How to buy gold safely online

Buying gold online is how most of the world's gold changes hands — and how most counterfeits are sold too. The difference between the two is not luck. It comes down to six checks, and anyone can run them.

Check who you're buying from

Look for a licensed or registered dealer with a real address, a real name and a track record. Read reviews across more than one platform, and be cautious of brand-new shops with only glowing, generic five-star reviews.

Know the real price before you negotiate

Gold trades at a public live price (the "spot"), and sellers add a small premium on top. Typical premiums are a few percent for bars and coins, more for jewellery. A price below spot is not a deal — it is a warning.

Insist on proof of purity

Genuine pieces carry hallmark stamps (999/24K, 916/22K, 875/21K, 585/14K) and reputable sellers provide an assay certificate stating purity, weight and serial number. Bars and coins carry their own serials, which match the paperwork.

Pay in a traceable way

Pay by bank transfer to a verified business account, or a payment method with real buyer protection. Treat pressure to use gift cards, crypto-only payments or "friends and family" transfers as a stop sign, not a discount.

Insist on insured, tracked delivery

Full-value, trackable courier with a signature on arrival is the standard for shipping gold. Ask how the parcel is declared and packed before you pay — a serious seller answers this question easily.

Test and record on arrival

Run the simple checks on arrival: no magnet pull, right weight, clean hallmarks, intact seal or packaging. Keep the receipt and certificate with the piece — they protect the resale value later.

Red flags — walk away

Scams follow a script. If you see any of these, the cheapest response is to stop replying:

Prices below the live spot price, or "today only" pressure to pay before you can verify anything.
Sellers with no verifiable identity, address or licence — only a chat app and a photo.
Payment requested in ways you can't trace or reverse: gift cards, crypto only, personal accounts.
Certificates that don't carry matching serial numbers, or photos that look lifted from other websites.
Refusal to ship insured, or vague answers about customs declaration.

How TSIX keeps it safe

Every piece we source is bought from licensed dealers in a regulated gold trading network, priced against the live market, and purity-tested by an independent assay before packing.

Assay certificates and serial records travel with every order, and shipments go by full-value insured courier with door-to-door tracking until the gold is in your hands.

In other words: the six checks above are done for you — and documented, so you can see the evidence yourself.

Ready to buy with confidence?

Send your request — metal, weight, purity and destination — and we'll return a full quote within five business days.

Request a quote

Next up: How much is 24k gold worth today?