You may have seen TV ads that claim buying gold is an easy way to earn easy profits, or build a safe retirement investment. While buying gold might help diversify your investment portfolio, is it always a good way to build your retirement? Or might it be an investment scheme disguised as a golden opportunity?

According to a complaint filed by the FTC, DiscountMetalBrokers, Inc. advertised itself as a legitimate seller of gold and silver, yet failed to deliver on its promises. In national TV ads, the company portrayed gold as a safe retirement investment, urging people to be “smart investors” and “protect themselves” because “in today’s economy, you need to own gold and silver.” DiscountMetalBrokers, Inc. then flashed their toll-free number for people to call.

Here’s what the FTC says happened next: once people called, the company asked callers to pay a deposit by check or credit card. They then told callers to send the balance of the money by check or wire transfer. The FTC says that, even though company employees reassured people their orders would ship soon, hundreds of people never received the promised gold or silver. Plus, they lost the money they paid to the company.

If a seller presses you to wire money, that’s a sign of a scam. And, if you’re thinking of investing, learn about what questions to ask and what to avoid.

Have you spotted a scam? Report it to the FTC.

The last paragraph of this post has been revised to say, “If a seller presses you to wire money, that’s a sign of a scam.”