Outlook Spotlight

Red Rock Secured Review: Is It A Safe Investment Option?

Hello investors, and welcome to my Red Rock Secured Review! If you enter the investment world, picking the right company is crucial. You have to analyze certain companies in-depth to determine the most suitable one for your needs.

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Red Rock Secured Review
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For precious metals enthusiasts, you may have come across Red Rock Secured. This company is regarded as a strong contender, especially in Gold IRA, and prides itself in providing sufficient investment education to its clients.

But a good reputation and high-quality products may not be enough for some clients to decide if a company is worth their time and money. The question is: Does Red Rock Secured have what it takes to provide the best investments to their clients? Continue reading this Red Rock Secured review to find out more.

Red Rock Secured Review Summary

Company Name: Red Rock Review (now rebranded to American Coin Co.)

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Website: https://redrocksecured.com/

Founders: Shade Johnson-Kelly (Sean Kelly)

Price: Depends on the product/investment

Rating: 3 out of 5

What Is Red Rock Secured?

Red Rock Secured is a privately owned business that was founded in 2009 and is situated in Southern California. Like other precious metals companies, they help diversify investors’ portfolios with gold, silver, and IRAs.

Aside from offering high-quality precious metals, they aim to help their clients be more informed about the mechanics of investments and retirement through education and constant guidance. They also claim to be a company with core values like integrity assuring customers of excellent service.

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The company’s founder is Sean Kelly, whose extensive finance background aided him to open this business. He also said that the 2008 financial crisis pushed him to pursue a business specializing in retirement investments involving precious metals.

Having been in the industry for over a decade, it is no wonder Red Rock Secured has made a name for itself. As per the annual Inc. 5000 list, Red Rock Secured was part of the top 4% of the thriving private companies in the country and even bagged the top spot for gold IRA companies. They have also been featured in prestigious publications such as Fortune Magazine.

Red Rock Secured Products

As mentioned, Red Rock Secured specializes in precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, suitable for IRAs. But, if you want to invest in precious metals but not for IRA purposes, Red Rock Secured has also got you covered. Take a closer look at their products below:

Precious Metals Coins

If you’re new to precious metals investments or want to start a collection, you can choose between gold, silver, platinum, and palladium from Red Rock Secured. Please note that some items may not be available at certain times as their supply fluctuates. Here are some of their coins and bars:

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  • Red Lion Gold Coin
  • Red Lion Silver Coin
  • Gold Sovereign
  • Silver Sovereign
  • Red-Tailed Hawk
  • Canadian Gold Red-Tailed Hawk Coin
  • Canadian Silver Red-Tailed Hawk Coin
  • American Gold Eagle Coin
  • American Silver Eagle Coin
  • American Platinum Eagle Coin
  • American Palladium Eagle Coin
  • American Buffalo Coin
  • 90% Silver U.S. Coin or Junk Silver

Bullion

Red Rock Secured also offers bullion products of different types and sizes. The following are some examples:

  • Gold American Eagle
  • Silver American Eagle
  • Platinum American Eagle
  • Gold American Buffalo
  • Gold Canadian Maple Leaf
  • Silver Canadian Maple Leaf
  • Platinum Canadian Maple Leaf
  • Gold Valcambi CombiBar
  • Silver Valcambi Bar
  • Gold South African Krugerrand
  • Silver South African Krugerrand

Premium Products

You can choose among the company’s premium offerings to upgrade your investments. The following list is the metals’ main types, and each specific product can also be subject to changing availability:

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  • American Buffalo Proof
  • American Eagle Proof
  • America the Beautiful
  • Canadian Red-Tailed Hawk
  • Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Canadian Rose Crown Guinea
  • Canadian Polar Bear & Cub
  • Canadian Polar Bear
  • Canadian Gyrfalcon
  • Canadian Grizzly Bear
  • Rose Crown Guinea
  • Gold British Queens Beast
  • Franklin Half Dollar Circulated
  • Silver 90% Junk by Face Value
  • 1964 JFK Half Dollar
  • Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollar Circulated
  • Silver Peace $1
  • Silver Mercury Dime Circulated

Precious Metal IRAs

The bulk of Red Rock Secured’s offerings is their precious metals IRA, available in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Should you decide to open a retirement account with them, you can start by contacting a representative so you can express your investment goals.

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Their one-on-one consultations greatly help educate clients about how to start their IRA journey. From basic concepts to more complicated topics, they discuss everything so you can fully grasp what will happen with your investment. With their expertise and support, you can choose the appropriate option for you, and eventually let you set up a self-directed IRA.

Educational Resources And Tools

Aside from precious metals and IRAs, Red Rock Secured is committed to its education services. They offer consultations, articles, and guidelines so clients can understand what they are getting into.

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Some of the tools and resources that aid in giving the whole investment experience to customers are as follows:

  1. Real-Time Gold and Silver Charts - Helps investors evaluate their precious metals' performance on time.
  2. Knowledge Center and Research - This is especially helpful for new and seasoned investors who want to know more about investing in precious metals. These teach them the ins and outs of investing and inform them about experts' latest research about precious metals.
  3. The Gold Watch - Provides insights on scenarios involving gold investments and financial crises. This provides perspective to investors about their future decisions to continually invest in precious metals.
  4. Global Gold News - Similar to the Gold Watch but more on current happenings on precious metals. This informs people about how to take advantage of investing in precious metals at the right time.

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Prices and Fees

As you navigate through Red Rock Secured’s website, you can see that the products’ prices are not shown, unlike other precious metals companies. The lack of product prices might inconvenience potential customers since it will be difficult for them to gauge their options compared to other companies.

In terms of fees, the company states that most clients are entitled to their “no fees for life” policy. But, in other services, they do require a fee.

For instance, you must pay a minimum of $1,500 for cash purchases and a minimum investment of $10,000 when opening an IRA. You can get money from your 401(k) or IRA to reach the minimum amount. There is also a $80 account setup fee.

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If you mean to get precious metals but not for an IRA, the minimum purchase amount is $2,500.

Meanwhile, storage fees depend on your gold IRA and the services you avail for them. Usually, they range from $125 to $300; you can waive this for a year or less. If you can’t decide the term, you can settle for the middle ground, which is ten years.

For shipping, the company guarantees free shipping every time you buy precious metals.

How To Start An IRA With Red Rock Secured?

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Getting into an investment can be a confusing process, especially for beginners. Luckily, Red Rock Secured designed a hassle-free process of setting up accounts so clients are comfortable and well-informed. Should you decide to open an IRA with them, you only need to follow these steps:

  1. One-on-one consultation with a representative - The client will be taught about precious metals investment so he/she can assess if this type of investment is right for him/her. The client can also ask whatever questions he/she has during this stage. Note that this step comes with no cost.
  2. Pick an IRA - The client will choose an IRA custodian to take care of the IRA. Usually, investors choose a Gold IRA rollover or self-directed IRA but you can also opt for a traditional or Roth account.
  3. Find out your source of funding - You can transfer funds from existing savings or retirement accounts to your new IRA. You can seek assistance from a rollover specialist to get through this step.
  4. Buying precious metals - Explore and determine which precious metals you plan on investing in. Check if a certain precious metal is eligible for IRA before buying.
  5. Designate a depository - Partner with a chosen custodian such as Kingdom Trust or Equity Trust so they can store your precious metals in a depository like Delaware Depository. If you want to arrange a home storage instead, you must make an LLC, be well versed in IRS rules on IRA asset storage, and follow the requirements.

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Reviews and Ratings (Updated November 2023)

When choosing where to invest, people may be drawn more to Red Rock Secured due to their positive standing and usually high ratings from different review sites such as the ones below:

  • Better Business Bureau - NR and 4.68 out of 5 stars from 88 reviews
  • Business Consumer Alliance - AAA rating and 5 out of 5 stars from 143 reviews
  • Consumer Affairs - 5 out of 5 rating from 139 reviews
  • Trustpilot - 4.6 out of 5 stars from 161 reviews
  • Google - 4.7 out of 5 stars from 135 reviews

Most customers are glad to have received high-quality precious metals and very friendly and informative customer service from the company.

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Complaints and Lawsuits

Even if Red Rock Secured has garnered almost perfect scores from review sites and customers, that’s all they’ll ever be - almost perfect. This is because no company is safe from dissatisfied customers.

Some potential investors look at negative reviews to know the possible problems they will encounter when engaging with the company and determine if they’re willing to take the risks.

Red Rock Secured does an incredible job at handling timely complaints, attending to customers’ needs, and hearing their feedback. Also, the complaints they get are usually minor, such as regarding delayed shipping or small misunderstandings. Some may also be about issues with metals and whether they are proof or bullion and investment timescales.

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At first glance, Red Rock Secured is a perfect investment choice. But you have to know that nothing is perfect. Aside from the little complaints that they get, there may be a bigger concern that can discourage clients from choosing Red Rock Secured.

In March 2023, the company was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) due to a fraud scheme that targets retirement accounts. In fact, Sean Kelly, the company’s CEO, and two Senior Account Executives, Anthony Spencer and Jeffrey Ward, are also charged with the fraudulent scheme.

The complaint states that they convinced or tricked their numerous clients into selling their securities to buy precious metals at very extreme markups. This began in 2017, wherein the defendants misled their clients by instructing them to sell their securities held in their IRAs, Thrift Savings Plan Accounts, and 401(k) at 1%-5% markup plans to protect their savings.

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But the truth is that they charged up to a whopping 130% markup, misappropriating up to $30 million from the more than $50 million that their investors gave them. They also allegedly used deceit and fear to push their clients into their scheme.

As a result, the SEC seeks disgorgement permanent injunctions, and charges the defendants with civil penalties and interest for violating the antifraud provisions. Sean Kelly will also be barred from being an officer and director.

Red Rock Secured Pros

  • Extensive selection of precious metals
  • High ratings on reputable sites
  • Available Thrift Savings Plans (TSP)
  • Freedom to select any storage facility
  • Continuing involvement in cutting-edge technology
  • Free shipping and insurance for every order
  • Little to no fees for IRAs
  • Price Protection Plan
  • Convenient Buyback program
  • Accommodating and knowledgeable customer service

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Red Rock Secured Cons

  • Products’ prices are not shown on their website
  • Lacking fee details
  • No online buying (you can only buy when speaking with a representative)
  • Unclear stock information
  • Minimum of $10,000 to open a gold IRA
  • Recent fraud lawsuit

Red Rock Secured FAQ

1. Are representatives from Red Rock Secured official financial advisors?

No, but they are equipped with extensive knowledge of financial and investment matters, so they can accommodate every need and question of their clients.

2. Does Red Rock Secured have a buyback program?

Yes, they have a hassle-free, no-questions-asked buyback program, free of charge.

3. Does Red Rock Secured have a return policy?

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Yes. Ordinarily, orders are considered final after confirmation. But if you need to cancel them, you are given seven calendar days after the first transaction’s confirmation. This rule can change depending on the laws of the state where you reside.

4. What safety measures does Red Rock Secured practice to keep my investments safe?

Red Rock Secured is connected with reputable and trusted storage facilities to ensure the safety of the precious metals from theft, loss, damage, etc.

5. Can I withdraw from my account?

Yes, but you must be 59½ years old to withdraw; otherwise, you will face a tax penalty. When you turn 73 years old, you must take the needed minimum distributions if you ever have a traditional IRA. This could also result in tax penalties if not complied with.

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6. How can I monitor my precious metals investments’ performance?

Thanks to their website’s real-time gold and silver charts, you can check your investments' performance. For more details, you can check the World Gold Council, which offers various gold pricing information through its portfolio simulator and other offerings.

Is Red Rock Secured A Scam?

Given the company’s high ratings and many years of experience in precious metals investment, it’s safe to say that Red Rock Secured is legitimate. Not only do they provide exceptional products and efficient customer service, but they are also dedicated to continuous improvement - at least, that’s what they make it seem to be.

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Even if we can overlook the minimal complaints that the company receives, it can’t be ignored that they have faced a lawsuit on fraud charges. This is enough to make some investors steer clear of Red Rock Secured.

It is a big consideration to take, given that this has been going on for a while, and they victimized hundreds of people by using scare tactics and deceit, meaning they did it intentionally.

Even with the seemingly glowing reviews, one can question if the company is still safe to invest in because of such a major lawsuit. They might have been operating faithfully initially, but their image is already tainted, given their fraud scheme.

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Conclusion

Like other precious metals companies, Red Rock Secure seems to comply with the products and services they’re required to provide investors. They have also established themselves as a big player in the industry with their ratings and years of experience.

However, the lawsuit they faced regarding defrauding investors is a major red flag. Clients may hesitate to partner with them, fearing that their money will be pocketed and exploited.

For a company that claims that they operate with core values, like integrity, they exhibited the exact opposite. Clients should also look into a company’s negative sides because sometimes, these speak more volumes than positive reviews. They should then assess how the company handles such problems to see if they’re still a worthy choice.

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But you should also know that Red Rock Secured has undergone rebranding and is now known as American Coin Co. They offer similar products and services but are under new management. If you want to give the company a shot, we urge you to do a deep dive into its legitimacy and the validity of its products and operations.

Thank you for reading my Red Rock Secured review! Hopefully, it has given you insights that will be helpful in your investment decisions.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.

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