We received an interesting question from John about the potential of fraudulent coupons:
"Is there any need to worry about counterfeit coupons? Do they exist?
Do merchants have any discretion on expired coupons?
What about the use of “competitors” coupons?"
--John
We did some research on the use of fraudulent coupons. According to the Wall Street Journal, only 1/10 of 1% of the 3.3 billion coupons redeemed in 2009 were fakes. Obviously, fraudulent coupons do exist, but they are not something to worry about.
Our best advice is to be wary of something that seems "too good to be true."
Most scams are passed through e-mail. Most of these e-mailed coupons are scans of a coupon that someone received from the manufacturer directly and have been passed around.
Stick to coupons in print or online from reputable sources.
Don't intentionally use expired coupons. Always ask the store manager before attempting to use an expired coupon. Some stores, like Bed Bath & Beyond, do allow the use of expired coupons, and competitor's coupons for that matter.
There's no harm in asking.
Thanks John!
See, it takes no time to save a dime.
xoxo
Lauren and Jenna
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