I have a couple of little Scottsdale gold bars packed in their 'Certi-Lock' cards. For those who haven't seen them, its a sealed package with a QR code printed on it. When you download the Certi-Lock app, you can check any pack by scanning the code and providing the serial number, also printed on the package. The app will then check the database and tell you if it's legit. There is also something they call 'Level 2 verification', which takes you to a photo of your bar, taken at the time of packing. I can see some merit in the bar code matching, but I don't see the point of the photo, given that you can only access it if the barcode and serial number match. How does it help?
I have some of the scottsdale certilock bars too. I certainly can find some merit in the photo. For me, I would use it mainly to compare any imperfections from my bar and its packaging to the photo. This is exactly the methodology I use when critiquing my numismatic coins and looking for counterfeits. It's a great way to spot fakes. I would also imagine that the prevalence of fakes is only going to rise, esp with a rise in gold price in the future.
