Synchrony payment security is a fraud-prevention system that Synchrony Financial uses to verify your identity before processing payments on credit cards and store cards they issue.
When you make a payment to a Synchrony card account—whether online, by phone, or through their mobile app—Synchrony's security system checks whether the payment request matches your account history and known patterns. If something looks unusual, the system may block the payment temporarily and ask you to verify your identity before it goes through. This is different from the payment method itself; it is a layer that sits between you and the transaction to catch fraud before money moves.
Synchrony issues store credit cards (like Amazon, Target, and Lowe's cards) and private-label cards for retailers, as well as personal credit cards under their own brand. Their payment security system applies to all of these. The system uses information like your location, device, payment amount, and frequency to decide whether a payment looks legitimate.
Key Takeaways
- Synchrony payment security is a fraud-detection system that verifies your identity before accepting a payment on a Synchrony-issued card.
- The system may temporarily block a payment if it detects unusual activity, then ask you to confirm your identity through email, text, or a security question.
- You control some of what triggers security checks by updating your contact information and letting Synchrony know when you will be traveling or making large purchases.
- If a payment is blocked and you cannot verify your identity immediately, you can call Synchrony's customer service to complete the verification by phone.
How Synchrony detects unusual payment activity
Synchrony's system flags payments based on patterns it learns from your account. A payment might trigger a security check if the amount is much larger than your usual payments, if you are paying from a new device or location, if the payment method is different from what you normally use, or if multiple payments arrive in a short time. The system also considers whether you have recently reported fraud on the account.
The threshold for what counts as "unusual" is not published, and it varies by cardholder. Someone who regularly makes large payments may not trigger a check for a $500 payment, while someone who typically pays $50 might. Synchrony adjusts these thresholds over time as it learns your behavior.
What happens when a payment is blocked
When Synchrony's security system blocks a payment, you will receive a notification—usually by email, text message, or both—asking you to verify your identity. The notification will explain that your payment could not be processed and direct you to confirm it was you who made the request. You may be asked to answer a security question, click a link to verify through your online account, or provide information like the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Once you verify your identity, the payment typically processes within minutes to a few hours. If you do not verify within a set time (usually 24 to 48 hours), the payment request expires and you will need to submit it again. During this waiting period, your payment is not sent to the creditor, so your due date does not change—but you should not assume the payment has gone through.
Preventing unnecessary security blocks
You can reduce the number of times Synchrony blocks your payments by keeping your account information current. Make sure your phone number and email address are correct in your account settings, because Synchrony uses these to send verification requests. If you change devices frequently or access your account from different locations, update your profile to reflect that.
If you know you will be traveling, making an unusually large payment, or paying from a new device, you can contact Synchrony in advance to let them know. Some cardholders report that a quick call to customer service before a big payment reduces the chance of a block. You can also set up payment notifications in your account so you receive an alert every time a payment is attempted, which gives you a chance to verify it is legitimate before Synchrony's system does.
What to do if you cannot verify your identity right away
If you receive a verification request but cannot respond immediately—because you do not have access to your email or phone, or because you are unsure whether the request is legitimate—call Synchrony's customer service number on the back of your card. A representative can verify your identity over the phone using information from your account and complete the verification process without you needing to click a link or respond to a text.
If you suspect the verification request itself is fraudulent (for example, if you did not attempt to make a payment), do not click any links or provide information through email or text. Call Synchrony directly using the number on your card or statement instead. Scammers sometimes send fake verification emails that look like they come from Synchrony but actually lead to phishing sites designed to steal your information.
How payment security differs from fraud monitoring
Payment security and fraud monitoring are related but separate. Payment security is what Synchrony does before a payment is processed—it stops suspicious payments before they leave your account. Fraud monitoring is what happens after a transaction goes through; it watches for unauthorized charges on your account and alerts you if something looks wrong.
If someone uses your card number without permission, fraud monitoring may catch it and Synchrony may reverse the charge. But payment security would have prevented that unauthorized payment from going through in the first place if the person tried to pay your Synchrony bill with a stolen card. The two systems work together: payment security protects your outgoing payments, and fraud monitoring protects your account from incoming fraudulent charges.
When payment security might cause problems
The main downside of payment security is delay. If you need to pay your bill by the due date and Synchrony blocks your payment, you have to verify your identity before the payment can go through. If you do not see the verification request in time, your payment may be late, which can result in a late fee or a mark on your credit report. To avoid this, check your email and text messages regularly on days when you know you are making a payment.
Another issue is that the system can be overly cautious. Some cardholders report that Synchrony blocks legitimate payments repeatedly, even after they have verified their identity multiple times. If this happens to you, call customer service and ask whether there is a way to reduce the sensitivity of the security checks on your account, or whether you can set up automatic payments instead (which may bypass some security checks because they are recurring and predictable).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off Synchrony payment security?
No, you cannot disable the security system entirely. However, you can reduce how often it triggers by keeping your account information current, notifying Synchrony before you travel or make large payments, and setting up automatic payments for recurring bills. If the system is blocking too many legitimate payments, call customer service to discuss your options.
What if I verify my identity but the payment still does not go through?
After you verify, the payment should process within a few hours. If it does not, check your account to see whether the payment shows as pending. If it has disappeared without processing, contact Synchrony to find out what happened. There may be a second issue—like insufficient funds or a problem with the payment method—that is preventing it from going through.
Is Synchrony payment security the same as two-factor authentication?
No. Two-factor authentication is something you set up to protect your login to your account. Payment security is something Synchrony does automatically to verify payments. You can have both: two-factor authentication protects your account from being hacked, and payment security protects your payments from being intercepted or fraudulently submitted.
What information do I need to have ready when I verify a payment?
This depends on how Synchrony asks you to verify. You may need your phone or email to receive a code, answers to security questions you set up when you opened the account, or personal information like your Social Security number or date of birth. If you are verifying by phone, have your card handy so you can provide the card number if asked.
Does payment security apply to automatic payments I have set up?
Automatic payments are usually treated differently than one-time payments and trigger security checks less often, because Synchrony recognizes them as recurring and predictable. However, if an automatic payment amount changes significantly or if you set up a new automatic payment from a new device, it may still be flagged for verification.