Seeing an unauthorized “AvantGUARD service” or “Avant services” charge on your card? It is not from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise. Learn what to do next.
San Francisco Bay Area
We have recently been contacted by people who see unfamiliar charges on their bank or credit card statements from names like:
- “AvantGUARD service”
- “Avantguard service”
- “AvantGarde”
- “Avantgarde service”
- “Avant services”
- Other variations of “Avant‑” that do not match our company name
If you are seeing a charge like this, it is not from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise (the Bay Area seismic retrofit and foundation contractor).
This page explains who we are, how we actually bill, what these scam patterns look like, how Google/AI are sometimes misdirecting people to us, and what you should do next.
Who We Are (And How We Actually Bill)
Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise is a licensed construction company in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area focused on:
- Seismic retrofits and earthquake safety
- Foundations, drainage, and related structural work
We do not:
- Sell online subscriptions, apps, or memberships
- Run a call center, monitoring service, or financial product
- Charge small recurring amounts like $38.38, $135.99, $139, etc.
- Charge any card without a signed proposal/contract and explicit authorization
When we bill a customer:
- It is only after a written proposal or contract has been reviewed and signed
- The invoice is clearly from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise
- Amounts are not small “subscription‑sized” charges
Any charge from “AvantGUARD service,” “Avant services,” or similar is not from our company.
A Note About Google / AI Results and Misdirections
We have also had people tell us that Google’s AI answers or other online assistants suggested they call “Avant‑Garde” about unauthorized “AvantGUARD service” or “Avant services” charges.
To be clear:
- We are not a bank, credit card processor, subscription provider, or monitoring service.
- We are a Bay Area construction company that does seismic retrofits, foundation, and drainage projects.
- We cannot see your account, issue refunds, stop charges, or access any billing records for “AvantGUARD service,” “Avant services,” or similar entities.
If an AI assistant or search result told you to call us about a mystery charge, that recommendation is incorrect.
The only parties who can actually investigate or reverse those charges are:
- Your bank or card issuer (using the phone number on the back of your card), and
- Any company you personally recognize and have an account with.
We can only:
- Confirm that the charge is not from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise, and
- Direct you back to your bank’s fraud department for next steps.
Known Scam / Confusion Patterns
Reports we have seen include:
- One‑off charges like $38.38, $135.99, $139, etc., described as “AvantGUARD service,” “Avantguard service,” or “Avant services”
- Bank representatives telling customers to “reach out to Avant‑” or “call Avant‑Garde” even though the customer has never hired us
- Public warnings and BBB Scam Tracker entries describing nearly identical “AvantGUARD service” debit/credit card charges
In every case where someone has contacted us about these charges, they are:
- Unrelated to any construction work
- Unrelated to any project, invoice, or estimate from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise
We have:
- No relationship with the entities placing those charges
- No ability to access their billing systems or issue refunds on their behalf
What To Do If You See an Unauthorized “Avant…” Charge
If you see a charge like “AvantGUARD service,” “Avant services,” or a similar name that you do not recognize:
- Call the number on the back of your card immediately
- Tell them the charge is unauthorized.
- Ask them to investigate and dispute it.
- Ask whether they recommend canceling and reissuing the card.
- Tell your bank this is a known scam/confusion pattern
- Mention that there are published warnings and BBB entries regarding similar “AvantGUARD service” charges.
- Make it clear you did not sign up for any subscription or service with that name.
- Do not share full card or login details with anyone contacting you out of the blue
- Legitimate companies will not ask you to “verify” your full card number, CVV, online banking credentials, or social security number via email, text, or unsolicited calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ever bill as “AvantGUARD service,” “Avant services,” or similar?
No. We only bill as Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise, and only for seismic, foundation, and drainage‑related work.
Do you sell subscriptions or monitoring services?
No. We do not sell subscriptions, memberships, apps, or monitoring services. We only provide construction, inspection, and consulting services.
My bank said “contact Avant‑Garde” about this charge. Why?
Some banks and AI systems see “Avant…” in the descriptor and then look up the most prominent “Avant‑Garde” business that shows up with a phone number and website.
That is an error on their part. We cannot see or reverse charges that were never run through our systems.
If you have never worked with us and simply found this page while searching for “AvantGUARD service” or similar, then the charge is not from Avant‑Garde Construction Enterprise, and your best next step is to work directly with your bank or card issuer’s fraud department.