Gov't trying to shut down SmartSource.ca ? Confused, Frustrated and Surprised !

[Mission]

This probably is not a rant but more of a question/issue that confuses and frustrates me. I went to Build a Bear today to use a birthday cpn and saw a bunch of bear outfits on sale half price. (from $15 to 7.50) During checkout, the cashier seems fairly chatty and we are the only ones there, so I started saying it's an ashame that I couldn't print out the cpn from smartsource, u know that $10 off $30 purchase cpn, otherwise, I would have bought 4 of those reduced pretty dresses for 5 bucks a piece !

She then immediately say that oh, we are trying to shut it down, that is probably why u couldn't print it. I said, no, I couldn't print other coupons either and I think it has to do with those Java update thingy. And she was very determined and said, no, that cpn shouldn't be there, it's not from us and we don't know how it got there, we are shutting it down, all of our cpns should come straightly from email. I was so surprised and further explained I have used that cpns and others in a few different occasions and various stores. You made it sound like it is not legit !? She said, it's not just us, other companies too and the government is trying to shut it down.

I was already overwhelmed when she said they are (B-A-B as a company) trying to shut it down (I guess withdraw their cpn) but the government???? Just simply speechless. I don't know how to respond. I mean I have been on SC for a number of years and I trusted this site and the cpn source. To hear her said that just terrify me.

[walkonby]

hmmmmm, sounds like her facts were wishful thinking. We'll hear soon enough I am sure in a news bulletin if the government is involved in trying to eliminate coupons.

[Mission]

From what I understand (from her), "government is trying to shut down that smartsource site", she made it sound like smartsource is putting cpns there without the authorization of the companies.

If this is her excuse to discourage me from using cpn there, it's just sad.

[walkonby]

I tried typing word searches into Google and this site ( American I know ) was interesting

http://www.couponinformationcenter.com/

I've never heard of them before...lol

[momof3heathens]

Interesting.

Wrote two posts on fb wall asking for clarification and both deleted immediately.

[abbasgirl]

That doesn't make sense. If the coupon isn't legit, they can just put a sign up and refuse it at the cash. It doesn't sound like she knows what she's talking about.

[walkonby]

I just posted a question on the FB page too, seemed like it said it was accepted when I clicked the word POST, but then it did not show up? Is that what happened to your post momof3heathers?

[momof3heathens]

The first one I dont know as I just assumed it was there but yes to the second.

[momof3heathens]

Might be just a glitch because I just tried with dd18 account something positive and same issue.

[ilovecats]

I tried typing word searches into Google and this site ( American I know ) was interesting

http://www.couponinformationcenter.com/

I've never heard of them before...lol

That site has been around for years - and they have been successful with cases involving coupon fraud and what not.,

Wish they had a similar one for Canada...though occasionally I have seen a Canadian coupon listed in the Counterfeit coupon database of their site. They really need this in the U.S. as coupon fraud is rampant there. They have been going after groups on Facebook that promote coupon abuse/misuse as well as selling of coupons etc. If you pull up some of the counterfeit coupons you can see how real the coupons look. You can see why some cashiers are hesitant on coupons.