If you heard several loud "AARRGGH!"s last night between 10:00pm and 11:00pm last night, that was me watching the season premiere of TLC's Extreme Couponing.
It seems that we are in for another season where TLC, the producers of Extreme Couponing as well as the couponers eager for their 15 minutes of fame don't care about ethical couponing, coupon basics or if they are messing it up for the rest of us.
So what counterfeit coupons were used?
- Free Hefty product coupon - this coupon has been on the CIC's list of known counterfeit coupons for about 2 months
- Quilted Northern Coupon - also on the known counterfeit coupon list
Jill Cataldo has already provided some screen shots of the fraudulent coupons and I am sure that we will be seeing more in the next few days.
It is unknown if Cole or Angelique knew that they were using counterfeits, but Angelique has said that she had to buy some coupons from a clipping service for her appearance on the show. Were some of the ones she bought the Free Quilted Northern coupons? Did she buy them from a reputable clipping service or on eBay? A quick search on eBay shows that there are many coupons on the counterfeit coupon list available for purchase on eBay (including the counterfeit Quilted Northern coupon)!
Interesting to note that, unlike in previous seasons, there seemed to be less "screen time" for the coupons themselves. TLC obviously has no interest in portraying ethical couponing, but I guess they have decided to make it more difficult for bloggers to prove that they are televising and promoting fraud.
Did you watch the Season 3 Premiere of Extreme Couponing? What did you think?
Mary Long Hutchison via Facebook
Ugh!
Mitchell @ Frugal Finders
I was complaining a LOT last night too when I was watching. There were a couple other coupon misuses I noticed:
$5/1 Lysol Healthy Touch coupon used on wipes
$1/1 Kleenex Cool Touch coupon used on regular Kleenex
And a $6.50/1 cereal coupon? Excuse my language, but WTF?!
I ONLY teach and advocate ethical and realistic couponing. The misuse of coupons shown on Extreme Couponing will make it that much harder for the rest of us to use coupons legitimately and correctly.
I hope the Coupon Information Corporation investigates!
Cyndi Bowman Jackson via Facebook
I can't even watch this show, it is fiction. None of that works in real couponing.
Sarah Malone via Facebook
I used to love TLC, back before it became known for promoting crap and fraud. I can say it raised my interest in couponing, but I am interested in ETHICAL couponing. I find it ridiculous that this show continues to go on. It is just messing things up for the rest of us.
Joni Hall via Facebook
I have never watched this show and never will. I would probably end up getting so upset with what I was seeing that I might just throw something at my TV. 🙂
Deena
🙂 agree
michele
The show makes my blood boil so I refuse to watch.
Lisa Carnevali via Facebook
Why must a few frauds make the rest of look bad
Jennifer
I appreciate that you always promote ethical couponing. Ever since the TLC show started, couponing policies are much stricter in my area. Unethical couponing hurts us all. Those of us who coupon, ethically, in order to provide for our families are paying the price for this bad behavior.
Melissa Garcia
I have just quit watching the show all together so I am glad you guys chatted this up today. I can't believe this is still going on! The biggest thing I don't understand is when will the stores learn? If the stores band together they won't have a place to film. There is enough out their on the internet as well as people emailing and talking about to employees for the stores to know better.
Fritz
Hi every one
1st off i have to say this show is so fake it not even funny ... I dont know about everyone else but here in philadelphia where i live there are 3 markets i go to Pathmark,Shoprite and acme. 2 of these store Limit coupons to 4 each for the same item and only double to $1.00 per coupon. The 3rd store which is acme will double up till $1.99 and allows unlimited coupons as long as long as they are not internet printed. So how can they buy 50 of the same item on the show and use 50 of the same coupon to cover the cost of these items. also how would a person go 22 transactions in 1 trip throgh the checkout. Where i come from the cashier would give me trouble if i tried to do 2 or 3 transactions at once.
Last point i mant to make is how can u go through the check out with 5 or 10 crats full of items, I think TLC and the show pay the supermarkets for letting them film there and do what they want with the cashier and check out system.
What do you think?
fritz
Sonia
I didn't see the show but the Doritos coupon used is also fraudulent. I bought some of the fraudulent coupons for angel soft on ebay a few weeks ago. When they came in I knew something was fishy about them. I looked at the CIC website and found them. I let the seller know they were frauds and I got the they worked for me speech. He did refund my money but I have turned him in to the CIC.
jill
I didn't see the show, but have seen in the past where things happen that just DON'T happen in real life. Is there a way we can write into the show as a protest? I think people SHOULD coupon, but watching this show is just absurd..
Rob
Hi Mindy,
Thanks for your info, I agree completely! Who needs 50 boxes of anything.They are stock piling as if there is going to be a famine, are they expecting a horde of locusts? My local grocery stores will only double up to 4 coupons(Acme) and my Giant in Broomall will only double ONE item. This show is a disgrace it is almost like the one with all the toys wins. SHAME,SHAME,SHAME. I absolutely will not watch this show. Thanks again.
Ruth Jenkins
Fraudulent coupons are very easy to spot. I understand that some people who are new to couponing might think that they are legit. Companies do send coupons for free items but they DON'T give them to eBayers to sell in large quantities. I use the clipping services on eBay because I shop for a lot of people. I only purchase coupons that were in the weekly inserts. The show is atrocious, I watched a couple of times and most of it is staged. It is "reality" TV, staged to make it seem real and the reality of couponing is very different from what is portrayed on TV.