How to Remove SYNCB/Sams From Your Credit Report

SYNCB/Sams on your credit report is one of two codes that can appear after a Sam’s Club credit card application through Synchrony Bank. You may also see this listed as Samsclubmc/SYNCB, depending on which credit bureau is displaying the entry. Both point to the same issuer and the same product family.

If you’re a Sam’s Club member who applied for their credit card, this entry is expected. If you don’t recognize it, here’s what to do.

What Is SYNCB/Sams on Your Credit Report?

SYNCB/Sams stands for Synchrony Bank and Sam’s Club. It appears on your credit report as a hard inquiry when Synchrony Bank processes a Sam’s Club credit card application.

Synchrony issues both Sam’s Club credit products: the Sam’s Club Credit Card, a store card usable only at Sam’s Club and Walmart, and the Sam’s Club Mastercard, which can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted and earns cash back rewards on purchases.

The entry appears whether you were approved, denied, or never completed the application.

Why SYNCB/Sams Appears on Your Credit Report

A Sam’s Club credit card application is the most common reason this entry shows up. Here’s how it typically comes up:

• Membership desk or in-store application: Sam’s Club promotes their credit card to members, often pairing it with membership renewal or sign-up. Many members apply at the membership desk or at checkout.
• Online application: Applying through the Sam’s Club website or app generates the same Synchrony hard inquiry as applying in person.
• Upgrade from store card to Mastercard: If you held the store card and applied to upgrade to the Sam’s Club Mastercard, that application also generates a hard inquiry.
• Unauthorized application: If someone used your personal information to apply for a Sam’s Club card without your knowledge, the hard inquiry still appears on your credit report.

How SYNCB/Sams Affects Your Credit Score

A single hard inquiry from Synchrony Bank causes a small dip in your credit score, typically just a few points. That’s not a meaningful concern on its own. The impact compounds when multiple hard inquiries appear within a short period, which can signal to lenders that you’re actively seeking new credit.

The effect on your credit score fades within a few months and becomes negligible well before the entry drops off your credit report.

How Long SYNCB/Sams Stays on Your Credit Report

Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for two years from the date they were pulled. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion all display the entry during that window. Once the two years are up, it drops off automatically with no action required.

If your Sam’s Club card application was approved and an account was opened, that account also appears separately on your credit report as a tradeline, affecting your credit score based on payment history, credit utilization, and account age.

What to Do If You Don’t Recognize the SYNCB/Sams Entry

An unfamiliar SYNCB/Sams entry on your credit report is worth investigating promptly. Here’s how to handle it:

• Contact Synchrony Bank directly: Ask them to confirm what product was applied for, when the inquiry was pulled, and whether an account was opened as a result. They can verify whether the application was connected to your personal information.
• Dispute with the credit bureaus: If Synchrony cannot verify that you authorized the inquiry, file a formal dispute with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Include your personal details and a written explanation of why the entry should be removed from your credit report.
• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze: A fraud alert requires lenders to verify your identity before approving new applications. A credit freeze provides stronger protection by blocking new credit entirely until you lift it.

Synchrony Bank Contact Information

If you need to reach Synchrony Bank to ask about a SYNCB/Sams inquiry, here is their contact information:

Phone: (866) 419-4096

Mailing Address: Synchrony Bank, 170 Election Road, Suite 125, Draper, UT 84020

Bottom Line

SYNCB/Sams on your credit report is a Synchrony Bank hard inquiry tied to a Sam’s Club credit card application. It’s one of two codes Synchrony uses for Sam’s Club, alongside Samsclubmc/SYNCB, and both mean the same thing.

If you recognize the application, the entry is legitimate and will age off your credit report after two years. If you don’t, contact Synchrony Bank to find out what triggered it and dispute the entry with the credit bureaus if you can’t verify it was authorized.