4 arrested for coupon fraud in Houston

Four people were arrested and charged with felony theft over an alleged coupon fraud scheme in Houston, Texas this weeked.  But the scammers aren't extreme couponers -- they're four cashiers who allegedly shorted the supermarket they worked for a whopping $69,990 between July and October 2011.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the cashiers were using an over-ride function on their cash registers, which allowed them to enter in any dollar amount they chose for a coupon.  One defendant told police they were being paid by a Houston flea market to offer the illegally deep discounts on purchased merchandise, which then was presumably sold at the flea market in turn.

I thought this was an interesting case, especially considering the reports I hear routinely on the San Antonio Budget Grocery Facebook page of cashiers refusing to accept completely legitimate coupons.  Maybe grocery store managers will spend a little more time training -- and watching -- their cashiers going forward!

You can read more about the Houston coupon fraud case here.

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