Sychrony Bank Beware Los Angeles CA

Beware of Synchrony Bank, the finance company behind Lowe’s Credit PRO card and formerly Allegro Credit.

I took out a $5,000 loan through Allegro Credit to purchase a hearing aid. Not long after, Allegro Credit transitioned to Synchrony Bank, and that’s when the problems began.

Unfair Payment Restrictions & Forced AutoPay
Synchrony aggressively pushed me to use autopay or pay via ACH from my bank account, despite the fact that they accept credit card payments. However, they imposed arbitrary limits, allowing no more than $250 to be paid via credit card at a time and restricting multiple payments in a single billing cycle. Additionally, payments were only allowed close to the due date, preventing early payments.

Delayed Payment Processing & Manufactured Late Fees
When I paid early, Synchrony intentionally delayed posting the payment until after the due date, leading to unnecessary late fees. On multiple occasions, their online payment portal was "down for maintenance” near the due date, forcing me to call and complete payments via ACH.

To avoid these issues, I decided to pay off the balance three weeks early using an e-check. Synchrony cashed the check immediately but didn’t post the payment until after the due date, once again triggering late fees.

Final Payoff Manipulation
To close the account, I sent a check on December 31st to pay off the full remaining balance, which was due January 15th. Synchrony cashed the check on January 3rd but did not post it until January 21st—charging me late fees and interest, which left an outstanding balance. Instead of the expected small remaining balance, I received a bill for $174. If I had set up autopay, Synchrony would have withdrawn this inflated amount directly from my bank account.

Lowe’s PRO Credit Card – The Same Predatory Tactics
My experience with the Lowe’s PRO credit card through Synchrony Bank was no different. Every single month, Synchrony applied fraudulent late fees, forcing me to call both Lowe’s and Synchrony to have them reversed. This pattern repeated itself month after month, proving it was not a mistake but a deliberate strategy.

Conclusion: Stay Away from Synchrony Bank
Synchrony Bank engages in deceptive and unethical practices, including payment manipulation, delayed processing, and fraudulent fees. They repeatedly violate basic banking standards and seem to be profiting from manufactured late fees. Given the widespread issues, I hope a class-action lawsuit holds them accountable.

If you’re considering financing through Synchrony, think twice—you may find yourself in the same frustrating and costly cycle.