Consumer complaint received 2025-10-12 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: Ava Finance, Inc
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
CFPB, I am submitting this complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because I strongly believe that Ava XXXX XXXX XXXX has engaged in false advertising, deceptive business practices, and unfair billing tactics that have directly harmed me as a consumer attempting to rebuild my credit in good faith. 

Ava XXXX XXXX XXXX advertises itself as a platform that helps consumers improve their credit by offering a credit builder card for a small monthly fee. The companys advertisements and promotional materials clearly state that, for a XXXX XXXX  monthly payment, consumers can establish or improve their credit and that payments made through this program will be reported to the major credit bureaus. This promise is what motivated me to sign up, as I am actively working to rebuild my credit history and regain financial stability. 

During the enrollment process, Ava asked if I wanted to qualify for a higher credit line. Naturally, this sounded like an opportunity to enhance my credit-building efforts, so I agreed. In order to qualify, Ava required me to link my bank account through a third-party data provider called XXXX, granting them direct access to my financial information. I complied in good faith, trusting that Ava was operating transparently and legitimately. 

However, immediately after I provided access to my bank account, the company abruptly denied me access to the Ava XXXX XXXX XXXX, stating that I was ineligible after already collecting my {$10.00} payment. At no point did they disclose that eligibility would be determined only after taking my payment or that I could be denied entirely while still being charged. 

This conduct appears to be intentionally deceptive. Ava presented their service as a straightforward, guaranteed way to build credit for a XXXX XXXX monthly fee, but in reality, they withheld key information about eligibility criteria and failed to provide the promised service. They effectively charged me for a product they never delivered, which constitutes both false advertising and an unfair billing practice under federal consumer protection laws. 

To make matters worse, I was never offered a refund. The company has kept my money despite the fact that no credit builder account was opened, no credit line was extended, and no reporting to credit bureaus occurred. This feels like a bait-and-switch scheme taking funds from consumers under the guise of guaranteed credit improvement, only to deny them after collecting sensitive financial information and payment. 

Additionally, I am very concerned about privacy violations and potential misuse of my financial data. The company had no legitimate reason to access my bank account if they had already decided to deny me. It seems as though they obtained access to my financial information under false pretenses, which raises serious questions about how my personal data is being stored, shared, or used. 

This entire experience has caused significant frustration and distress. As someone who is sincerely trying to rebuild credit, I feel that I have been taken advantage of by a company preying on financially vulnerable individuals. I trusted Avas advertising, which suggested that all paying customers would be able to build credit through their system. Their behavior undermines trust in financial products designed for people working to improve their financial futures.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation