Consumer complaint received 2025-02-25 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: Ava Finance, Inc
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
XXXX and XX/XX/year>, My funds of almost {$200.00} in my savings account are being held hostage by AVA and Im being told that I can not link my new active checking account in order to receive my withdraw of my savings. Furthermore, Im being told that due to not allowing me to electronically withdraw my own money in the savings account, that the funds will be held for a full year by Ava and then dispersed to the government! 

This whole thing stems from My original personal checking account with XXXX XXXX that was closed on good terms by MYSELF. It had been frozen due to a defaulted credit card from 6 years ago in which was found under default judgement ( nothing to do with anything else and certainly not the business of Ava ) THE PARTICULARS of my personal checking account is of no business of Ava as it was not an account with them, it was XXXX. It was merely the account connected to the Ava account to debit money for each monthly payment. No where in the terms does it say I could not close my personal Checking as that is beyond their scope! I was asked by AVA to get a VERY SPECIFIC letter from my bank that XXXX XXXX made clear they DO NOT supply. They have forms and procedures they do not stray from and could not supply the specific worded letter that was being requested, requested to be on their letter head. XXXX XXXX informed me that any letters on their letter head are already made and they can not just make up a new one to satisfy Ava with such specific wording. Due to the specific wording required by AVA, I was not able to get the letter from my bank ( although I was supplied with one stating the account was closed on my own accord ). but it shouldnt have been an issue because I linked my NEW ACTIVE XXXX  CHECKING ACCOUNT to replace it. ( Although AVA kept both myXXXX  credit and debit cards on file, they removed my XXXX  XXXX  link and continue to request the specific worded document from my closed XXXX XXXX checking account ). This did not stop them from using the XXXX  account to withdraw a {$60.00} fee. After months of back and forth I requested my Ava account be closed and my savings account funds be withdrawn into my active XXXX  account, to which Im told is not good enough of a checking account to link. This is absurd as i am not looking to gain credit or open a new account with AVA, I merely wanted to withdraw MY HARD EARNED MONEY from my savings account. In the end I am basically being told that unless I supply a letter that I simply am not able to obtain due to the specific wordingthat I will not receive my withdraw. This is money that I sent in to Ava and it was already scheduled to be withdrawnall it needed was an active checking account to do so and I supplied them with my active XXXX  checking. Mind you, this letter requested has nothing to do with my active XXXX  checking account and the XXXX XXXX account in which this letter is supposed to come from, HAS BEEN NOT ONLY CLOSED BUT ALSO NO LONGER ASSOCIATED WITH AVA as it has been closed and removed from the Ava account many months back. So I am being blackmailed for a letter to which the account is not even associated or linked to an AVA account and my savings withdraw is being held hostage unless they receive this letter, to which I am not even able to get due to the specific wording they are demanding that it say. They are not XXXX XXXX and can not demand that XXXX XXXX state specific things in a letter. Ultimately my closed checking account is none of XXXX business, especially once it was no longer linked to my AVA savings account. I was not asking Ava to open a new account, I was closing my Ava account and trying to withdraw the money I had saved! 

Of course, In the end, it was agreed to close my AVA account and my app even showed that I could withdraw my savings, but AVA was not allowing my new XXXX  account to link so I can get payout. I read the terms from XXXX ( the banking partner with Ava ) and it clearly states that if an account is closed a check would be sent for disbursement. Yet Ava is holding my funds hostage for a full year! This is not ok and both Ava and their partnering bank should be investigated! 

It is not right/fair for my app to clearly show the funds able to be dispersed and Ava refuse to allow it to go to an ACTIVE checking account IN MY NAME, let alone follow the procedure stated by Their banking partner in which the funds are actually held. They have not even offered to provided for a check to be mailed. I am simply told Ava will keep my funds for a full year. I even supplied the AVA contact my new active XXXX  checking info in an email to allow the funds to be dispersed upon which I am again being asked to supply a letter for the closed XXXX XXXX account that has no longer been linked to Ava for months. I find this whole thing to be shady and not within scope for AVA to ethically do. 

I even emailed the legal dept at Ava TWICE! I did not receive a response either time! I think that an investigation into Avas actions and behavior should be looked into and that they should immediately send my money in the form of a check as stated by XXXX, their banking partner!!! Avas actions in demanding something I am not able to supply due to the policies of XXXX XXXX and going so far as to hold my savings hostage unless it is supplied is nothing less than blackmailor in the least unethical! They are not above the law and should be investigated! The funds are mine and should have been sent back to me in the form of a check immediately after closing the account! I should not be without my money after a savings account is closed! They no longer have claim to my money once I closed my account! There are laws about this and Ava and their banking partner are clearly breaking those laws!!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation