Man charged with selling fake discount coupons on Silk Road

A Louisiana man has been accused of creating counterfeit coupons and selling them on the Silk Road underground websites, potentially defrauding businesses of more than US$1 million, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Prosecutors said Beau Wattigney, 30, of New Orleans, created coupons that look like print-at-home coupons from manufacturers, including fake logos. The coupons offered vast discounts on the retail price of some items.

He offered one of the coupons, for a $50 Visa gift card, for 1 cent, prosecutors said.

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