This is another post that is a bit off topic, but its a consumer alert. Since I am a consumer attorney, I thought I would put it out there.
The Rocky Mountain News has two articles here and here about General Steel. I remember their ads in Sacramento from a few years ago. They were having huge discounts on overstocked merchandise. You could save a lot of money by buying a steel building.
Well, apparently a judge in Colorado didn’t buy it. The Colorado AG sued General Steel and a judge ordered a $200,000 fine and a change in the company’s practice. The judge also ordered a special master to oversee refunds. Unfortunately, the judge declared that the AG could not “induce” anyone to file a claim.
Subsequently, the New Mexico AG issued a statement to New Mexico residents and the California AG is investigating General Steel for similar charges. General Steel is now alleging that the Colorado AG put the New Mexico and California AGs up to this. I am sure that the California Attorney General does not need the Colorado AG to tell him what to do. These folks are smart people and they are not going to let another AG tell them what to do.
The bottom line: if you bought a building from General Steel, or if you know someone who did, you should go to this link for more information.
UPDATE: Here is another article on this. It looks like the judge’s ruling not letting the Colorado AG is going to benefit General Steel greatly and hurt consumers nationwide.