An amusing letter purporting to be from Cash4Gold telling a customer to please stop sending them gold-painted rocks and making filthy demands has been making the rounds (read it inside). But in statements exclusive to Consumerist, the company says it’s as genuine as pyrite. The letter’s creator has fessed up too. [More]
Cash4gold
Clip Of Ben Popken On NPR Talking About Mail-In Gold
By 5.25.10
If you didn’t catch Consumerist on NPR last Friday, here’s the clip of me on All Things Considered chatting about mail-in gold buyers: [More]
Sears And Kmart Want To Buy Your Gold
By 5.17.10
The next time you want to sell some old gold jewelry, you can just take it to your nearest Kmart or Sears. The retailers have announced a partnership with something called Pro Gold Network, which basically amounts to, “You can pick up a mailer and instructions at our jewelry departments.” Remember, though, that mail-in services almost always pay less than what you can get locally from a jeweler or pawn shop, or by selling to a refinery directly. Here’s what Pro Gold Network will pay so you can compare rates. [More]
Cash4Gold: Catch Ben Popken Monday On All Things Considered
By 5.14.10
Tune in Monday to NPR’s All Things Considered to catch an interview I did with them about Cash4Gold, aka the story that will never die. [More]
Cash4Gold Supports Regulations Proposed By Congress
By 5.12.10
Cash4Gold supports legislation designed to regulate it and its competitors, according to a letter from the company’s president, Jeff Aronson. “Cash4Gold supports HR 4501, the Guarantee of a Legitimate Deal Act, and the provisions outlined in the bill,” Aronson wrote to two congressman who are backing the bill.
Worst Company In America Final Four: Comcast VS Cash4Gold
By 4.22.10
Well, well, well, what do we have here? It’s our nation’s largest cable company and harbinger of mergepocalypse doom, Comcast, VS a certain little company from Florida. [More]
Meet Your Worst Company In America 2010 Final Four!
By 4.21.10
After three rounds of voting, 28 of the most despised companies in the U.S. have fallen, beaten and bloodied as they attempted to win the coveted title of Worst Company In America and the elegant golden poo trophy that goes along with it. Now, with just days left in the tournament, only four remain. [More]
Worst Company In America Elite 8: Cash4Gold Vs. PayPal
By 4.20.10
Here it is folks, the final match-up of the WCIA Elite 8… And it’s a doozy. Hailing from sunny Florida is the king of undervalued bling, Cash4Gold! And flying in from the West Coast just to prove they know a thing or two about horrendous customer service and questionable business practices, it’s every Internet user’s frenemy, PayPal! [More]
Worst Company In America: Best Buy VS Cash4Gold
By 4.12.10
Well folks, it’s the battle of the recent investigations! We took a look at Best Buy’s Geek Squad Optimization service and found that it was a big stupid annoying waste of money — and Cash4Gold… well….take a look for yourself. [More]
Worst Company In America 2010: AIG VS Cash4Gold
By 3.29.10
Last year’s winner, AIG, takes on a small little company out of Florida. It’s David VS Goliath. [More]
Cash4Gold Stops Suing Whistleblowers; FL AG Launches Investigation
By 2.16.10
The lawsuit stemming from our post from last year, “10 Confessions Of A Cash4Gold Employee,” is all over. At the beginning of February, Cash4Gold stopped suing the two ex-employees Michele Liberis and Vielka Nephew. And just this Sunday, the Florida Attorney General announced they’ve opened a civil investigation into Cash4Gold. It seems you can still speak truth to power after all. [More]
Ben Popken On Today Show: Beware Mail-In Gold Services
By 1.21.10
UPDATE: Here’s the video! Unless I get bumped by some zoo zebras giving birth or something, set your DVRs to “posterity” for tomorrow morning, 7:30, Today Show, NBC. They are skewering Cash4Gold and other mail-in gold places and you’ll probably have the thrill of seeing me for a few nanoseconds. All joking aside, it’s great this issue is getting more traction (Congress-critter calling for FTC probe, NYT and NY Post article). Good stuff. [More]
Congressman Demands FTC Probe Of Cash4Gold
By 1.19.10
Citing Consumerist’s investigation of Cash4Gold, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) has demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate Cash4Gold and its competitors.
Weiner is also proposing legislation, the Guarantee of a Legitimate Deal (GOLD) Act, which would regulate the mail-order gold-buying industry. “Cash4Gold is using these tough times as a golden opportunity to fleece customers,” Weiner said. “These deceptive practices must end.”
Here's Something We Won't Be Investigating
By 11.18.09
We asked for permission but our boss said, “No.”
Super Bowl Ads From Cash4Gold And GE: Where Are They Now?
By 10.24.09
Sure, Super Bowl ads are a great way to generate a lot of buzz for your company or product. But how do you fare in the long term? Consumer Reports Home took a look at two stars of Super Ad Bowl 2009: Cash4Gold and General Electric.
Cash4Gold Hit With Racketeering And Fraud Class Action Lawsuit
By 10.15.09
A class action lawsuit (PDF) was filed against Cash4Gold in California federal court last Friday, accusing the company of a “massive scheme to defraud tens of thousands of consumers throughout the nation,” and racketeering.
Cash4Gold Drops Consumerist From Lawsuit
By 9.25.09
Cash4Gold has dropped Consumerist as a defendant in the lawsuits against ex-employees Michelle Liberis and Vielka Nephew.
Cash4Gold Threatened Jail If Negative Comments Weren't Removed
By 9.18.09
Ex-Cash4Gold employee Vielka Nephew filed a motion to vacate the default in the company’s lawsuit against her this week, a lawsuit we’re a party to. By getting rid of the default she would then be able to defend herself in the lawsuit and to seek to undo the default injunction which Cash4Gold had obtained against her. One highlight of Nephew’s legal papers is the declaration attached as Exhibit C, in which she says Cash4Gold’s lawyers told her the company would seek jail time for her and Michele Liberis if the statements Liberis posted on the internet about the company — which Cash4Gold alleged to be false and defamatory – were not removed. Here’s what Vielka declared:
