Most folks think coupon scamming involves manufacturing fraudulent coupons, but after working in retail for a few years, I have grown quite familiar with a lesser known form of scamming -- and it really, really irks me because the majority of these scammers are my Vietnamese brethren. I can just imagine what goes through their head as they approach the returns counter.
"Hello! Me scam you long time! You take more coupons today!"
The process is quite simple. Find legitimate coupons, cut them out from ads, purchase the coupon items at the store and then return everything at the returns counter.
To my knowledge, no stores adjust the return amount to reflect coupon prices. That means scammers get the regular sale price for the returns. Why is that allowed? I am not sure. Ultimately, the coupon provider will reimburse the store, and obviously, coupon scammers will not strike it rich -- but just the thought of someone making money dishonestly annoys me.
It annoys me even more when I am facilitating their seedy ways and cannot technically deny them.
Coupon scammers usually do not make much effort to hide their operations. The return items are largely the same: razors, vitamins, shampoo, teeth whitening strips.... When asked why are they returning the items, the answer is often, "I no need this much," or "My mom no want."
Seriously? How coincidental is it that a bunch of older Vietnamese people come into a store and return the same bagful of items on a weekly basis?
Coupon scamming is truly a gross disservice to honest people trying to make ends meet. Why anyone would stoop that low really just boggles my mind.
