Digital coupons are one of the primary ways UK shoppers get discounts on everyday purchases. It’s estimated that 76% of UK shoppers use digital grocery coupons delivered via email. Mobile devices are the preferred way of redemption (around 80%), and food shopping leads UK voucher usage (65% use vouchers for groceries).
While trustworthy sites like ours lead the way in the UK, not all online coupons are legitimate. But before we get into how to spot fake ones, here are three well-known coupon scammers who found ways around the regulations—until they were caught.
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Three Famous Coupon Scammers
In the UK, there are strict regulations when it comes to coupons and discount offers, and they fall under the watchful eyes of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). They must be doing their job, as there haven’t been any significant coupon scams in the UK. Small attempts at issuing fake coupons via Facebook groups were quickly discovered and closed down. The same can’t be said for the US, where these three coupon scams made international headlines.
Connie Arvidson (Coupon Connie)
One of the earliest instances of coupon scamming was in 1990, before the digital age. Connie Arvidson from Boca Raton, Florida, was well-known in her neighbourhood for dumpster-diving for unexpired coupons and proof-of-purchase seals. She earned two nicknames, ‘Coupon Connie’ and ‘Dumpster Lady’. Her notoriety came to the attention of David Rackmill of San Antonio, Texas, who recruited her to be part of his coupon ring, where they bought and sold counterfeit coupons. Unfortunately for Connie, when David was caught, he threw her under the bus, and she served over two years in prison, charged with mail fraud and conspiracy.
Queenpins
The Queenpins are the most well-known coupon scammers, as their true story has been made into a 2021 comedy of the same name. The movie changed their names and the source of their coupons, so here’s the real story. In 2007, three Arizona housewives, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson forged coupons and sold them on their website, savvyshoppersite.com. Their coupons look legitimate and were supposedly from 40 companies, including Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo and Hershey. They were discovered when Procter & Gamble conducted a coupon audit and found the fake ones. The company filed fraud complaints with the Coupon Information Corporation. Police seized $40 million (£29.6 million) worth of fake coupons and $2 million in assets, including cash, guns and a speed boat. Fountain and Johnson turned on Ramirez, who was identified as the ringleader, in exchange for reduced sentences. The three of them were ordered to pay back Procter and Gamble $1.2 million (£888,000).
Lori Ann Talens
The most famous coupon scammer is Lori Ann Talens from Virginia Beach in the US. Ultimately, her scam cost companies $32 million (£23.7 million). From 2017–2020, she created thousands of fake high-value coupons. Unlike the Queenpins, who used a website, Talens used social media and encrypted messaging apps to sell her coupons, taking payment in Bitcoin and PayPal. She was caught in a similar way to the Queenpins after the organisations on some of the coupons reported massive losses and involved the Coupon Information Corporation. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and her accomplice husband was given 7 years.
How to Spot Fake Coupons
The examples above show that coupon scams do happen. Realistically, they should have all been caught much earlier if their customers had been more vigilant. With 70% of UK shoppers spending five hours a week shopping for discounts, scammers would likely be caught more quickly.
Common Tricks Scammers Use
Before the introduction of AI, it was easy to spot fake coupons. Technology is making it harder, but not impossible. The best advice is to inspect the coupon carefully, whether it’s digital or in a newspaper, and look out for the following:
- Fake Branding: Logos and brand graphics make the coupons look legitimate, but are they the correct ones?
- Urgency Tactics: ‘Expires in one hour!’ or other limited-time deals that may cause shoppers to skip verification.
- Social Media Virality: Scams spread rapidly via Facebook groups, encrypted chat apps or viral Reddit/Instagram posts. Check these with a scam website.
- Encrypted Communication: Using apps to avoid detection during sales and distribution. Why aren’t these coupons being offered on a legitimate website?
- AI Tricks: With AI, scammers can now generate thousands of realistic-looking vouchers at speed. However, you can still spot them by looking for deepfake logos, generative text (AI speak) and fake customer reviews.
- False Promises: Freebie marketing is great for offering samples, but promotions like ‘Free groceries for a year’ seem hard to believe, especially with a low coupon value.
Before Accepting a Coupon, Do These Checks
There are ways to check if a coupon is legitimate. If it’s available on trusted sites like coupontoaster.com, groupon.co.uk or HotUKDeals.com, you can feel confident that it’s legit. For any other digital or paper coupon, here’s what you need to do or be aware of:
- Verification: Always verify the coupon with the brand’s official site or retailer.
- Social Media: Beware of vouchers from unknown sellers or unofficial channels; legitimate websites exist for a reason.
- Errors: Look for expired offers, bad grammar or odd formatting; these are all red flags for fakes.
- Double-Check: Google the offer and check for fraud warnings before using high-value vouchers. Numerous sites update scam warnings hourly, including Action Fraud, Scamwatch and even gov.uk.
These rules apply beyond coupon use. Whenever you are given an offer, whether it is a travel vouchers, supermarket discounts or free spins from online casinos, verify they’re legitimate before you accept them.
Use Coupons, Just Don’t Get Scammed
Coupon use is big business and isn’t going away any time soon. With the increase in use of AI, scammers are getting smarter and harder to spot. Follow the advice given above before accepting any offer, and don’t become a statistic in another Queenpins’ escapade. Remember, if it is ‘too good to be true’, go with your gut—you’ll likely be right.
