What are common signs of a fake coupon or promo code?
How to spot a fake coupon
Legitimate coupons are usually distributed through official channels: the retailer's website, email newsletter, or verified social media accounts. If you find a coupon on a random forum or a site you've never heard of, be skeptical. Scammers create fake coupons to drive traffic to phishing sites or to collect your data.
Other signs include coupons that offer extremely high discounts (like $100 off any purchase), require you to complete surveys or download software, or ask for your credit card details to 'redeem' the coupon. Real coupons never ask for payment information.
- Discount is unrealistically large (e.g., 90% off sitewide)
- Coupon is only available on suspicious third-party sites
- Requires you to enter personal or payment info
- Expiration date is vague or missing
- Poor grammar or design that doesn't match the brand
How to verify a coupon
Go directly to the retailer's official website and look for a promotions or coupons page. You can also check their verified social media accounts for current offers. If the coupon isn't listed there, it's likely fake.
Use reputable coupon sites like RetailMeNot or Honey, but even those can have expired or user-submitted codes. Always test the code at checkout—if it doesn't work, don't force it.
Common mistakes
- Assuming that a coupon shared by a friend on social media is legitimate; it could be a scam.
- Believing that a coupon that works once is safe; some fake coupons work initially but lead to fraud later.
- Entering your email and password on a coupon site that mimics a retailer's login page.
