What is United Gold Direct?United Gold Direct Locations, Timings, Phone, Services
United Gold Direct is a well-known precious metals dealer that offers gold, platinum, silver, palladium, and precious metal IRAs. They aim to be the industry leader in precious metals. Their corporate office is headquartered in California.
Although the company has been in operation since 1996, it has only been operating under this name since 2009. The company states that they don’t use strong investment strategies. However, their agents may advise you to be mindful of the news, especially in the context of recent economic crises.
None of the employees are paid on a commission basis. Instead, they work on salary. so, they are not under a contract to sell you on investments you do not desire.
United Gold Direct is one of three certified precious metals dealers in all the states; their prices are considerably lower because they have little overhead.
To keep prices low, the company claims to not advertise, instead relying on referrals. However, if you Google the company name, advertisements will appear; this is something that raises doubts and should be clarified in the future.
- Address: 2945 Townsgate Rd Ste 200, Westlake Village, California, 91361, United States
- Timings: Mon-Fri, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Phone: (888) 502-3222
- Website: www.unitedgolddirect.com
People Behind United Gold Direct: CEO, Owner, Co-Founders & MoreWho owns United Gold Direct? What is the management team behind United Gold Direct?
United Gold Direct does not disclose any information to its executive team members, which is an alert for future customers.
However, after reviewing the BBB report, we discovered that there are 19 employees and that Marc Harrison is the Managing Director or Founder of this firm, but we couldn’t find any information about him on the Internet.
This could be a serious drawback to this company because potential clients want to know about the founder and who manages the company with which they will be dealing.
United Gold Direct Products: Bullion Coins, Bars, And Rare CoinsAll products offered by United Gold Direct
According to several United Gold Direct reviews, the firm offers both internationally recognised coins and national, rare coins. People can spend their money on silver/gold that is shipped directly to their homes.
They will have more control over safety and security. Customers may discover a catalogue on the website, indicating that the company is genuine. Still, there’s the question of forgery and rollover, which has been raised by others. The following precious metal products were available at the time of publication:
Gold Coins/Bars
- Proof Gold American Eagle coins
- Swiss 20-franc coins
- $20 Stain-Gaudens coins
- South African Krugerrand coins
- Proof gold coins
- Netherlands 10-guilder coins
- Mexico 50-peso coins
- Italian 20-lire coins
- Hungary 1-korona coins
- Gold Russian 5-ruble coins
- Gold bars in 1 or 10 ounces or 1 kilogram
- Gold American Buffalo coins
- French 20-franc Rooster, Angel, and Napoleon III coins
- First Strike American Buffalo coins
- Danish 20-kroner coins
- Chinese Gold Panda coins
- Canadian Maple Leaf coins
- British Sovereign coins
- Australian Gold Philharmonic coins
- Austrian 100-corona coins
- Australian Nugget coins
- American Gold Eagle coins
- $3 Indian Princess
- Liberty coins ($1, $2.5, $5, $10)
- Indian Coins ($1, $2.5, $5, $10)
Silver Coins
- Silver bullion rounds
- Silver American Eagle Coins
- Silver bullion for storage
- Proof silver coins
- Silver bullion bars
- Mexican Libertad
- Kennedy half-dollars
- Franklin half-dollars
- Buffalo Commemorative dollar silver coins
- Silver bags of 40 or 90 per cent
Platinum
- Platinum bullion for storage
- Platinum American Eagle coins
- Proof Platinum Eagle coins
- Platinum Canadian Maple Leaf coins
Palladium
- Palladium products like Canadian Maple Leaf coins
- Palladium bullion for storage
How to Invest in United Gold Direct IRA?Step-by-step guide for investing in United Gold Direct IRA
Time needed: 15 days
To invest in a precious metals IRA through United Gold Direct, here are the general steps:
- Open a Self-Directed IRA
Select an IRA company that handles opening precious metals IRA accounts and fill out an application. You can work with United Gold Direct to recommend an IRA company and provide the necessary paperwork. However, I don’t recommend doing so.
- Fund Your IRA
Once you have selected an IRA company, you can move your funds into your new IRA account. You can work with the IRA company representative to transfer or rollover funds into the new account.
- Select a Precious Metals Dealer
One of the forms you need to fill out along the way is typically called a Buy Direction Letter. This is where you list the precious metals dealer you have selected, such as United Gold Direct
- Decide Which Precious Metals to Purchase
You can choose to invest in gold, silver, platinum, or palladium for your IRA. There are some restrictions regarding fineness requirements and allowable coin types, so it’s important to get guidance from United Gold Direct in this area.
- Place Your Order
Once the funds are available in your IRA account, you can call them to place your order for the desired precious metals.
However, I don’t recommend opening an IRA with them. Why? Because there are plenty of better options available for you.
Opening a precious metals IRA is a major decision. That’s why I suggest checking out our top gold IRA providers list. There, you can find the best precious metals dealer in your state and choose accordingly.
Also, the list will help you understand what the industry’s best has to offer and what you might miss out on.
United Gold Direct Fees and Charges: Do they overcharge?What are their fees? Do they have hidden fees?
At the moment, United Gold Direct’s website provides very little information regarding prices. Although the company claims there are no hidden fees, the fees are not listed on their website.
In a business where reliability, transparency, and accountability are essential, the lack of fee information on the website may cause some investors to be concerned.
You might not know how much you have to pay for your package until you call the company. However, keep in mind that you may be required to pay additional fees for shipping, insurance, custodian (precious metal IRAs), and storage.
Every purchase requires a $1,500 minimum. United Gold Direct allows cashier’s checks, bank transfers, and personal checks up to $10,000 as payment methods.
Companies like Augusta charge ZERO fees for up to 10 years and allow you to choose your own gold & silver. United Gold Direct on the other hand provides fewer options.
>>>Get in touch with the #1 rated gold IRA company of 2023<<<
United Gold Direct Reviews and Complaints: BBB, Trustlink, Google Read all the United Gold Direct reviews & complaints
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
United Gold Direct has no reviews or ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. If you’re wondering why the company isn’t BBB-accredited, have a look at the DBO case against UGD below.
IMPORTANT: DBO Commissioner Issued a Consent Order Against United Gold Direct, LLC
On August 12, 2020, the California Department of Business Oversight (DBO) reported that a consent order had been issued about United Gold Direct. The DBO commissioner alleges that this company sold precious metals (commodities) to three different consumers in the amount of approximately $45,000.00 over the past several years, but the commissioner finds that the company and its principal, Marc Rudolph Harrison, used client funds to pay for operating expenses and other expenses while acting in a fiduciary capacity.
As a result, the company and Harrison have been ordered to cease and desist from the aforementioned breaches. Furthermore, the firm and Harrison agreed to repay approximately $45,000.00 as soon as possible.
Trustlink
On the Trustlink platform, United Gold Direct received a 5/5 star rating. There are a total of 21 customer reviews and complaints, with the majority of them praising the company’s price and product quality. However, a customer has said that the firm stole his gold, which cannot be ignored either.
Google Reviews
The company has a 3.9-star rating on Google based on 7 customer reviews. The majority of the reviews are favourable to UGD, stating that the customer service is good and also the metals are reasonably priced. Although there are two negative reviews, one customer stated that the customer service is poor and that she has yet to receive her money after 90 days of requesting it.
United Gold Direct has received several unresolved complaints from customers. There are also several unresolved negative reviews on different platforms. Our #1 rated gold IRA company has ZERO unanswered complaints on BBB.
After reading the BBB, Trustlink, and Google reviews and ratings, it looks like the company is good at offering customer satisfaction. However, the customer’s negative reviews and DBO commissioner’s allegations against UGD are crucial to keep in mind if you plan to do business with them.
Now, let’s take a look at some customer reviews and see what they have to say about this company.
Positive Reviews
#1. A satisfied customer stated that he has been purchasing gold from United Gold for almost three years and he has not found any other company that offers better deals on numismatic coins. The customer further stated that their commercial knowledge is undeniable. They guided him through the years and helped in the building of his wealth.
#2. Another satisfied customer mentioned that he has made multiple purchases from UGD and has been very satisfied with their service and expertise.
#3. A client name Carol praised United Gold Direct for helping her and protecting her gold and silver investments. She went on to say that their customer service was great and the metals were reasonably priced.
Negative Reviews
#1. A customer stated that he is completely dissatisfied with UGD, saying they will receive your money quickly but will not return you right away. The customer took money out of his IRA for an emergency the first week of September.
It is now November 23rd, and he has yet to see any of his money. He was advised that he had selected the quickest return option and they kept making excuses and assuring him that it would only be a few days, but that was not to be. Because the customer relied on those guarantees, he paid thousands of dollars in late penalties and delayed payments.
#2. Another dissatisfied client alleged that UGD is a scam and that they used forged checks and ACH transfers from closed bank accounts to get money. When he attempted to contact the company, he received no response.
#3. Amy expressed her dissatisfaction, claiming that their customer service is bad, slow, and lacks attention to detail. It has been 90 days since she requested her money, but she has yet to get it.
United Gold Direct Lawsuits: UniCourt & JustiaHave any customers sued United Gold Direct?
UniCourt
On 18 February 2020, Denny Jacobus filed a contract lawsuit against United Gold Direct.
Is United Gold Direct Legit? Should You Invest With Them?Is United Gold Direct scam or legit? Are they worth it?
No. I don’t think you should invest with them.
Pros:
- Multiple precious metal choices
- Easy investing strategies available
Cons:
- Lack of transparency
- Not BBB accredited
- Received a consent order from the DBO commissioner
- No information is available about its team member
- Issues viewing the website in the browser
Certainly, United Gold Direct is a legitimate company that sells precious metals. However, they lack transparency and appear to be fake about several of their business practices. They say, for example, that they do not have an advertising budget, but you can find their advertisements through a Google search.
With so many companies providing precious metal IRAs and products, it’s difficult to say that United Gold Direct is the best option for you. Each negative review about the company raises red flags. The business is also not BBB-accredited.
For the reasons stated above, I do not recommend doing business with this company.
Instead, I suggest you check out our #1 rated company below:
Also, you can browse your options through our list of the handpicked gold dealers in the US. Alternatively, you can find the best gold investment company of your state below:
Find the best Gold IRA company in your state