National Jewelerreports that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Cash4Gold, a a mail-in refiner that promises to pay cash for gold jewelry that people mail in. The lawsuit alleges that Cash4Gold is stealing some of the jewelry that is mailed to them.
"However, this high degree of care is a lie, as items sent to Cash4Gold are commonly 'lost,'" the suit alleges. "At best, this means that Cash4Gold is not exercising the high degree of care it has promised and is liable for negligence. At worst, this means that Cash4Gold is intentionally stealing the goods sent to it and is liable for conversion."
The second alleged example of fraud outlined in the suit involves Cash4Gold's 12-day return policy, which asserts that customers who are unsatisfied with the price offered to them for their gold jewelry may contact Cash4Gold and have their jewelry returned to them.
"However, this 'return policy' is a lie," the lawsuit alleges. "Importantly, it is measured from the date on the check sent to consumers. Then Cash4Gold, as a matter of company policy or practice, routinely issues the checks, sets them aside, and mails them out days later so that customers do not receive their checks until after the 12-day return window has already passed...customers are simply unable to reject Cash4Gold's offer or to have their jewelry returned to them.
The lawsuit also alleges that Cash4Gold's customer service reps are specially trained to mislead customers. Cash4Gold denies the allegations are true. They told National Jeweler that the "complaint is without merit, and Cash4Gold intends to vigorously defend the case."