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Back to Basics Series: how to protect yourself against coupon fraud

July 15, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

 

 

Recently there was a ring of women in Phoenix busted for coupon fraud. Yay! I think it’s great, because those who commit fraud and counterfeit ruin it for the rest of us.

coupon fraud

Graphic courtesy of MultiChannelMerchant.

Even the casual couponer needs to protect themselves against fraud. Here are some tips.

1. When you find a printable source online, know the signs of what is legit and what isn’t. Familiarize yourself with what a coupon from a good site looks like, like Coupons.com, Red Plum and SmartSource. Notice they have bar codes, tracking information around the perimeter of the coupon and they are generally NOT PDFs. It’s ok to get them from blogs, but the blogs generally will redirect you to the original site. Be very wary of PDFs, unless you find them on a manufacturer’s website. Most manufacturers have learned the hard way that PDFs give you unlimited prints, which is why they don’t do them anymore. The legit sites generally only give you 1-2 prints per computer.

If the full image of the coupon is available on your computer screen, it’s probably a fake. Brands no longer put full images available (like you know the preview screen you see on Bricks?) because it opens them up to fraud.

2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Did you find an offer to purchase a bunch of coupons for a free huge box of Pampers, or free $20 bottle of olive oil? If it’s a really high value coupon and there are a whole bunch of them available, chances are they are counterfeit. I go to many blogging events that are sponsored by manufacturers and brands, and they offer coupons for free items and generally each blogger is allowed to take only one or two. So it’s very unlikely that an ebay seller is going to find these honestly.

It is very, very difficult to get awesome coupons in high quantities, it just is. Coupons for free items are very hard to come by, especially in large quantities and never on the internet. Yes, I have occasionally seen a store coupon for $5 off a $5 purchase or even $10 off $10…….but never $25 or $50. $50 off $150-yes. $50 off $50, no.

3. It is NOT illegal to “sell” coupons. However, it is strongly discouraged by the manufacturers. This is why on most ebay listings or clipping websites, you’ll find a disclaimer that says “You’re not actually paying for the coupons, you’re paying for my time to clip them and mail them to you, blah blah blah.” Just remember that….I believe that more and more individuals are going to be arrested for coupon fraud, do you want to be the next one? And if I was going to look for couponers to prosecute, ebay would be the first place I’d start. That and private websites is where you will find the big quantities of high value coupons, most of which are fraudulent. I recently spoke with an Acme store manager and he said in recent workshops and manager meetings, they were being told that 75% of all coupons for FREE items are fraudulent.

In fact, if you look at the website of the women that were busted, you had to have a referral to even purchase coupons from them–they were trying to safeguard themselves from undercover cops I assume. Since when does any legitimate business require that you have to have a referral to be a customer?

But overall, know that buying, selling and trading coupons is legal–there is no law prohibiting it. The manufacturer always has the right to not honor the coupon or reimburse for it, according to whatever wording they have put on the coupon. And when manufacturers STOP reimbursing merchants for coupons, merchants stop taking them. This is why coupon fraud hurts everyone–stores begin to get very conservative and err on the side of caution, and thus refuse even legitimate coupons.

Ebay has partnered with manufacturers and Ebay to limit the number of coupons a seller can sell on Ebay, but I have no idea how well that is policed. And it has just pushed the scammers to their own private websites, like the ladies in Arizona.

4. Use trading forums instead, and I’ll recommend the one on HotCouponWorld. There is no way that any site can guarantee with 100% that no scammers will appear, but good trading forums are the next best thing. Trading is a great way to unload the coupons you don’t want while acquiring the ones you do want.  Those forums are closely moderated and scammers are quickly banned. Members rate each other and leave feedback, and you can’t even trade on there without going through a rookie process first–so a new user can’t get on there and start scamming right away. You can also join or start a local coupon trading group, they are commonly found at churches or libraries.

5. Never ever trade or giveaway a printable that you printed from your computer. Those printables are tracked to your ISP address, and if someone photocopies a whole bunch of them and it gets back to the company, they can ban your ISP address and you’ll never be able to print from that site again. I RAOK (random act of kindness) coupons all the time in the grocery store, leaving a few next to the product that they are for–but never printables.You just never know who will end up with them.

6. Only use coupons for the items specified on the coupon. Yes, we have, ahem, seen otherwise on a certain TV show. Regularly. That doesn’t make it ok. Just because the coupon doesn’t beep or have to be hand-keyed in to work, doesn’t mean it’s legitimate use of that coupon. Is it really worth it? If a store or company would choose to prosecute, they can find you via your shopper loyalty card, the form of payment you used (unless cash) or via store security cameras. Is a few free boxes of something really worth the embarrassment of it all, if you’re caught?

7. For all of your coupons, only get them from legitimate sources. If you are looking for multiple inserts, I did a post over 4 years ago on some ideas on where to find coupons. It is possible to get multiple coupons and multiple inserts honestly.

8. If you do think you are seeing coupon fraud, report it. It only takes a minute or two to send off an email to the CIC. And like I said, coupon fraud hurts all of us.

 

Always take the high road……it’s just not worth getting caught. And it’s not Smart Spending!

Filed Under: Back to Basics-extreme couponing for the beginners, Catalinas, Coupon Apps, E-Coupons, Coupons & Printable Coupons Tagged With:

Back to Basics: Finding time

August 15, 2011 by · 2 Comments

When people learn that some of my friends & I are supercouponers, combined with what they see on tv, a common question I get is–“Where do you find the time?”

First, remember that “that tv show” has the word EXTREME in the title. It’s meant to be extreme and shocking. And despite being an admitted couponer for about two decades, I have yet to meet anyone that has ever spent 40 or 80 hours a week clipping coupons. This is an activity that takes a bit of learning, just like any activity, which is why I recommend you start small. Learn all the policies and promos at one or two stores and that’s it. Once you learn those, branch out and add more stores where you see decent deals. If you do try to do what they are doing on TV, all at once, it will be time consuming and overwhelming.

Here is what my week usually looks like as far as couponing:

Sunday evening or Monday evening-after boys have gone to bed, I clip my coupons. Since I usually have multiple inserts, I “gang cut” them, which means I sort them out page by page, making stacks of like-pages. Then I cut all at once. I usually only do stacks of six–if I have more than six sets of any one insert, I just file it away, unless it’s a coupon that I definitely know I will use all of them. Otherwise six of any one coupon is plenty. All together, this may take me about an hour, maybe more if there were four separate inserts or something that weekend. But if it’s the usual one Smartsource, one Red Plum, then only 30-60 minutes tops. (and btw, the term ‘gang cut’ makes me chuckle, but I didn’t make it up–I’ve actually seen it in fine print in some store ads)

If I am doing a CVS or Walgreens trip that week, I pick a day when my older son is in school so I only have to take my younger son. I highly recommend going childless if possible, lol. Set aside one day or your little block of time each week, if you’re going to do this. A few weeks ago, I ran into a couponing mom at Walgreens. She had both her boys with her and she said she always goes on Sunday mornings. She takes the boys and this is her hubby’s one day to sleep in. Another friend I have teaches a class two evenings a week, and after class she goes, because hubby is at home with her kids. Whatever works for you, but make it a part of a routine and you won’t feel as overwhelmed. If you have teens and tweens, especially daughters, consider getting them involved and letting them do their own deals for hair & makeup stuff.

Other than that, I just do my regular shopping trip and I pick my grocery store based on who is offering the best deals overall. Each morning while having my coffee, I check hotcouponworld to see if there’s anything I’m missing, and that’s it. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming and take over your life.

Filed Under: Back to Basics-extreme couponing for the beginners, Extreme Couponing Tagged With: , ,

It’s ok to not clip coupons

July 30, 2011 by · 1 Comment

I am a self-professed supercouponer. I clip coupons, lots of them. I have an arrangement with my local newsstand, I peruse the web for deals, and I get tons of shit for free. All the time. That doesn’t mean you have to do the same. I often retell the college story, of how I got a free bottle of shampoo with a coupon, and ever since I’ve been hooked. I also was raised by a very frugal grandmother. I couldn’t pay full price for something if I tried!

Clipping coupons isn't for everyone.

Supercouponing (or dare I say, extreme couponing, blech) is all the rage these days. But what if you’re really not interested in clipping coupons? That’s ok.

In the past 20 years that I’ve been doing this, I’ve shared hundreds of deals with friends & family. And I’ve had dozens and dozens say to me “I want to do that.” And in 20 years, only one person, my friend L, has done it. Seriously, one person in 20 years.  And I’ll be perfectly honest, when she first emailed me, I probably rolled my eyes reading her email. Thinking, “Ok, we have another person, I’ll spend a bunch of time telling them some of the starter tips, and she’ll never follow though.”

But she did. Within a week, she had a source for muliple inserts. I could see the wheels turning in her brain, it just clicked. I know now, that when she goes to the store, her brain instantly thinks in deals, like mine does.

That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Even though my brain arrives at the deals and processes them quickly, I still have to spend 1-2 hours every two weeks, clipping and sorting. I still have to find the patience to shop, with a 2 year old and a 4 year old, and process these deals without having them distract me. There are things I don’t do–I don’t play any online games, I don’t twitter, I don’t watch tv or movies, and so on. I actually enjoy clipping coupons, finding deals and posting about them. Really, I do. Even so, life comes first.

You either like it or you don’t. And that’s ok, whatever you choose.

While I spend time here publishing good coupon deals, I publish lots of other smart spending tips, that don’t require a pair of scissors. In fact,  I was just speaking with some PECO people today, and am excited about something I have to post about saving on your electric bill.

Yes, there are lots of great deals and freebies to be had with coupons. And there are lots of great deals to be had without coupons.

I would compare it to health & fitness–there are lots of ways to stay healthy without going to a gym every day and working out. I choose the other options, because right now, going to a gym daily just doesn’t fit in my lifestyle. And it’s annoying to be lectured on it, kwim? I *know* the benefits of working out in a gym, it’s just not a priority for me right now.

Filed Under: Back to Basics-extreme couponing for the beginners, Extreme Couponing Tagged With: ,

Back to Basics series: Raincheck!

June 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Here is what I found for an official definition for raincheck: A seller’s commitment to sell and out-of-stock item at the advertised price as soon as it becomes available.

For the most part, I have a pretty laid back attitude about sales & deals. If I miss out on a deal, there will be others. But occasionally it does pay to get a raincheck. For one, maybe it’s an item that you have coupons for to make it free, or even a moneymaker, particularly if it’s an item you use.

Or, you can use rainchecks strategically. Let’s say it’s an item that there are frequently coupons out for that item, just not currently. And you know that more likely than not, these coupons will come out again and that the item would be free, if only you had the coupon. Well, go to the store near the end of the sale, and hope that they are out of the item. If they are out of the item, ask for a raincheck. Hold on to the raincheck and redeem it when you have the coupons.

The success of something like this varies by store and their raincheck policy. CVS, for example, has no expiration date on rainchecks. It even says so right on the rainchecks. I have rainchecks from there dating back to 2007. I’ve had the opportunities to redeem them, I just forget. Some stores are not as generous and only give you 30 or 60 days. Usually the store just has to be out of one variety or flavor of that particular item, in order to request a raincheck. Another suggestion to use them strategically is that they make hot items for trading. So if you need another hot item, such as formula checks, get rainchecks just for the sole purpose of trading or auctioning.

I don’t know what the Walgreens policy is anymore for rainchecks, I used to know. But they have a hot diaper deal this week. Max out on the sizes you need, then ask for a raincheck. You can always use a raincheck for cheap diapers!

In any event, in most cases, if you’re at the store already why not just ask for the raincheck? You never know when it may come in handy.

Filed Under: Back to Basics-extreme couponing for the beginners, Online shopping Tagged With:
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