Internet Coupons – Real or Fake?

We recently received an email wanting to know if some coupons that were sent in an email were real or fake. The last thing you want, is to be checking out and having a cashier question if a coupon is real or not.  We also received the attached coupons, so we have placed them HERE for you to look at. (We put them in a pdf file so you could pull it up easier, and voided all the bar codes.) There are many reasons why these coupons would be fraudulent, but these are a good start:

• The coupons are in a Word document and are passed around in an email.
• They are for a FREE product. Most stores will not accept a free product coupon if it was printed.
• They are high value coupons. We have never seen a Duracell Battery coupon for $10 off!
• The coupons are 3 to a page.

Most manufacturers place coupons through a coupon printer like coupons.com or smartsource.com to regulate the number of prints.

Remember that it is illegal to copy coupons in any way, shape or form.

There is a great website you can check: www.veri-fi.com This website verifies when coupons from coupons.com were printed, what item they are for and when the coupon will expire.  You will also find helpful do’s and don’ts for online printing and a place to provide contact information for a store that refuses internet coupons.  Veri-fi.com will contact the store to provide more information about internet coupons.  This web address is printed on every coupons.com coupon.

Keep in mind by using coupons the way that they are intended, both stores and consumers win.