Consumer complaint received 2022-11-17
Company: Avant Holding Company, Inc.
State: NJ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
I have been a valued customer since XX/XX/2022 and I have never missed a payment. I am emailing to request an appeal of my card credit limit being reduced from {$3000.00} to {$1500.00} and then being closed. I am requesting that my account be reopened and that my credit limit be restored back to {$3000.00} if not higher because of the unwarranted closing of my account. 

On XX/XX/2022, I received an email from Avant Credit Card Company that stated, " Your AvantCard account was identified as containing a credit report with an active extended fraud alert. A fraud alert is placed on a credit report by a consumer to prevent identity theft. An extended fraud alert is for consumers who have previously filed qualifying identity theft reports with XXXX of the credit bureaus and lasts for XXXX years. 
We have been unable to reach you at the number listed in your alert, or you did not include a valid phone number on your extended fraud alert. Unfortunately, if we are unable to contact you at a valid phone number listed on your credit report as required by your extended fraud alert, we can not validate your AvantCard account. You can update your extended fraud alert on your XXXX credit report by following the directions at https : XXXX Please contact us once the phone number on your alert has been updated and we will attempt to contact you again. '' When I called Avant, they stated that I needed to call XXXX and verify that my telephone number that I used for my Avant account was the same telephone number that was reflected on my XXXX Credit Report which is XXXX. 

I called XXXX as I was instructed to do by Avant. I was also instructed that I had to contact Avant by XX/XX/2022, to let them know that indeed did contact XXXX and that my telephone number was correct. I re contacted Avant via telephone on XX/XX/2022 and spoke to Avant Phone Rep XXXX, which was before the XX/XX/2022 deadline to make Avant aware that I contacted XXXX to verify the telephone number that I had on file. So I have no clue why my account was still closed and my credit limit was reduced prior to closing my account. I am trying to buy a home and this has had a negative effect on my credit. I did exactly what Avant instructed me to do to keep my account open and Avant closed my account anyway which makes absolutely no sense. I am asking that my account be reopened and my credit limit be restored to {$3000.00}, if not greater as I have done nothing wrong. 

In addition, I wrote a lengthy appeal email to Avant on XX/XX/2022 explaining the same thing that I put in this complaint. I received an email on XX/XX/2022 from XXXX XXXX which stated, " Dear XXXX, Thank you for reaching out to Avant! We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. For better assistance, please reach us at XXXXAVANTCARD at your earliest convenience and any of our representatives will be happy to assist you. '' I think called Avant immediately as instructed by the email from XXXX XXXX and spoke to Avant Employee XXXX XXXX. I explained what was going on and every action that I have taken to stop my card from being closed, raise my credit limit to the original limit and re open the now closed card. XXXX XXXX was dismissive and stated that I needed to re apply for a new card and that I couldn't even do that until I paid off my current balance. I explained to him that this was ridiculous and that I would not re apply for a new card ( which would in turn hurt my credit ) when my current card should not have been closed in the first place and followed Avant 's instructions to keep the card from closing. 

XXXX XXXX then stated that he would have a supervisor call me in XXXX minutes as the supervisors were currently busy and as of today, no one from Avant has called or emailed me to address this issue. 

I had no choice but to contact the CFPB as I am powerless against the unfair practices of this company. I have been a loyal customer and I have never missed a payment. I also followed through with the instructions given by Avant in a timely manner and yet my credit card limit was cut in half and my card was then closed. They should not be able to just make up their own rules and treat customers this way. I really hope that this can be investigated and my account can be restored.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation