Woman Admits Selling Nearly $10M Worth of Fake Coupons, Many in NJ

A woman from California has admitted selling over 100,000 counterfeit coupons worth nearly $10 million to people in New Jersey and across the country.

Get our free mobile app

34-year-old Tong Lor (a.k.a. Mandy Carr) of Modesto, CA, pleaded guilty on Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger says from 2017 to 2021,

"Lor was involved in a large-scale operation to produce and sell fraudulent Catalina Coupons using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail system. A Catalina Coupon was a full-color, rectangular paper coupon that was part of a program created by numerous manufacturers of household products and honored by hundreds of participating retail stores located throughout the United States. Lor sold the counterfeit coupons via invitation-only internet groups associated with her businesses..."

Authorities say Lor printed coupons using fake bar codes and then mailed them to thousands of people in New Jersey and across the country.

Over 100,000 counterfeit coupons with a value of over $9.9 million were sold and distributed for items like diapers, laundry detergent, and toiletries.

Lor now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 16th.