MeetAva

I signed up for Ava's Save & Build Credit program, which required me to set aside $30 per month for 12 months in my Ava Wallet within the app. Ava claimed they would report each deposit as an on-time payment to the credit bureaus, helping to improve my credit score.

After 12 months, I was supposed to receive my full $360 back with no interest or fees. However, when my contract ended in November 2023, my account was locked with a message instructing me to contact support. I was told it was locked because I owed for December 2023, even though my contract had already ended the previous month. Without realizing this was incorrect, I paid the $169 balance they claimed I owed.

A few days later, I checked my credit report and found serious inaccuracies: Ava closed my account as Paid in Full on 11/27/2023 yet on 12/04/2023, they reported that I had reopened an account, which never happened. Today is March 23, 2025, and my account remains locked. To make matters worse, on December 16, 2024, I experienced account fraud and had to change my bank account and cards. I immediately informed Ava that my funds needed to be deposited into a new account.

Chase Bank confirmed Ava was still linked and that the new account details should have updated automatically. Yet, despite multiple attempts to resolve this, I still haven't received my $360 or the $169 I mistakenly paid. Even more frustrating, instead of improving my credit as promised, my score dropped by 32 points while using Ava (see attached screenshots). This experience has been an absolute nightmare, and Ava's lack of accountability and transparency is unacceptable.

If you're considering using Ava, think twice. They may withhold your money, falsely report to credit bureaus, and ultimately hurt your credit rather than help it.

I strongly recommend looking for reputable financial tools that actually deliver on their promises. Sebastian M