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Keep yourself safe from coupon, gift card scams

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  • Description

    Coupon Information Center executive director Bud Miller offers advice

  • Duration 4:18
  • Date

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This transcript is automatically generated

He's trying to save a buck especially when you go shopping again going to make a major purchase and it turns out now that counterfeit coupons and gift cards are on the rise.

There are lots of people that buy and trade them online and it's hard to know whether or not you're getting a legitimate Carter or coupon.

Or if it's a fraud.

So in today's take charge consumer protection segment I wanted to tell you how to keep the money in your wallet and keep yourself -- -- trouble we never want you to lose.

On the show.

But Miller is the executive director of the coupon information center but a lot of people wouldn't even imagine there is such a thing as a coupon information center.

And you're doing a public service because you're helping people spot.

State coupons first of all how big -- problem is it.

And it's a multi million dollar -- own gaming something we deal with on a daily basis.

And I understand that there are some telltale signs you can look for like flurry.

You know coupons.

Miss -- are typos because companies take great care to make sure their coupons are are crisp and perfect and and look good.

For them.

One is also that you may be offered too much money off.

That's correct first -- -- Her face -- the manufactures.

Directly in the consumers' hands so they take great care and making sure the graphics are superb.

That there aren't typographical errors and -- Things like that so if you see anything like that in the coupon you should be very cautious about it is possible for using a fake coupon.

I if she can there minarets at the point of sale.

And frankly the people that are selling the counterfeits other people.

Also expose themselves to potential felony charges what.

Seeing -- for the person that selling those -- obviously in that particular case they get a direct profit for selling a coupon but if someone just hurting them and putting them out there.

And it's a bar code that works at the store.

How does a person that put them that to the stores pay them money.

-- the stories don't pay that the counterfeiters money of of course.

We found that some people particularly with anonymous group.

Like to pretend they're Robin Hood or -- -- corporations.

It's it's almost a form of economic terrorism at that point so that's what they do they frame and put him out there to hurt the company's directly no financial gain specifically.

That's -- that's correct that we find that there is often the situation.

And frankly sometimes they just do it for laughs it's very unfortunate it certainly helps us.

Yeah they have they -- done this consumers out there so we fight this literally 24 hours a day seven days a week now.

One of the things that really caught my attention about your organization is at coupon information center dot com.

You list specifically.

Counterfeit and fraudulent coupons that are out there and these were companies and names of products that I recognize.

Ones that we -- may -- every week.

In our grocery list how do you find out about them.

-- -- -- -- Many sources who we find them during process the coupon processing the retailers call us.

Various manufacturers and their representatives -- on the Internet 24/7.

A day.

It's a very aggressive effort out there defying these things before they can cause damage in this.

Really challenging economy but a lot of us need to look even for that fifteen cents off.

It can make a huge difference in our own personal bottom line so what is your advice to folks that want to continue to coupon.

But not get in trouble.

Well the first thing is that virtually all.

Coupons are perfectly legitimate.

The one piece of advice that will protect virtually everyone is never pay money for -- -- It violates -- terms and conditions of the legitimate ones and we've never seen that turn out well for people.

Most large coupons sellers are either selling counterfeit -- where they're getting them through some illicit means.

Stolen even that's correct.

Great information but thank you so much and folks can go to coupon information center dot com to.

See some of the fraudulent.

And and -- coupons that are out there thank you very much.

Thank you nice to meet you.

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