By George Anderson
Atlanta's grocers took notice when shoppers tried to cash in computer-generated coupons giving them $150 in free merchandise, reports the city's Journal-Constitution newspaper.
The coupons, offering items such as Häagen-Dazs ice cream for free, turned out to be counterfeit. The scam was "the biggest of its kind to hit Georgia in more than 14 years, according to the Georgia Food Industry Association."
Publix and Kroger, were reportedly the hardest hit by the counterfeit coupons because the chains are engaged in a double coupons competition.
Kathy Kuzava, president of the Georgia Food Industry Association, said, "These coupons are like counterfeit money. It's a mess out there, and it's bigger than we ever could imagine."
Initial estimates peg the cost of the counterfeiting scam at $1 million or more.
Moderator's Comment: How big a problem is coupon fraud in the grocery business? What needs to be done to reduce incidents such as the counterfeit coupon scam in Georgia? [George Anderson - Moderator]