If you’ve ever seen advertisements for big savings or “hundreds per week”/”thousands per month” you should be cautious to believe. These internet entrepreneurs are promising people enormous savings with so-called coupon books. For a fee one can purchase the coupon book and reap the benefits. Or not. These are actually fraudulent schemes designed to take advantage of people wanting to save even more money. The Federal Trade Commission reports that over 3000 manufacturers nationwide distribute 330 billion coupons annually to increase savings by consumers. It is estimated that $280 billion is saved because of these manufacturer coupons. And there’s only one method of using coupons: cut them out and take them to the store to use in a purchase. Most manufacturers prohibit the selling or transferring of coupons, which is precisely what these internet scammers are purporting to do with their coupon books. Don’t fall prey to these fraudulent promoters. Follow these easy steps to protect yourself.
Hang up the phone if a promoter contacts you with a business opportunity of selling coupon certificate books. Or at the very least be weary of the caller. The promoter will describe how the coupon books contain 20 to 50 coupons and you are supposed to sell them for a fee of $20 to $50 each. Each coupon book supposedly will have $200 to $500 worth of savings in it. In order to redeem the coupons, the consumer must fill out the coupon and mail it in. The coupon has a form on it where the consumer is to select 30 to 50 products which are listed and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope as well as a processing fee.
2
Ask for references of other people who have signed on for the coupon book business if you are curious about the opportunity. Be sure to ask for several references so as to avoid the possibility of getting one or two people who are paid off by the promoter to say good things about the scam. Contact these references and ask them questions about how long they have been in the coupon book selling business and how lucrative it has been?
3
Contact manufacturers of the coupons contained in the coupon books. Ask them if they have heard of the promoter or are aware that their coupons are contained in these coupon books.
4
Contact the manufacturer of the coupon if you think you have been the victim in a coupon certificate scam. Additionally contact the advertising manager of the publication who ran the advertisement, the US Postal Service, and the state Attorney General Office.
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