The Evidence: Coupon Decoding Is Illegal
This photo was take in at the Winn-Dixie store in Hattisburg, Mississippi.
If you have been following this story on Frugal Fairhope, you might have read the comments from one reader on the The Other Side: Coupon Decoding Is Illegal Post. While we are offended by the comments from this one reader we posted them anyway. While we are sadden by the comments we are not going to justify a response because there is no reason to respond.
What we are going to do is keep bringing this illegal and fraudulent actions to light. We will not let this go and we will stay on this path by using the means that God has given us to educate people that this is wrong. We are confident that there was no agreement between Winn-Dixie and P&G. If by chance there was an agreement, the appropriate parties should be prosecuted.
Thanks to misspt for taking the photo and giving us permission to post the photo!
——-The Other Side: Coupon Decoding Is Illegal Post-------
We may not have stated this before but before posting from our readers on Frugal Fairhope we will protect their names and ask for permission before posting on FrugalFairhope.com.
Here is another side of the story that we thought you might find interesting from Reader D… After receiving the first email we asked for permission to post (the reason for the two paragraphs).
I hope this finds you well. I am writing in regards to the Winn Dixie/Bay Minette coupon fraud you posted about. Please do not judge us to harshly. Yes I was one of the ones that took advantage of Winn Dixie. I am not making excesses, but the manager there at the store was telling everyone that they had an agreement with P&G. The management there showed a lot of people how to do this and that is the only reason I thought it was ok. I would not have thought that a store manager would lie to so many people and teach them to commit fraud in his store. I have talked to many people who coupon who HE approached and told how to do this including the friend that showed me. He even brought out a Winn Dixie store book to show that it was ok I’m told. A lot of people were lied to and told it was ok to do it, I mean why would a manager lie about something like that? I would have thought that the higher ups would be aware of what was going on. Any way I just wanted to let you know that bit of information. Again NOT making excesses but just letting you know WHY I did it and why so many others were doing it as well. Live and learn. So please understand for the most part we were trusting that store management was being honest. I would have never done this other wise. Thank you so much for your time and everything you do.”
“…Just understand I was not approached by the manager but I do know many people who were, including my friends who showed me. I also talked to several ladies shopping who were told what my friends were told. The cleaning supplies area was PACKED with people doing the same thing I was. The shelves were cleared in some cases. I know it has been going on for a while but never any stock in what was said until a couple of weeks ago. In addition, I know for a fact that the cashiers were told that if it scans it was ok regardless of what you were buying. That came out of the cashier’s mouth. People were honestly miss lead. A WHOLE lot of people. You know the old saying… If it’s to good to be true… again Live and Learn! Thanks for all you do and thank you for understanding.
…”
-------Original: Coupon Decoding Is Illegal Post-------
We received the following disturbing email from Reader S…
I have been a couponer for around 2 years now. I have always tried very hard to follow the rules and use my coupons for the products they were intended. We have a group of people in our town teaching others how to decode the bar code on coupons. The number of people doing this is growing every week. I know you have probably addressed this problem on your website. Will you please do so again? If the rumors are true, the Winn Dixie here is actually encouraging its customers to do this. I know some of the people doing this also visit your website regularly. Am I overreacting? Please Help!
The Coupon Information Corporation (CIC) addresses this issue from the Extreme Couponing show (where this process was filmed).
“Coupon Decoding. Each coupon is a contract and should be used only for the item described in writing on the coupon itself. Using a coupon for any product other than the one intended is a type of fraud similar to shoplifting…”
“Professionals in the coupon industry believe this show [Extreme Couponing] creates unrealistic expectations about how coupons work and promotes the misuse of coupons. For example, the show appears to portray coupons being used in violation of the terms and conditions printed on the coupons, such as using coupons to obtain products other than those specified by the coupon offer, and focuses on consumers who have procured large quantities of coupon inserts from unknown sources, which may raise civil and/or criminal issues.
In real life, individuals attempting to use such large quantities of coupons or attempting to use them in violation of the terms stated on the coupons would most likely have their coupons refused at the register or, depending on the circumstances, be investigated by law enforcement.”
What is even more interesting is that we had a Daphne store manager tell us about a customer who wanted the manager to use a coupon but did not buy the product. The example this manager used was P&G products. The customer wanted the manager to take a $5 Swiffer coupon for a Bounty product. Of course the manager did not take the coupon even though the customer insisted that the coupon “would scan”. Had the manager taken this coupon, both the customer and the manager would have been committing fraud.
Another example that has been told is someone using a $10 Crest Whitestrips coupon to buy a bottle of Tide.
I can not stress enough how important it is for all of us to follow exactly what the coupon states on the coupons. Just because it “will scan” does not make this legal.
Oh wow. I guess I’m just naive, but I had no idea people were actually doing junk like this. I agree with the above comments about the Extreme Couponing show 100%. I’ve been faithfully learning to coupon for the past 2 years, starting with one of your workshops, & I’ve had several cashiers who know me ask if I watch that show. I’m sort of glad I don’t. I’d rather keep my naivete, and my small-scale, honest couponing values. Just because someone shows you how to do something fraudulent or unethical, or even encourages it, doesn’t mean you have to break the law yourself. We’re all accountable; it’s part of being a grownup. Thanks, Frances, for keeping us all informed, and hopefully encouraged to toe the line. Good for you, and again, Thank You.
Just a Mom in Mobile
Frances, May the Lord bless you for your honesty and integrity. You can never go wrong doing the right thing. You have been blessed with a platform and you will be blessed for using it to shine a light on wrongdoing. I am all for using coupons to maximum advantage, within the law. I would rather be poor however, than a liar. Keep up the good work, and thank you for all you do! Sincerely,
There will always be people who cheat the system – whatever system it is. There are many people who cheat the government – why wouldn’t they cheat everything else? It is sad, but it won’t go away. It just makes it so much harder for those of us who try to do the right thing.
I had no idea people were using coupons this way! I would not have even thought of it. But I do have a question. Sometimes I use a coupon, say a Colgate sensitive toothpaste coupon, for a Colgate whitening toothpaste. Is that wrong?
Laura,
If the coupon is specifically for the sensitive toothpaste and the whitening does not state sensitive then yes that is wrong.
Frances