Little Lake Lending Active
Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians · lending since 2019
Little Lake Lending is the target of a Kelly Guzzo rent-a-tribe class action alleging rates as high as 795% — and it runs 'mirror' sites advertising a misleading 5.99% APR that has nothing to do with the real product.
Little Lake Lending at a glance
- Owning tribe
- Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
- Lending since
- 2019
- Loan amounts
- $200–$2,500
- APR range (reported)
- 400–795%checked Jul 2026
- Product
- installment
- Website
- littlelakelending.com
What a Little Lake Lending loan really costs
Little Lake Lending offers up to $2,000 to first-time borrowers and $2,500 to repeat clients as a multi-month installment loan. It does not publish a real APR range or fee schedule; reported effective rates commonly sit at 400–500%, and the class action against it alleges rates as high as 795%.
Its genuinely useful terms are penalty-free early payoff (you pay only interest accrued to the payoff date) and one free three-day extension. The recurring complaint is that the company resists putting hardship or reduced-payment plans in writing.
- Penalty-free early payoff — pay only accrued interest to the payoff date.
- One free 3-day courtesy extension per loan.
- Fewer excluded states (8) than most tribal peers.
- Effective APRs commonly 400–500%, with class-action allegations up to 795%.
- True APR and fee dollars are not disclosed on the site.
- Reportedly resists written hardship and settlement plans.
- Active rent-a-tribe class action alleging non-tribal control.
Skip Little Lake Lending if…
- You live in a state it does not lend to: Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and 4 more.
- You want to see the APR before you apply — it publishes none; the rate appears only in the agreement.
Where Little Lake Lending lends
Little Lake's eight-state exclusion list is narrower than most tribal peers, which typically exclude 14–16 states.
By its own terms, Little Lake Lending does not lend to residents of:
Does Little Lake Lending report to credit bureaus?
Little Lake does not disclose which bureaus it reports to, and as a subprime tribal installment lender it almost certainly underwrites through a specialty bureau (Clarity or Teletrack) — but this is not confirmed on-site. Assume no mainstream credit-building.
Who actually owns and runs Little Lake Lending
Little Lake Lending is operated by Layma, LLC, which claims to be wholly owned by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria in California. The rent-a-tribe class action alleges the real operators are non-tribal financiers using the tribe's sovereign immunity as a shield.
Washington's DFI has issued a consumer alert that the Big Valley Band is not licensed in that state.
Lawsuit and the mirror-site problem
In Stoicescu et al. v. Layma, LLC (N.D. Ill., 1:23-cv-14387), filed by the firm Kelly Guzzo, PLC, plaintiffs allege an illegal rent-a-tribe scheme with rates up to 795%, pleaded as RICO and state usury violations.
What Little Lake Lending costs in dollars
Little Lake Lending's highest reported APR is 795% APR. Below is what that rate does to the amounts it actually lends, repaid over 12 monthly payments.
| You borrow | Monthly | Total repaid | Interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 | $133 | $1,594 | $1,394 |
| $1,400 | $930 | $11,155 | $9,755 |
| $2,500 | $1,660 | $19,920 | $17,420 |
At 795%, a $200 balance accrues about $133 in interest every month. Any payment below that figure leaves you owing more than you started with, however long you pay.
Standard amortization at the published ceiling rate; fees are not included, and your actual rate and term may differ. Run your own numbers in the payoff calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the real APR on a Little Lake Lending loan?
Little Lake does not publish its APR. Reported effective rates commonly run 400–500%, and the class action against it alleges rates up to 795%. Ignore the "5.99% APR" figure on its mirror marketing sites — it does not reflect the real product. Read your agreement’s APR box.
Is Little Lake Lending being sued?
Yes. Stoicescu v. Layma, LLC (N.D. Ill.), filed by Kelly Guzzo, PLC, alleges an illegal rent-a-tribe scheme with rates up to 795%, pleaded under RICO and state usury law. The case is active.
Can I pay off Little Lake Lending early?
Yes — there is no prepayment penalty, and you pay only interest accrued to the payoff date, so early payoff meaningfully lowers the cost. The lender also offers one free three-day extension per loan.
Is Little Lake Lending a tribal loan?
Yes. Little Lake Lending is a tribal lending brand owned by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians in CA. That means it lends under tribal law and claims sovereign immunity from your state's interest-rate cap, rather than holding a state lending license. It is also why its APR reaches 400–795% — far above the roughly 36% cap most states set for small loans. Whether the loan is enforceable where you live depends on your state.
What does a Little Lake Lending loan cost?
Little Lake Lending lends $200–$2,500 at 400–795% APR (reported — Little Lake Lending does not publish its rate). Near the top of that range, the total repaid on a loan run to term is several times the amount borrowed — check the total of payments in your agreement, not the monthly figure.
Is a Little Lake Lending loan legal in my state?
It depends entirely on your state. High-cost tribal loans are effectively banned in nine states, where a loan above the rate cap can be void and not legally collectible, and restricted in many more. Little Lake Lending claims tribal sovereign immunity from those caps — an argument courts have accepted in some cases and rejected in others. Check your state before you borrow, and especially before you pay a collector.
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