Heads You Lose, Tails You Lose: Lie, Puke and Say No

Ever hear of banging a card? How about pitching heat? Or mind-screwing? According to depositions and interviews with former and current employees, several related Beaumont-based rare-coin companies have their own internal lingo. The terms and phrases suggest a contemptuous attitude toward the public, says Jason Gibson, a Houston-based plaintiffs' attorney who represents more than 50 former customers who claim they were defrauded out of millions of dollars. Below is a glossary of terms frequently used within the companies:

Banging Cards — Making unauthorized charges to a customer's credit card

Cancer — A name managers call salespeople who question the ethics or legality of certain sales tactics; anyone generally perceived as having a negative attitude

Lie, Puke and Say No — A saying taught to brokers meaning that customers lie about their finances, puke excuses and say no to making purchases

Mind-Screwing — Deliberately confusing customers by talking fast and misrepresenting the value and origin of a coin; the term is usually associated with Jason Whitney, a sales manager and son-in-law of Tyrrell Garth, a majority owner of all the companies

Pitching Heat — Using aggressive, high-pressure sales tactics; sometimes described by managers as being enthusiastic

Putting A Client Back Together — Resolving a customer's complaint; a likely consequence of banging cards

Switching Coins — Sending a customer different coins than the ones purchased