Cookies on BBB.org

We use cookies to give users the best content and online experience. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to allow us to use all cookies. Visit our Privacy Policy to learn more.

Cookie Preferences

Many websites use cookies or similar tools to store information on your browser or device. We use cookies
on BBB websites to remember your preferences, improve website performance and enhance user experience, and
to recommend content we believe will be most relevant to you. Most cookies collect anonymous information
such as how users arrive at and use the website. Some cookies are necessary to allow the website to
function properly, but you may choose to not allow other types of cookies below.

Necessary Cookies

What are necessary cookies?
These cookies are necessary for the site to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you that amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Necessary Cookies must always be enabled

Functional Cookies

What are functional cookies?
These cookies enable the site to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

Performance Cookies

What are performance cookies?
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

Marketing Cookies

What are marketing cookies?
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant content on other sites. They do not store personal information directly, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser or device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 192 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 62 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Sort by

Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/18/2025

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    To Whom it may concern,This letter is to inform you that I recently received a copy of my credit report that your company publishes and after reviewing it I found a number of items on the report that are inaccurate. The accounts in question are listed below. Please send me copies of the documents that you have in your files as of this date that you used to verify the accuracy of the accounts listed below. COMPANY NAME: LIGHTSTREAM ACCT #: ***. ********** $0.00/$15,000.00 Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681g I have the right to demand that you disclose to me all of the documents that you have recorded and retained in your file at the time of this request concerning the accounts that you are reporting in my credit report. Please dont respond to my request by saying that these accounts have been verified. Send me copies of the documents that you have in your files that were used to verify them. If you do not have any documentation in your files to verify the accuracy of these disputed accounts then please delete them immediately as required under Section 611(a)(5)(A)(i). By publishing these inaccurate and unverified items on my credit report and distributing them to 3rd parties you are damaging my reputation and credit worthiness.

    Business Response

    Date: 03/18/2025

    Thank you for reaching out. We would be happy to assist you with your inquiry. To provide you with the documentation you are requesting, please contact us directly at **************. We also accept calls made through the relay service (dial 711).
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/05/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I feel like this business was never going to fund a loan but just wanted my social. My income is good and my credit is OK yet they still wanted to beat around the **** and may keep sending them these documents. It was a total nightmare working with them. I will say the only nice thing about this company is they were quick to answer the phone, but could never speak to a loanofficer directly. I make over $100,000 a year and have a 680 credit and could not get funded for a measly $10,000. Its quite ridiculous. I do a lot of quick turnaround financial stuff and couldve definitely been a returning customer.

    Business Response

    Date: 03/06/2025

    We appreciate you reaching out to us. LightStream does not offer traditional vehicle loans, instead, our loans are personal and require no collateral. Therefore, our application and review process may differ from other lenders. Since LightStream is not a FICO score-driven company, other factors such as income, liquid assets, your credit report, and payment history are taken into consideration when an application is being reviewed. During our review process, LightStream's credit team may request verification of financials in the form of documentation. If there is a question or concern regarding the documents provided, our credit team may reach out for additional information or more recent statements. We have received your most recent application and will reach out to you shortly if additional information is required or if a decision has been made. 
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/05/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    ResolvedMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Unfortuneatlyl, I do not have any paperwork and never received anything in writing because the second I told them I wouldn't provide them with my log in info MY USERNAME and PASSWORD for my bank account they told me to hang up i no longer qualify. What I do have is all the call recordings of our conversations. They told me they were going to deposit 2000 into my bank account for $86.85 for 24 months at 4%. Which i knew was way too go to be true. I have phone numbers which are probably no good. But I do have the call recordings. ill have to check my email to see if they sent me anything. When I call the 866 number there in ********* it doesnt sound like the same people. They had a middle eastern accent. Sounded like the same two guys calling over and over after I blocked them they would call from another number]

    Business Response

    Date: 03/06/2025

    Thank you for reaching out to us. We can confirm that this was not a valid LightStream offer or practice. Unfortunately, LightStream has experienced situations where people have passed as LightStream employees and have used fake emails/phone numbers to reach out to individuals. LightStream will never send unsolicited emails, text messages or letters asking clients to provide, update,or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security Numbers, PINs, credit or check card numbers, or other confidential information. In addition,LightStream will never ask for money at any part of our loan or application process, this includes cash, gift cards, money transfers, etc. If you continue to receive suspicious emails, communications or believe you may be the victim of a possible scam, please ignore, and delete unexpected messages asking for password, PIN, or other confidential information. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call us at ************** for further assistance. We also accept calls made through the relay service (dial 711).

    Customer Answer

    Date: 03/06/2025


    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

    Regards,

    ******* ********

     
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/01/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Sometime around Dec. 7th I received a letter in the mail thank ing me for a loan request. It Provided reference # and a temp. ID. It asked me to. Verify my personal information like SS# and wanted me to create a new username and password. I NEVER applied for a loan! This is a SCAM!!

    Business Response

    Date: 03/03/2025

    Thank you for reaching out to us. We can confirm that we did not received a completed application, only an incomplete inquiry through Lending Tree, which is a 3rd party lender that advised you may be shopping for rates for a personal loan. The letter you received is merely information on how you can complete the loan application if you desire. As the application was not completed, it has since expired and no credit has been pulled.

    While we did not receive a completed application for you,this information has been escalated to the proper team for further review.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/25/2025

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I signed a contract and was approved for a loan of $7000, They had me use a barcode at ******* as verification to return the $1200 however no money was ever deposited in my **************** Checking account, they said there was a problem and had to do it over again that amount was $1203.74 next day LightStream had me buy $801.00 No money from LightStream $686.53 in the negative. I had numerous calls and sent emails as of today I cannot even buy groceries or pay for my medications. The transactions started on Friday, 2/21/25 and as of today 2/25/25 the money has not been returned. I informed **************** however since it was a debit card they cannot do anything other than open an investigation.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/26/2025

    We can confirm that this is not a valid LightStream offer.Unfortunately, others will attempt to impersonate LightStream in an effort to gain money from the public. We can assure you that LightStream does not ask customers to provide any type of down payment, request they purchase gift cards, or provide personal information over the phone in order to be considered for a loan. LightStream will never send unsolicited emails, text messages, or letters asking clients to provide, update, or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security numbers, PINs, credit or check card numbers, or other confidential information. If you have received a suspicious email or communication or believe you may be the victim of a possible scam, please forward any information to ************************************** Ignore and delete unexpected messages asking for passwords, PINs, or other confidential information.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 02/26/2025

    I have numerous emails from  Lightstream *********** which proves they are not being truthful. I reject their response. If necessary I will  gather the emails sent to me from Lightstream as re rnt as today.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/26/2025

    At LightStream, we take preventing fraud very seriously. Were aware that scammers may pose as LightStream and make fraudulent loan offers.

    Were committed to keeping your information safe.
    LightStream will never use phone calls, text messages or emails asking you to provide, update, or verify personal information such as passwords, Social Security numbers, etc.

    LightStream
    never calls with unsolicited offers
    never charges fees for loans
    never demands gift cards or other untraceable payments and
    never makes outbound sales calls.

    Knowing how to recognize scams can help you avoid becoming a target. If you receive a call or message from any company presenting themselves as LightStream but you have not applied through *********************************, you are not dealing with the authentic LightStream.

    If you suspect a scammer,dont answer their mail, stay on the phone line, download anything nor engage with them in any way. Do not respond. Ignore and delete their communications.

    Please contact ****************************************** if you have additional questions.

    Thank you!
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/19/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I am a retired disabled, six year-old woman living in *********

    Business Response

    Date: 02/20/2025

    We can confirm that this is not a valid LightStream offer or practice. Unfortunately, LightStream has experienced situations where people have passed as LightStream employees and have used fake emails/phone numbers to reach out to individuals. LightStream will never send unsolicited emails, text messages or letters asking clients to provide, update,or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security Numbers, PINs, credit or check card numbers, or other confidential information. In addition,LightStream will never ask for money at any part of our loan or application process, this includes cash, gift cards, money transfers, etc. If you continue to receive suspicious emails, communications or believe you may be the victim of a possible scam, please ignore and delete unexpected messages asking for password, PIN, money, or other confidential information. If you have provided these individuals with your banking information, we recommend reaching out to your financial institution as soon as possible. 

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/13/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Lightstream accepted a fraudulent account application from someone impersonating me, and submitted hard credit inquiries to the multiple credit agencies. I have twice informed Lightstream that this was submitted fraudulently and demanded that they withdraw the credit inquiry from the credit agencies. They refuse to proceed in a timely manner.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/14/2025

    Thank you for reaching out to us and expressing your concerns. We can confirm your first communication with us on February 13, 2025, did initiate an investigation. Please allow up to 30 calendar days for this investigation to occur. Any information found will be forwarded to the credit bureaus for further review. If there are any changes to be made to your credit report, please allow the credit bureaus ***** days to update their records. Once the investigation is complete, you will receive communication regarding any updates. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 02/14/2025

    My first contact with LightStream was Monday 10 February. They promised to respond within 48 hours. They did not do so. I contacted them again on ******************************************************************************************* any case, they still refuse to resolve this matter in a timely manner. There should be no further delays before they inform the three credit bureaus that I was a victim of a fraudulent application and a victim of their own shoddy business practices (initiating a hard credit inquiry BEFORE verifying the identity of the applicant). Wating up to 30 days for them to correct their fradulent transation is totally unacceptable.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/14/2025

    We apologize for the miscommunication. We have thoroughly reviewed our records, and we can confirm your initial communication with LightStream was on February 10, 2025. While we understand the urgency of your request and predicament regarding your credit, we do require more than 48 hours to review the inquiry and report any changes or updates to the credit bureaus. We will continue to work towards investigating the matter and providing a response to you as soon as possible. We have also informed our management team of your concerns and feedback. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at **************. We also accept calls made through the relay service (dial 711).

    Customer Answer

    Date: 03/07/2025

    The business continues to offer excuses rather than action. They are unable (or unwilling) to confirm whether they have withdrawn their erroneous hard credit check from the credit agencies. From all appearances (my declining credit scores) they have still failed to do so in a timely manner, and they offer no timeline to do so. 
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/11/2025

    Type:Order Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Fraud in providing an approved loan in amount of $3000

    Business Response

    Date: 02/12/2025

    We are truely sorry to hear about the situation you encountered. Unfortunately, LightStream has experienced situations where people have passed as LightStream employees and have used fake emails/phone numbers to reach out to individuals. LightStream will never send unsolicited emails, text messages or letters asking clients to provide, update,or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security Numbers, PINs, credit or check card numbers, or other confidential information. If you have received a suspicious email, communication or believe you may be the victim of a possible scam, please ignore and delete unexpected messages asking for password, PIN, or other confidential information. In addition, we recommend reaching out to your bank to protect your banking information. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call us at ************** for further assistance. We also accept calls made through the relay service (dial 711).

    Customer Answer

    Date: 02/12/2025

    The names of the 2 individuals are **** ***** and *** ******. If they are employees with ******************** they need to be both fired and charged with fraud and theft.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/18/2025

    We are able to confirm that none of the employees at LightStream have those names.

     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/07/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    On February 05, 2025 I received a call at 10:36am from LightStream lending. They said that I have been approved for $5,000 loan. They told me a loan ID ******. After listening to the details about the agreement until 11:15 about 15 min later I received another call from a different number with same area code stating they were part of the LightStream lending company and this was supposedly the account manager **** *********. He told me they were depositing $550 into my account and needed me to purchase a ******* money card, put $500 on it and call him back to relay the info on the card. The 2 checks they deposited into the account are fraud and got rejected each for $275, totalling $550 taken from the account. I am 63 years old, have diabetes and only make a little over 900 a month which is only enough for my bills. ******* ******************************************* is accusing me of depositing those checks and told me there was nothing they can do to help me.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/10/2025

    We can confirm that this is not a valid LightStream offer.Unfortunately, others will attempt to impersonate LightStream in an effort to gain money from the public. We can assure you that LightStream does not ask customers to provide any type of down payment, request they purchase gift cards, or provide personal information over the phone in order to be considered for a loan. LightStream will never send unsolicited emails, text messages, or letters asking clients to provide, update, or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security numbers, PINs, credit or check card numbers, or other confidential information. If you have received a suspicious email or communication or believe you may be the victim of a possible scam, please forward any information to ************************************** Ignore and delete unexpected messages asking for passwords, PINs, or other confidential information.
  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/03/2025

    Type:Order Issues
    Status:
    AnsweredMore info

    Complaint statuses

    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Somebody inquired for a loan or funding using my information and it put a hard credit inquiry on my credit and i notified both light stream and ********** . I want the hard inquiry removed from my credit that was place on 1/10/2025. Please and Thank you.

    Business Response

    Date: 02/06/2025

    Thank you for reaching out to us with your concern and request. We received your initial request on 01/10/2025 and our investigation has concluded. A letter with the outcome and changes you can expect has been mailed to your home address. Please allow ***** days for any credit changes and removals to go into effect and be visible in your credit report. 

BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.

BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.

When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.

BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.

As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.