Complaint Review: General Steel - Lakewood Colorado
- General Steel 1075 S. Yukon Street. Suite 250 Lakewood, Colorado U.S.A.
- Phone: 303-904-4837
- Web:
- Category: Corrupt Companies
General Steel Corporation, General Steel Domestic Sales, Anthem Steel, Capital Steel,Fraud, Ripoff, shameless liars Lakewood Colorado
*Consumer Comment: Help! I'm in the same situation
*Consumer Comment: In the same boat...
*Consumer Comment: All deposit no return.
*Consumer Comment: Have not heard from you
*Consumer Comment: Looking for a few good men
*Author of original report: Response to "going into arbitration in April"
*Consumer Comment: Headed to arbitration in April
*UPDATE EX-employee responds: I know your pain
*Author of original report: Strategy for victims
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It is bad enough to be a victim of this notoriously dishonest company, but I feel most betrayed because Paul Harvey and Rush Limbaugh are still advertising them and vouching for their "honesty". I would not have been so trusting if Paul Harvey had not said I could trust them.
This company has been sucessfully sued by the Colorado AG. General Steel appealed and their appeal has been denied. The matter will be in court for years to determine if the AG can get refunds for out-of-state customers.
The New Mexico AG has issued a warning for consumers about General Steel. The Sacramento County, CA DA is pursuing legal action against General Steel.
The Better Business Bureau has also issued a warning about General Steel and removed them from membership.
The Colorado AG believes that many thousands of people have been fraudulently deprived of their deposits by General Steel. The dollar amounts involved are enormous.
In a desperate and pathetic move, General Steel has filed a RICO (racketeering) suit against 80 individuals who work for the above mentioned public service agencies because they are "cospiring" to hurt General Steel"
GS is suing each of the named individuals for 1 1/2 billion dollars. This is going to be some circus. This suit was brought in Federal court in Sacramento, CA (wonder why???)
My case is that I called General Steel with a very special requirement. I have a narrow lot with a great view that happens to adjoin an airfield. I want a hanger that is strong enough to be able to put a 100,000 pound pre-fab residence on it. The lot is residential and I want the view, so if I cannot get them together I cannot use the steel building.
The salesman did not know if he could do that, but he promised to find out and call back.
Three hours later I got the call, which was 2 hours after they normally go home at General Steel. He said they could do it, but the price would be a little higher, $34,000, and his price was only good for today and I had to fax a copy of my $10,000 deposit check today.
That was ok, so I signed the barely legible contract they faxed to me.
Later they sent me forms to specify details such as doors, window, insulation, trim etc.
I noticed that their "factory direct" prices were about 5 times retail. I reiterated my requirements about bearing a load and they professed to know nothing about this requirement.
I was told that to get the building I needed would cost $130,000. This is just a pile of parts, mind you - no foundation and no erection. Of course they would not dream of giving my deposit back. They even threaten to charge me for delaying them if I do not accept delivery soon.
This company does not manufacture anything and has no engineers. They buy their buildings from among several suppliers. Their major supplier now refuses to do business with them. They are not a corporation, "General Steel Corporation" is just a registered trademark. It is a LLC wholely owned by Wayne Jeffery Knight.
I have some ideas for others in this predicament. The arbitration clause in their contract does not meet the requirements of the American Arbitration Association and the clause will be invalidated by the AAA if asked to do so as part of a demand for arbitration. Their filing fee is only about $350, depending on the amount at stake. See their website.
Small claims court can be used, but you can only get $7,500 plus attorneys fees and interest in Colorado. In Colorado you can use an attorney if the defendant uses one.
Arbitration may be a good route, but demand it take place in your own state. The case can be tried without your personal presence, by documentation alone if the amount is $10,000 or less. An attorney can be used and you can recover these costs.
Michael
Irvine, California
U.S.A.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 04/22/2006 08:24 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/report/general-steel-336/lakewood-colorado-corporation-188089. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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#9 Consumer Comment
Help! I'm in the same situation
AUTHOR: Mikeg - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Friday, July 25, 2008
Hi...unfortunately, I am a victim of this company as well...
Did you go to arbitration? I paid a large downpayment and worried about this whole thing. I can't believe they can just lie to people and steal their money!!!

#8 Consumer Comment
In the same boat...
AUTHOR: Jeb - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I was told many thigns by the salesperson, and none of them were true. Now, I have been working with GS, to try and get the cost down to manage the purchase. It is still much more than I could purchase a "non-discoutned" building for, and I am still not getting what I originally wanted from GS. I am ready to get after these guys to get my money back. It is the prinicple of it, not so much the money. They money is very important, but I am willing to pay some of it, in orer to make an example of them. I am very disappointed in Paul Harvey. I thought that he had more integrity than that.

#7 Consumer Comment
All deposit no return.
AUTHOR: Chip - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
I also have given General Steel (aka Discount Steel Buildings) a large deposit for a building. The actual company drawing the plans will not work with them anymore because of confusion they insued. Sounds like I don't have to explain all the terrible details, I have read your stories and it's all there, same thing. I am willing to jump in with someone against them (General). Just let me know. I'm not letting this go.

#6 Consumer Comment
Have not heard from you
AUTHOR: Gr - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Hello Michael,
I would still like to talk to you. Would you contact Ripoff and ask them to contact me. These people will continue to rip people off unless some of us are willing to take a stand. They continue even today to rip people off. Help me stop.

#5 Consumer Comment
Looking for a few good men
AUTHOR: Gr - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, March 06, 2008
Arbitration is already set up and I will be there in a few days. Somebody has to stop these people and I am one of the people who is going to try. I would really like to talk to you and see if I can get you to testify at my arbitration. They were talking to you at the same time they were talking to me and they were violating the court order issued by Judge Jackson. Judge Jackson presided over the case brought against them by the State of Colorado. I gave you my web address, but they omitted it. Can you come up with a way we can get in touch with each other. I have two of the best attorneys in the world working on this, would indemnify any losses you might have because of a lawsuit from General Steel. Give me your thoughts. Incidentally a lawsuit was filed under Rico in February of this year against General Steel and Paul Harvey - racketeering. I would really like to talk to you.

#4 Author of original report
Response to "going into arbitration in April"
AUTHOR: Michael - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, March 05, 2008
I agree with the ROR policy of removing identifying information, especially with regard to General Steel "Corporation".
These people have demonstrated themselves to be vindictive to the extreme. If they can identify a former employess who is talking about them or someone with whom they have had legal dealings (they always require non-disclosure of any settlement), they WILL persue you and sue.
They sued dozens of people working for organizations like the Attorney Generals' Office and the BBB for 1.5 Billion dollars for each individual, under Rico racketerring laws for ganging up on them.
Of course it is ridiculous, but would you want to have to defend yourself in court against that?
For all I know you could be a private eye working for them trying to find people to go after.
If you have questions about arbitration,go ahead and ask. I will try to answer. The arbitration association listed on the contract has a good web site. Go there and read everything. You can ask them questions.

#3 Consumer Comment
Headed to arbitration in April
AUTHOR: Gr - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Hello Michael and also Former Employee
I also have a problem with General Steel. I would like to talk to both of you. Could you email me at (((ROR REDACTED)))
I would really appreciate it.
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

#2 UPDATE EX-employee responds
I know your pain
AUTHOR: I Can't Belive It Still Happens - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, March 03, 2008
I worked there and have great knowledge of the inside working of the company. If you have been ripped off maybe I could help. General Steel operates in the gray at best, there are many lies told to make sure people get in on the allocation. General Steel is a broker, General Steel buys from Star Building Systems. Then marks the building up 100% to 150% atleast, maybe that is conservative... then the real "get ya" General Steel says that they have "Project Coordinators" (very gray). The project coordinators job is also commission driven, they sell you doors and windows marked up again 100 to 150%. They only deliver 30% of what they sell, they keep the rest of the deposits and hide behind lawers. It really is sick.... "To God Be all the Glory" it hangs on there wall.

#1 Author of original report
Strategy for victims
AUTHOR: Michael - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, April 23, 2006
My lawyer tells me that a contract requires a "meeting of the minds" to be valid. Because General Steel lied to me about what I would get, their supposed contract that I signed is not valid. If you are in this position, do not acknowledge that a contract ever existed if they got it signed using fraud and deception.
There is a Colorado law that requires a "Commercial Telephone Seller" (not the same as telemarketer) to offer money back within a specified time or they will be guilty of class 1 misdemeaner, punishable by up to 5 years in jail.
Colorado Revised Statutes 6-1-302 (1)


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