Synchrony Bank is well known for their Credit Limit Decreases. Some of our members have many high limits slashed with no hope of reconciliation. Other times, Synch will slash a limit but leave open the option for restoration.
My Synchrony Bank Verizon Visa was >approved 07/19/2023<. It had a $100 SUB for making any purchase within 90 days, which I completed. At the time, I had plans to switch my Verizon phone billing to this card, but I already had a pretty good deal using my Chase INK Cash card for 5% back on my phone bill in cash, redeemable for 7.5% to 10% in Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel when transferred to my Sapphire Reserve. I delayed making any changes but also didn't use the card beyond the SUB. 
I know, dangerous, but before I knew it I had let over 12 months elapse with absolutely no activity. I got an email from them on 09/16/24 with >a special spending incentive (up to $20)< for swiping the card. Six days later, I was notified by Experian and then other credit monitoring services that my Verizon credit limit had been cut from $30K all the way down to $3,024. Ouch. 
However, I recognized that the "$24" ending indicated it might be subject to restoration.
I completed the spending incentive today and planned to call this evening to restore the limit. Oddly enough, my mobile app and the automated phone tree showed my limit was at $30K this evening, even though I knew I had seen it at $3,024 on the mobile app earlier! I spoke to the customer service rep who looked into the history and verified their system automatically lowered my limit for non-use after 12 months. He said he believed they would allow inactive accounts to be open for 24 months before they would be closed automatically. Apparently, just like my non-use of the card triggered the computer to lower my limit, my usage of the card restored my limit even before I had made the phone call! I thought these were some interesting data points to share with the community. I'm glad to have my limit back and plan to complete enrolling the card for my Verizon billing soon.
So what you're basically saying is that, well... if for example you were away on a business trip... or, in a coma for 6 days, and by happenstance your DW used the card in your "absence"... effectively, nothing changed... right?! 
@SUPERSQUID wrote:
Lol 
This has been around for awhile, @SUPERSQUID, but it never gets old.
Yes, I "poked the bear" and survived.
@MissLiz wrote:Sync is so weird.
Yes they are, @MissLiz! They seem to have some unique lending practices and I'm still trying to figure them out! We've seen quite a few reports of slashed limits due to distressed profiles and/or the economic environment. In other cases like this, they cut the limits (in the words of the customer service rep) to minimize risk of fraudulent charges on an inactive account.
@JoeRockhead wrote:So what you're basically saying is that, well... if for example you were away on a business trip... or, in a coma for 6 days, and by happenstance your DW used the card in your "absence"... effectively, nothing changed... right?!
Exactly, @JoeRockhead!
All of that and in the end, nothing changed! Lol
Auto CLD and Auto CLD to restore the limit! Strange!
Synch is like, "Oh, that? We didn't really mean it!"
this bank is like bomb ready go off any time if could get back in chase never look back....
>
@911gt34life wrote:this bank is like bomb ready go off any time if could get back in chase never look back....
I've got diversity with most of the larger lenders and the contrast is considerable sometimes, @911gt34life. Agreed that Chase is one of my favorites. I said for a long time I didn't want to do business again with Synchrony, especially after the mixed results some of our members have experienced. I've had a few of their other card products over the years. But I relented and got the Verizon Visa and Lowe's cards within the past year or so, and they were good to me with $65K in total limits across two cards! 
I still don't recommend that our members use them more heavily for utilization padding than other accounts, as they can be volatile. In my case, I have enough padding elsewhere that even if they shut me down on both cards the impact is minimal.
@Aim_High wrote:
@911gt34life wrote:this bank is like bomb ready go off any time if could get back in chase never look back....
I've got diversity with most of the larger lenders and the contrast is considerable sometimes, @911gt34life. Agreed that Chase is one of my favorites. I said for a long time I didn't want to do business again with Synchrony, especially after the mixed results some of our members have experienced. I've had a few of their other card products over the years. But I relented and got the Verizon Visa and Lowe's cards within the past year or so, and they were good to me with $65K in total limits across two cards!
Yeah, but your building a relationship with them. 
We all are just a number. No need to romanticize about it. Do onto them before they can do onto you. Should have taken the sub and as soon as you realized you didn't need the card, closed the account. Then in a year, go back for the sub again, if desired. As far as the credit given, who cares, sounds like you have more than enough already. Credit limit doesn't put $$$ in your pocket.
My moto, use the cards/issuers for your needs, not theirs.
Hint: Use the BofA CCR to purchase gift certificates on Verizon's website. Free shipping and you get 5.25% for online + keep the Verizon discount of $10 per line for automatic payment (but use the gift cards)
