They come in the mail, the Sunday paper, and you can even find them online…but some of the coupons we use at stores may actually be fake. Coupon Information Corporation director Bud Miller says fraud is a growing concern. He says there's a growing coupon underworld that's exploded with the internet. Miller says coupons are often sold on sites such as eBay, which is where counterfeits are also introduced in to the system.
Officials estimate that companies lose millions of dollars each year through fake coupons. Miller is urging lawmakers in Wisconsin to create legislation that targets illegal coupon makers. He says there are no specific laws that currently address coupon counterfeiting over even the resale of coupons. Miller says that currently, coupon scams have to be charged under existing mail fraud or tax evasion laws.
