This just IRRITATES me!

I came across Jill Cataldo's blog today and it irritated the you know what out of me!

Again, we have people committing coupon fraud and nobody is doing anything about it....and they sit and BRAG about it! The woman POSTED exactly how she committed fraud. It was brought to the attention of P & G so who knows what will happen. If I worked for P & G I'd ASK to be on the project to research all of this! Why should P & G pay for these stores helping people commit fraud? At first, I gave the woman the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe she was doing an expose on it (Hmmmmmm, maybe I should do that!!!!!!) and show how the stores LET people commit fraud...but oh no, she was TEACHING people EXACTLY how to do it! THIS right here is why the prices in the stores go up. Has anyone noticed that in the past year or so that the prices on stuff has gone up? Do you think it's a coincidence that it happened around the same time Extreme Couponing got popular? NO, it's not coincidence, it's WHY the prices are raising.

At my old job at the Army, I had a big big big boss who I did not like, care for or respect in the least (yea, I know that's bad to say, but really, if you worked for him, you'd know why). But he did teach me one thing that I will always remember. I came in as an intern, and he taught me that if there is an issue, don't just come to the table with the issue. Come prepared with at least two solutions to the problem. That way it shows you put some effort into it. So now, anytime I have an issue at work, before going to a co-worker or boss, I think of at least two solutions. Here are mine:
1. Stores should have in place some kind of checks and balances, whether it's mandatory coupon training or someone hired just for coupons. Heck, I wouldn't mind working at my local Shop Rite and being the 'coupon girl'. Anytime there is an issue when the coupon doesn't scan, instead of a manager just blatently over-riding it without checking the coupon or the bag to see if they did in fact buy the product (let's get real, the kids in there have friends/parents from school that they would help out anytime and say 'oh yea, they bought them') they would call the coupon person over to do the over-ride. Or something of that nature. The coupon person can teach coupon classes on how to read them, check the date quick, scan the coupon for fraud, etc. Yes, it's an added expense of the store to hire 1-4 of these coupon experts, but it may cost less then having to pay for fraudulent use.

2. The coupon manufacture's need to audit EVERY single coupon. Again, another expense, but it will give people a job and it will keep stores honest. Nobody wants to pay for fraud. The manufacturer's don't want to, neither does the store. There needs to be some sort of fine or something placed on stores that mis-use this. Okay, I can see maybe one or two sliding by, fine, nobody is perfect. But with this particular chain of stores, it looks like MANY are going through each day fraudulently.

We need to hold people accountable as well. The people that brag and post ONLINE about it need to be taught a lesson. This one woman posted her receipts, and told what coupons she mis-used, on purpose. Some auditors just need to look at her receipts and what she said she used, double check and fine her for the money she 'stole' from the store/manufacturer. In this day in age, everything is online and all you need to do is a little research to catch the coupon criminals!