Archived Where are these $25 off Threshold Bedding coupons coming from?

[EagleEye]

We don't see them being used at our store but we keep getting returns with receipts that have them on there. The guests are buying 27.99 bedding items with these coupons. It's obviously fraud but where are they coming from? TONS of returns this week with them.

 

[OnSix]

Some store that is allowing it to happen.

And I'm surprised they are using a receipt. People who attempt coupon fraud usually return the item with no receipt.

 

[signingminion]

We don't see them being used at our store but we keep getting returns with receipts that have them on there. The guests are buying 27.99 bedding items with these coupons. It's obviously fraud but where are they coming from? TONS of returns this week with them.

Why would they return them? It's a target coupon and thus not refunded back...

Eta; January had the $10 off $40 or $25 off $100 offer. 120 days would be just about up.

 

[Retail Girl]

Why would they return them? It's a target coupon and thus not refunded back...

Eta; January had the $10 off $40 or $25 off $100 offer. 120 days would be just about up.

Because they aren't real Target coupons, but instead are fake coupons using manufacturer coding, so the register refunds the money.

 

[mrknownothing]

NOTICE TO ALL CASHIERS:

Do NOT accept manufacturer's coupons for Target brand products. If you come across them, be sure to let AP know because they are fraudulent.

 

[Retail Girl]

NOTICE TO ALL CASHIERS:

Do NOT accept manufacturer's coupons for Target brand products. If you come across them, be sure to let AP know because they are fraudulent.

ASANTS. Check with your leaders.

 

[signingminion]

Because they aren't real Target coupons, but instead are fake coupons using manufacturer coding, so the register refunds the money.

I'm horrified by the implication that someone might have decoded the Target gibberish barcode to make this real....ugh. Search on ebay pulled up nothing current, but hot dang the number of pharmacy 5% coupons listed is just icky. And registry completion coupons...people are just desperate.

 

[Flabbergasted]

Yep at my store we tell the fraudsters who slap down 100 HBA items and their debit card to come back with the paper receipt. If they do, we inform them we will be manually keying in every item so it is returned without the coupons refunded.

 

[Retail Girl]

Yep at my store we tell the fraudsters who slap down 100 HBA items and their debit card to come back with the paper receipt. If they do, we inform them we will be manually keying in every item so it is returned without the coupons refunded.

Yeah, don't get caught doing that by people outside the store...because that is fraud on the part of the store, because the store is being reimbursed for the coupon by the manufacturer, so not returning the money to guest when they return the product is either fraud, theft, or money laundering, depending on the mood of whoever cares enough to investigate.

 

[redeye58]

Yep, Target coupons are usually tied to the item so they don't refund (Target is the 3rd party) but you're not supposed to do that with manf coupons because Target gets reimbursed by the manf. If we keep the coupon amt, that's a double pay to Target & can get your store in trouble.
Our store puts manf refunds back on a gift card but only if it's a large return of multiples of the same items.

 

[Flabbergasted]

Yeah, don't get caught doing that by people outside the store...because that is fraud on the part of the store, because the store is being reimbursed for the coupon by the manufacturer, so not returning the money to guest when they return the product is either fraud, theft, or money laundering, depending on the mood of whoever cares enough to investigate.

We can't be reimbursed for fake coupons.

Also, we do this under both ETL-GE and ETL-AP directive. And most of the fraudsters just leave when we tell them we're going to take off the coupons. It's mostly a deterrent.

 

[Retail Girl]

We can't be reimbursed for fake coupons.

Also, we do this under both ETL-GE and ETL-AP directive. And most of the fraudsters just leave when we tell them we're going to take off the coupons. It's mostly a deterrent.

The HBA coupons you referenced in your post generally aren't fake. Just overused.

 

[RhettB]

There was a Suave offer, buy 4 on sale at $1.82 each, get a $5 gift card. On top of the $10 gift card on $40 spent. The shelf was empty. It will mostly all be returned with no receipt soon.

 

[Sr TPS]

We are just now starting to see this $25 coupon being used here. It is fraud. The guy is also using a fake coupon for $30 off of $32 Hagar men's pants. The first coupon is also an Internet coupon but threshold is a target brand and there is no manufacturers coupons for Target brands. They would be Target coupons.

 

[On6]

We are just now starting to see this $25 coupon being used here. It is fraud. The guy is also using a fake coupon for $30 off of $32 Hagar men's pants. The first coupon is also an Internet coupon but threshold is a target brand and there is no manufacturers coupons for Target brands. They would be Target coupons.

This must be a widespread thing. Or we are in the same district. Been seeing a lot of returns of the haggar pants. Well attempted returns because I turn them away 99% of the time.

 

[Patty]

Can someone explain coupon fraud? Thanks

 

[daninnj]

Coupon fraud happens a couple of ways at Target.

Very simplistically, one way is to buy stuff with coupons and then return the product doing a no-receipt exchange. The register cannot tell a coupon was used so the guest gets the full amount of the product back. So if they purchase Whitestrips for $50 and used a $10 coupon, they paid $40. If they do a no-receipt exchange, they will get back $50.

Another way is to using fake coupons. UPCs have a code which is fairly easy to crack; some digits on coupon UPCs have specific functions (random made-up example: a 05 at the end of a Norelco coupon UPC gives $5 off) and the other numbers tie it to the product). People who have cracked the code can make up barcodes that follow the code and take off money out of certain products.

Other ways are forcing the cashier to accept coupons for the wrong product, violating terms ("one per customer per day"), coping coupons, printing out more internet coupons than allowed (Target.com and coupons.com generally allow two per computer, but there are always ways around that).

Someone in AP couple probably give more ways.

 

[On6]

Another is incorrect items. Such as trial sizes vs regular size.

Coupon fraud people usually target new or young cashiers.

 

[Retail Girl]

Meh. The other day ap told me we are require to take any and all coupons presented, even if they are fraudulent. I stared at him. He told me that's the way all stores (but Walmart) are going...and the reason Walmart doesn't do it is because their prices are already low.

I just continued to stare at him.

*sigh* I cannot wait to get out of here.

 

[NPC]

Meh. The other day ap told me we are require to take any and all coupons presented, even if they are fraudulent. I stared at him. He told me that's the way all stores (but Walmart) are going...and the reason Walmart doesn't do it is because their prices are already low.

I just continued to stare at him.

*sigh* I cannot wait to get out of here.

BAAAAH! HAHAHAHAHA. Yeah that won't last. There's no way I'm letting someone leave my store with a $1000 transaction for $10. I'd be okay letting these exploitive transactions get by if I was confident it wasn't going to lead to fraud at Guest Service. I know our Guest Service doesn't take these returns without a receipt, but I'm positive some of the other local Targets do. I don't know why Target caters to these people. Yes, you want to trust your guests, but these aren't the guests I care to keep. And perhaps that's the biggest issue here. No one is on the same page, and policies are constantly changing.

 

[cmat21]

BAAAAH! HAHAHAHAHA. Yeah that won't last. There's no way I'm letting someone leave my store with a $1000 transaction for $10. I'd be okay letting these exploitive transactions get by if I was confident it wasn't going to lead to fraud at Guest Service. I know our Guest Service doesn't take these returns without a receipt, but I'm positive some of the other local Targets do. I don't know why Target caters to these people. Yes, you want to trust your guests, but these aren't the guests I care to keep. And perhaps that's the biggest issue here. No one is on the same page, and policies are constantly changing.

Target changed it's policy to appeal to more customers.

Problem was, they appealed to the wrong customers. They already had a loyal fan base. The continual over reliance on REDcards and bending over backwards (oh you say this was $5 instead of $17? Mkay!!! You were supposed to get a 10$ giftcard that the register didn't immediately give? Lemme fix that fo ya! No receipt for these items? No problem! Target doesn't mind giving you a 300$ giftcard when you probably only paid 10$)...this is going to destroy a retail company that believe it or not is better to work for than a lot of others.

 

[NPC]

Target changed it's policy to appeal to more customers.

Problem was, they appealed to the wrong customers. They already had a loyal fan base. The continual over reliance on REDcards and bending over backwards (oh you say this was $5 instead of $17? Mkay!!! You were supposed to get a 10$ giftcard that the register didn't immediately give? Lemme fix that fo ya! No receipt for these items? No problem! Target doesn't mind giving you a 300$ giftcard when you probably only paid 10$)...this is going to destroy a retail company that believe it or not is better to work for than a lot of others.

See this is way too extreme. I get what you're saying, but I think all those new policies were meant to be exercised within reason. I honor anything within a $10 gap. If it's a comforter that's going up $89, and they say $80, I have no problem with that. In the grand scheme of things, $10 is nothing if they're about to spend $300 in your store. Target likes to paint with a big brush when making their policies, but the reality is, those policies need to be seen as a guideline. Or they need to be at least. All of these policies are good policies for the honest guests. The only time I see where leniency needs to be reared back is when you know it's a scam or sever exploitation. I'd rather take the time to teach myself to know where that line is rather than blindly accept everything like a mindless robot. It's just as bad to be a robot, as it is to be on a power trip of denying coupons.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Meh. The other day ap told me we are require to take any and all coupons presented, even if they are fraudulent. I stared at him. He told me that's the way all stores (but Walmart) are going...and the reason Walmart doesn't do it is because their prices are already low.

I just continued to stare at him.

*sigh* I cannot wait to get out of here.

From the other things I've heard about your AP, I honestly wonder why you have them at all.

 

[GSAhole]

We just got some of those stupid things the other day...some asshole used TWELVE of them...three separate transactions and was buying bedding that was like 26 bucks. And surprise, he payed with gift cards. I'm still stumped as to why the cashier took them...she's been with Target for several years and knows better. In her defense though I guess she was just doing what she was told..."if it scans, take it." Apparantly what happened was it did scan and then had her select the item manually. Regardless of it scanning though, it was pretty obvious they were fake. Threshold was spelled wrong in one area of the coupon and the coupon stated that Target would be reimbursed the value of the item plus 8 cents...ummm, Threshold is a Target brand. Target can't reimburse itself for that coupon.

 

[RhettB]

I turned

Another is incorrect items. Such as trial sizes vs regular size.

Coupon fraud people usually target new or young cashiers.

Male cashiers as well.