Posted on 07/15/2012 5:41:12 AM PDT by Libloather
Phoenix police arrest 3 women in fake coupon ring
WHITNEY PHILLIPS, Associated Press
Updated 07:13 p.m., Wednesday, July 11, 2012
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix police say they have seized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons and $2 million in other assets from the homes of three women linked to a widespread counterfeiting and forgery operation.
Officer James Holmes said officers served several warrants Tuesday morning at the Phoenix-area residences, and 40-year-old Robin Ramirez, 42-year-old Amiko Fountain and 54-year-old Marilyn Johnson were arrested after an eight-week investigation.
**SNIP**
Police say Ramirez, believed to be the leader of the operation, bought the counterfeit manufacturer coupons overseas and then sold them on a website, savvyshoppersite.com, which is not associated with Phoenix's Savvy Shopper Magazine. Fountain and Johnson are suspected of helping operate the site and helping to ship the coupons.
People who purchased the coupons could use them for items from major national manufacturers like Procter & Gamble, and could get cash back if the value of the coupon exceeded the item's price.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Counterfeit Couponer Alert!
Their site is still up.
When the obsession coupon thing started up a couple of years ago...you could have predicted this. The food chains and grocery companies have to be losing money in this whole coupon thing but I don’t think you can stop it now.
“bought the counterfeit manufacturer coupons overseas” - I never heard of this before, but I guess I’m not surprised, particularly since some of these “coupons” gave cash back as well as the product.
It’s funny...months ago I was joking with the manager of a Family Dollar store that the North Koreans might have gone from counterfeiting hundred dollar bills to counterfeiting $3 coupons. I guess I was close to the truth without even knowing it.
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