Gold IRA Complaints: BBB Records of 6 Companies Compared
Gold IRA complaints vary far more than gold IRA ratings do. All six companies we track hold an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, but their three-year complaint counts run from 0 to 110. As of November 11, 2026, Advantage Gold had 0, Augusta Precious Metals 1, Noble Gold Investments 3, Birch Gold Group 10, Goldco 72 and American Hartford Gold 110. Below are the numbers, what the complaints are about, and how to check any company yourself in a few minutes.
Gold IRA company BBB ratings and complaints
Every figure comes from each company's own BBB Business Profile, read on November 11, 2026. Companies are listed from fewest complaints to most.
| Company | BBB rating | Accredited since | In business since | Complaints, 3 years | Closed, last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage Gold | A+ | Aug. 2014 | 2014 | 0 | 0 |
| Augusta Precious Metals | A+ | Feb. 2015 | 2012 | 1 | 1 |
| Noble Gold Investments | A+ | Jan. 2017 | 2016 | 3 | 1 |
| Birch Gold Group | A+ | July 2013 | 2011 | 10 | 3 |
| Goldco | A+ | Dec. 2011 | 2011 | 72 | 34 |
| American Hartford Gold | A+ | June 2016 | 2015 | 110 | 44 |
"Complaints, 3 years" is the total BBB shows for the last three years. "Closed, last 12 months" is BBB's count of complaints closed in the past year. These numbers change, so open the profile yourself before you decide; the links are below.
Sources (BBB complaint pages): Advantage Gold; Augusta Precious Metals; Noble Gold Investments; Birch Gold Group; Goldco; American Hartford Gold. Checked November 11, 2026.
Why an A+ BBB rating does not settle it
All six companies are rated A+ and all six are BBB accredited. If the letter grade were the whole story, there would be nothing to compare. It helps to know what the grade measures.
BBB describes a rating as its opinion of how a business is likely to interact with its customers. The grade is built from seven elements: complaint history, type of business, time in business, transparent business practices, failure to honor commitments to BBB, licensing, and advertising issues. Two details matter here:
- Customer reviews are not in the grade. BBB says reviews are not used to calculate the letter rating.
- Responding counts for a lot. BBB says failing to respond to a complaint may hurt a rating. A company that answers every complaint can keep an A+ with a long complaint list.
BBB also says its complaint history element considers the size of the business. That is fair to the companies, and it is the reason a buyer should look past the grade to the complaints themselves.
Sources: BBB, Overview of BBB ratings; BBB, How BBB complaints are handled.
What gold IRA complaints are usually about
We read the recent complaints on these profiles. Three themes come up again and again:
- The price paid for coins. The most common complaint is that the coins were worth much less than the customer paid when they later checked or tried to sell. That is the dealer premium, the gap between the price you pay and the spot price of the metal. It is rarely published.
- Selling back. Slow responses or a lower offer than expected when the customer wanted to sell.
- Delays and service. Transfers, deliveries or paperwork that took longer than the customer was told.
Company by company, as of November 11, 2026:
- Augusta Precious Metals: one complaint, filed in January 2026, alleging the premiums were too high. Augusta replied in May 2026 that the customer's analysis was incorrect. BBB lists it as answered. Details in our Augusta complaints page.
- Goldco: of 72 complaints, BBB lists 59 as answered and 13 as resolved. The most recent we saw was dated August 2026 and filed under customer service issues. More in our Goldco review.
- American Hartford Gold: 110 complaints in three years, the most in this group. The most recent we saw was dated September 2026 and filed under product issues. More in our American Hartford Gold review.
- Birch Gold Group: 10 complaints in three years; several of the older ones are marked resolved. More in our Birch Gold Group review.
The one question that prevents the most common complaint: ask for the price of each coin and the spot price of the metal on the same written quote, before you fund anything. A 5% premium on $50,000 is $2,500. A 30% premium is $15,000.
Sources: the BBB complaint pages linked above. The dollar examples are our arithmetic. How premiums and account fees add up: gold IRA fees.
How to read a BBB complaint: resolved, answered, unanswered
BBB sends a complaint to the business within two business days and asks for a reply within 10 to 15 calendar days. Most complaints are closed about 30 days after filing, with one of these labels:
| Status | What BBB says it means |
|---|---|
| Resolved | The customer confirmed the issue was resolved to their satisfaction. |
| Answered | The business responded, but the customer did not accept the response or did not confirm they were satisfied. |
| Unresolved | The business responded but did not make a good-faith effort to resolve it. |
| Unanswered | The business did not respond. |
Two limits to keep in mind. First, BBB says the person filing is responsible for the accuracy of the complaint, so a complaint is one side of a dispute plus the company's reply. Second, complaints stay on a profile for three years from the filing date, so an older problem can drop off the page.
"Unanswered" and "unresolved" are the labels to worry about. "Answered" is common and tells you only that the two sides did not agree.
Source: BBB, How BBB complaints are handled.
What these complaint counts do not tell you
They are not adjusted for size. Goldco and American Hartford Gold advertise heavily and likely serve more customers than the smaller firms, so some difference in volume is expected. None of these companies publishes audited customer counts, so we do not calculate a complaint rate and you should be careful with anyone who does.
A complaint is not a finding. Nobody has ruled on who was right. Read the text and the reply, and look for patterns across several complaints.
BBB is not a regulator. The fraud cases in this industry came from the CFTC, the SEC and state attorneys general, and the companies involved were not on this list. Our gold IRA scams and red flags guide covers those cases and the tactics they share.
Low complaints do not make a company right for you. Minimums differ a lot: Augusta requires $50,000, while Birch Gold Group says it starts at $5,000. See Best Gold IRA Companies of 2026 for the full comparison.
How to check gold IRA company complaints in 10 minutes
- Open the BBB profile and click Complaints. Note the three-year total and the 12-month figure. A rising 12-month share is worth a question.
- Read the five most recent complaints and the replies. Look at what the complaint is about and whether the company answers with specifics.
- Search the regulators. Look up the company name with the CFTC and in SEC litigation releases, and check your state attorney general or securities regulator.
- Ask for a written quote. Price per coin, spot price, every account fee, and the buyback terms. A company that will not put these on paper has told you what you need to know.
- Compare two or three companies the same way. The differences show up quickly when the quotes sit side by side.
Sources: Augusta Precious Metals, FAQ; BBB complaints: Augusta. Full write-up: Augusta Precious Metals review. Under $50,000: Augusta alternatives.
Gold IRA complaints: frequently asked questions
Which gold IRA company has the fewest complaints?
Among the six companies we track, Advantage Gold had 0 complaints on its BBB profile and Augusta Precious Metals had 1 in the last three years, as of November 11, 2026. Noble Gold Investments had 3 and Birch Gold Group had 10. Goldco had 72 and American Hartford Gold had 110. All six hold an A+ rating.
Are gold IRA complaints on BBB reliable?
They are useful, with limits. BBB forwards each complaint to the business and publishes the response, but the person filing is responsible for the accuracy of the complaint. Counts are also not adjusted for how many customers a company has. Read the complaint text and the company reply, and check regulator records as well.
What are most gold IRA complaints about?
In the complaints we read, the most common issue was the price paid for coins compared with what they were worth later, which comes back to the dealer premium. Slow responses when a customer wanted to sell, and delays in transfers or delivery, also come up. Asking for the price per coin next to the spot price in writing addresses the first problem.
Does an A+ BBB rating mean a gold IRA company is safe?
No. BBB says a rating is its opinion of how a business is likely to interact with customers, not a guarantee. Customer reviews are not part of the letter grade. All six companies in our table are rated A+, including the two with the most complaints, so the grade alone does not separate them.
How long do complaints stay on a BBB profile?
BBB says complaints appear on a Business Profile for three years from the date they were filed. That is why the profile shows a three-year total and a separate count for the last 12 months.
Where else can I check a gold IRA company for complaints?
Check the CFTC and SEC for enforcement actions, your state attorney general or securities regulator, and court records for lawsuits. BBB covers customer disputes, while regulators cover fraud cases, so use both.
Check the record, then get the price in writing
Complaint counts narrow the list. A written quote with the price per coin and the spot price tells you the rest. If you are moving $50,000 or more, Augusta's free kit covers its fees and process.
Get Augusta's Free Gold IRA Info KitFor balances of $50,000 or more.
Or read our full Augusta Precious Metals review