A good coupon saves you a few dollars. A fake one can cost you much more: your card details, your passwords or simply an hour of your time. Fake coupons spread fastest during busy shopping periods like Black Friday and the holidays, when people are actively looking for discounts and are more likely to click without thinking.
The good news is that most coupon scams follow the same few patterns. Once you know them, they are easy to spot. This guide covers the most common tricks, the red flags to look for, how to check a code before you use it and what to do if you have already been caught out.
The most common coupon scams
1. The too-good-to-be-true sitewide code
“70% off everything at Nike.” “$100 off any Walmart order.” Codes like these get shared widely because people want them to be true. Real stores rarely give huge sitewide discounts with no conditions, and when they do, they announce it on their own website and app. A massive code that only appears on a random forum or a reposted screenshot is almost always fake, expired or meant for a specific group, such as staff or one customer.
These codes are often harmless in themselves. They simply fail at checkout. The risk comes when the code is used as bait to get you to click a link, download something or hand over details.
2. Fake coupon sites and social media posts
Scammers set up websites and social media pages that copy the look of a real brand. They post “exclusive” coupons or giveaways and ask you to like, share, comment and then click a link to “claim” the offer. The link leads to a page that asks for your personal details or card number, or to a fake shop that takes your money and sends nothing, or sends a cheap copy.
Watch for pages with very few posts, recently created accounts, odd spelling in the brand name and comments switched off. Real brands link to their official website, not to a shortened link or a lookalike address.
3. Phishing “coupon” emails and texts
You get a message saying you have won a reward, your loyalty points are about to expire or you have an unclaimed discount. It looks like it comes from Amazon, Target or a supermarket. The link takes you to a login page that looks real but is not. Anything you type there goes to the scammer.
Texts are especially tricky because links are short and you cannot easily see the full address. If a message asks you to log in, confirm your account or enter payment details to get a coupon, treat it as a scam until you have checked it another way.
4. Survey scams
“Answer three questions and get a $500 gift card.” The survey is easy, and at the end you are told you qualify, but you need to pay a small shipping fee or sign up for a “free trial” first. That small fee often turns into a monthly subscription that is hard to cancel. Other versions collect your name, address, phone number and date of birth and sell them on.
5. Fake coupon apps and browser extensions
Some apps and extensions promise to find codes automatically but are really built to show you ads, track your browsing or capture what you type. Before installing anything, check who makes it, read recent reviews, look at the permissions it asks for and download it only from the official app store or browser extension store. An extension that wants permission to “read and change all your data on all websites” deserves a second look, even from a well-known company.
6. Counterfeit printable coupons for in-store use
Printable coupons for free products or large discounts at the supermarket are a long-standing type of fraud. They are made to look like real manufacturer coupons and are shared through file-sharing groups and social media. Using one is not a harmless shortcut. Stores can refuse them, and knowingly using counterfeit coupons is fraud. In the US, the Coupon Information Corporation, an industry group, publishes alerts about counterfeit coupons that are in circulation.
Real printable coupons usually come from the manufacturer’s or store’s own website, often with a print limit per device. Be wary of any coupon for a completely free, high-value product, especially one shared as a PDF.
Red flags at a glance
- The discount is far bigger than the store normally offers.
- You are asked to pay, share card details or buy a gift card to “unlock” a coupon.
- You must share the post or tag friends before you can see the code.
- The web address is slightly wrong, uses extra words or an unusual ending.
- There is pressure to act fast: “expires in 10 minutes”, “only 50 left”.
- You are asked for a password, a one-time security code or your date of birth.
- No terms, no expiry date and no conditions are shown anywhere.
- You are asked to download a file or app to receive the discount.
How to check a coupon before you use it
Go to the source
The safest place to find a store’s offers is the store itself. Check its official website, app and email newsletter. Many stores have a “deals”, “offers” or “promotions” page that lists current codes. If a coupon is real and public, it is usually mentioned there.
Type the address yourself
Instead of clicking a link in an email or text, open your browser and type the store’s address, or use the store’s app. Then look for the offer in your account. If the email said you have a reward waiting, it should be visible there too.
Check the URL carefully
Look at the real domain, the part just before the first single slash. “amazon.com/deals” is Amazon. “amazon-deals-rewards.shop” is not. Watch for swapped letters, extra hyphens and long addresses where the brand name appears only at the start.
Never pay to get a coupon
A real coupon is applied in the store’s own checkout. You never need to pay a fee, enter your card on a separate page or buy a gift card to receive one. If anyone asks for money or card details to “unlock” a discount, stop there.
Read the conditions
Real coupons come with terms: a minimum spend, excluded brands, new customers only, an expiry date. A code with no conditions at all is a warning sign. When a real code fails, the conditions are usually the reason, so read them before you assume it is fake.
Use a coupon site that removes expired codes
On FutureCoupon, each store page lists the active codes and deals for that store. Expired coupons are hidden automatically, and coupons sent in by the community are checked before they are published. Clicking a code copies it and opens the official store, so you apply it in the store’s own checkout. We explain our approach in more detail in why verified coupons are the future of online shopping. If you find a code that does not work, let us know through our contact page.
Rule of thumb: a coupon should only ever be typed into the checkout of the store you are buying from. If you are typing personal details anywhere else to get it, something is wrong.
What to do if you have been scammed
It happens to careful people too. Acting quickly limits the damage.
- Contact your bank or card provider straight away. Use the number on the back of your card. Tell them what happened, ask them to block the card if needed and ask about disputing any charges.
- Change your passwords. If you entered a password on a fake page, change it on the real site and anywhere else you use the same one. Turn on two-step verification.
- Remove suspicious apps or extensions. Uninstall anything you downloaded as part of the offer and run a security scan.
- Tell the real store. Most large retailers have a page for reporting phishing that uses their name.
- Keep records. Save screenshots, emails, texts, web addresses and transaction details.
- Report it. Reports help authorities spot patterns and warn others, even if you did not lose money.
Where to report in the US
- Report scams and fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can report even if you did not lose money.
- If someone has used your personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your mobile carrier.
Where to report in the UK
- Forward phishing emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk.
- Forward scam texts to 7726, which is free.
- If you lost money or shared financial details, report it to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud is run by the City of London Police and replaced Action Fraud in December 2025. In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101.
Shoppers elsewhere can check their national consumer protection or police website for the right reporting route.
Shop smart, not scared
Most coupons you find online are perfectly safe. They just need a quick check. Stick to official store channels and reputable coupon sites, read the conditions and never hand over money or card details to get a discount. If you are planning your holiday shopping, our guide to holiday shopping on a budget and our Black Friday deals page are good next stops.