How to Avoid Gold IRA Scams

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I want to tell you about a phone call I received in 2019 from an investor I’ll call Robert — a 64-year-old retired schoolteacher who had spent 35 years carefully building a $280,000 retirement account. Robert had seen a television advertisement for a gold IRA company and called the number. A friendly, knowledgeable-sounding representative told him that the dollar was on the verge of collapse, that his retirement savings were in imminent danger, and that the only way to protect what he’d built was to move everything — immediately — into a specific set of “historically proven” gold and silver coins that only this company could offer him at that day’s price.

Robert didn’t call a financial advisor. He didn’t check the company’s BBB record. He didn’t ask what the coins cost relative to current spot price. He signed the documents on the phone, wired the funds, and waited for his account statement.

When it arrived, his $280,000 account was valued at $118,000.

The coins Robert purchased carried dealer markups averaging 115% above spot price. The company had a two-year operating history, a C- BBB rating, and 47 unresolved consumer complaints. Every warning sign I’m about to describe was present. Robert had encountered none of them before the call was over.

I’ve been cited by CNBC on the structural dynamics of the gold IRA market. I’ve been referenced by USA Today on the mechanics of self-directed IRA compliance. I’ve been quoted by Yahoo Finance on the forces driving serious retirement investors toward physical precious metals diversification. And in nineteen years of covering this industry — watching it at its best and at its most predatory — Robert’s story is the one I return to most often when investors ask me how to avoid gold IRA scams.

Because the truth is this: gold IRAs are legitimate, IRS-sanctioned retirement vehicles. The investment case for holding physical precious metals inside a tax-advantaged account has never been stronger than it is in 2026, with gold above $5,000 per ounce and the macroeconomic forces driving that price showing no structural reversal. But the rising interest in gold IRAs has attracted a proportional wave of predatory operators designed to exploit exactly the kind of trust, urgency, and financial anxiety that Robert experienced.

As demand rises, so do risks. The precious metals market has long attracted opportunistic actors, and gold IRA investing is no exception. Recognizing the warning signs and red flags before committing is critical.

This guide gives you the complete protection framework — the specific scam mechanisms, the red flags that identify them, the questions that expose them, and the verification steps that protect against them. Read it before you speak with any gold IRA company. It may be the most valuable 20 minutes of your retirement planning.

Why the Gold IRA Space Attracts Scammers — The Structural Vulnerability

Before identifying the specific scam types, it’s worth understanding why this particular investment category generates more fraud than most. The vulnerability is structural, not coincidental.

Because the process involves specialized custodians, dealers and storage providers, investors often rely heavily on companies guiding them through the process. That makes it especially important to evaluate offers carefully and watch for common red flags.

The typical gold IRA investor is a retirement saver in their 50s or 60s with a meaningful account balance, limited familiarity with precious metals markets, genuine anxiety about inflation and stock market volatility, and a strong desire to protect what they’ve accumulated. They are not naive — they are experienced adults who have successfully managed careers, families, and conventional retirement accounts for decades. But they are in unfamiliar territory, making a significant financial decision in a specialized market they don’t yet fully understand, often guided entirely by a company whose economics they can’t independently verify.

Scammers exploit government rules to carry out gold IRA scams and take advantage of would-be investors. The complexity of IRS compliance — purity standards, custodian requirements, depository mandates, prohibited transactions — provides cover for bad actors who can present themselves as knowledgeable guides while obscuring the specific mechanics most likely to harm investors.

Gold-related scams tend to surge when economic headlines feel dire, and the warning signs aren’t always obvious at first glance. The sales pitches are polished, the language is urgent and the offers often sound custom-built for older investors.

In 2026, with gold at historic highs and economic anxiety at levels not seen since 2008, the conditions that produce gold IRA fraud are maximally favorable for bad actors. Understanding exactly what those actors do — and how to identify them before any money moves — is the most important due diligence any investor in this space can perform.

The 10 Most Common Gold IRA Scams in 2026

Scam #1: The Specialty Coin Markup — The Industry’s Most Prevalent and Most Damaging Fraud

This is the fraud I encounter most frequently, the one that causes the most documented financial harm, and the one that most mainstream media coverage treats as a peripheral issue rather than the epidemic it actually is. It is what happened to Robert.

The mechanism: a representative steers an investor toward “exclusive,” “limited-edition,” “collector series,” or “semi-numismatic” coins — framed as premium or superior to standard bullion — that carry dealer markups of 30%–150% above the current spot price of gold. The investor purchases these products believing they’re getting quality, when in fact they’re paying multiples of the metal’s actual market value. The first account statement — reflecting secondary market buyback pricing — shows an account value drastically below the purchase price.

Some companies try to upsell retirees on collectible or so-called “exclusive” coins, promoting them as smarter or more valuable investments than standard bullion. These coins often carry heavy markups and exaggerated claims.

The reason this scam is so effective: the coins are real, IRS-eligible (usually), and genuinely contain the gold weight stated. The investor isn’t being sold fake gold — they’re being sold real gold at a price no secondary market will ever support. The difference between what they paid and what any dealer will buy it back for is the scammer’s margin. And that margin, at 75%–115% above spot, is catastrophic.

The protection: let’s be perfectly clear — you cannot include collector’s coins or numismatic coinage in a tax-advantaged retirement account. Any claim that rare silver or gold coins can be added to one’s IRA should be treated with extreme skepticism. For standard, IRS-eligible coins, always ask: “What is the exact premium above current spot price for this product, and what is your simultaneous buyback quote?” Request both in writing. The gap between those two numbers is your round-trip spread. Standard bullion should show 5%–15%. Any spread above 20% is a warning that demands either a full explanation or an immediate exit from the conversation.

Scam #2: The Home Storage Gold IRA — A Legally Catastrophic Fraud

Home storage gold IRAs — also known as self-storage IRAs or LLC IRAs — are illegal. Self-directed IRAs do not permit home storage of precious metals. Any company promoting them is an obvious scam.

The mechanism: a company markets a gold IRA structure — often involving a limited liability company (LLC) that the investor controls — under which IRA-held metals can be stored at home in a personal safe. The pitch emphasizes “control,” “privacy,” and “immediate access.” It is aggressively marketed to investors who are concerned about government confiscation or financial system access restrictions.

The reality: the IRS is unambiguous. All metals held inside a gold IRA must be stored at an IRS-approved depository under the oversight of an IRS-approved custodian. Personal possession of IRA-held metals — under any legal structure — constitutes a prohibited transaction. Storing gold at home could lead to penalties and disqualify your IRA’s tax benefits. The specific consequences are account disqualification, the entire balance becoming taxable income in the year of the violation, and a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you’re under 59½.

In May 2023, the SEC charged three executives of Red Rock Secured for pressuring investors to liquidate other retirement assets to buy gold, claiming it was the only way to protect their savings. Trustpilot Cases of this nature — enforcement actions against companies marketing prohibited IRA structures — are a consistent feature of the regulatory landscape.

The protection: if any company suggests that you can store IRA-held metals at home through any structure or arrangement, end the conversation immediately and report the company to the SEC and FTC. There is no legal version of this product.

Scam #3: Fake or Unverified Custodians

Some scammers pretend to work with custodians that either don’t exist or lack proper regulatory approval. Trusting an unverified custodian can jeopardize your entire gold IRA. If that custodian vanishes or shuts down, you could lose access to your investment entirely, with little to no recourse for recovery.

The mechanism: a fraudulent company names a “custodian” for your gold IRA account that is either entirely fictional, operating without IRS approval, or structurally connected to the dealer in a way that creates a conflict of interest. When the investor’s funds are transferred, they are not held in a properly structured tax-advantaged account — they may not be held at all.

The real-world consequence: the Oxford Gold Group scam is a prime example — the company cut ties with its long-time IRA custodian without informing investors but kept processing transactions. Investors eventually received an alert from the custodian and a class action lawsuit is pending.

The protection: confirm that your custodian is officially listed on the IRS’s approved list of nonbank trustees and custodians. The IRS publishes this list publicly at IRS.gov. The custodians used by every company I recommend — Equity Trust Company, Entrust Group, STRATA Trust — appear on this list. Before any funds transfer, verify your specific custodian’s IRS-approved status independently.

Scam #4: High-Pressure Sales Tactics and Artificial Urgency

This tactic isn’t unique to the gold industry, but it’s certainly problematic for gold IRAs.

The mechanism: a representative manufactures urgency through claims of imminent economic collapse, dollar devaluation, government confiscation of retirement accounts, or time-limited pricing that expires when the call ends. The goal is to prevent the investor from doing the research that would reveal the company’s true economics or complaint history.

High-pressure sales are illegal under state or federal law, or may trigger a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) infraction. Often, high-pressure sales tactics constitute fraudulent misrepresentation and therefore should be reported to the relevant authorities.

If a representative insists you act fast or tries to bypass your questions, that’s a major red flag. Legitimate companies will give you time to think, research, and consult with financial advisors.

The protection: make an explicit rule for yourself before any first call with a gold IRA company — never make a purchase decision during an initial phone conversation. Tell the representative directly: “I don’t make financial decisions on the first call. I’ll review the materials you send and follow up.” A legitimate company’s representative will accept this immediately. A high-pressure operator will escalate — which is itself the most valuable information they can give you.

Scam #5: Guaranteed Return Promises

Truthfully, gold and silver are not get-rich-quick assets, and any promise of guaranteed returns should be considered a major red flag. Neither are they risk-free nor able to provide guaranteed investment gains.

The mechanism: a company or representative promises specific future returns on precious metals investments — “gold is guaranteed to reach $10,000” or “your account is guaranteed to double in five years.” These promises may be implicit (“historically proven to outperform”) or explicit (“guaranteed returns”).

No investment vehicle — of any kind, in any asset class — provides guaranteed returns. Physical gold’s value fluctuates with global supply and demand, monetary policy, currency dynamics, and investor sentiment. Its long-term track record is compelling and its inflation-protection function is historically validated. But past performance does not guarantee future results, and any representative who tells you otherwise is either misrepresenting the investment or committing outright fraud.

The protection: treat any guaranteed return claim as an immediate disqualifier. Real gold’s real value proposition — inflation protection, portfolio non-correlation, tangible asset ownership — is compelling on its own merits. A legitimate company doesn’t need to fabricate certainty to make the case.

Scam #6: Hidden Fees and Undisclosed Cost Structures

Some companies bury fees in fine print or fail to disclose them altogether. These hidden costs can erode your investment over time and are a common tactic in fraudulent schemes.

Scam operations often overcharge for coins or add fees that aren’t disclosed until after your purchase. You might pay double the actual value of the metal or be hit with “account management” or “storage” fees you never agreed to.

The mechanism takes several forms: a company quotes low or zero annual fees while burying significant transaction fees, escalating storage fees tied to account value rather than flat rates, undisclosed “account management” charges, or fees triggered by events (distributions, transfers, in-kind deliveries) that aren’t disclosed during account opening. The most aggressive version involves charging fees retroactively or in amounts that don’t match the verbal representations made during account opening.

The protection: never sign any gold IRA account document without receiving, in advance, a complete written fee disclosure that covers: one-time setup fee, annual custodian fee, annual storage fee (segregated and commingled rates), wire transfer fees, transaction fees for purchases and sales, and distribution or liquidation fees. Compare the written disclosure against any verbal representations. Before completing a sale or opening a gold IRA, ask to see the contract. Review it carefully for fees, commissions, restrictions, and similar language. If anything makes you uncomfortable — or doesn’t match what the salesperson told you — don’t sign it.

Scam #7: Unsolicited Contact and Cold-Calling Campaigns

Be cautious of unexpected calls or emails pitching gold or gold IRA investments, especially if you don’t know how they got your contact information. Trustworthy gold and precious metals IRA companies do not rely on cold-calling or targeting unsuspecting individuals to generate business.

If you receive unexpected phone calls, emails or direct mail from companies claiming to specialize in helping seniors protect their retirement savings through gold investments, be wary. Legitimate precious metals dealers rarely cold-call potential customers or specifically target retirees.

The mechanism: fraudulent operators purchase data lists of retirement savers and conduct mass cold-calling and email campaigns, often targeting investors aged 55–75. The messaging typically leads with fear — imminent economic collapse, government seizure of retirement accounts, dollar devaluation — and escalates to a time-limited offer.

In early 2025, an elderly man in Portland fell victim to a fake gold bar scheme. Scammers contacted him with urgent warnings that his Social Security number had been compromised. In his panic, he rushed to purchase $170,000 worth of gold bars. He paid upfront and planned to pick up the bars immediately, but the fraudster vanished, along with all his money.

The protection: never respond to an unsolicited contact about gold IRA investments, regardless of how legitimate the company sounds. If you’re interested in a gold IRA, select a company proactively through your own research — not through a contact that found you. Avoid making any precious metal rollover decisions without first seeking advice from a licensed financial advisor.

Scam #8: Misleading “Free” Promotions — The Hidden Markup in Free Silver

Many gold IRA companies will advertise promotions that promise “free silver” or “bonus gold” when investors open an account. While these offers may sound attractive, the reality is that they often come with hidden costs. In many cases, the price of the metals being purchased is marked up significantly to offset the cost of these so-called free assets.

The mechanism: a company promotes up to $10,000, $15,000, or even $25,000 in “free” precious metals for opening an account. What the promotion doesn’t disclose — unless the investor asks specifically — is that the primary metals purchased to qualify for the bonus carry inflated premiums above spot price that more than cover the “free” metals’ cost. The investor receives their bonus coins while believing they’ve gotten a windfall, unaware that the markup on their primary purchase exceeded the value of the bonus by a significant margin.

The protection: before agreeing to any promotion, compare the pricing with other precious metals dealers and verify how much you are paying above the metal’s current market price. Ask specifically: what is the premium above spot price for the primary metals I must purchase to qualify for this promotion? And what is the simultaneous buyback quote on those same metals? If the round-trip spread on qualifying metals exceeds the value of the bonus, the promotion is not a benefit — it’s a higher-cost purchase dressed as one.

Scam #9: False Advertising and Exaggerated Historical Performance Claims

Some companies may make unrealistic promises about the potential returns on your investment or claim to have exclusive deals that no other company can offer. They may also use fear-based advertising, warning you about an imminent financial disaster to push you into investing.

The mechanism: marketing materials overstate gold’s historical returns, misrepresent the security of “guaranteed” precious metals, or attribute performance to specific coins or proprietary products that is actually attributable to gold’s general price appreciation. Closely related: marketing that uses carefully cherry-picked time periods to show outsized returns that a prospective investor would have no reason to question.

The protection: gold’s real, documented investment case is compelling enough to evaluate on its merits without exaggeration. Any claim that sounds implausible — “gold always goes up,” “our exclusive coins outperform the market” — should be verified against independent sources before it influences any decision. Overstated historical gains: past performance doesn’t predict future results.

Scam #10: Fake Physical Gold and Counterfeit Products

Some dealers sell coins that have been slightly “shaved” or tampered with, reducing their weight and value. You might not notice the difference, but you’re losing money on underweight gold.

The mechanism: counterfeit gold coins or bars are sold at prices representing genuine bullion content. The most sophisticated counterfeits involve tungsten cores plated with gold to match the weight and appearance of genuine coins. Less sophisticated versions simply involve underweight coins or bars mislabeled as genuine government-minted products.

The protection: purchase only from established, reputable dealers with verifiable track records and accredited credentials. Insist on original sealed mint packaging for bars and coins. For high-value bar purchases, consider independent assay certification. To protect yourself, buy only from reputable dealers who guarantee the weight and authenticity of their coins. Every company I recommend — Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, American Hartford Gold, GoldenCrest Metals — coordinates purchases directly from established, accredited sources with full authenticity documentation.

The 9 Red Flags That Should End Any Gold IRA Conversation Immediately

After nineteen years in this market, these are the signals that tell me to end a conversation without further deliberation:

High-pressure sales tactics that insist you make an immediate purchase or move all your retirement savings into gold. Promises of guaranteed returns on your investment. Websites that appear new or provide no contact information. Unsolicited sales calls. Evasive answers about pricing, fees, or delivery. Offers to sell you gold at a price that is only a fraction of its value. Contract details that differ from salesperson statements.

To this list I add four more that my direct experience in this market has validated:

8. Any mention of home storage as a legitimate IRA option. There is no compliant version of this product. End the conversation and report the company.

9. A representative who will not provide the spot price premium and simultaneous buyback quote in writing. This is the single most important transparency test in the entire evaluation process. A legitimate company provides both immediately, in writing, without hesitation. Deflection on either number tells you everything you need to know about what you’re being sold.

10. A company with less than 5 years of operating history, no physical address, or no verifiable founder information. Fraudulent companies may claim years of operation, but verifying their claims is straightforward. Check a company’s registration status and review its articles of incorporation to confirm its operational history.

11. Pressure to roll over your entire retirement account into gold. Be extremely cautious of anyone encouraging you to cash out your IRAs, 401(k)s or other retirement accounts to buy physical gold, especially if they offer to “help” with the rollover process. Reputable companies recommend allocating 5%–20% of retirement assets to precious metals. Any company suggesting you move everything into gold is operating outside the bounds of responsible financial guidance.

The Verification Checklist: What to Confirm Before Opening Any Gold IRA Account

This is the checklist I give every investor who asks how to vet a gold IRA company before making any commitment. Work through every item before any funds move.

Regulatory and Legal Verification

BBB Check: Search the company at BBB.org. Look for: the rating (A+ is the minimum threshold), the number of complaints filed in the last 3 years, the number resolved vs. unresolved, and the nature of the complaints. Unresolved complaints about delivery delays, hidden fees, or liquidation difficulty are material warning signs regardless of the overall rating.

Business Consumer Alliance (BCA): Search the company at BCArating.com. The BCA’s AAA rating is the gold standard designation specifically for the precious metals industry. The absence of a BCA listing is a data point worth noting.

State Secretary of State Registration: Each state maintains a database of registered businesses, typically accessible through the Secretary of State’s website. Fraudulent companies may claim years of operation, but verifying their claims is straightforward. Search your state’s Secretary of State database to confirm the company’s actual founding date and registration status.

IRS Custodian Verification: Confirm that the specific custodian named for your account appears on the IRS’s published list of approved nonbank trustees and custodians. This list is publicly available at IRS.gov under “Approved Nonbank Trustees and Custodians.”

CFPB Complaint Database: Search the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s public complaint database for complaints filed against the company. The CFPB database is publicly searchable and covers a broader range of financial services complaints than the BBB.

SEC and CFTC Records: You can submit a tip to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission if you suspect a fraudulent precious metals company. Reports can also be made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. Search SEC.gov’s EDGAR database and CFTC.gov’s enforcement actions for any enforcement history involving the company.

Product and Pricing Verification

Spot Price Check: Before any conversation about specific products, verify the current spot price of gold on any financial website — Kitco, Bloomberg, or a simple Google search. This gives you the independent baseline against which to evaluate any dealer’s pricing.

Premium Above Spot — In Writing: Ask for the exact premium above today’s spot price for every specific product discussed. Request this in writing via email. Standard government-minted bullion should carry premiums of 3%–8%. Any product above 10%–15% deserves a detailed explanation. Anything above 20% should be declined.

Simultaneous Buyback Quote — In Writing: On the same call, ask what the company would pay today to buy back the same product they’re selling you. Request this number in writing. The gap between the sell price and the buyback quote is your round-trip spread — the real economic cost of what you’re being offered.

IRS Eligibility Confirmation — In Writing: Request written confirmation that every specific product you’re purchasing is IRS-eligible under IRC Section 408(m). This takes 30 seconds and creates a paper trail that protects you if the purchase is ever reviewed.

Contract and Fee Verification

If you’re presented with a document that’s loaded with fine print, complicated clauses, and a generally confusing structure, don’t sign it. Instead, insist that you will have an attorney or paralegal look over the contract for irregularities.

Request and review the complete fee schedule — setup, annual custodian, annual storage (segregated and commingled rates), transaction fees, wire transfer fees, and any distribution or termination fees — before signing any document. Compare the written fee schedule against the verbal representations made during your conversations. Any discrepancy between the two is itself a material warning sign.

How to Report a Gold IRA Scam

If you believe you’ve been victimized — or suspect a company is operating fraudulently — here are the specific reporting channels that can both protect you and prevent the same harm from reaching other investors:

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): File a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC investigates fraudulent business practices and maintains a public database of reports that supports enforcement actions.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): File a tip at SEC.gov/tcr. The SEC has enforcement jurisdiction over investment fraud including fraudulent IRA structures.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): File a tip at CFTC.gov/complaint. The CFTC has jurisdiction over commodity fraud including precious metals fraud.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): File a complaint at ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB’s public database supports both enforcement and public awareness.

North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA): Immediately contact your local office of the North American Securities Administrators Association. Likewise, it’s also a good idea to report the incident to your local state-level consumer protection office.

Local Law Enforcement: File a police report immediately if you believe you’ve been defrauded. This creates an official record that supports both civil recovery and criminal prosecution.

The Gold IRA Companies That Have Earned My Trust

In nineteen years of evaluating this market, these are the four companies I recommend most consistently — the ones that have demonstrated, through sustained operational history, transparent practices, education-first cultures, and verified customer satisfaction across thousands of independent reviews, that they are genuinely aligned with investor outcomes rather than dealer margin.

Augusta Precious Metals — Founded 2012. Zero BBB complaints since founding. Harvard-trained economist leads mandatory educational web conferences before any purchase. Salary-based, non-commission specialist team. Up to 10 years of fee waivers for qualifying accounts. Money magazine “Best Overall Gold IRA Company” four consecutive years. The industry’s gold standard for investor protection and transparent operation. Best for investors with $50,000 or more.

Goldco — Founded 2006. A+ BBB rating. $3.5 billion in metals placed. 8,000+ five-star reviews. Guaranteed highest-price buyback. Inc. 5000 eight consecutive years. Best for investors with $25,000 or more, particularly first-time buyers.

American Hartford Gold — Founded 2015. A+ BBB rating. $10,000 IRA minimum. Three years of fee waivers at $100,000+. Price-match guarantee. Seven-day-per-week specialist availability. Best for investors starting at $10,000.

GoldenCrest Metals — Founded 2023. A/A+ BBB rating. Five- to ten-year fee waivers for qualifying accounts. Bloomberg-featured. CEO-level accessibility reflecting genuine family-business culture and commitment to education-first operations. Best for investors seeking a boutique, relationship-driven experience.

Summary: How to Avoid Gold IRA Scams — The Complete Protection Framework

After nineteen years of watching this market — its legitimate operators and its predatory ones — here is the complete investor protection framework in its most essential form:

The one rule that eliminates the most risk: Never make a gold IRA purchase decision during the first phone call. Take your time. Research independently. Consult a financial advisor. A legitimate company will welcome this process. A fraudulent one will try to prevent it.

The three questions that protect against the most damaging fraud: “What is the exact premium above today’s spot price for this product?” “What is your simultaneous buyback quote on this same product today?” “Can you provide both answers in writing?” Standard bullion should show round-trip spreads of 5%–15%. Any product above 20% is a red flag. Any representative who won’t provide both numbers in writing is telling you everything you need to know.

The five verification steps no investor should skip: BBB complaint history (not just the rating), state Secretary of State registration confirmation, IRS custodian approval verification, complete written fee disclosure before any document signing, and independent spot price verification before any pricing conversation.

The four permanent disqualifiers: home storage IRA marketing (always illegal), guaranteed return promises (always false), refusal to provide written fee disclosure or spot premium documentation, and high-pressure urgency tactics that try to prevent you from doing research.

Gold IRAs are legitimate, valuable, IRS-sanctioned retirement tools — and in 2026, with the macroeconomic case for precious metals as compelling as I’ve seen it in nearly two decades, the investment thesis for holding physical gold inside a tax-advantaged account is stronger than ever. But that thesis is only captured by investors who choose the right company, purchase the right products at transparent prices, and enter the process with the knowledge to recognize predatory operators before any money moves.

Robert’s story doesn’t have to be yours. Request a free gold IRA kit from Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, American Hartford Gold, or GoldenCrest Metals. Read it before you speak with any specialist. Then use the framework in this guide to evaluate every element of the process with the professional rigor that your retirement savings deserve.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. The author is a financial commentator and precious metals analyst who has invested in self-directed precious metals IRAs since 2007 and whose work has been cited by CNBC, USA Today, and Yahoo Finance. This content does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Precious metals investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always consult a qualified financial advisor and tax professional before making retirement investment decisions. If you believe you have been the victim of investment fraud, contact the FTC, SEC, CFTC, or NASAA immediately.