Jack Links, manufacturer of beef jerky, is opening a federal lawsuit to identify people who sold counterfeit coupons for its products. Free-product coupons for Jack Links have been available online via Ebay sellers and other coupon resale sites for several years, but Jack Links has stated that they are counterfeits. From the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal:
The Minong, Wis.-based snack maker says it’s losing customer trust and thousands of dollars to fake coupons for free jerky, despite warning retailers, consumers, and auction website eBay about the counterfeits.
Jack Link’s lawsuit accuses dozens of eBay users of selling counterfeit Jack Link’s coupons. It asks Minnesota’s U.S. District Court to force eBay to share identifying information associated with the accounts. The sellers go by names such as 2extreme2pay, capone3306, couponsaves2013, and texasjimbob — and some list Minnesota as their location.
The fake coupons use the Jack Link’s trademark, which allows the company to file the suit under federal trademark law. The fakes lack color, expiration dates or the holographic security strip featured on authentic coupons.
Jack Link’s has battled the counterfeiters since at least 2011. The company told retailers to reject the fakes, used its Facebook page to warn customers, and had eBay take down some counterfeit listings. But the coupons are still showing up. When retailers accept them, Jack Link’s gets the bill. When retailers reject them, Jack Link’s gets the blame.
… Jack Link’s said it could seek up to $2 million per counterfeit logo, plus damages, lost profits and legal fees. The company is represented by Minneapolis law firm Merchant & Gould.
Jack Links has posted warnings about free-product counterfeits on its Facebook page. And, you may remember that last year on TLC’s Extreme Couponing All-Stars finale, shoppers Chris Duff and Joni Meyer-Crothers used free-product Jack Links coupons in large quantities on the show which are also believed to have been counterfeit, as the kinds of coupons they used are identified both on Jack Links’ Facebook and on the CIC’s fraud alert list as counterfeit.
soapboxtray says
I will never understand why people feel the need to buy coupons on ebay when there are so many deals to be had with IPs and newspaper inserts. I don’t understand I guess. It seems if you need that many items or deals there is something more going on there.
VJB says
For other manufacturers to follow suit. Especially if they are successful in their lawsuit. If they can go after these ebaysellers I would hope that this would eventually lead to better coupons and longer expiration dates.