Coupons are a great way to get discounts on everything from groceries to clothing, but you have to be careful not to fall for a coupon scam.

What is a coupon scam?
Coupon scams, also known as coupon scams or coupon fraud, are any type of scam in which fraudsters use coupons in an illegal way to mislead consumers or retailers and steal money.

For example, scammers can create fake coupons and use them to get huge discounts on products themselves or sell them to unsuspecting shoppers. Alternatively, retailers can manipulate numbers (such as prices or sales data) so that they don't actually lose anything when they offer discounts through coupons.

Who suffers from fake coupon scams?
Coupon fraud can be committed by both customers and retailers. Whether you own a store that offers coupons or you're a consumer who uses coupons, it's important to know what types of coupon scams to be wary of.

What constitutes coupon fraud? 1. Copy coupon
Scammers often create fake coupons by simply copying existing coupons and trying to use them at different locations in the same store.

2. Print too many coupons
Another common way to create fake coupons is to print multiple coupons in an attempt to trick retailers into giving them the same discount multiple times.

3. Decode coupons
All the numbers on the coupon barcode indicate its purpose, so scammers try to decode the numbers and create fake coupons for different products.

4. Buy or sell coupons
Coupons are free and can be used by the customer or their friends or family who receive them, but scammers commit coupon fraud by selling the coupons for profit.

5. Stealing coupon notices
Retailers often hand out coupons in newspapers and magazines, and fraudsters go around stealing these coupons to get their hands on them all.

6. Retailer Coupon Scam: Redeeming Coupons for Unsold Products
In some cases, retailers will alter their records to make it appear that products were sold using coupons in order to claim rebates or refunds from suppliers/manufacturers.

Retailer Coupon Scam: Raising Prices to Offset Losses
Another type of retailer coupon scam involves a retailer increasing the price of a discounted item so you think you're getting a deal when paying the original price.

The Biggest Coupon Scam in American History
Using fake coupons is no joke. In 2020, a Virginia Beach woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison for running a coupon counterfeiting ring that cost retailers an estimated $31.8 million in false discounts.

The woman ran the coupon scam with her husband for about three years before she was caught. They create fake coupons that are almost identical to the real thing, but at a much higher discount, and sell them to bargain hunters via Facebook and Telegram.

Eventually, their illegal activities caught them, but there are many other coupon scammers operating similar operations that you need to be wary of.