The mint return policy

Has anyone noticed that the Mint charge your card (sometimes several times!) for the price of a returned item? Think about that- it could incur some heavy charges if they made you over-draft. These are UNAUTHORIZED charges and if you do not know it is coming it could really hurt you.

 

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I hear you! I've been in the danger zone a few times and if the mint pulled that on my debit card, I don't eat? That's not right, and I would call them and than my bank to get back immediate credit! Heck I would 3-way call both at the same time, and if I'm not eating Chinese by 6PM there would be **** to pay!

 

each state has consumer fraud laws- this must be in violation of some of those.

 

Yep, The Mint is making it tougher to return coins. Guess they got tired of us all returning until we got 70's.

 

Mint just emailed me to say they got my return and the amount credited (for four sets, 2010), but of course, I don't see it back in my account. I am hoping to see a notice soon letting me know they've sent replacements. Suppose then my balance will be zero on their accounting, but I will have to wait and see what happens.

 

the premium attached to mint sold coins carries with it a responsibility on their part to never send out coins with flaws that are visible without magnification. If you can see the flaw with your naked unaided eye they are defrauding you. The premium carries with it that responsibility. Now they are adding to their fraud by making unauthorized charges to credit card and bank accounts. They have crossed over into the rhelm of being a criminal organization.

 

How about the simple fact, humans are not perfect and are subject to making errors and let it go at that.

The Mint produces millions of products each year, and that's combining all three branches, plus what West Point produces and mistakes will happen. Accusing them of being criminal is harsh, and unless you are prepared to post some evidence of that, moot.

Is anyone twisting your arm forcing you to purchase from the Mint?

 

I think that the concept of "reasonable expectation" enters in here. These are new collector coins (I am not talking about the rolls here) which by definition do not have visible flaws. That human error part comes in when the loupe come out. Keep in mind that most of the spouse coins that I have bought over the last year and a half have had visible flaws. If I were buying cars (fleet) and that many had obvious defects and the dealer jerked me around the way the mint does I would be working with the attorney general on a complaint.

 

Compare the Mint's defect rates with cars. The 2005 Ford Mustang had 5 complaints/vehicle. The Hyundai Sonata was 2/100 and the Nissan Quest was an astoundingly bad 49/100.
If you look at the Mint's website (and I am not an apologist for them), nowhere do you find a guarantee of any surface condition or grade. Granted, if you get a coin that you are not happy with, you can return it.
Criminality is a long stretch on any imagination.

 

They are doing unauthorized charges on credit and debit accounts, that seems pretty criminal to me.

 

If you have an unauthorized charge on the card used as a credit card, it can be reversed by your bank. Yes, it's a hassle, but it works, the law I think is 4 days they have to. Plus the bank usually reverses any charges they made for you being overdrawn. I don't see it can be proven as criminal unless you can prove that they do this to get and keep extra money from you and others this way. But it's still up to you to keep track of your account and respond if you find discrepancies.

 

I don't think you quite get what they are doing. I paid the full and entire amount. they sent the product. I returned it. They charged my account AGAIN (remember they still have the entire purchase price) for the entire amount. This time I have a "pending" charge for a third full amount of the purchase price. So far they have taken $3K for a $1K coin and they also have the coin. btw they usually take 4+ days on this.

 

If you think for one second that every "collector" coin produced by the US int and mailed out to paying customers is examined by even ONE human eye, then I guess I can understand why YOU might think its fraud .

The fact of the matter is that only a small percentage of these coins are looked at to insure that the production/minting/packaging process is running smoothly.

 

the initial extra charge was made on 9-7-11 (more than 4 days) now the second charge $1K+ is no longer "pending" but is a full charge against my account.

 

Visa’s cardholder protection policy requires all financial institutions issuing Visa products to extend provisional credit for losses from unauthorized card use within 5 business days of notification of the loss.

Go to your bank and to a banking professional (not the teller) and tell them what's going on. You will have to fill out a form, but make it clear you want the provisional credits asap, and preferably by the next day. That's if you used your Bank issued card as a credit card, vs a debit or pos (point of sale) transaction. It's not the longest form, and it also puts them on notice that you have issues.

 

I simply do not understand.

Are you saying:

1. You Buy a US Mint Product
2. The US Mint charges your card for the purchased item
3. You then return the US Mint Product specifying you want a refund
4. The US Mint Charges your card for the product again?
5. The US Mint then credits your account for item number 4
6. The US Mint then credits your account for item number 5

OR

Are you saying:

1. You Buy a US Mint Product
2. The US Mint charges your card for the purchased item
3. You then Return the US Mint Product specifying you want a REPLACEMENT
4. The US Mint Charges your card for the replacement product?
5. After 15 days or so, The US Mint then credits your account for the original purchase which you returned.

If its the latter then both transactions are being treated as separate transactions where the replacement is billed and mailed before the refund is issued on the product being returned.

If its the former, then its clearly abuse.

 

Do you reasonably expect your big mac meal to be perfectly assembled?

BTW, comparing used cars to collector coins from the Mint is comparing apples to oranges.

 

Odd. Why was I thinking lemons?

 

Hello?

Danr?

Wanna splain what you're talking about?

 

I have been on the phone with the credit card fraud dept twice on this- they tried to call the mint for clarification while I was on the phone- unfortunately it was after mint hours. The bank people did not think it sounded kosher. The bank told me to call the mint- which I did- the mint gave me a contact at their hq which I will give to the bank on Monday when the bank tries to contact the mint again. I will ask about the provisional credit when they call the mint on Monday- thanks. The USMint number I was given is (202)756-6468 if anyone is also having a problem with this.