Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/21/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I transferred $75 from my credit account to my ****** banking account. I still haven't received the transfer or any information about where my money is.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Hello ********,
  Thank you for reaching out and giving us the opportunity to assist. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
  The return of your Save and Build deposit was initiated on April 19, 2025, to your linked SoFi account ending in 4740. Standard ACH processing typically takes 35 business days, and **** confirmed that the transaction was successfully completed on April 24, 2025. We kindly recommend checking your bank account to confirm the returned deposit.
  Additionally, we were unable to locate any previous contact attempts regarding this matter through our Customer Support channels.
  If you have any additional questions, concerns, or need further assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out to us at ************************************* Were happy to help!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased the yearly subscription on 4/17/2025 and after discovering that my account could not be verified through Plaid, I requested a refund because my Penfed account could not be verified. I asked for a manual verification to link my bank account. They told me that they could not do that. I requested a refund and no one has responded to my request. I want a refund. This company cannot do anything for me if they can't verify my checking account. They told me to try another account and I did. I used Chime, but the account has had no activity. I closed it the same day and unlinked it to AVA. I cannot use this product, yet they won't refund my $72 that I paid for the year.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2025

  Hello ******,
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
  As advised in ticket number ******, if your account is not successfully verified, any deductions made will be refunded back to you. In your case, weve confirmed that your Ava subscription did not process due to account verification issues with Plaid. Since the account setup wasnt completed, no charge was madeso there is no transaction to refund.
  We truly appreciate your patience and understanding. If you have any further questions or need additional support, please feel free to contact us at ****************************************************************.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/17/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They pull my credit score twice now for a "delinquent accounts". I have paid the said amount already and they have pulled my credit score for over 100 which is absolutely insane. This is so unacceptable.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2025

  Hello ******,

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
  Ava Finance furnishes credit history, positive and negative, to the credit reporting agencies based on the product you opted to receive from us which was the Ava Card. You did accept our terms and conditions on January 24, 2024, which states both positive and negative payment history will be reported to the credit reporting agencies. For your reference, the full Terms and Conditions are available here: ****************************************************************************************** and they are also accessible on our website under "Legal" in the footer.
  After a detailed review of your account, it has come to our attention that there was 1 instance of delayed payment. Specifically, the payment for the Ava Card, due on February 5, 2025, was received on April 7, 2025. Auto-payments were attempted on 2/5/2025, 3/5/2025, and intermittently in-between, however the payment was not able to be completed, with the reason code returned to us as "Insufficient funds".
  In addition, at least 4 emails are sent, 1 informing you payment is due and 3 informing you the payment is past due prior to the 30 days past due point. While these payments were on auto-payment, these communications included a manual payment option to facilitate timely payment within the 29-day grace ******* Regrettably, since the payment was received after this period, it was reported as late in accordance with federal payment reporting guidelines. Consequently, we are unable to reverse the late payment status.
  We appreciate your understanding in this matter and thank you for your continued patronage. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at ****************************************************************.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/06/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had opened 2 Ava accounts, a saving builder and a charge card. Initially it was going good, everything was reported on time and then the year end date came up and didnt renew because my score ended increasing to the point I didnt need it. After about a month of it closing the account had been removed from my equifax and **********. I have been emailing them non stop and they telling me they have forwarded to the credit team but months go by with no update or even a response back. I reached out to the credit bureaus directly and they said that Ava reported themselves. I believe they only report if youre paying them if you end it they will remove it and your score will tank and youll have to renew with them. That is completely wrong thing to do to people, literally just taking advantage of low score people.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2025

  Hello Ali,
  Thank you for your patience and I understand your frustration. My credit team has contacted the bureaus regarding an update on your tradelines. 
  
  Regarding Equifax:
  After investigating your account, there was an issue at *******, in December where your tradelines were erroneously removed from their credit reporting. This was an error at *******, not at Ava. We have followed up with them and were informed on December 20, 2024 the issue had been resolved, however it appears your accounts were not remedied. We submitted an AUD request to have your tradelines reinserted on March 24, 2025 and followed up with them regarding the status of the AUD, we are awaiting their reply.
  
  Regarding TransUnion: 
  ********** is requesting you submit a letter to them confirming the request to reinsert the Ava tradelines to your credit profile. Please ensure the letter includes your name, address, and account numbers.
  You can submit the letter to us for expedited processing with TransUnion.
  
  We understand how frustrating this has been, and we want to assure you that we did everything we could to resolve this on your behalf. Unfortunately, as a data furnisher, Ava is unable to handle this step for you.
  
  Once I have an update from Equifax, I will reach out via Ticket number 232510.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/04/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I sign up for Ava credit trying to fix my credit which it dont work for me they wanted me to pay 25 dollars a month and hold my money for 2 years! I call to have my name removed from their program and theyre refusing to remove my name! Now theyre filling credit report every month against me for not sending 25 dollars a months to them! This have down my credit score 200 points!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2025

  Hello ******,
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
  We were unable to authenticate an account with the details you provided, but we've sent you an email with instructions to complete the authentication process. Please keep an eye out for the message, which will reference ticket number ******. Well be happy to help you further once we confirm your details.
  After reviewing our records, we were unable to find any previous contact attempts associated with the email address or phone number you provided.
  Additionally, if youd like to cancel your Ava subscription, you can do so at any time through the Ava app. Please note that canceling your subscription will close any associated tradelines, Ava Card, Save and Build account, and/or Rent Reporting, which may have an impact on your credit history.
  Heres how you can cancel your subscription:
  Log in to your Ava account on the app.
  Click on the gear icon located on the top right corner to access the "Settings" page.
  From the Settings page, click on the "Subscription" option.
  Select the "Cancel Subscription" option, and follow the prompts to complete the cancellation process.
  We hope this helps, and we truly appreciate your understanding. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need any further assistance, ************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am not Liable for this debt with AVA FINANCE INC, I do not have a contract with AVA FINANCE INC, they did not provide me with the original contract as I requested.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/03/2025

  Hello Kadarius,

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We truly appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.

  After reviewing your account, we were unable to find any previous attempts to contact our support team regarding your complaint.

  We understand this situation may be confusing, so we want to clarify: Ava Finance is not a debt collector, and your debt has not been sent to collections. We report both positive and negative credit history to credit agencies based on the product you chose, the Ava Card. When you accepted our terms and conditions on September 3, 2024, you agreed that both positive and negative payment history would be reported.

  Upon reviewing your account, we found one instance of a delayed payment. Specifically, the payment for your Ava Card, which was due on October 4, 2024, was received on November 19, 2024. Our system attempted to process auto-payments on both October 4, 2024, and November 4, 2024. Unfortunately, these payments couldnt be completed due to a "Plaid Relink" error, indicating that the linked bank account had disconnected from your Ava account.

  In addition, email and push notification began on October 7, 2024. At least 4 emails are sent, 1 informing you payment is due and 3 informing you the payment is past due prior to the 30 days past due point. While these payments were on auto-payment, these communications included a manual payment option to facilitate timely payment within the 29-day grace ******* Regrettably, since the payments were received after this period, they were reported as late in accordance with federal payment reporting guidelines. Unfortunately, we are unable to reverse the late payment status.

  We appreciate your understanding in this matter. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at ****************************************************************.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/15/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I attempted to sign up for services on 10/3/24 and the app glitched, the company charged me $9.80 and $1 temporary hold charge. I went back to complete the transaction and they asked for my card number again. I contact customer service for help and they couldnt restart my service and wont give me a refund per their policy

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/24/2024

  Hello Shakira,
  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
  
  On 10/3/2024, you created a subscription for the Ava Card. During the sign-up process, we highlighted our refund and cancellation policy as part of the subscription plan selection step.
  As outlined in our policy, refunds are not provided. This is due to the costs associated with setting up and maintaining your account.
  Following your subscription, you canceled the account through the app. During your contact with our Customer Support team, we noted that you did not inquire about the option to reactivate your account. I am happy to provide the steps for reactivation below.
  
  To reactivate your subscription, you can simply follow these steps:
  
  Open the Ava app on your device, using your Apple ID
  Go to the "Settings" menu
  Tap on "Ava Plus Subscription"
  Select "Reactivate Subscription"
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to reactivate your Ava subscription directly in the app.
  
  On 10/3/2024, you were charged a total of $10.80. This charge included the following:
  $9.00 for the monthly subscription fee
  $0.80 for sales tax
  $1.00 as a temporary authorization
  Please note that the $1.00 temporary authorization was released back to your card ending in 4860 on 10/10/2024.
  
  If you have any further questions or need additional clarification, please feel free to reach out to ************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/24/2024

  Your app shut down, if I reactivate the account I will be charged another month without being able to use the prior months service. Due to the technical issues with the app and the customer service received I nolonger want to use the app. I have not used the service provided for the 30 days I paid for because I was unable to log in after paying the fee and while trying to log in  the app, I was asked to pay another fee. I would like my orginal fee refunded.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/30/2024

  Hello Shakira,

  I apologize for the inconvenience and frustration your experienced. However, we do not currently offer free trials. As per our refund and cancellation policy, which you agreed to upon signing up, we do not provide refunds. The reason behind this policy is that it costs us money to set up your account, which is why we charge one month's fee when you close the account.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns do let us know. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I opened an account with ********************** specifically for managing subscriptions and bill payments, and I was approved for a credit limit of $670. The website clearly lists **************** as an approved merchant. However, when I attempted to use my card for a ******* transaction, it was declined. I contacted customer service, and ***** informed me that ******* was deemed an unauthorized merchant. This contradicts the information on your website, which lists ******* among approved merchants. I repeatedly asked for clarification on why ******* appears on the website if it is not authorized, but I received no response.Subsequently, my card was frozen, and I was instructed to submit a picture of my ID along with a selfie, which I complied with, despite not understanding the necessity of this step. ***** then advised me that in order to conduct a transaction up to my spend limit, I needed to switch from transaction limit to spend limit. I followed this guidance, yet my card was still declined.I was informed that another team would review my account. Today, I received an email from a representative named ****, stating that my card has been permanently blocked because I supposedly used it at an unauthorized merchant and exceeded the spend limit. I reiterated to her the issues I had outlined to *****. **** claimed that I had a $25 spend limit per day, but only if the card is set to transaction limit, not spend limit. Additionally, she stated that the card is not intended for bill payments, despite the website clearly stating, pay monthly bills and subscriptions within your spend limit.If ******* is not an authorized merchant and bill payments are not allowed with the Ava card, then the information on your website is misleading and raises significant UDAAP concerns. If these services are not permitted, the website must clearly communicate this.I demand that my account be reinstated immediately and that my subscription payment be refunded.**************************************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/16/2024

  I apologize for the confusion and would like to clarify some things for you. Your account was blocked due to utilization at a Merchant in excess of your Spend Limit, which falls outside of Ava's card usage policy, as outlined in our Cardholder Agreement  
   
  The Ava Card has 2 modes: 
  1. Spend Limit mode
  2. Transaction Limit mode
   
  Your account is currently in Transaction Limit mode. The mode can be changed during the next payment cycle. Thank you for the previous screenshots, the list of merchants disabled in Transaction Limit mode is subject to change and update. Our current list of disabled merchants in this mode has been provided to your via email.
  

  As a one-time courtesy, we have lifted this block, and the app is now available for use. However, we kindly ask that you wait 48 hours before attempting another transaction to ensure compliance with Ava's policies and to avoid future blocks.

  Please note that any further activity outside Avas policies could result in a permanent block on your account. If you have any questions or need further clarification, dont hesitate to reach out to ****************************************************************
   
  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/16/2024

  I need clarification on why my card isn't working in spending limit mode for transactions at an approved merchant from your list. I switched my card from transaction limit to spending limit, yet the transaction was still declined. If ******* isn't an approved merchant, then why is it listed as one on your website?
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/17/2024

  Hello *******,
  
  Your account was temporarily blocked due to a transaction attempt that exceeded your Spend Limit. While in this blocked status, the Ava Card is unable to be used with any approved merchants or the Ava Store.
  
  We have now resolved the block on your account.
  
  For additional details regarding your account, please refer to the communication we sent to your email address on file, which includes ticket number 184619.
  
  If you have any questions or need further clarification, please feel free to contact us at *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/16/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to urgently address the errors on my credit report, stemming from the unauthorized sharing of my personal information with credit bureaus. This situation has caused considerable financial and emotional *********** accordance with 15 USC 1681 Section 602, I have a right to financial privacy, and my personal information should be protected accordingly.Moreover, as outlined in 15 USC 1681 Section 604(a)(2), a consumer reporting agency cannot disclose account information without my explicit consent, which I have not provided.The inaccuracies tied to BLM AVA have negatively impacted my financial health, and I am requesting an immediate correction of these errors.Additionally, 15 USC 1666(b) specifies that creditors are prohibited from marking credit card payments as late under certain circumstances.For your reference, here are my account details: Account Number: *************************I request a prompt review and correction of the inaccuracies, in full compliance with federal law.If these issues are not resolved in a timely manner, legal action may be taken. I appreciate your immediate attention and resolution of this matter.Sincerely,****** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2024

  We apologize for the experience you had. We take your views very seriously and would like to communicate with you regarding your account very soon. Our customer service department will contact you very soon. We are committed to providing the best service and will be in touch shortly.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/28/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Over the last 4 months I have had trouble making my payments to Ava, both for the credit card and the loan. When I would try to use my bank account info their system would tell me I didnt have enough funds available even though I did. So then in order to avoid a missed payment on my credit report I tried to use my debit card, which costs $3 and the payment would state successful. Then when I go back into the app later it says I am still missing a payment. There was nothing wrong with my debit card. After emailing for help the first time I got a generic response that did not even address my issue. I sent multiple screenshots of both my bank and their app with thorough explanations. Then after emailing back I was told I did not have enough money or there was an issue with my debit card and to use another one. Which the audacity in the statement is wild. What kind of privileged world do they live in where they assume people have multiple bank accounts? ****** then fix their system they just say some asinine things like that.At this time my account had gone over 60 days past due so I was reported as missing a payment which TANKED my score. The entire point of this service is to help people build their credit score. It took me a week and multiple emails to get them to agree to correct it.Now this past month I am having the same issues and then some.So I went ahead and opened another account of obtain another debit card. But even after I added it the system was still trying to use my old oneOnce again, no helpful responses in the emails. At this time I have paid the $3 fee to make a debit card multiple times. At the point my credit is so dependent of this service that if I were to close score would tank even further. People are reliant on this service based on the promise of help with credit scores and they know people cant just cancel it. It feels like they are deliberately taking advantage of people that need help.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/02/2024

  We sincerely apologize for the difficulties youve encountered with our service. We value your feedback and are committed to improving your experience. Our customer service team will be in touch very soon to discuss your account and work towards a resolution. Thank you for your patience and understanding.