Gold Trust Financial Review – Legit or a Scam?
Gold has always had a special place in the United States since it was made legal for trading and investing in the 1970s. Despite the ups and downs of the market, gold has continued to hold its value over time, making it a sound choice for investors looking for a reliable option to diversify their portfolios.
With investing in gold and silver coins comes the need for a place to buy high-quality precious metals from. Enter Gold Trust Financial.
Located in Santa Monica, CA, Gold Trust Financial is an experienced gold investment company offering investors various investment options nationwide. However, before you decide to buy precious metals with your hard-earned money from Gold Trust Financial, there are some things you need to know.
Our research led to some less-than-stellar discoveries about the company, and we’d like you to read this post before you partner with this organization. Buckle up, and let’s get started.
Advisory! Prior to diving into this review, we’d like to stress that at Investors Circle, our mission is to protect your wealth. We know that our research reports may alter your investment decisions, so we want to be 100% sure you are investing your hard earned money with the right company!
With this in mind, we urge you to check out our list of the top five companies in this space (we found 1 that fits 99% of investors needs)
>> Click Here To View Our Updated List of the 5 Best Companies <<
See if Gold Trust Financial made our list this year, or continue with this review below to see if they are possibly the right company for your investment needs.
Gold Trust Financial specializes in selling physical precious metals, including palladium, gold, and silver. However, the company is not a precious metals-backed IRA custodian.
As a result, it doesn’t offer retirement investments such as mutual funds or retirement accounts. However, Gold Trust Financial does provide insured delivery via FedEx and other options for investors nationwide.
According to its LinkedIn page, Gold Trust Financial has a small team of four employees. It’s unclear whether or not the company is active on other social media platforms. On top of that, even the website domain seems to be missing.
The only way to contact Gold Trust Financial is through a phone number listed on Yelp. However, the number led to a ghost call, so we can’t guarantee that the company will contact clients back.
This may prove difficult for some investors who prefer to conduct their research and transactions online.
Gold Trust Financial - Official Website
It’s hard to say what happened to Gold Trust Financial’s website since the domain has been defunct for years.
Despite the lack of information on the internet, it’s important to note that Gold Trust Financial is still an active precious metals dealer. We collected all of the information in this article from third-party sites and Yelp.
However, ordering gold and other precious metals from it isn’t the easiest task since there’s no way to contact the company directly.
The LinkedIn page for Gold Trust Financial says that clients have to make all orders and transactions through calls or on the website. However, we aren’t sure if that’s possible, given that the number doesn’t work and the web page is non-existent.
What we know for now is that Gold Trust Financial provides insured delivery across the United States.
We can verify this information because there are many positive reviews on Trustlink, stating how the company did business in the past. However, it’s still hard to believe what different sites say about Gold Trust Financial since we can’t check for ourselves.
On top of that, some sites say that the company links clients with precious metals-backed IRA custodians for their retirement accounts. On the other hand, many customer reviews on Yelp say that Gold Trust Financial is only a precious metals dealer.
To be honest, we aren’t sure if the company will help investors store their physical gold and silver in state depositories or if Gold Trust Financial will leave them alone with the complex paperwork.
Gold Trust Financial Pros
The company sells a variety of precious metals, such as silver coins, palladium coins, gold coins, etc.
Trustlink has many positive reviews on Gold Trust Financial.
Gold Trust Financial Cons
The company has a “D-” rating on BBB, despite being in business for almost 30 years!
Gold Trust Financial is not transparent with its operations.
The company website is possibly defunct.
Although an experienced gold investment company, Gold Trust Financial last posted about its products in 2013.
The company is genuinely puzzling. Does it still exist, but physically only? Why does Yelp say the business is “unclaimed”?
We have a thousand questions regarding Gold Trust Financial; you probably do too. However, there’s little we can say about such a company, given how there’s limited information about it on the internet.
Does Gold Trust Financial Provide Insured Delivery?
According to its LinkedIn page and countless Trustlink reviews from seven years ago, the company provided insured delivery nationwide. We can’t vouch for its shipment services now, but past reviews claim that the company was reliable for its strong packaging and fast delivery time.
Here’s what customers said about Gold Trust Financial at least 10 years ago:
The company staff was patient and kind.
Clients saw growth in their investments.
Investors recommended Gold Trust Financial to families and friends.
The customer support provided was fantastic.
Gold Trust Financial offered insured FedEx delivery all over the United States.
How did a company with such amazing reviews suddenly fall from its high pedestal? What happened along the way?
Industry insiders speculate that a possible management change resulted in this fall. On the other hand, many people theorize Gold Trust Financial was a scam altogether, and it was only a matter of time till the issue came to light.
Also Read: OneGold Full Review
What Does the Better Business Bureau Say About Gold Trust Financial?
Here’s the weird part – the BBB has a Gold Trust Financial page, but it isn’t accredited. On top of that, the company also collected two major BBB complaints that it never really resolved. This is one of the reasons why we think Gold Trust Financial went off the grid.
One of the complaints was about GTF overcharging a customer’s credit card. According to the review pinned on BBB, this precious metals dealer charged 400% more than what was quoted over calls!
The confusing part is how Gold Trust Financial didn’t even try to de-escalate the issue. Instead, it closed its website and disappeared without a trace. Yelp says it operates physically in the headquarters, but only on weekdays. However, we can’t verify this information.
Also, the other complaint said Gold Trust Financial charged more for its gold and silver coins past the actual value of the precious metals. The reviewer said they felt unfairly treated by the company.
As expected, Gold Trust Financial ignored this review and did nothing to fix its crumbling reputation.
Why Did Gold Trust Financial Disappear?
The disappearance of any financial institution can be a cause for concern. This is especially true when it comes to companies dealing in precious metals investments, such as Gold Trust Financial. Where did it go? Was it a scam all along? The questions never end.
One of the most popular theories is that the company was a scam or a shady operation. It was known for selling physical gold and silver coins, but it is essential to note that Gold Trust Financial was not a precious metals-backed IRA custodian. It also didn’t help clients with their retirement investments or retirement accounts.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Gold Trust Financial had a “D-” rating, which shows a pattern of complaints and unresolved issues. The company also racked up a number of negative reviews on various third-party sites.
On top of that, it’s hard to contact Gold Trust Financial, as the company phone number and email address don’t work. Its social media accounts are also empty or missing. This raises suspicion and uncertainty about the business’s legitimacy and intentions.
Some theories suggest that Gold Trust Financial might have been a Ponzi scheme or a fraudulent operation that lured investors with high returns and easy access to precious metals but ultimately failed to deliver or keep its promises.
Others speculate that Gold Trust Financial might have suffered from financial troubles or legal issues that forced it to close down or go bankrupt. However, none of these theories are confirmed or verified – we can only speculate.
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Lessons to Take Away from the Gold Trust Financial Case
Whether or not you dealt with Gold Trust Financial, its case offers some lessons for investors interested in buying and selling precious metals or other alternative assets.
Thoroughly Research
First, doing your research and due diligence before trusting any company with your money and your financial future is essential. Check the BBB rating, read reviews from independent sources, and verify a company’s credentials and track record. Ensure the company you are interested in is open – unlike Gold Trust Financial.
Purchase Different Metals
Consider diversifying your portfolio with different types of precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, as well as other asset classes, such as mutual funds or real estate.
The one positive feature of Gold Trust Financial is that it sold a range of precious metals instead of focusing on gold and silver bullion only.
Remember that different metals and investments carry varied risks and advantages and that no asset is entirely immune to market fluctuations or other factors affecting its value.
Partner with a State-depository
Make sure to store your gold and other precious metals in a secure and insured location, such as a private vault or a reputable IRS-approved depository, and keep documentation of your transactions and purchases for tax or legal purposes.
You should also check if the precious metals dealer offers safe shipping. Gold Trust Financial, for example, gained positive reviews in the past because it used to provide insured delivery through FedEx in and around Santa Monica.
Final Words
Gold Trust Financial is a confusing company. Its recent negative reviews are from 2014, but it did have a lot of happy clients at some point. We aren’t sure if the positive reviews are real or if Gold Trust Financial planted them.
It seems like the company started to go downhill after getting the two major complaints we mentioned above. Also, the “D-” rating on BBB shows how Gold Trust Financial wasn’t keen on resolving issues with investors who wanted to acquire precious metals from it.
While some former clients of Gold Trust Financial praise the company for its competitive prices, fast shipping, and quality products, others warn that their orders were delayed, canceled, or never fulfilled and that it was hard to contact Gold Trust Financial to get refunds or other assistance.
On the other hand, many investors also expressed disappointment that Gold Trust Financial did not offer a precious metals-backed IRA custodian.
Instead, Gold Trust Financial focused on selling physical precious metals directly to clients, often at higher premiums than those charged by other dealers.
Although the company no longer has an online presence, we think it still operates physically in its headquarters in Santa Monica, CA. Customers willing to make the trip can still check out Gold Trust Financial and see if it still sells high-quality gold, silver, and other precious metals.
It’s essential for investors to thoroughly research any company they plan to partner with and to seek out professional advice when making investment decisions. Remember, investing in precious metals should always be done with caution and a clear understanding of the risks involved.
Reading this post about Gold Trust Financial should give you a clear idea of what to look for when pairing with a precious metals dealer.
