Wow, Big News on Karatbars International – It’s Not Looking Good!
Harald Seiz in Hot Water – Arrest Warrant Issued!
Guys, you won’t believe what’s been going down with Karatbars International. A German court has just issued an arrest warrant for Harald Seiz, the big boss of Karatbars. This is huge and definitely not the kind of news you want to hear about a company we talked about before.
Background Recap
As a quick recap, Karatbars International was known for selling small, manageable gold bars and offering a unique business model. Founded in 2011 by Harald Seiz, the company expanded its reach globally, operating in numerous countries and creating a network of K-Exchanges. Our initial review highlighted the innovative approach of making gold accessible and the opportunity to earn through their network marketing strategy.
What’s the Beef?
So, here’s the scoop: It looks like the authorities in Stuttgart have been digging into Karatbars, suspecting it’s a Ponzi scheme. The big question they’re trying to answer is whether Seiz lured investors into his gold business and then swindled them. Talk about drama!
Karatbars’ Rollercoaster Ride
Remember when I told you about Karatbars and their whole gold game? Well, things went south after they jumped into the cryptocurrency world. They launched this coin called KBC in 2019, and let me tell you, it was a disaster. The coin tanked, and Karatbars just couldn’t recover.
Other Players and New Ventures
And it’s not just Seiz in the spotlight. Josip Heit, the Chairman of the Board, is a key figure too. He’s now into this new gig, GSPartners, which honestly sounds a lot like Karatbars. As for Seiz, he tried to get Karatbars back on its feet a few times, but nothing really stuck.
What’s Happening Now?
Seiz is apparently chilling in Thailand now and chatting with the court over email. Meanwhile, the traffic to their latest project, MineBase, has pretty much plummeted. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
My Two Cents for You Guys
For anyone who got mixed up with Karatbars, here’s my advice:
- Keep Your Eyes Peeled: Stay updated on this whole legal mess. It’s better to know what’s going on than be caught off guard.
- Check Your Pockets: If you put money into Karatbars, it might be time to talk to a financial guru.
- Legal Eagle: If you’re in deep, you might want to chat with a lawyer. Better safe than sorry, right?
Bottom Line
This whole Karatbars saga is a classic example of why you’ve got to be super careful with where you put your money, especially in these high-risk, high-drama ventures. As always, do your homework before diving into anything.
I’ll keep you guys posted as more info comes out. And hey, if you’ve got any stories or insights about Karatbars, drop them in the comments. We’re all in this together!
KaratBars International Review
Name: KaratBars International
Website: www.karatbars.com
Price: $0 Starter Membership (get free account)
Owner: Harald Seiz
Overall Rank: 90 out of 100
Who it’s for: Newbie – Expert
So a little back story here be fore we discuss is karatbars a scam or not…. I was looking for an engagement ring and came across a very talented and successful private jeweler here in Canada. I’ve been dealing with him for several months now, finding the right size diamond with all the attributes I want and designing the ring. Nearing the end of our negotiations and making arrangements for final payment. I was talking to him about how I buy gold bullion and save it.
So he mentions this new way of buying gold in smaller, more manageable sizes and can make income from it. Well of course I became intrigued. I asked myself “is Karatbars a legitimate business opportunity?”. I am always on the hunt for the best affiliate programs and top notch affiliate networks.
So he sends me a link with some info and I go through and check it out. DO some research online about this company KaratBars International. I find that in order to TRULY review a product or service you have to TRY it.
You cant be a window shopper and walk up to the glass, obscured vision by the clutter in the window you walk away thinking “that store doesn’t look good”. No you can’t do that. That’s precisely like judging a book by its cover.
So I sign up to see just how easy it is. There’s two options. You can become an affiliate or buy gold as a consumer for your personal savings.
So Who Is KaratBars International?
So a proper introduction here. KaratBars International was founded in 2011, by a gentlemen by the name of Herald Seiz. A self sufficient and successful man in the financial services industry. 2008 he joined a precious metals company and became the top in that company. But he was dreaming on a larger scale and had a much better vision. “Gold in small units available for everyone – and that worldwide – was a fantastic idea to offer people more certainty.”
His company now is in 122 different countries, with the vision to expand to 194 countries and continue to help people with financial security. The company sells gold in small manageable sums. 1g, 2.5g and 5g increments. Sounds simple enough, right?
The reason for these small increments is to have “spendable” gold bullion. I think they hit the nail on the head, when in the video they asked you to imagine buying groceries with an ounce of gold! They are essentially building a network of K-Exchanges around the globe. If you have a business in your particular state/province you can register as a K-Exchange. Essentially these K-Exchanges allow you to buy/sell gold and buy merchandise from that particular K-Exchange.
This is one of the very few Network Marketing companies to enter into the precious metals market.
About The Gold
Ah yes, the good stuff. The gold bars are produced by a company by the name of Atasay Kuyumculuk Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS (“ATAkulche” is the brand name) , whom is part of the London Bullion Market Association.
Two of My Karabars cards. 1g & 5g
All Karatbars Gold bars are:
1. Certificated and laminated with UV protective film.
2. Stamped with a valid trademark.
3. Each unit includes Assayers signature
4. A unique hologram adorns the reverse side of the bar which is intended both as a security feature and for visual appeal.
5. Most importantly, 999.9 pure
The biggest thing I find is not everyone can afford to drop $1200 +/- on an ounce of gold at one time. So KaratBars strategy is ideal. To buy 1 gram costs roughly $60 plus shipping. My jeweler suggested buying 5 grams at a time when you have saved enough cash to save on shipping. Now I did some more research and found there’s a way to significantly drop shipping costs.
Shipping & Storage facilities
I did some looking around and they do offer you a way to ease up on all those shipping costs with FedEx. For affiliates only they offer the following:
- Free storage at Karatbars in Germany, Stuttgart
- Paid storage in Switzerland a direct contract with the Swiss company
- Paid storage in Singapore, with a direct contract of the company from Singapore
So I looked at Karatbars free storage and here’s what they give affiliates:
- Maximum up to 100 grams (Delivery can be requested at any time. You can monitor your inventory online by logging in)
- Maximum 1 year (12 months) free of charge
- Temporary Gold Storage (12 months) is under the Karatbars International high security vault. (Starting from: 01.07.2014)
So shipping costs up to 100 grams of gold bars is roughly 25 bucks depending on the market value of the CAD/USD/EUR. For anyone who decides to buy OVER 100 grams at once, the shipping is FREE. So in my mind I can agree with my jeweler. Not all of us are effective at managing money and can hold on to it for a couple weeks.
Quite simply, if you buy 1 gram a week in a month. You just burned up $100 bucks in shipping. But if you waited till the end of the month you just got 5 grams, instead of 4 and one time shipping of $25+/-. The 5 gram cards cost $237 +/- USD plus shipping. A lot better then paying 340 bucks for less!
Now I know there’s people out there who would save and buy over 100 grams to dodge the shipping and I don’t blame them. By now you may have seen a bit of a flaw in the pricing. But that’s where the Network Marketing comes into play.
The Meat & Potatoes: KaratBars Business Opportunity
So, like any Network Marketing company when you share this opportunity with others and they purchase gold. You get paid a commission. Now instead of me trying to type it all out here’s the presentation from the company itself.
Also here they give you a break down “Why Gold”?
They give you some free pages to you use at your disposal:
- Basic Referral Link
- Personal Shopping Page
- A Free Landing Page
- A K-Exchange Link (K-exchange shows you where vendors are worldwide)
So if you watched the videos you can see that you do not need to do an upgrade package but even doing the bronze package at 130 bucks isn’t bad. I noticed they teach us to buy gold each week and put it in the piggy bank. This is utilizing KaratBars free storage service. Though quick math tells me that its more cost effective to buy the 5 gram bars.
Whether its each month or week its totally up to the individual.
Now I do like that you can get commissions with the free account. Once you can afford it you can upgrade. I especially paid attention to the fact that if you are ungraded to one of the packages. The cost to get to the next level is only the difference in what you have already paid.
Now I have seen that each level has more commissions attached to it. Essentially you could do the slow track and get totally upgraded by referring people and using your residual income to do so.
I always like when there’s a free approach. That’s a plus in my books. Gives you a taste and then you can strive for more. Now like any Network Marketing business you need to sponsor other people into the business. You won’t make a ton of money off the product anytime soon.
Now someone who refers you, may have an upgrade package and one of the incentives they could give you is $100 EUR card and/or 3% off bullion card as well. The 3% off is good for 12 months as soon as you start using it.
Is Karatbars International A Scam?
This company is NOT a scam. They are far from it and their expansion is impressive. They are spreading the globe like a wild fire. For lots of people investing in gold is a very safe bet.
The weak part for some people might be that on average their cost is 30% higher then market value. Well now we know where the extra money goes. To your upline and from your downline to you. So if everyone likes to fill their little gold piggy bank every month. This program will pay off.
So a quick break down. IF you do 1 gram and ship it to your door. For USA residents you are looking at 1 gram @$ 60.00 USD (current price) plus $22.98 shipping. $82.98 per gram to your door. Piggy pank is looking better already. lol For Canadians tack on the duty charges @ $31.40 and you’re over 100 bucks for 1 gram.
5 gram is $237.05 USD plus shipping $22.98. Which works out to $52.00 a gram and $58.28 USD a gram for Canadian customers. Again using the free storage would be the way to go and 5 grams is the most cost effective.
JM Bullion sells 1 gram bullion for $53.35 USD and free shipping. Of course with no affiliate marketing incentives.
So by utilizing the virtual “piggy bank” or free storage I guess we could say. Your shipping cost would be diluted in the end with a higher quantity you have saved up and withdrawn.
Bottom Line…
Obviously nothing comes for free in this world. You need to put the work in. If you are unfamiliar with affiliate marketing, network marketing or any variation there of. Its good to get proper training and advice. If you’re a novice this opportunity is still good for you. You get out what you put in. I would also suggest some training found at Wealthy Affiliate.
The reason why i suggest their free training to you. Is it applies to the Affiliate Marketing Industry, not just their site. You can easily use the information and tools they provide to grow your business no matter what the field. Knowledge is power.
So dream big and chase those dreams!
Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below.
Peter
With the uncertain times that are ahead we should all be buying gold for the future. Gold is a precious metal that will always have value most countries in the world are no longer on the gold standard and the paper will one day be worthless. How long did it take fro you to receive your first purchase?
Thank you
Juan
Juan,
My first purchase, well I made many. But I left them in the free storage that Karatbars provides. I also did leave them for over a year and they did not message or charge me for it. SO that was a treat. Once I put in the request to receive my gold units. It took less than a week to arrive VIA FedEx from Germany. When i purchased one of the upgrade packages, it also was within 7 business days. So they do have a great turn around time. So far I have accumulated almost 2 oz of gold at 1 gram increments!
HI Pete,
Thank you for the very great post about karatbars and buying gold bullion in small amounts. I’ve always heard that you should invest in gold and other precious metals but never thought that I could afford it. Is gold the only precious metal they promote?
Your information has shown that I need to look into gold investment further. Have you worked Karatbars for long? Does the free version seem to work well? Have you ever found any issues with any of the products you’ve received?
Melinda,
I’m glad that you like this post. For KaratBars gold is the only bullion that they promote at the time being. Though if you dig around the internet you will see people that are saying to scoop up platinum and silver as well. I totally agree with these claims. Each year I purchase 50 oz of silver and put it away in my safe. At the same time I buy little platinum and I invest in lithium companies.
I Have been with KaratBars for a little over a year. The free version of KaratBars is a great start though can radically effect your commissions. You can still get paid. Just not as plentiful as if you signed up for a package. For instance even the bronze package will yield higher payouts as your downline increases. Also, the amount you paid for the bronze upgrade is deducted from the next level package you want to upgrade to ( say silver or gold package). I know of a couple people who went with the bronze to start right off the hop and then used their commissions to get them up to the VIP package.
I have not ever had any issues with their products. The cards are certainly appealing to the eye. I think of it as trading in my paper money for a gold savings account. They also give you discount cards for gold purchases. 3% off for a year once the card has been used. I also give them away to people when they do sign up. I have yet to have a card not work.
Also when the packages are delivered they are in a nice thick box inside the FedEx box. Its about 8 1/2″ x 11″ so no one could ever know there’s gold inside. ALSO the packages do come insured incase they are lost/stolen or damaged in transit.
Hope this helps!
Pete
Interesting post. Being in the UK, which has just voted in a referendum to leave the EU, lots of people are looking to invest in gold rather then sterling or even the euro. What struck me in this post is that you said each bar is laminated with UV protective film. I though gold was one of the least reactive metals which is why it doesn’t tarnish? What is the purpose of the UV film? Thanks.
Dr. Brewer,
I can see how people would be looking to invest in any type of bullion right now, with the uncertainty of the Brexit. What it means to UK currency and not to mention the change in passports.
The UV protected film is more so for the plastic and color portions of the cards themselves. Also there is a hologram on the card as well. We know that UV light can damage and fade colors in many material. The other purpose is to retain the value of the Gold as its laminated into the card. Although I have not dealt with the situation of a breached card. I can imagine it has a similar effect on value as a sealed vs non-sealed 1 oz coin from the Royal Mint or the Royal Canadian Mint.
Same goes for my silver bars. Though they are just sealed in a simple plastic. If I take two identical bars to the mint one opened and one not opened I will get less currency for the opened one.
Hope this helps!
Pete
Interesting article Peter. Karatbars International looks like a legit business opportunity. There’s a lot of information here I still need to process, and considering the fact that I have no experience buying or investing in gold, it’s probably going to take a little bit of time for me to wrap my head around this. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Hi Paul,
There are a lot of you tube videos surrounding the topic of buying gold and the current Fiat currency we run around the globe. Since the gold standard was abolished we have been basing currency against the USD which is backed by nothing.
If you have any more questions let me know. I have a wealth of information on karatbars and the best way you can create a steady income. They also allow you to have two accounts. One personal and one business. Depending on your first few signups and signing up a spouse or partner, you can utilize this structure to your advantage.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Pete
Hi Peter,
I do my best, of course, to give a genuine comment to your page.
My first visual impression is that there is a lot happening in a small area: written content and images together, why did you choose to have a sidebar with ads, that fills up the page?
Your clear writing on Karatbars really took me on board, a little historical overview, what they are good at and what their promises are, and what the markets reaction is.
I like your description of personal experience with their company, again your writing makes me continue reading.
In my view, your writing excels over the visual quality of your page here.
I hope this type of comment is what you were looking for, please let me know. If you want, look at my site ihaveseenthat and drop me a line.
Cheers, Jan
Hey Jan,
I appreciate your feedback here. I have been playing around with the site layout. I am not toally convinced this will be my final layout. I am taking everyone’s feedback into consideration.
Ad placement can be a bit of a tricky thing to deal with, but I am still learning!
Thanks for the feedback! Appreciated.
Pete
i’m asian, so we’ve been taught for generations to invest in gold. your advice is great – buy in smaller portions, whatever we can afforrd at any one time which is sort of what we do with our savings.
there was a huge scam in my country not so long ago involving a company called genneva. i hope karatbars isn’t like that too.
i see you did a lot of research here so this could be proper. i’m definitely going to look into karatbars a little bit more. thanks!
Hey Raja,
KB has been really good so far. I know the people I signed up under have had great success. One lady is bringing in over 20 grand a month. USD at that. Being a Canadian with a weaker dollar she really is capitalizing and not only that increasing her gold stash substantially!
KB has really improved their customer service since the company’s inception. Also they have recently upgraded the karatbars mastercard to utilize chip and pin technology.
There’s a specific way to structure the first few spots in your downline to maximize income and the amount of gold you purchase.
Have any questions let me know!
Pete
Hi Pete,
Very interesting post on a gold affiliate Very intriguing! Ilke how the normal person can buy gold in small quantities.
Since are ever changing world is volatile, I can now hedge my investments with this program. Another benefit is the affiliate program that sounds great.
When all currency fails, its good to have gold to barter with.
Thanks for the post,
Tim
Tim,
There’s quite a nice compensation plan they have with several bonus’ and incentive prizes as well. They are doing well. It’s nice for us to be able to buy in smaller quantities and have a wicked affiliate program to go with it.
Any other questions, let me know! Thanks for the comment.
Pete
I enjoyed your review of Katatbars International. It sounds like a good investment for you. In my younger years I had a lot of jewelry, from gold to diamonds. Then, later in life I got tired of it and sold it. Now I wear a silver wedding band and that is it. Do you buy gold for yourself as an investment? It sounds like Karatbars is a good company to advertise for. Thank you for allowing me to comment and good luck with your gold.
Edward Mijarez
Edward,
I do buy gold and silver. Silver I purchase at 10 oz at a time. Gold I buy in gram sizes from Karatbars. It works really well. I get to keep them in my own safe once I accumulate a certain amount with them. That way I only pay shipping one time!
Thanks for the comment,
Pete
Hello,
Thanks for sharing your though and the unique tips for self-motivation to success achievement. Seems, all your tips is useful and I am going to practice the same way you did. When to talk about music, I tend to listen to the hard rock music when I need to release my stress because everybody has their own way to fix the psychological problem.
Regards 🙂
This is definitely interesting. When comes to investing in gold, I’m always wary of scam. I have not actually traded or invested in gold before, only in silver previously. This make investing in gold affordable, and also the opportunity of affiliate marketing. Do you know if Karatbars is open to investor/marketer in Asia?
Hi Kenny,
On their site they do have a list of country’s where they are allowed to ship also they have a column that lets you know if you have to pay duty as well. They do ship to Asia. They are active in a total 121 countries they are allowed to ship to. They ship via FedEx and it is always insured.
Any more questions Kenny, Please feel free to ask!
Pete
I really enjoyed this post.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to purchasing gold for myself as an investor but also to becoming an affiliate for gold sales as well.
It looks to me like this Karatbars International is a reputable and safe company to purchase from but it also seems a little bit of an expensive option.
If I’m purchasing gold as an investment of course I want to get it for the lowest price possible in order to maximize my profit.
Do you agree that this is a little bit of an expensive way to go? Do you know of any other reputable companies that might be cheaper?
Robert
HI Robert,
It’s good that you are thinking about gold as an investment. History has shown us that we love it and we have always traded it for goods. It retains quite a value over time.
Gold is not something to try and maximize profit in the short term. I think you could agree with me on this. When I graduated high school back in 2001, gold was a mere 270 bucks an OZ give or take a few bucks. 15 years later its nearly up 400%.
Karatbars is a great option if you want to go the referral way. Network marketing companies always have a bit of a premium per say. Thus you have the potential for residual income and great bonuses. They are bullion services available. In America, Europe and Canada for instance. You get it for cheap, yes. But if you refer anyone else to do the same, what’s in it for you? Simple answer, you feel great for helping a person out but you get no actual monetary return from it.
Many banks offer gold savings accounts or retirement accounts as well. They will hold your gold in their vault. These are usually done in larger quantities rather than in affordable gram sizes.
There is another start up company in Canada that is doing something similar to Karatbars without getting any referrals. Their name was BitGold now acquired by a publically traded company with the trade name Goldmoney. Essentially you get a mastercard that allows you to buy things with your gold valued account. Transfer money to other people via gold. They have a bunch of services for business as well. Mind you I do not see any value in joining them without a referral center.
At Karatbars when your network continues to grow you can make your daily/weekly/monthly purchases with your payouts that are paid directly to your karatbars mastercard. It does not take long to get to the point where the gold you’re buying is from your bonus money alone and not directly from your pocket. At that point you can use your pocket money now to acquire cheaper gold from other reputable companies. And keep growing your Karatbars business of course.
Hope this all helps! Fiat currency won’t last too much longer in my eyes.
Petey
Hi there Peter,
A very interesting opportunity, but before one actually invests in this they really ought to understand the market value of gold at the current prices and like anything know that the price of gold can rise as well as fall. Knowing the market price of gold a potential investor will be able to easily determine if this company is a scam or not.
HI Derek,
You make some very good valid points. Karatbars fluctuate with current market prices. Although they do carry a premium; this is for the network marketing strategy. As a potential investor, one would do their homework and due diligence. From a business standpoint the commissions and bonuses earned can alleviate the premium and generally speaking actually start purchasing your gold for less than market value. I’m not a stock broker or financial planner, but from my point of view gold isn’t something I would hold for the short term or day trade for that matter. Gold to me is long term, like retirement long, not 10 or 15 years.
Karatbars has some great material, incentives and bonuses. Plus they are free to join with no obligation to buy anything. At least to get in and check it out. It’s not for everyone but neither is Amway or Mary Kay!
Thanks for stopping by,
Petey
Great review, and this is the first time I have read about a network marketing way of purchasing gold. Apart from the inflated prices this is a genius idea.
I would just worry about keeping the gold in my house in case of robbery. I suppose the safest thing to do would be tho lock it up at a bank vault.
Hi Michel,
Some people have fireproof safes in their house. Some people like safety security boxes; others do not trust banks period and burry or “hide” their precious metals. It all comes down to personal preference and whom you trust!
Petey
I am extremely impressed with your site content as well as your business like, yet personal and easy going touch that inspires my trust. You have obviously done your research and have presented it in a very clear and concise format. The flow is exact as you offered the answer to my questions as soon as they formed in my head. I have never heard of Karatbars before and never considered “going gold” in terms of my financial future. However, after visiting your site, I am damn sure going to now! You get an 11 on a ten point scale!
Thanks Daniece! I am glad I was able to share this fantastic information with you!
Petey
Hi Peter, what an interesting read. I knew there were affiliate programs for pretty much everything out there, but I didn’t know anything like this existed. I am intrigued and tempted to give this a try, but I know nothing about economics, and gold prices, etc. Do you think this will be over my head? Or is it worth a shot?
Hey Jason,
As always I suggest a person do their due diligence. Mind you, karatbars has a free signup, with no obligation to buy anything. That will allow you to login and read all their material and see if their business model is right for you.
Hope this helps!
Petey
I like to buy precious metals. I like to have a lot of weight so I do not buy gold I buy silver. Silver allows me to buy many ounces which I can store in my safe.
As far as K-Bars goes it seems to me that they are way to high on their prices. I can buy a gram of gold on the spot market for under $43. K-Bars is what like $70.
K-Bars is OK if you want to buy a gift for someone as the cards look nice but for investment purposes go to a precious metals exchange and get twice as much for the price K-Bars charges.
Barry
Hey Barry,
You have some valid points! Mind you there’s no incentive for you or anyone else for referring people to get spot price gold. And surely you will not get any free gold from them either. That would be absurd. It depends if you are going into the affiliate business or just filling your safe or the hole in the backyard. Karatbars is not for someone doing the latter, they would benefit themselves purely on spot price gold. It’s personal preference essentially.
Pete
Karatbars actually looks like a great idea! I think in today’s world with gold prices increasing so much. It sounds like a great opportunity and a great investment. I think though that I would pay for the shipping. I feel more comfortable knowing that I have the gold bars in my possession and would not have to worry about anything happening to them.
I totally agree that they’re a great idea, if you enjoy affiliate marketing. I have used them a ton and they are trust worthy to holding onto your gold. I like getting one big package of gold! haha It feels really good!
Petey
Thank you for the great information, Petey! The thought of buying gold can be very tempting and it’s good to know that karatbars isn’t exactly a scam. It’s easy for people to find something to complain about but it shouldn’t overshadow the actual value of the product itself! I look forward to reading more posts from you!
Thanks for the comments Matt!
Check out Karatbars for sure. Free to john and absolutely no obligation to buy anything! That’s another reason why I like it. It allows a person to get in and see if this is something for them and if this is a network marketing program they wish to persue.
Petey
I appreciate the idea of buying gold. I’m a little concerned about their ‘storage’ program. That could lead to problems later if someone else comes into the picture at this company and resells the gold I and others have bought in the past. Does the video address this issue? Are there any safeguards against theft or reselling at the ‘storage’ level?
I appreciate the idea of buying gold. I’m a little concerned about their ‘storage’ program. That could lead to problems later if someone else comes into the picture at this company and resells the gold I and others have bought in the past. Does the video address this issue? Are there any safeguards against theft or reselling at the ‘storage’ level?
Hey Wesley,
The gold is your gold and stored securely in a vault. Have I personally witnessed the vault ? No. But the times I have stored my cold and then sent it too me all at once. I never had an issue and I was not missing any. Though if someone is uncomfortable you can call them directly. Or just send the gold to your address.
Hope this helps!
Very cool article. The concept of Karatbars is awesome and I think it’s a great idea. I really like the visuals that you used. I think you should try breaking up your paragraphs into even smaller ones. Some of them are a bit long and shortening makes it easier for the readers. Overall great post! You convinced me.
Thanks Stevie! I will edit the page very soon!
Your feedback is much appreciated.