Creditors like LightStream cannot harass you over a debt. You have rights under the law, and we will stop the harassment once and for all.
THE BEST PART IS…
If LightStream violated the law, you may be entitled to money damages and LightStream will pay our fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. Plus, some of our clients also receive debt relief and cleaned-up credit reports. You have nothing to lose! Call us today at 888-572-0176 for a free consultation.
Who is LightStream?
LightStream is an online division of “Truist,” a bank based in Charlotte, North Carolina, which received its new name following the merger of SunTrust Bank and Trust Company.
LightStream offers a range of fixed-rate loans ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 and also maintains a P.O. Box in Atlanta, Georgia (PO Box 117320, Atlanta, GA 30368-7320).
LightStream’s Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information
Truist Bank is located at 214 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202-1078. The main telephone number is 800-226-5228 and the main website is www.lightstream.com/.
LightStream Lawsuits
If you want to know just how unhappy consumers are with LightStream, take a look at the number of complaints consumers have made online. Nowadays, most original creditors, credit card companies, etc. have arbitration clauses, which means that if you have a complaint against that company, you must file your claim in arbitration. Arbitration limits discovery, is not public, has a limited appellate process, and, most importantly, is funded primarily by the banks and big businesses. While it can be difficult to get a fair chance in arbitration, the good news is we have filed hundreds of credit harassment cases in arbitration, and we know how to aggressively fight these cases against the big banks and businesses even when arbitration is necessary.
LightStream Complaints
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protects you from robocalls, which are those annoying, automated, recorded calls that computers make all day long. You can tell it’s a robocall because either no one responds on the other end of the line, or there is a delay when you pick up the phone before a live person responds. You can receive $500 per call if LightStream violates the TCPA. Have you received a message from this agency that sounds pre-recorded or cut-off at the beginning or end? These are tell-tale signs that the message is pre-recorded, and if you have these messages on your cell phone, you may have a TCPA case against the agency.
The Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) protects electronic payments that are deducted from bank accounts. If LightStream took unauthorized deductions from your bank account, you may have an EFTA claim against the agency. LightStream, like most collection agencies, wants to set up recurring payments from consumers; imagine how much money it can earn if hundreds, even thousands, of consumers electronically pay them $50 – $100 or more per month. If you agreed to this type of reoccurring payment, the agency must follow certain steps to comply with the EFTA. Did LightStream continue to take electronic payments after you told them to stop? Did they take more money from your checking account than you agreed to? If so, we can discuss your rights and a potential case under the EFTA.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) works to ensure that no information reported to your credit report is false. In essence, it gives you the right to dispute those inaccuracies that you find on your credit report. We’ve handled many cases in which a debt collection agency reported debt on a consumer’s credit report to obtain leverage over the consumer. If LightStream is on your credit report, they may tell you that they’ll remove the debt from your credit report if you pay it; this is commonly known as “pay for delete.” If the original creditor is on your report rather than the debt collector, and you pay off the debt, both entities should accurately report this on your credit report.
Several states also have laws to provide their citizens an additional layer of protection. For example, if you live in California, Florida, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Wisconsin, you may be able to add a state-law claim to your federal law claim above. North Carolina, for example, has one of the most consumer-friendly statutes in the country: if you live in NC and are harassed over a debt, you may receive $500 – $4,000 in damages per violation. We work with a local counsel in NC and our NC clients have received some great results in debt collection harassment cases. If you live in North Carolina and are being harassed by a debt collector, you have the leverage to obtain a great settlement.
How do we Use the Law to Help You?
We will use state and federal laws to immediately stop LightStream’s debt collection. We will send a cease-and-desist letter to stop the harassment today, and if LightStream violates the FDCPA, EFTA, FCRA, or any state law, you may be entitled to money damages. For example, under the FDCPA, you may receive up to $1,000 in damages plus actual damages. The FDCPA also has a fee-shift provision, which means the debt collector will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. If you have a TCPA case against the agency, we will handle it based on a contingency fee and you won’t pay us a dime unless you win.
THAT’S NOT ALL…
We have helped thousands of consumers stop phone calls. We know how to stop the harassment and get you money damages. Once again: you will not pay us a dime for our services. We will help you based on a fee-shift provision and/or contingency fee, and the debt collector will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs.
What if LightStream is on My Credit Report?
Based on our experience, some debt collectors may credit-report, which means one may mark your credit report with the debt they are trying to collect. In addition to or instead of the debt collector, the original creditor may also be on your credit report in a separate entry, and it’s important to properly identify these entities because you will want both to update your credit report if or when you pay off the debt.
THE GOOD NEWS IS…
If LightStream is on your credit report, we can help you dispute it. Mistakes on your credit report can be very costly: along with causing you to pay higher interest rates, you may be denied credit, insurance, a rental home, a loan, or even a job because of these mistakes. Some mistakes may include someone else’s information on your credit report, inaccurate public records, stale collection accounts, or even being a victim of identity theft. If you have a mistake on your credit report, there is a process to dispute it, and my office will help you obtain your credit report and dispute any inaccurate information.
REMEMBER…
If a credit reporting agency violates its obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you may be entitled to statutory damages up to $1,000, and the credit reporting agency will be required to fix the error. The FCRA also has a fee-shift provision, which means the credit reporting agency will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. We have helped hundreds of consumers fix inaccurate information on their credit reports, and we’re ready to help you, too.
What Our Clients Say About Us
Mike Agruss Law has over 1,000 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 135 five-star reviews on Google. Here’s what some of our clients have to say about us:
“Michael Agruss handled two settlements for me with great results and he handled them quickly. He also settled my sister’s case quickly and now her debt is clear. I highly recommend Michael.”
“Mike Agruss Law was very helpful, they helped me solved my case regarding the unwanted calls. I would highly recommend them. Thank you very much Mike Agruss!”
“Mike Agruss Law was very helpful to me and my veteran father! We were harassed daily and even called names for a loan that was worthless! Agruss stepped in and not only did they stop harassing, they stopped calling altogether!! He even settled it so I was paid back for the problems they caused!”
Can LightStream Sue Me?
Yes, LightStream can sue you. LightStream can hire a lawyer to file a breach of contract lawsuit against you for the underlying debt, fees, and costs. If you’ve been sued by LightStream, do not ignore the lawsuit; you may have defenses. If you ignore the lawsuit, default will be entered and the agency may seek to garnish your wages. If you receive notice of a lawsuit, contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible, even if you intend to represent yourself pro se. If LightStream has threatened to sue you, contact Mike Agruss Law as soon as possible; we’re here to help.
Can LightStream Garnish My Wages?
Yes, if LightStream has a judgment entered against you. If LightStream is currently garnishing your wages or threatening to do so, contact our office as soon as possible.
LightStream Settlement
If you want to settle a debt with LightStream, ask yourself these questions first:
- Do I really owe this debt?
- Is this debt within the statute of limitations?
- Is this debt on my credit report?
- If I pay this debt, will LightStream remove it from my credit report?
- If I pay this debt, will the third-party debt collector remove it from my credit report?
- If I pay this debt, will I receive written confirmation from LightStream confirming the payment and settlement terms?
These are not the only things to consider when dealing with debt collectors. We are here to help you answer the questions above, and much more. Whether it’s harassment, settlement, pay-for-delete, or any other legal issue with LightStream, we at Mike Agruss Law are here to help you.
Top Debt Collection Violations
Debt collection laws provided a laundry list of what collectors can and cannot do while collecting a debt. Based on our years of experience handling thousands of debt collection harassment cases, here’s what collection agencies most often do to violate the law.
- Called you about a debt you do not owe.
- Called you at work after you told them you cannot receive calls at work.
- Left you a message without identifying the company’s name.
- Left you a message without disclosing that the call is from a debt collector.
- Called third parties (family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors) even though the collection agency knows your contact information.
- Disclosed to a third party (family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors) that you owe a debt.
- Contacted you after you said stop calling.
- Threatened you with legal action (such as a lawsuit or wage garnishment).
- Called you before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM.
- Continued to call you after you have told the collector you cannot pay the debt.
- Communicated (phone or letter) with you after you filed for bankruptcy.
- Failed to mark the debt on your credit report as disputed after you disputed the debt.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to pay your fees and costs for helping me with my consumer rights case? No. We handle consumer rights cases based on a fee-shift provision and/or a contingency fee. That means either the other side pays your fees and costs, or we take a percentage of your recovery. Whether it’s a fee-shift case or a contingency-fee case, we don’t get paid unless you get paid, and you’ll never owe us a penny for our time.
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What are the damages under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act? You can get $500 per robocall, or $1,500 per robocall if the robocalls were willful. In any type of settlement, oftentimes Defendants pay much less than $500 per call. However, if there are 50 calls at issue, even at $250 per call, your case could settle for $12,500.00.
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Are there state laws that protect me from original creditors? Yes! Several states also have laws that provide their citizens an additional layer of protection. For example, if you live in California, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin, you have additional state-law rights.
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What type of debt is covered under state laws that protect me from original creditors? Only consumer debt, such as personal, family, and household debts. For example, the money you owe on a personal credit card, an auto loan, a medical bill, or a utility bill. State laws usually do not cover debts you incurred to run a business, or debts regarding unpaid taxes, or traffic tickets.
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Does the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act apply to banks or credit card companies? No. Only third-party debt collectors are bound by the FDCPA. That is, original creditors, such as credit card companies and banks, are not bound by the FDCPA.
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Are mistakes on credit reports common? Yes! Are you one of the 40 million Americans that have a mistake on their credit report? Mistakes on your credit report can be very costly. Along with causing you to pay higher interest rates, you may be denied credit, insurance, a rental home, a loan, or even a job because of these mistakes. Some mistakes may include someone else’s information on your credit report, inaccurate public records, stale collection accounts, or maybe you were a victim of identity theft.
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What do I do if I have a mistake on my credit report? If you have a mistake on your credit report, there is a process to dispute them. My office will help you pull your credit report and dispute any inaccurate information. If a credit reporting agency violates its obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), you may be entitled to statutory damages up to $1,000.00, plus the credit reporting agency will be required to fix the error. The FCRA also has a fee-shift provision. This means, the credit reporting agency pays your attorney’s fees and costs. Therefore, you will not pay me a penny for my time. To speed up the process, please get a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also learn more about the FCRA and your rights at http://www.agrussconsumerlaw.com/practices/common-credit-report-errors/.
Share Your Complaints Against LightStream Below
We encourage you to post your complaints about LightStream. Sharing your complaints against this agency can help other consumers understand what to do when this company starts calling. Sharing your experience may help someone else!
HERE’S THE DEAL!
If you are being harassed by LightStream over a debt, you may be entitled to money damages – up to $1,000 for harassment, and $500 – $1,500 for illegal robocalls. Under state and federal laws, we will help you based on a fee-shift provision and/or contingency fee, which means the debt collector pays your attorneys’ fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. We have settled thousands of debt collection harassment cases, and we’re prepared to help you, too. Contact Mike Agruss Law at 888-572-0176 to stop the harassment once and for all.
Submitted Comments
Being sued by Lightstream for default on a personal loan. Recieved summons yesterday. Have 21 days to respond.
Could use help. Thank you
Light stream is threatening to sue over a debt. I was offered extensions, but later locked out of my account and was told it was closed. I was never given an opportunity to set up payments again. I just got a threatening stack of letter about a lawsuit.
They deferred our payments for Covid and didn’t tell us that the end date of our loan wasn’t changing so the entire amount came due with two weeks notice. They were unable to produce any documentation showing that I was informed of this. When I log into my account online it shows that I only owe the regular monthly payment yet started getting emails from them saying I had to pay everything immediately. They refused to refinance because the remaining amount wasn’t large enough, they also refused to let me pay it off with a credit card, then they also refused to change the date of the final draft. I had to pay to put a stop payment at my bank to give me a little more time to get the cash.
I engaged with Preme Consulting in May 2023 for credit repair services and passive income investment, but encountered issues with delayed payouts and suspicious activity related to Stripe and PayPal. Despite promises from Jace Preme, explanations became inconsistent, leading me to suspect a scam. I consulted with my CPA, Eric Lieb, and concluded that I had been scammed. I have filed reports with law enforcement and the FBI. Additionally, I have contacted all the credit cards used for 0% interest, including LightStream loans, to dispute fraudulent charges. I informed LightStream about the scam and changed my payment method to invoice, as I cannot fully repay the $55K loan. I am taking action to avoid owing any more on this loan.
My full statement:
On May 17, 2023, I came across Preme Consulting (premeconsulting.com), located in Michigan, through an advertisement online promoting automated, done-for-you credit repair services as a passive income investment. The advertisement appeared professional, and I scheduled a call with Jace Preme (Jordan Williams) to learn more about their services.
During the initial contact, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., Jace presented an overview on Zoom of the credit repair industry without any sales pressure. I conducted research to ensure the legitimacy of the company, including checking Better Business Bureau sites and articles in Crain\'s. After several communications through text, voice memos, and emails, I decided to move forward with their services. Jace/Jordan Williams/Preme Consulting is located in Detroit, MI, and told me over text that he lives in Utica, MI.
I signed a consulting agreement with Preme Consulting/Jace/Jordan on Monday, June 19, 2023 (no money was exchanged), and he recommended funding with Paul Dickson of the Finance Factory to explore financing options for the program. Finance Factory facilitated the funding process, and I was introduced to Alex Cantu (email dated July 6th, 2023) by Paul Dickson from Toro Funding, who assisted in setting up credit card accounts and a loan. Jace assured me that the fees and program costs would be covered by the credit pulled through the financing. To be clear, there was no out-of-pocket money on my end to start this done-for-you automated agency, just 0% funding through the credit cards. They pulled credit, and Alex Cantu also recommended a $50,000 loan through LightStream too.
However, complications arose on August 17, 2023, when Jace encountered issues with Stripe and PayPal, causing his accounts to freeze and preventing access to funds. Over a group text between Jace, Alex Cantu, and me, Jace said that Stripe was going to be one of our main methods of liquidation, but after verifying my business (Preme Consulting) months ago, when I pay him, it says the business doesn\'t meet their terms. To resolve this, Alex Cantu suggested liquidating the credit cards and wiring the funds to Jace. Jace then said over text he is going ahead and refund from Stripe. Despite these challenges, Jace continued to assure me of his commitment to the program and offered to pay the first minimum dues for the cards. He even Cash App me $2,050 for the minimum payments on all 7 payments in October to build legitimacy. He also credited me back $3800 back on the Bank of America card in November. After that, I did not receive any other monthly payments to pay the minimums.
As the program progressed, Jace proposed the name of my automated investment as YouFirst Solutions (YouFirstSolutions.org), which I financed and he manages/runs; geared towards as a consulting, business creating and funding, coaching mentorship program marketed towards entrepreneurs with ADD/ADHD. No mention of a credit repair agency and advised against using it. Earlier in the process, I mentioned I was also interested in automated forex trading, and his program offered the trading platform (which I also used the leveraged funds to process) but advised not to go forth due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. He suggested using the funds for advertising and expanding the business\'s reach through a YouTube channel and podcast. Along with using the funds for an E-commerce store that we would launch in December 2023 to start getting some sales and money into my pocket. On November 15, 2023, Jace and I had the Zoom meeting presenting the pivot of changes for YouFirst and had presented the agreement and terms.
Despite these assurances, I became suspicious when I discovered that the address listed for YouFirst Solutions was a residential property in a rough area of Detroit. This raised concerns about the legitimacy of the business and prompted me to reconsider my involvement. Until he mentioned that he was in the process of moving and is currently living in Auburn Hills, MI. He reassured me we are on track, I was still going to get paid, and what I borrowed will all be paid off by the end of next year (2024).
In December 2, 2023, we had a Zoom meeting, and he was showing me projections of what the sales and activity were going to be with the new changes. It looked promising per month, and he assured me that the first payment would be happening on January 15, 2024. He continues to update me and let me know we are in an amazing position and doesn\'t want to overpromise the amount. But generating a lot of interest, activity, and sales for YouFirst. And throughout January telling me we are set for a January 15, 2024, payout.
On January 6, 2024, he tells me he\'s going through marital issues over a voice memo through text but assures me we are on track and on January 7, 2024, that he will be wiring the funds to me. Also, assuring me lots of activity and interest with YouFirst. On January 11, 2024, at 8:23 a.m., he tells me now that the January 20, 2024, would be a better payout date with how the timeline works and assures me this month for sure. So now the payment is on January 20th, 2024. I get a text on January 18, 2024, at 2:56 a.m., telling me that someone broke into his Detroit home and stole everything. He tells me he spoke over the phone with the bank, and they canceled the cards, assures me that I am \"safe\" that I have a 6 - 7 figure business model. Also telling me they had to freeze accounts and that he\'s a good problem solver and will make sure everything is taken care of. So more pushbacks with the first payout. Then says February 1, 2024, is the new payout date. On January 30, 2024, he sends me a photo off of stripe saying that an issue with verifying the information entered for the Payout scheduled for the 2/1/2024 with Stripe and was going to resubmit and go from there. He lets me know on Wednesday Jan 31, 2024, the payout will happen on February 2, 2024, \"Friday should be the day\" around $4500. On February 2, 2024, he lets me know that he did the wire transfer with Citizens Bank, and it will be ready by Monday, 5th, or Tuesday the 6th of February 2024.
On Monday, February 5, 2024, at 5:27 p.m., I get a text from Jace \"Okay, dude, I need you to be completely honest. Did you just try to dispute some stuff with Stripe again?\" And I replied, no, I did not. I received a lengthy message about 16 minutes long from Jace regarding issues with Stripe and Citizens stating that the money was deducted from the accounts due to disputes. Jace apologized for the delay in the payment and expressed a commitment to working hard to resolve the situation asking for a few days to process and come up with a solution. He mentioned personal struggles and requested understanding and patience. His excuse thinking it was the disputes made last year with Stripe and the funding. And proceeds to show me a picture of messages from Stripe saying this is what I woke up to. On Feb 6, 2024, I wanted to meet in person, to get this clear this up. Jace expressed confusion and concern about the situation mentioning their accounts are frozen and Stripe is not cooperating. Emphasizing their commitment to finding solutions and making money asking for understanding on not to give up. He reminded me of his track record of hard work and success and is resolved to the issue by focusing on sales. They requested more time. On February 8, 2024, he sends me \"actions steps to get back on track\" through Apple Notes providing on what he will do next. I also requested any sort of documents for tax purposes for taxes this year since we began in 2023 to show my CPA. I had questions about the \"action plan,\" and Jace said he would get back to me on that because he was busy. He never answered but messaged he mentioned he has a new processor, Gumroad, to handle weekly payouts. He tells me the first payout will be February 16, 2024, then tells me the new payout date is February 26, 2024, due to a chargeback. During this, he is showing me screenshots of Gumroad. On Saturday, Feb 24, 2024, at 4:35 p.m., I get a text from Jace saying \"bad news a guy refunded this morning and it pushed the payout date to March 1st. Good news he was refunded to get more expensive package, I just wish he asked me first.\" Also proceeds to tell me Stripe could possibly win after the review of terms and the $4500 is no more. And on February 27, 2024, continues to blame everything on Stripe, for the payment delays, and everything. He also shares on text that he maxed out his cards, and it\'s starting to become clearer that he doesn\'t have everything together explaining everything. So March 1, 2024, is the first payout date but not $4500 but $2700 with GumRoad, no Stripe.
On March 1, 2024, Jace tells me once the money hits his account, he will CashApp me the money like he did back in October, as this would an easier way than to deal with wire transfers. Saying it will hit around 2 or 3 p.m. Nothing is happening, and he continues to give me excuses, saying \"I had it set to go to my cash app card and it let me set it up that way but it doesn\'t do cash app deposits. The easiest way at this point would be just connecting your bank account to it which I\'m open to doing, but doing that would add more time because switching accounts causes them to push back paydays. It\'s just excuse after excuse at this point, and I am not doing anything to cause these \"push backs.\" Over the weekend, the deposit was processing and going to complete on Monday, March 4, 2024. Jace texts me March 4, 2024, at 8:56 a.m., that \'it didn\'t accept your bank account since it\'s a different name. I guess that\'s why it wouldn\'t update first. So I just linked my preme media bank account and because of changing the account 3 times in such a small span, it updated the date (the payout) to the 22nd. Very annoying, I know, but this gives us some time to make it bigger too. Also just finished your doc, just waiting for my guy to run through it and make sure I didn\'t miss anything.\" I asked if he could just write me a check, but he tells me he \"can\'t touch anything of mine while I\'m dealing with this bs with Stripe, I\'ve been personally waiting for a payout too.\" Please see texts. The first payout is now March 22, 2024. I don\'t know if this will go through or not. I forwarded an email from Jace on March 5, 2024, with the tax info, to my CPA for 2023 taxes. My CPA Eric Lieb also works in financial fraud. On March 15, 2024, Mr. Lieb alerts me that I am being scammed, just based on this information. I believe that I have been a victim of a scam orchestrated by Jordan Williams/Jace Preme of Preme Consulting. I have many copies of relevant emails, text messages, credit card, bank records to support my claim and social media Instagram, links to track activity that\'s part of Preme and YouFirst. I am seeking assistance from the FBI to investigate this matter further and take appropriate action against those responsible for this fraudulent scheme Jordan Williams/Jace Preme.
Thank you.
On May 17, 2023, I engaged with Preme Consulting (premeconsulting.com), a Michigan-based company, for automated credit repair services after an online advertisement promising passive income opportunities. Initial interactions with Jace Preme (Jordan Williams) were informative and without sales pressure, leading to my decision to proceed with their services.
A consulting agreement was signed on June 19, 2023, with no money exchanged upfront. Funding through Paul Dickson of Finance Factory was arranged to cover program costs, facilitated by Alex Cantu from Finance Factory/Toro Funding. Jace assured me that fees and program costs would be covered by the financing, totaling $134,966. However, complications arose on August 17, 2023, when Jace encountered issues with Stripe and PayPal, hindering credit card payments. Alex suggested liquidating the cards and a Light Stream loan, wiring the fees to Preme Consulting to get the process going. Despite assurances, payments were sporadic, with the last substantial payment (which was a credit to an account) made in November 2023.
Jace proposed branding my investment as YouFirst Solutions (YouFirstSolutions.org), which I financed and he manages. The project\'s legitimacy was questioned when I discovered the business address listed for YouFirst Solutions was a residential property in Detroit. Jace reassured me but mentioned he was in the process of moving and currently living in Auburn Hills, MI.
Numerous promised payout dates were missed, with various excuses given, including issues with Stripe and personal struggles. On March 15, 2024, I sent over an IRS EIN form to my CPA to prepare taxes and he alerted me that this is a scam, prompting my decision to seek assistance from the FBI, local law enforcement, and disputing all credit card charges and Ligh Stream Loan regarding this fraudulent scheme involving Jordan Williams/Jace Preme. I am disputing the entire amount of what was leveraged from cards and the loan.
I have extensive documentation, including emails, text messages, bank records, and social media links, supporting my claim. I am requesting a refund of my investment and immediate payment.
I was advised by local law enforcement to reach out to Jace aka Jordan Williams to uphold the agreement/contract or refund my entire investment. On 4/1/24 Jace emails me expressing apologies for project delays and explains that due to the work already completed, a 100% refund is not possible. The sender details personal struggles, financial difficulties, and efforts to rectify the situation, including finding a new job to pay off the debt. They highlight work done on the agency and e-commerce store and offer to cooperate on a payment plan. The email also includes links to the agency website, e-commerce store, and Instagram page.
I am seeking legal action to reverse charges on my credit cards, dispute the loan, and seek full reimbursement of my investment. I also aim to ensure that Jordan \"Jace\" Williams faces consequences for his actions.
