A Pennsylvania man was charged with felony theft this week for counterfeiting coupons. According to this article, Thomas Campbell would obtain a coupon and then make copies of it. He did this to more than 100 coupons! All told, his actions defrauded area stores by as much as $4,000.
He later told police he didn't think he'd be caught. Think again!
Coupon fraud is serious business, folks. He had a warrant out for his arrest, but turned himself into police. He was released on $5,000 bail.
While I don't think any of my awesome readers would dare doing this, I thought it was a good reminder of how seriously law enforcement takes this.
If you're interested to learn more about coupon fraud, what it is, and what you can do to make sure you're handling coupons in an ethical way, I encourage you to check out The Coupon Information Corporation. The CIC is a coupon watchdog organization committed to fighting coupon fraud.
Photo courtesy Contropa (via Stock.xchng)
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Ok, I have a coupon ethics question for you that I was hoping you might address if you have time (I looked on the CIC website but it didn’t answer my specific question). I have 2 computers (one personal, one work) and so does my husband. If we find a really great deal I have been known to print 2 copies of the coupon (or whatever the print limit is) from each of our computers. Based on what I have read on various blogs, I have always thought this was a legitimate practice. I don’t do this for every single coupon because it takes way too long, but should I be concerned about my actions? I don’t want to break any rules, but I had always assumed that this was a legal thing to do since each coupon created was unique (NOT photocopied), but it does produce a lot of coupons. What are your thoughts?
This is a GREAT question, and I would LOVE to hear others’ input on it! I honestly don’t know how I feel about this one, but I will tell you this. I’ve decided NOT to post deals on my site where more than one computer is necessary. Here’s the thing – where do you draw the line? What is fair? And what did the manufacturers intend?
I don’t know how many people remember this – but last year, there was a $5 off Huggies printable coupon on Coupons.com. I was reading on a forum or blog (I don’t remember where) how this one lady was intending to go to a computer lab to print off 2 sets of coupons per computer. I think there were at least 20 computers in this lab. How is this possibly fair? And if you were a Walgreens cashier, how would you view someone coming in with 20+ printable coupons of the same coupon?
Thoughts? GREAT GREAT question, Kelly!
I am SO glad that they caught this guy! Things like this hurt all of us coupon users!
I am not sure how I feel about the printing of coupons on two computers either. Sometimes I do it for high value coupons since we do have two computers/printers in the house, but I don’t use them all at the same time.
Another thing that bothers me is when people will post on their blog a coupon link and tell others to use a certain zip code. I don’t find that fair, seems to be stretching the rules just a bit.
Thanks for posting this!
Jane
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with printing multiples offline. I work in an office where we have about 10 computers and I’ve printed many multiples many times. Part of the reason that I coupon is to stock up on items that we use a lot of (say, pasta). If I only had one Ronzoni coupon would I have driven all the way to Albertsons for one box of free pasta? No. Would I drive for 5, plus cheap vegetables and cheap cereal? Yes.
Plus, what’s the difference between printing multiples and having several people give me their Sunday coupon inserts every week?
Manufacturers gain from us couponing, regardless. If couponing were outlawed, I’d go back to store name brands and that would mean less $$ for them. Their prodcuts leaving shelves instead of the other guys products is good business, no matter what.
Erin, interesting points. With certain printable coupons that may be *hot* there may be limits. Do you feel that it’s just “first come, first serve?” And if someone has access to 20 computers – it’s fair game? What if they had access to 100 computers? Do you draw the line or not?
Do others feel similarly or different?
Of course using 100 computers to print 100 or more coupons is ridiculous, if not wrong. Even if you eat a lot of pasta, buying 10o boxes is just greedy. And for the record, I am no greedy couponer.
For those *hot* coupons, I guess it is first come first serve. And really, who wants just ONE $1/1 ‘hot ticket item’? If I have only one coupon, it’s not worth my (or any other couponers) time. Major couponing depends on having multiples. Regardless, if I print 20 or 20 people each print one, who’s more likely to use them when the item is one sale?
I guess a good question would be–What is a manufacturer’s motivation for putting a print limit on a particular item? To create havoc or to get people to try their products? I doubt it’s the latter.
Here’s the line I draw for myself and everyone else: don’t make an a** out of yourself.
Multiples are fine, but once you cross the line between sane frugality and nutso hoarding, you’ve gone too far. My limit has been 10 IP coupons but really I’ve only done that a handful of times for insane deals.
Erin, this topic isn’t one I feel that strongly about one way or the other. I hope my questions didn’t put you off – I always love to dive into a topic and was interested in exploring it further.
I’m open to both sides of the picture, so I hope I didn’t make you feel I necessarily disagreed with what you’re saying. I’m trying to weigh all aspects of this issue, which is a gray one in my book. This is exactly why I told Kelly it was a great question – b/c I don’t necessarily have an answer!
I hear your side of the story, and yet I still feel printing from 20 computers is obnoxious. I don’t have a definite answer on how I feel and I’m interested in hearing more on either side of this question.
I don’t post deals that involve more than one computer b/c I’m not entirely sure how I feel, and also b/c I’m not sure most readers would easily be able to do this or not. I want most of my readers to be able to do most of my deals.
Again, for the record? This isn’t a topic I feel particularly passionate about. Copying coupons for fraudulent use? Um…that’s another story!
Thanks, Erin. I appreciate your input. You got me thinking.
Hmm…interesting discussion. I can see it both ways. Hubby and I both work from home and only have access to one IP address. I have asked neighbors who usually let their newspapers rot in their driveway if I could pick them up for them. They’ve gladly agreed. I also buy papers so I can have 8-10 sets of coupons (which is terrible for the environment–wish I could just buy the coupons!). DH says there is a way to change my IP address by using my cell phone. We haven’t done that because that doesn’t seem right.
If I had access to more than 1 computer, are there instances where I would print multiple coupons? Oh, yeah. But what is the limit? What is right?
In regards to clearing the shelf, I have had to learn the hard way that you need to get to some stores early in the week (Mon, if possible) to get the advertised deals. I don’t really mind if the early bird gets the worm. It is frustrating when the Crazy bird gets the worm, but I guess that is the way it goes too. On the other hand, I have been the one to clear the shelf too. Couponing has taught me how few items are sometimes on the shelf. I’ve bought 3 items before, hoping to buy 10, and cleared the “fully stocked” shelf. And then the store doesn’t restock until after the sale is over.
Limits might be a good idea. How much cereal does 1 family need? Is 20 boxes enough? 50? Definitely a gray area!
Angela, I hope I didn’t seem heated in my response. This really isn’t a hot button topic for me either. For the most part, I avoid using IP coupons anyway, just because of the stigma attached to them and the strict rules that some stores have in place. But for the record, I find it pretty annoying when I go to print a coupon and it’s hit its limit already.
Laura, I feel your pain. When I first started couponing I learned the hard way that putting off couponing leads to empty shelves. For places like Rite Aid and Walgreens, you have to be there first thing in the morning (in many cases) just to get toothbrushes.
Some people think there is no limit to how many tubes of toothpaste or deodorant they need. Right now, I have plenty and so I’ve passed up all the deals within in the past two months on these particular items (lotion, shaving cream, and body wash too). I know that there are MANY people out there that wouldn’t dream of passing up on a sale no matter what, and THOSE are the ones that annoy the snot out of me!
Good couponing to all
Erin, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t feel I was saying you were a “greedy couponer,” because that’s not how I felt at all, and I think your points are well taken!
ITA about getting to a sale early, too. I need to make a WAGS run today and I’m afraid Wednesday may be pushing it! (Isn’t that sad?! LOL!) Anyhow, glad to know I didn’t put you off – thanks for coming back! I appreciate your viewpoint.
Laura, yes, ITA – changing the IP of your computer to obtain more coupons? That seems dishonest. These sites set limits “per computer” and changing the IP address seems like a way to “trick” the system.
Hmmm. So how I’m feeling? I think Erin’s onto something. It’s one thing to try to obtain coupons you need. It’s another thing to be completely obnoxious about it. I still don’t know that I have a definite idea of where that line is though…
Thanks for all the input. I’m relatively new to couponing and just wanting to make sure I’m not doing something totally illegal. It sounds like it’s a gray area and it’s good to be mindful of not being obnoxious. I think I can work within those parameters
Thanks!
I just have to say that was an informative, polite, honest discussion. It is great to see that on a blog…not always the way it goes down. That’s one of the things I like about your site, Angela!
If you see a lady putting 15 boxes of pasta or other food in her cart, it might be me. HA I do a lot of couponing to supply the food pantry at my church. I also give some to my daughter (family of 5) who was laid off from her job and has a child with CP and a disabled husband. (Everyone who has multiple coupons is not greedy). I do NOT copy coupons and usually have access to only one computer but I DO buy more than one newspaper occasionally on good coupon weeks. I hope I am not considered NUTSO by some! I also have gotten to the store only to discover the shelves are empty. Oh well, that’s life! Happy couponing to all!
Ugh. Glad this guy got caught, and I hope they start cracking down more on fraudulent coupon users. The complaining about it would get a little tiresome, though. It already is – people saying a cashier was stupid or a nazi because they wouldn’t accept their CVS coupon (which wasn’t even sent to them in the first place and says something like “valid only for intended recipient” right on the front). The entitlement is ridiculous.
The kind of people Erin described, the ones who feel like they HAVE to get EVERY deal, seem to have a compulsion or addiction. Knowing when to quit, even if it means giving up that “rush”, is an important part of couponing, to me. If you can’t, you’re just another kooky hoarder.
I was sort of amused by the last comment on the article: “I don’t EVER use coupons. If a store wants my business, it will offer a fair price without me going through the charade of cutting out a little piece of paper and handing it to the clerk, like it was some kind of play money.”
Good luck getting a cartful of groceries for under $10 like many of us do routinely with that silly “play money”. But hey, they help offset the cost of the promotions and double coupons at my favorite stores. Who cares if they’re only doing it out of some sort of deluded self-righteousness? According to P.T. Barnum, there’s one of ‘em born every minute.
Nadir – well said!!
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