In a shocking turn of events, two women from Taunton have been charged with running a counterfeit coupon scheme that netted them nearly $27,000 worth of goods from multiple Stop & Shop supermarkets across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, CBS News Boston reported. It is alleged that 41-year-old Jacqueline White and 40-year-old Crystal Travis orchestrated this months-long scheme between March and June of 2023.
According to the Plymouth County District Attorney's office, White and Travis would forge fake coupons, which they used to purchase household items like hand soap, laundry detergent, toothbrushes, and more from the various Stop & Shop locations. With a staggering amount of items acquired through this illegal operation, the women would then advertise and sell their ill-gotten gains on social media platforms like Facebook, another Boston 25 News article stated.
One indictment reveals a notable instance where White and Travis bought 366 items, totaling $1,658.28 in value. However, upon using their counterfeit coupons, they managed to reduce their out-of-pocket payment to a mere $3.28 according to CBS News Boston.
Bud Miller with the Coupon Information Corporation, a non-profit committed to fighting fraudulent operations like the one White and Travis are accused of masterminding, says that these types of schemes can become quite intricate. "The goal is to get as much product as you can and convert it into cash as quickly as you can," he said. Miller explained to CBS Boston that those engaging in these schemes rarely report their illicit sales to local tax boards, nor in their income tax filings.
As part of a months-long investigation by Hingham and Abington police, with the assistance of the Coupon Information Center, the women were charged with one count each of larceny by false pretense by a single scheme and larceny to induce parting with personal property, Boston 25 News revealed. Additionally, White faces an extra charge of organized retail theft.
Prosecutors allege White and Travis' operation utilized social media sites and applications like Facebook and Dropbox to purchase and distribute the counterfeit coupons involved in their scheme. These coupons were designed with precision, featuring high-quality graphics and barcodes that closely mirrored those of legitimate third-party coupons. Through this deception, the pair managed to defraud various Stop & Shop stores into allowing the coupons' use as reported by Boston 25 News.
Upon acquiring the items at steep discounts, White and Travis would post photos of their hauls on social media platforms like Facebook, where they would offer the items for sale at heavily discounted prices. Potential buyers were asked to meet the women in Taunton and pay cash for the merchandise.
Despite being contacted by the Coupon Information Center and notified to cease their activities in April, White reportedly ignored the warning and continued with the counterfeit coupon operation. Both women are now due in Brockton Superior Court at a later date to answer for their alleged crimes.
