• The Wall Street Journal, Friday, July 15, 2011 11:55 AM

Connecticut law-enforcement officials are looking into whether online deals site Groupon Inc. is breaking consumer-protection laws that prohibit gift cards from expiring. The state is looking into whether Groupon's deals -- known as groupons -- should be considered in the same light as gift certificates, for which Connecticut law bans expiration dates altogether.

Groupon said it intends to cooperate with the Connecticut attorney general and help "him and his team understand our business model." The company declined to comment on whether it considers groupons to be like gift certificates.

Groupon promotes discounts and shares the revenue from the sale of its deals with the merchants offering the goods or services. The offers are heavily discounted, but consumer advocates say the deals often come with conditions that aren't always clear to customers.

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