A dealer’s own marketing about its customer service is, by definition, not an independent source. The verifiable things worth checking instead: the dealer’s Better Business Bureau profile and complaint history, whether it’s a member of industry bodies like the Professional Numismatists Guild or Industry Council for Tangible Assets (which have their own ethics standards), and — most concretely — its actual buy/sell spread on a specific product compared to at least one competitor’s quote for the same coin or bar.

For a Silver IRA specifically, also confirm separately whether the dealer works with an independent, IRS-approved custodian or is trying to also act as custodian itself, which is not permitted under IRC 408(a). A polished testimonials page doesn’t substitute for these checks, and a legitimate dealer won’t discourage you from doing them.