Lakeshore Loans is the trade name of Giizis LLC, a lending business owned by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in northern Wisconsin. It makes small online installment loans, starting at $100, for expenses like a car repair, a past-due utility bill, or a bounced check. Because it operates as a tribal enterprise, it lends under tribal law instead of a state consumer lending license.
Most of its customers are working adults with a checking account and a paycheck or benefits that arrive by direct deposit. Many have credit that a bank would turn down. The appeal is a short application, a quick conditional decision, installment repayment, and no penalty for paying early. The drawbacks are just as clear: first-time borrowers are capped at $600, APRs are not posted on the website, and the lender itself describes these loans as an expensive form of borrowing.
So, should you consider Lakeshore Loans? It can make sense for a small, one-time shortfall that you can pay off within a few paychecks, and only after you have read the APR and total of payments in your loan agreement. If you need more than $600 on your first loan or want to see rates before you apply, compare other lenders first.
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Lakeshore Loans Pros and Cons
Pros
- Owned by a federally recognized tribe, and the ownership is disclosed on the official website.
- Considers applicants with good, bad, or no credit history, according to the company’s FAQ.
- Short eligibility list: age 18 or older, income by direct deposit, an active checking account, and a working phone number and email.
- No prepayment penalty, so paying ahead of schedule lowers the total cost.
- Repayment comes in scheduled installments rather than one lump sum on your next payday.
- Phone support six days a week, with evening hours on weekdays.
- Several ways to pay: automatic bank withdrawal, debit card, certified check, or money order.
Cons
- First-time borrowers can qualify only for $100 to $600; the $1,500 maximum is reserved for repeat customers.
- The APR is not published on the website. You see it in the loan agreement after approval.
- The lender’s own disclosure calls these loans an expensive form of borrowing that is not meant as a long-term solution.
- A $30 late fee applies once a payment is three or more days late, plus a $30 fee for any returned payment.
- Same-day funding requires a wire transfer with an early afternoon cutoff, and a fee may apply.
- As a tribal lender, it does not follow state rate caps and licensing rules the way a state-licensed lender does.
- No mobile app and very few independent customer reviews to judge it by.
Is Lakeshore Loans Legit?
Yes. Lakeshore Loans is a real lending operation, not a lead generator or loan broker. The legal entity behind it is Giizis LLC, which does business as Lakeshore Loans. Its website describes Giizis as a Native American-owned limited liability company and an instrumentality of the tribe, operating within the boundaries of the Lac du Flambeau reservation and following applicable federal law and tribal law.
The Lac du Flambeau Band is a federally recognized tribe in Vilas County, Wisconsin, whose reservation was established under the Treaty of La Pointe in 1854. Lending is one of several Band enterprises, alongside the Lake of the Torches resort and casino.
The business has a long track record for this niche. Its Better Business Bureau profile lists a start date in 2015, which puts it at roughly a decade of operation. Contact details are public and consistent across sources: mailing address PO Box 764, Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538; phone (877) 624-8003; email [email protected].
On reputation, the picture is quiet rather than glowing or alarming. Lakeshore Loans is not BBB accredited, and at the time of writing its BBB profile showed an A+ rating with only a couple of customer reviews. Keep in mind that a BBB letter grade reflects complaint handling and business information. It says nothing about how much a loan costs.
Who actually issues your loan matters. With Lakeshore Loans, you sign the agreement directly with Giizis LLC, and the contract is governed by tribal law. Before you sign, read the sections on governing law, dispute resolution, and electronic payment authorization so you know where you stand if something goes wrong.
State availability is a second point to check. Tribal lenders do not lend everywhere, and some states challenge high-rate loans made to their residents by lenders without a state license. The official site does not post a complete state list on its main pages, so the application itself is where you learn whether your address is eligible.
One practical security warning: several unrelated websites use the Lakeshore Loans name on different domains. At least one describes itself as a loan-matching service, not a direct lender, and advertises loans up to $5,000, which is far above the real company’s $1,500 ceiling. Others publish “expert” quotes and borrower stories that you cannot verify. The genuine lender is at lakeshoreloans.com. Type the address yourself rather than clicking an ad, and never enter bank details or login credentials on a lookalike page.
Lakeshore Loans Tribal Loan Amounts, Rates, Terms
Lakeshore Loans offers one product: a small-dollar personal installment loan. There are no title loans, lines of credit, or single-payment payday loans on its menu. You borrow a fixed amount and repay it through a set schedule of payments.
Loan amounts depend on whether you have borrowed before. First-time customers can qualify for $100 to $600. Repeat borrowers can qualify for up to $1,500. The company says the approved amount is based on factors such as your loan history with them and your monthly income, so a first loan repaid on time is the usual path to a higher limit.
APR is the weak spot in transparency. Lakeshore Loans does not list an APR range on its website. You see the exact APR, finance charge, and total of payments in your loan agreement after approval and before you sign. Expect the cost to be high. The lender’s own disclosure labels the product an expensive form of borrowing, and one major comparison site estimates its APR at 400% or more, which is typical for tribal installment loans of this size.
Published fees are limited but worth knowing. A late payment that is three or more days past due carries a $30 fee. A payment returned for insufficient funds, or not honored by your bank for any reason, carries another $30. There is no prepayment penalty, and the company encourages early payoff because it reduces the total you pay.
Repayment follows the schedule in your agreement, which lists each payment amount and due date. Most borrowers set up automatic withdrawals from their checking account. You can also pay by debit card, certified check, or money order mailed to the PO Box in Lac du Flambeau. Missing or skipping a payment can trigger extra fees, so call customer service before a due date if you see trouble coming.
Funding speed depends on timing and method. If your loan is completed by 6 p.m. Eastern, the money is sent by electronic deposit and is available the next business day. Applications that come in after 6 p.m. Eastern are processed the following business day. Same-day funding is possible only by wire, with a cutoff before 3 p.m. Eastern, and the site lists it as available only in some cases. People searching for “Lakeshore Loans same day loans” or fast loans should treat same-day money as a possibility, not a promise.
How to Apply for a Lakeshore Loans Loan
Go to the official site. Type lakeshoreloans.com into your browser so you land on the real lender, not a lookalike that resells your information.
Confirm you meet the basics. You need to be at least 18, have a job or other provable income paid by direct deposit, an active checking account in good standing, and a working phone number and email address.
Complete the application. Apply online or by phone at (877) 624-8003. Expect to provide your contact details, employer or income source, pay schedule, and bank account information.
Get a conditional decision and finish verification. Applications are conditionally approved or denied within seconds, but the decision depends on verification of your prior loan history and personal details. You may be asked for documents such as a recent pay stub.
Review and sign the agreement. Check the APR, finance charge, total of payments, payment dates, and any wire fee before you e-sign.
A quick conditional decision is not the same as final approval. Searches for instant loans often blur that line, but your file can still be declined or reduced during verification. Apply with accurate income and bank details, and have your most recent pay stub ready to avoid delays.
Lakeshore Loans Login
Existing borrowers sign in through the Customer Portal on lakeshoreloans.com. The login uses the email address and password you set up during the application. The portal is where you keep track of your loan and account details after funding.
If you forget your password, use the “Forgot Password?” link on the sign-in page to reset it through your registered email. If that email address has changed or you no longer have access to it, call customer service to update your account instead of creating a new one.
Some account tasks still run through the phone. The company’s FAQ directs borrowers to customer service at (877) 624-8003 for early payoff help and questions about payments. Call there if you want an exact payoff figure, need to change how you pay, or expect to miss a due date. Posted support hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, with the line closed on Sunday.
Save a copy of your signed loan agreement at signing. It holds your APR, payment schedule, and the authorization for automatic withdrawals, and you will want it handy if a question or dispute comes up later. We did not find a Lakeshore Loans app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, so the portal in your phone’s browser is the mobile option. Bookmark the official login page, since lookalike sites can show up in search results for “Lakeshore Loans login.”
Lakeshore Loans Reviews
Independent Lakeshore Loans customer reviews are scarce. The BBB profile holds only a couple of reviews, and we did not find a large review base on major consumer review platforms. The BBB profile and the CFPB consumer complaint database are the most reliable places to check what real customers report.
What borrowers and third-party reviewers tend to like matches what the lender actually offers. The application is short, the conditional decision comes back quickly, and people with poor or limited credit are not screened out at the door. Borrowers also point to the lack of a prepayment penalty and to installment payments that are easier to absorb than a single payday-style balloon. Repeat customers value the path to a higher limit after a clean first loan.
The negative feedback centers on cost and transparency. Reviewers note that you cannot see rates before applying, which makes comparison shopping harder. The $600 cap on first loans disappoints applicants who need more. And with so little public feedback, cautious borrowers have trouble judging how the company handles hardship requests or collections.
Lakeshore Loans Complaints
APR and total cost. The most common frustration with high-rate installment loans is realizing how much interest accrues over the full schedule. Read the total of payments line before signing, and pay early whenever you can.
Fees. The $30 late fee and $30 returned-payment fee can stack up if a withdrawal hits an empty account. A single bounced payment may also trigger an overdraft charge from your own bank, so the real cost of one missed payment can be higher than $30.
Loan size. Some applicants expect $1,500 and are offered $600 or less. The higher amount is only available to repeat borrowers.
Automatic withdrawals and collections. Problems often start when a borrower’s pay date changes or an account runs short. If you need to change a payment date or method, contact customer service several days before the withdrawal. Under federal electronic transfer rules, you can also revoke an automatic debit authorization in writing, though the debt itself remains.
Customer service and availability. Phone support is closed on Sundays, and same-day wire funding has a 3 p.m. Eastern cutoff. Borrowers who apply late in the day or on weekends sometimes expect faster money than the schedule allows. Some applicants also learn only during the application that their state is not served.
If you have a dispute, start with Lakeshore Loans customer service and keep a written record. If that does not resolve it, you can file a complaint with the BBB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or your state attorney general’s office.
Who Should Consider Lakeshore Loans?
Good for
- Borrowers who need $600 or less for a one-time expense and can repay it within a few pay cycles.
- Workers with steady direct-deposit income whose credit history keeps them out of bank and credit union loans.
- People who prefer installments over a single payday-style lump-sum repayment.
- Past Lakeshore customers with a clean repayment record who need up to $1,500.
- Borrowers who plan to pay early and want a lender without a prepayment penalty.
Not ideal for
- Anyone who needs more than $600 on a first loan.
- Borrowers who want to compare APRs before submitting an application.
- People trying to cover ongoing monthly shortfalls rather than a single emergency.
- Applicants without a checking account or with income paid only in cash.
- Members of a credit union that offers small payday alternative loans at far lower rates.
- Borrowers who need a lender licensed and regulated by their own state.
Lakeshore Loans FAQ
Is Lakeshore Loans legit?
Yes. Lakeshore Loans is operated by Giizis LLC, a business owned by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe in Wisconsin. It has operated since 2015, lists a public phone number and mailing address, and holds a BBB profile. Legit does not mean cheap, though. Its loans are high-cost, so read the agreement carefully.
Is Lakeshore Loans a direct lender?
Yes. Lakeshore Loans is a direct lender. Your loan agreement is with Giizis LLC, and the company funds and services the loan itself instead of passing your application to a network. Websites that use the Lakeshore name but call themselves matching services are separate businesses that are not connected to the tribal lender.
How much can I borrow from Lakeshore Loans?
First-time borrowers can qualify for $100 to $600. Repeat customers can qualify for up to $1,500. The amount offered depends on your monthly income and your loan history with the company. Any site advertising Lakeshore Loans amounts of $5,000 is not the official lender.
Does Lakeshore Loans check credit? Can I apply with bad credit?
The company says it works with borrowers who have good, bad, or no credit. That does not make it a no credit check lender. Every application is subject to verification of your prior loan history and personal information. Income, a valid checking account, and past borrowing behavior weigh heavily in the decision, and approval is never automatic.
How long does Lakeshore Loans approval and funding take?
You get a conditional decision within seconds, followed by verification. If your loan is completed by 6 p.m. Eastern, funds are deposited electronically and available the next business day. Same-day funding is possible only by wire before the 3 p.m. Eastern cutoff, may carry a fee, and is not available in every case.
How does the Lakeshore Loans login work?
Go to lakeshoreloans.com and open the Customer Portal. Sign in with the email address and password you created when you applied. If you forget your password, the “Forgot Password?” link sends reset instructions to your registered email. Call customer service if you no longer have access to that email address.
Does Lakeshore Loans have an app?
We did not find an official Lakeshore Loans app in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Borrowers manage their accounts through the Customer Portal, which works in a mobile browser. Be wary of any app or website that uses the Lakeshore name but is not connected to lakeshoreloans.com.
What is the Lakeshore Loans phone number?
Lakeshore Loans customer service can be reached at (877) 624-8003. Posted hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and the line is closed Sunday. You can also email [email protected] or write to PO Box 764, Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538.
How do I make a Lakeshore Loans payment?
Most borrowers use automatic withdrawals from their checking account on the dates in their agreement. You can also pay by debit card, or mail a certified check or money order to PO Box 764, Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538. For an early payoff amount or a payment change, call (877) 624-8003 before your due date.
What are sites like Lakeshore Loans?
Sites like Lakeshore Loans include other tribal installment lenders and state-licensed online lenders that serve borrowers with fair or poor credit. Start with the companies featured in the Sites Like section of this review, and compare their maximum amounts and disclosed APRs. If you belong to a credit union, ask about a payday alternative loan as well.
Is Lakeshore Loans available in my state?
Not necessarily. Lakeshore Loans does not lend in every state, and its main pages do not publish a full list of eligible states. The online application checks your address and tells you whether you can continue. If your state caps interest rates on small loans, a state-licensed lender or credit union may be the better route.