Hi Guys,

I have an issue with a custom wheel manufacturer from Anaheim, CA.
In fact, I am writing this for a close friend of mine who was scammed for 600 USD by LB Forged from Anaheim, CA. He does not speak fluent English so I am writing this on his behalf.

It's a precaution for anyone interested in dealing with Brian from LB Forged.
My friend ordered a pair of 9x24" lips for his hot-rod from LB Forged on 10 Nov. 2013 for 600 USD.
Brian sent him an invoice via Paypal on 10. Nov 2013. The invoice was paid in full.
Until this day my friend has not received the lips, although we have called and emailed Brian many times.

The worst thing is that my friend had already bought multiple sets of deep dish lips from LB and as a retunging customer he got scammed for 600 USD.

If you can, please share this thread to anyone interested in getting a set of wheels from them or help me resolve this issue if you are local to LB Forged.
I would apprecaite it greatly.




Feel free to comment their buisness policy on these sites

http://www.lbforgedwheels.com/multi-piece-wheels/

https://instagram.com/lbforgedwheels/

https://www.facebook.com/lbforgedwheels?fref=ts

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lb-forged-wheels-placentia


Thanks,
Matt

Did your friend pay with credit card? If that's the case, your friend should be able to dispute the charge with the credit card company. Maybe someone close to Placentia (their listed city) can drop by and find out if LB forged is legit at all.

Thanks for the response Otakki. He paid from his Paypal balance but it's too late now to file a dispute. He paid over 18 months ago.

I know the company exists because he bought a few sets of lips from them before.
I would love someone to show up at their door and get this issue resolved.

If no one is closer, its semi-local to me, about 30 min drive.

I am a little busy this week and next, but if no one else can help, I will do my best to.

SaphGrey, that would be great if you could pay them a visit.
I started posting bad reviews on their facebook page and want to motivate them to send him the money back.
I hate f****n thieves.

That sucks Matt, sorry for your mate, and I hope you get this sorted, shame there not in the UK or I would of happily turned up on their doorstep

With crooks like that, make sure you have back-ups when you go and don't go alone. I am a few states away from SoCal. Hey, maybe get that group from the OC/SoCal meeting this Saturday to head over that way.

I would only like know if this a legit shop and if it still exists - I don't want SaphGrey to mention anything about my issue.

My friend bought many wheel parts from them in the past years. One day they simply didn't feel like sending him his 600USD 9x24" outer lips.

That I can check up for you.

EDIT: Just called. They don't have any addresses listed and they did pick up the phone. I asked if I can stop by to the place to check out the wheels, they said they don't do that. They are definitely answered the phone though and taking orders.

Thanks SaphGrey. I called them multiple times and talked to them.
One of them said he will take care of it - didn't move a finger, the other guy said he doesn't work for the company any more but he is taking orders now... Ridiculous.

Thanks for calling them

Let me know if there is anything else I can do. If you have an address and want me to physically stop by, or even send me that invoice and tell them so and so sent me to pick up his wheels, let me know.

I will wait a few more days to see what happens. Thanks SaphGrey for the help - it means a lot !!! I appreciate it.

Made me think of another Brian from Anaheim (different last name), got screwed out of some money, worked for GT Pro racing. Was funny as my first thought

Don't let potential customers come check out the wheels?!...Definitely doesn't sound like an honest business. Typical answer from a scammer. Most likely there are no wheels at all.

lol what kind of bootleg place doesn't let you see the product?


get that place shutdown

What's the address? I'm only like 20 minutes from Anaheim.

Neverending I found it,1240 N. Simon Circle Unit D Anaheim, CA 92806. They are about 30 seconds from Weistec and around the corner from K1 Speed. I can check them out Thursday after work.

I can't seem to talk sense into these guys.

Crazy63amg if you could check them out and ask about 9x24"
You can show them the paypal payment from the first post.

I've got an open weekend this weekend I'll see what I can do.

Guys, I moved away from California in December. I have gotten wheels from him and have been to his location which is just down the road from West Coast Corvettes. I can probably pull the address from my navigation history and put on here later.


Keep in mind L&B Forged started doing individual sales just a few years ago, probably in 2012~13. Before that, they were and still are the direct manufacturer for other name brand wheels that do not have the equipment to do it in house. I'm not naming those companies, but you get the point.


I have ordered wheels, taken lips back for re-powdercoating, etc. I will say this, they do need some organization in that place. I mean like, administrative folks like secretaries to do their billing and invoice etc. Most of that is done between Brian and another person and they also do a ton of other stuff between like 3 people. I've told him on occasion that he needs more staff because they are kinda disorganized and that will streamline some processes and therefore could possibly do more orders effectively. I'm not trying to steer away your issue specially being that old (nov 2013). Knowing Brian for the time I did, the dude is very nice and goes out of the way to satisfy a customer.


For the money though, you can't find any place that will do custom paint, powdercoat, 3pc wheels for those prices. I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but like you, I have dealt with him many time, but I had the luxury of doing most of those in person. I hpe that you are able to resolve your situation and will post that address later on if I still have it.

Finally someone who knows them - thanks for the input

The problem is that my friend knows them well too because he bought outer lips, barrells and wheel centers from them for about 5000 USD.

All of a sudden, after they took the payment of 600 USD, they said that they don't have 9x24" lips in stock. Months later, tenths of calls and messages the lips are still not here and they won't refund the money.
Brian knows about this because I have talked to him on the phone last week 3 times about it.
I called the other number from their webiste and the guy says he doesn't know what I am talking about and that it's a different company

It's ridiculous to scam a loyal customer for 600 USD. Plain stupid if you ask me.

This is odd specially how old this issue is. Every company has their bad customer story to go along with the good ones. The address posted earlier is the correct address in Simon circle. Hope this person can get some clarification for you.

Hi Crazy63,

will you be able to pay these guys a visit?
I ran out of options - these guys are immune to bad reviews on Instagram, FB, Yelp, Stanceworks, car forums etc.

Thanks,
matt

best thing would be to stop by. Sadly if you read about these LB forged characters it's not the first time they've stolen from good hearted people. I know about 3 other members which had major issues from rims falling apart to bluntly paying for services and nothing was ever completed.

Good luck getting your money back. Hope all works out for your buddy.

Thanks RaceTech. Can you point any links to forums?

Sadly to say the owner Mr. Brian De La Vara is Google famous ��

https://www.google.com/search?q=lb+f...+la+vara+scam+

People like him are the ones that ruin it for good hard working small business that are honest in the wheel business.

On a side note we started a clean INstagram page check us out everyone will probably like that they see just lookup our Mb name

Thank you