A primary school teacher has been handed a suspended prison sentence after orchestrating an elaborate discount code scam that netted her over £2,500 worth of groceries from Asda.
Ria May Dixon, 31, exploited a promotional loophole intended for new customers, systematically creating multiple fake accounts to obtain hefty discounts on her shopping. The sophisticated fraud unfolded over several months at her local Asda store in the West Midlands.
The Mechanics of the Fraud
Dixon's scheme capitalised on Asda's 'new customer' promotion which offered significant discounts through referral codes. Court documents reveal she created numerous fraudulent accounts and email addresses to generate fresh codes repeatedly.
Rather than making legitimate purchases, the teacher would apply these codes to transactions at the self-service checkouts, sometimes slashing her shopping bills by substantial amounts. The scam eventually unravelled when Asda's internal fraud team noticed suspicious patterns in discount code usage linked to her payment card.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how Dixon admitted to fraud by false representation after being confronted with overwhelming evidence. Prosecutors detailed how her fraudulent activities spanned from February to August 2023, amounting to £2,568 in illicit savings.
Judge Michael Challinor described the offence as "a significant breach of trust" given Dixon's position as an educator. She received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work alongside 15 rehabilitation activity days.
Broader Implications for Retail Security
This case highlights growing concerns about discount code exploitation affecting major retailers. Asda representatives emphasised their zero-tolerance approach to fraud and ongoing investments in sophisticated monitoring systems to detect similar schemes.
Retail security experts suggest this incident may prompt supermarkets to tighten verification processes for promotional offers, particularly those applied at self-service terminals where oversight is minimal.
