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THE DUBLIN MINT Office has denied targeting older people or sending unsolicited items after complaints from a number of customers about receiving coins they didn’t order and then being invoiced for them.
RTÉ’s Liveline programme has received a number of calls from customers who claim to they were sent several coins they did not order and were then invoiced for them.
Dublin woman Philomena this week told the programme that she was sent 100 unwanted coins by the company, with increasing amounts on the invoices each time after ordering her free coin.
She said her husband called the office after they paid some of the invoices and told them to stop sending them but they kept coming.
“He told them they could come and collect their coins because we didn’t want them. They threatened us with legal action and said we owed them €100.”
Liveline / TwitterListener Joe says he received a package from @DublinMint last month. It was a halfpenny and he hadn't ordered it.@joeliveline#liveline
— Liveline (@rteliveline) July 2, 2020
Today a woman told the show that her aunt, who is 76, received a statement last month indicating the balance on her Dublin Mint Office account was more than €56,000.
She said her aunt has ordered coins and is a customer of the company, but “it escalated in late 2019″.
She said the woman received a set of six coins in particular that she did not order. The cost of these coins was €12,193 and that she had paid some of this in instalments because she was “so flummoxed”.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, she said her aunt continued to receive coins she had not ordered, including one priced at more than €16,000. Since 30 March she said she has received medals she didn’t want to the value of €44,800.
“She wasn’t able to get to the Post Office to return these medals. She was so upset and so embarrassed. Cocooning was difficult enough, the circumstances the elderly found themselves in. It came to light when her account went into overdraft due to a Dublin Mint Office payment going out.”
Greg Prosser, CEO of the Samlerhuset Group, parent company of the Dublin Mint Office, acknowledged that some of the stories on the show had been “heartbreaking”.
However he told Liveline presenter Joe Duffy today that the company does not “target a specific customer base”.
Liveline / Twitter"We don't target a specific customer base...by the very nature of the hobby we attract an older customer base."
— Liveline (@rteliveline) July 2, 2020
- Greg Prosser, CEO of Samlerhuset Group@joeliveline#liveline
He said the company does have some young customers, but generally coin collecting is a hobby taken up by older people.
“We do not issue products without express permission from customers and we do not take money from customers without express permission.”
He said the company wants “to get these issues sorted for people” and encouraged them to get in contact either by calling 1800 804 287.
Knock Shrine has requested that its certificates and holy water be withdrawn from a Pope John Paul II coin package offered by the Dublin Mint Office, priced at up to €9,000.
Spokesperson for Knock Shrine Maria Hunt told Liveline they were unaware of the ” types of sales tactics used” by the company. She said Knock Shrine was not paid for the use of these items in the package.
She said the parish priest was approached by the company in October and advised they wanted to present a medal to him to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul II.
“Obviously we were delighted and agreed to that, no problem we’ll accept this medal that you’ve crafted,” Hunt said.
“They came to the shrine and we got the photograph taken but then they explained that they wanted to also get holy water from the shrine to accompany the medal. We just didn’t have any reason to question that, it all seemed fine at the time.”
She said they were not told how much the package would be sold for.
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Typically its name is confusing as to make some believe its an official government department or function and not a private business.
@Mark Brown: And yet it’s been allowed to carry on like this for years. It’s like another business using Institute in it’s name. Certain business names should not be allowed without state authorisation.
@Mark Brown: I got fooled by the name and thought it was official back in 2016. Got their free Padraig Pearse medal and then thought I’d get the rest of the set as it would be nice for the grandkids. Had no problem then but I was pestered with letters and phone calls for months afterwards asking if I wanted to buy their newest offering
@Rebekah Corbett: that’s where the word f off comes in handy
@Seán O’Loughlin: my father got conned out of money from them back in 2016 with a special 1916 collection. Spent 100s of euro on worthless coins. I thought he was buying special commerotative coins from the Central Bank which would have been a good investment.
@Mark Brown: I got caught out momentarily and went as far as the checkout before I realized the scam it was. They still sent me an invoice and said my coin was on its way. I never clicked the order button so emailed them and they ‘cancelled’ the order. It’s deliberate and set up to catch people out. Chancers.
They know exactly what they are doing.
It’s a constant scam attracting people in with the strictly limited free offer of a specialty minted coin or medal. It has nothing to do with the central bank mint. They advertise every day on daytime TV targeting elderly people. Time for them to be fully exposed
I set up an acc for my dad with my email address and have received free coins. I have paid the the post on del. I told them my dad is 78 and hard of hearing not to contact him use me as his point of contact,, Then medals started to arrive but I thought it was just duplicate of what I had ordered and eventually got a letter saying he was being taken to court over non payment. contacted them and was told my dad had authorised to send him a full set of medals, asked how that happened and was told they had called him even though I specifically told them not to, I had to go the post office and send them back. Was told to get a receipt from the post office as proof. Months went bye and all of a sudden another threatening letter. They never received them back apparently. Lucky I had the receipt.
@Olivia Smith: well done looking after your dad and getting a receipt….And more power to you standing up to these bullies…take a bow and keep up the work
@Dan: Thank you Dan
@Olivia Smith: I sent them one back which they said they hadn’t received…… I threatened legal action so miraculously they found it !!!! and sent me a free medal by way of apology.
@Sinead Foley: I told them to collect their medals, I wasn’t wasting time or money posting them back. I eventually put medals sent to me in the wheelie bin and threatening letters and invoices in the stove. When they phoned me I told them they can send all the medals the liked, they would be binned. I looked forward to the phone calls and had a bit of craic riling up the chancer on the other end. They eventually got fed up and stopped all communication.
@Sinead Foley: It’s a joke, old people getting threatening letters is bad enough. I did say I was getting legal advice if they continued. It’s a shocker and my dad will say to me love did I get that medal when he sees it on tv. Total disregard for GFPR. Fair play to you.
@Kieran Woods: Good man Kieran
Please be careful with this lot.
They are definitely guilty of this, ordered the 1916 commerrative coin a few years back, free only pay post and packaging, they kept sending me stuff I never ordered and then sent letters demanding to be paid €200 or thereabouts
Either this company doesn’t have questionable marketing practices, in which case all these people, the majority of whom just happen to be in an older demographic, are lying.
Or faeries are sneaking into the companies offices at night and sending out stock, which they don’t seem to notice going missing. Nor do they seem surprised at the not inconsiderable amounts of money this practice seems to generate. Also, nobody made any offer to return any of this ‘heartbreaking’ practice… I mean faerie messing about.
The CEO kept saying they never sent anything to anyone ‘without their permission’. I’m surprised they didn’t focus in on this on the radio as it’s likely the people who signed up for free coins or bought an initial product inadvertently opted in to more products to be sent to them. I suspect they’re being scammed by the small print.
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: No you do not. You can get one or ten, you don’t sign up to anything further. They bomb bared people even though they have been told not to. They caught my dad out by phoning him to ask if he wanted to get a set sent out. At the time my dad was waiting on a medal and thought they were following up asking if he still wanted it. I had specifically told them not to call him ax he was hard of hearing and to take his number off the account. They did not do this and it resulted in letters being sent to say he was being tacky to court if he didn’t pay for them.
I never received a coin that I did order , probably a good thing now .
Root through your old coin box and if you find a 1985 20 pence coin it’s worth €7,000
You do not have to pay for unsolicited goods* – The Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1980/act/16/section/47/enacted/en/html
says that if someone sends you something and you haven’t agreed to pay for it, or to return it, they have six months to collect it, or you can keep it. If they threaten you with legal proceedings or take steps to have you listed as a debtor, they are guilty of an offence.
*However, the DMO not that naive – I’m sure that, when you order a coin, their small print states that you are happy to receive subsequent coins (always read the small print!). However, if you receive something and have never ordered anything from the sender, then the above laws apply.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1980/act/16/section/47/enacted/en/html
@Type17: absolutely.. Same rule applies here in USA, definitely purchase NOTHING from them and if they send you anything unsolicited it’s a gift. If they invoice you tell them you’ll see them in court.
Parasites
@Pascal Coleman: Big time
They are a shower of crooks! The one free coin offer usually claims to be ‘no obligation’ but they will send out other coins almost immediately and then invoice you. If you don’t pay promptly they quickly threaten legal action. I had to send a bunch of unrequested coins back to them before but I said I’d contact my solicitor if they harassed me again. It doesn’t surprise me that they’d prey on vulnerable people, they are gangsters.
@James Walsh: I just dumped the coins and threw the invoices and legal letters into the stove. Easy and painless.
This is very much a scam, fraud, report it to the Gardai.
Yes it very much aimed at our elderly community.
Those of whose who understand the scam tell the company to eff off and come collect your coins, not a penny will I pay, the company has no interest in sending coins to these people.
Our older folk don’t understand, for them a letter warning of legal action is a real thing and they greatly fear a court case, employing a solicitor, what the neighbors might think or say. That’s the scam, preying on the vulnerable. These people may not sleep properly for a week or more before paying up and assuming they will now go away, when more coins and bills come its hugely damaging. If you are in your eighties these sort of stresses can and will make you ill. Also some people do not have the money in the first place so are now under severe pressure.
What channels are carrying the ads?
They’ve pledged to review their systems and have promised “big change is on it’s way”
@Larry Betts:
A customer base comprising levels of IQ of Brexit believers is clearly thin on the ground in EU’s Eire.
Big changes could mean market exit! Ooh!
Htf did it succeed in registering that business name in the first place? Maybe they started off intending to sell After Eights!
@Larry Betts: Which appears to have been the problem to begin with. Full circle.
It’s advertised as if it’s a state body and naturally enough you think they are especially minted coins authorised by the central bank. A total con job
Yes they do, buying a keepsake for the grand kids. With extra bills that come in the post.
https://images.app.goo.gl/qJ7S4tgJcYDhiD2x8
Greg Prosser. The guy from Wales running the show.
@Padraic O Sullivan: Greg Prosser=Toerag
Pure scam,it should be closed down, its not fit for purpose
The question I would like answers to are who gave them permission to use the title or name Dublin mint.
You can’t just use it if I was to use the name London mint what would happen?
Someone or some body regarding Dublin is totally involved in granting permission or are we exposed to this scam?
@Bernd Costello:
This is an excerpt from a post on a British forum which answers your question.
“Hi,
Unfortunately, my family member fell for London Mint Office very misleading TV ad, and ordered a coin from them. Judging by the company over 200 million annual profits, the ads are really working well. Have to admit, the authors are skilled psychologists. LMO has nothing to do with the Royal Mint, it is a privately owned company, subsidiary of a Norwegian company with similar practice. There is also a Dublin Mint Office, with identical ways of conducting business.”
I applied for the free coin and got it. Then I got a phone call with the hard sell for the next one ( I can’t recall the price). Told them I’d send it back if I didn’t like it. I did send it back but mea culpa I didn’t get a receipt. Anyway as usual…. they never received my return. Numerous phone calls… in fairness staff were nice…. no resolution but they assured me they’d fix it. Then an invoice arrived lookin for the price of the coin….numerous further phone calls. Eventually I threatened legal action on phone. Two days later got an email with an apology as the return had miraculously turned up. By way of apology they sent me the next coin free as a gesture of good will do in my case all was well that ended well. Sounds like I’m in the minority tho.
Anyone who thought of these things as an investment are easily fooled out of their money. Silver bullion being sold by the grams when a cursory Internet search shows that they are selling it at 14 times its value
It be gas if they started refunding money to people scamming them instead
@jimfitzpatrick should cease a to promote them on tv
Who sets up an account or gives bank details to people like this !! Of course they are targeting the older age group and more vulnerable person , the question is now can they be stopped .
E
They have being preying on the vulnerable in this country l hope they go out of business after they pay back monies to the people the have fleeced.
They absolutely send out coins you haven’t ordered with an invoice, saying something like ‘we thought you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity! Simply send it back if you don’t want it within 1 month” of course I don’t want it I never ordered it, and now I have to go to the bother of returning it?! Never get one of their ‘free gift to the country’ coins it’s just a way to get your address and scam you
I bought a Micheal Collins coin recently it never arrived even after getting in touch by email,sending my address again,stay well away from them.
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