Need some help - overcharged by PCGS...absolute nightmare.

[evansuk2000 5]

So, long story short...I took out a Gold Membership with PCGS, and received 4 x free complimentary grading vouchers. I sent them off to PCGS Paris to be graded, wrote and emailed confirming I had these vouchers, completed the submission form correctly and made it crystal clear I should only pay postage...which came to about £55...I didn't have much faith as the person dealing with my queries, Anna, could barely speak English...so we all know what happened...they charged me full price for a new membership and the 4 x gradings...so I've had a debit of £250 today.

I rang PCGS US who were unhelpful and just said not our problem, can't access their system etc so speak to PCGS Europe...can anyone speak French? or any ideas what to do, I've sent a very clear email complaining, but if they can't speak English I'm at a total loss...at the moment my bill for encapsulating 4 coins is nearly £500, I'm fuming.

I will NEVER be using PCGS again.

Thanks - apologies for the rant.

Edited March 30, 2017 by evansuk2000

[Ukstu 445]

High sorry to hear this. I don't slab my coins so don't use any grading services but I do occasionally converse with french people. I use google translate to write my message's then copy and paste the translation into an email. You could try using that then fire an email off to them in French.  

Hope this helps.

Stu.

[mrbadexample 1,006]

28 minutes ago, evansuk2000 said:

...so I've had a debit of £250 today.

 

Worth having a word with your bank? I'd class that as an unauthorised transaction.

[1949threepence 3,367]

I'm not with PCGS, but is there any way you can get back to the part of the organisation which gave you the complimentary tickets, and explain what happened. See if they can help.

Alternatively, you could try their feedback facility or send an e mail to info@PCGS.com.

As a matter of interest, why did your coins have to go to Paris to be graded? What's the set up with PCGS? Do they not have a London office? It's a bit of a joke that the Paris staff can't speak English.

What a shabby outfit.

 

 

 

 

   

[PWA 1967 2,142]

I am sure it will get sorted and wasnt done intentionally.

They will have someone who speaks english in the company as they are PCGS Europe.

When they are at shows in the UK they must have people who can have a conversation 

Alternatively it would be quite easy for you to find someone who speaks French who can translate for you over the phone.

[copper123 1,504]

like tom hanks said "stupid is as stupid does"

[Rob 3,152]

Personally,I think it is a downpayment on Brexit in disguise

[Komisaruk 1]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. I have had a similar though less costly difficulties with PCGS Europe.

I took out gold membership to have a few coins slabbed by PCGS and submitted two at the London Coin Fair last June. Despite my collectors club membership number being clearly written on the forms completed at the time of submission, I was still charged 69 Euros for standard membership. My efforts to try and get this sum refunded included a couple of e-mails to PCGS Europe in Paris, a letter to Don Willis, President of PCGS in the USA, a phone call to PCGS in the USA where I spoke to someone who basically said "it's not our problem, take it up with PCGS Europe", and finally a phone call to the Paris office where I was reassured that something would be done. The end result was.... nothing happened!

I finally managed to get some satisfaction when I submitted 2 more coins to be slabbed at the London Coin Fair last November.  I told the PCGS Europe representative my story and managed to get them to agree to waive the charge for returning my coins by FedEx (42 Euros). This eventually happened but not before they had still charged me for shipping on the subsequent invoice and I had to get in touch with Dominique Lucbernet (the manager of PCGS Europe) to get it corrected! It was not entire sum that I was owed (69 Euros), but I had come to the conclusion that it was better than nothing and I was tired of wasting further time and money chasing them.

If you can manage to get to a coin fair where PCGS are represented and talk to someone face to face, this would probably be the best way to get something sorted.  After my experience with PCGS I won't be extending my Gold membership for another year. The incompetence (I hope) of the Paris office and the indifference of the headquarters in the US has put me off this company.

[azda 979]

On 3/30/2017 at 8:44 PM, evansuk2000 said:

So, long story short...I took out a Gold Membership with PCGS, and received 4 x free complimentary grading vouchers. I sent them off to PCGS Paris to be graded, wrote and emailed confirming I had these vouchers, completed the submission form correctly and made it crystal clear I should only pay postage...which came to about £55...I didn't have much faith as the person dealing with my queries, Anna, could barely speak English...so we all know what happened...they charged me full price for a new membership and the 4 x gradings...so I've had a debit of £250 today.

I rang PCGS US who were unhelpful and just said not our problem, can't access their system etc so speak to PCGS Europe...can anyone speak French? or any ideas what to do, I've sent a very clear email complaining, but if they can't speak English I'm at a total loss...at the moment my bill for encapsulating 4 coins is nearly £500, I'm fuming.

I will NEVER be using PCGS again.

Thanks - apologies for the rant.

Cancel the card payment, they'll come running to you soon enough

[azda 979]

On 3/30/2017 at 9:53 PM, 1949threepence said:

I'm not with PCGS, but is there any way you can get back to the part of the organisation which gave you the complimentary tickets, and explain what happened. See if they can help.

Alternatively, you could try their feedback facility or send an e mail to info@PCGS.com.

As a matter of interest, why did your coins have to go to Paris to be graded? What's the set up with PCGS? Do they not have a London office? It's a bit of a joke that the Paris staff can't speak English.

What a shabby outfit.

 

 

 

 

   

There is no London office, the London coin company are an agent who will accept submissions on your behalf, but i assume their prices would be higher, they actually do speak English in Paris, (not brilliantly) but i also spoke to their reps at the Munich coin fair in March without problem.

I've called a few times and haven't had a problem getting things corrected such as the Label on the 1862 Die letter A halfpenny, they weren't going to change the label, just make sure the coin was what it was and alter the Pop report, i insisted they change the label to recognise the variety, which they did after my call

Edited April 2, 2017 by azda