonder what happens when OP goes for round 2 with new card.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:49:08 GMT

IME, The new TL has a new open date and old TL has the original open date.

Re: Synchrony Closed Account After Suspected Fraud (it was me making a legit purchase!)

gingerflower — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:58:35 GMT

@sznnmnt I had similar situation accept I misplaced my synchrony Lowes card. The Rep closed my lowes card then reissued a new card with a different acct number. Got my new card 7 days later with same info on the previous card. I would wait until you receive your new card. Sorry to hear your travel plans to book fly was screwed.