This episode does not show a clear shot of the Northern coupons being scanned, making their legitimacy difficult to determine. But there was another product coupon that many readers have been pointing fingers at: Free Tide laundry detergent.
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Fraud Coupons On Extreme Couponing
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After the news broke in February that a shopper had used counterfeit coupons on an episode of "Extreme Couponing," readers from around the country emailed, urging me to take a closer look at the season finale of "Extreme Couponing: All-Stars." Numerous readers pointed out that shoppers in the final episode purchased Quilted Northern bath tissue with free-product coupons. As the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC) has confirmed that the Quilted Northern free coupons shown in Season 2 of the show are counterfeit, did these shoppers also use the same fraudulent coupons in the All-Stars season?
This episode does not show a clear shot of the Northern coupons being scanned, making their legitimacy difficult to determine. But there was another product coupon that many readers have been pointing fingers at: Free Tide laundry detergent.
This episode does not show a clear shot of the Northern coupons being scanned, making their legitimacy difficult to determine. But there was another product coupon that many readers have been pointing fingers at: Free Tide laundry detergent.
Confirmed: Counterfeit coupons used on TLC's "Extreme Couponing"
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When TLC premiered the first episode of "Extreme Couponing" in 2011, coupon shoppers around the country took to the web to voice their concerns about the rampant coupon misuse and fraud depicted on the show. Some of the show's shoppers appeared to be using coupons for products they didn't buy (and later admitted doing so) or used hundreds of coupons that are limited to one or four like coupons per transaction. Stores unfortunately played along too, with some agreeing to double coupons "just for the show" or allow the show's shoppers to utilize coupon overage, even when it wasn't their policy to do so for their other shoppers.
Coupon bloggers around the country have dissected the show, noting the sheer number of coupons that appeared to have been misused, the store policies that were disregarded during the taping, and numerous cashiers overriding registers beeping that coupons did not match the items being purchased. One supermarket chain even blew the whistle on the amount of rule-bending, policy-lifting and staging done for their episodes of Extreme Couponing. It released a statement to the media expressing the store's regret at participating in the show, acknowledging waiving part of its policy for the benefit of TV cameras, and apologizing to its regular customer base.
Coupon bloggers around the country have dissected the show, noting the sheer number of coupons that appeared to have been misused, the store policies that were disregarded during the taping, and numerous cashiers overriding registers beeping that coupons did not match the items being purchased. One supermarket chain even blew the whistle on the amount of rule-bending, policy-lifting and staging done for their episodes of Extreme Couponing. It released a statement to the media expressing the store's regret at participating in the show, acknowledging waiving part of its policy for the benefit of TV cameras, and apologizing to its regular customer base.
Families Say 2 Women Accused of Coupon Fraud Are Innocent
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The families of two Valley women accused of helping a large-scale counterfeiting and forgery operation said they were shocked by the allegations.
Arthur Johnson said his 54-year-old wife, Marilyn Johnson, is a retired special education teacher who, according to her husband, has never gotten so much as a speeding ticket.
Arthur Johnson said his wife is accused of doing something she knew nothing about. She was allegedly helping a widespread counterfeit coupon operation that ended Tuesday with three arrests and roughly $25 million in fake coupons seized.
Arthur Johnson said his wife was arrested at their south Phoenix home where they run a small dog breeding business. He said it was through his wife's internet searches for dog food coupons that she became connected with both 40-year-old Robin Ramirez, the alleged leader of the operation, and 42-year-old Amiko Fountain, another alleged helper.
While police confiscated $2 million worth of assets from Ramirez's upscale north Phoenix home, including vehicles, guns and a speedboat, Arthur Johnson said only in the last four months did his wife begin working for her, boarding and packing coupons once or twice a week, in exchange for free coupons. The coupons were believed to be legitimate and they were told Ramirez got them through a nonprofit organization to which she belongs.
But police said those bogus coupons were coming from overseas and Ramirez was selling them online in what has now become the first counterfeiting and forgery case of its kind in the U.S.
All three women are being held at Estrella Jail in Phoenix while they await their court appearances. Marilyn Johnson's brother has helped her get a lawyer.
Marilyn Johnson's attorney, David Black, released the following statement on Friday, "Mrs. Johnson has spent her life helping others and trying to do the right thing. She is extremely remorseful for any involvement she may have had in this ordeal, but whatever involvement she may have had was accidental. Marilyn Johnson is a retired school teacher who has devoted her career to children with special needs. She has never knowingly engaged in criminal conduct, and she never would. Marilyn hopes the responsible parties will be brought to justice and that she will be allowed to return home to her family, who misses her dearly."
CBS 5 News also spoke with one of Fountain's relatives, who said Fountain is an honest person who couldn't have known about the scheme because she never gained financially from it.
Her relative said she's a licensed chiropractor who has been struggling because of the bad economy and said before her arrest she had to borrow money. Fountain will have a public defender represent her.
Arthur Johnson said his 54-year-old wife, Marilyn Johnson, is a retired special education teacher who, according to her husband, has never gotten so much as a speeding ticket.
Arthur Johnson said his wife is accused of doing something she knew nothing about. She was allegedly helping a widespread counterfeit coupon operation that ended Tuesday with three arrests and roughly $25 million in fake coupons seized.
Arthur Johnson said his wife was arrested at their south Phoenix home where they run a small dog breeding business. He said it was through his wife's internet searches for dog food coupons that she became connected with both 40-year-old Robin Ramirez, the alleged leader of the operation, and 42-year-old Amiko Fountain, another alleged helper.
While police confiscated $2 million worth of assets from Ramirez's upscale north Phoenix home, including vehicles, guns and a speedboat, Arthur Johnson said only in the last four months did his wife begin working for her, boarding and packing coupons once or twice a week, in exchange for free coupons. The coupons were believed to be legitimate and they were told Ramirez got them through a nonprofit organization to which she belongs.
But police said those bogus coupons were coming from overseas and Ramirez was selling them online in what has now become the first counterfeiting and forgery case of its kind in the U.S.
All three women are being held at Estrella Jail in Phoenix while they await their court appearances. Marilyn Johnson's brother has helped her get a lawyer.
Marilyn Johnson's attorney, David Black, released the following statement on Friday, "Mrs. Johnson has spent her life helping others and trying to do the right thing. She is extremely remorseful for any involvement she may have had in this ordeal, but whatever involvement she may have had was accidental. Marilyn Johnson is a retired school teacher who has devoted her career to children with special needs. She has never knowingly engaged in criminal conduct, and she never would. Marilyn hopes the responsible parties will be brought to justice and that she will be allowed to return home to her family, who misses her dearly."
CBS 5 News also spoke with one of Fountain's relatives, who said Fountain is an honest person who couldn't have known about the scheme because she never gained financially from it.
Her relative said she's a licensed chiropractor who has been struggling because of the bad economy and said before her arrest she had to borrow money. Fountain will have a public defender represent her.
Student Charged With Counterfeit Coupons
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A computer security student at New York's Rochester Institute of Technology has been arrested on charges that he posted counterfeit Internet coupons to the 4chan and Zoklet websites.
Lucas Henderson turned himself into federal court in Rochester, New York, Wednesday. He's charged with creating hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of fake coupons for everything from Tide detergent to Sony's PlayStation. "As a result of Henderson's conduct, retailers and manufacturers paid out on the coupons and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars," the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday in a press release.
Charged with wire fraud and counterfeiting, the 22-year-old Henderson faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Lucas Henderson turned himself into federal court in Rochester, New York, Wednesday. He's charged with creating hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of fake coupons for everything from Tide detergent to Sony's PlayStation. "As a result of Henderson's conduct, retailers and manufacturers paid out on the coupons and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars," the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday in a press release.
Charged with wire fraud and counterfeiting, the 22-year-old Henderson faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Coupon Counterfeit In Phoenix
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Coupons regaining popularity with savvy shoppers have also been the source of a widespread forgery and counterfeit case, leading officials on a search they call “Operation Super Coupon.”
According to the Phoenix Police Department, over 40 of the nation’s largest manufacturers have fallen victim, becoming a part of the first case of its kind in the United States.
About four years ago, copies of manufacturer’s coupons began to spread around the country from an unknown source, according to police.
These coupons are extremely valuable to consumers, as they offer highly discounted or free items.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, over 40 of the nation’s largest manufacturers have fallen victim, becoming a part of the first case of its kind in the United States.
About four years ago, copies of manufacturer’s coupons began to spread around the country from an unknown source, according to police.
These coupons are extremely valuable to consumers, as they offer highly discounted or free items.
Walgreens Accused Of Coupon Fraud
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A San Diego nutritional-supplement company is accusing Walgreens of coupon fraud, saying the nation’s largest drugstore chain sought to get reimbursed for coupons that had never been used by customers and appeared “freshly minted.”
Many of the coupons purportedly redeemed by customers were also in consecutive order when they arrived in bundles at the office of Rancho Bernardo-based Imagenetix.
Imagenetix is claiming in a federal lawsuit that the drugstore chain never got the coupons into customers’ hands, as promised, and printed them only to make money for its bottom line — claims the company denies.
Many of the coupons purportedly redeemed by customers were also in consecutive order when they arrived in bundles at the office of Rancho Bernardo-based Imagenetix.
Imagenetix is claiming in a federal lawsuit that the drugstore chain never got the coupons into customers’ hands, as promised, and printed them only to make money for its bottom line — claims the company denies.
Coupon Fraud At Walmart!
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The retail fraud operation busted up by Wal-Mart security and Blackman-Leoni detectives is an example of the new, organized crime rings targeting stores.
Retail fraud is no longer sticking an item in a coat and walking out of the store without paying. Perhaps as many as eight people, including a former cashier, conspired to use coupon fraud and price switching to bilk Wal-Mart, 1700 W. Michigan Ave., of what detectives suspect will top $100,000 in merchandise.
"These scams are getting more and more intricate," said Blackman-Leoni Detective Sgt. Chris Boulter. "There are organized groups that perpetrate fraud against retailers."
Retail fraud is no longer sticking an item in a coat and walking out of the store without paying. Perhaps as many as eight people, including a former cashier, conspired to use coupon fraud and price switching to bilk Wal-Mart, 1700 W. Michigan Ave., of what detectives suspect will top $100,000 in merchandise.
"These scams are getting more and more intricate," said Blackman-Leoni Detective Sgt. Chris Boulter. "There are organized groups that perpetrate fraud against retailers."