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Breaking News in the Industry: September 15, 2017

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Michigan woman gets jail for retail fraud

The theft of more than $2,000 worth of alcohol from grocery stores has earned a Mount Pleasant, Michigan, woman a one-year jail sentence. Cathy Sue Latosky, 42, recently appeared before Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen P. Carras to be sentenced for one count of first-degree retail fraud and a habitual second offender status. The charge was filed after loss prevention associates witnessed Latosky placing bottles of alcohol in a gray purse and exiting a Meijer store without paying. Midland Police investigated the thefts after being called to the Midland store on the night of March 11.

An affidavit filed in the case states loss prevention officers detained Latosky in the parking lot. They told officers she had stolen liquor from the Midland location, as well as from locations in Saginaw, between March 7 and 11. The alcohol was valued at more than $2,000 and Carras sentenced Latosky to one year in jail with credit for 181 days served, and $1,127 restitution. Latoksy’s criminal record includes seven first-degree retail fraud convictions dating back to 1997. Court records show Latosky has not worked since 2009.  [Source: Midland Daily News]

Seven arrested in credit card fraud scheme

Seven men believed to be from Charlotte, North Carolina, are in jail in Charleston, West Virginia, after police say their activity Wednesday in South Charleston involved fraudulent use of credit cards. South Charleston Police were tipped off to the men’s alleged criminal activity Wednesday morning when they were at Kohl’s in South Charleston. That is when South Charleston Police detectives got a tip that the group opened several credit accounts at the store and was suspected of using fake identification to do so. One of the men made a purchase worth about $1,000. The suspects’ cars seen were seen on Kohl’s security with tags from Tennessee and Georgia. 
Detectives tracked them down at the Holiday Inn in South Charleston. One of the men tried to rent two hotel rooms with Jacuzzis for $202.27, each using credit cards that police say belonged to someone else. The purchase was denied.

That’s when the men left the hotel and detectives followed them to the Charleston Town Center Mall. Fearing the group would split, they confronted them, taking them into custody in the former Sears Auto Center Parking lot across the street from the mall. Police confronted eight men in two cars. One of them ran away through the Town Center Mall parking garage and is still on the run. All seven men are being held in jail on a $25,000 property-bond only and that property has to be located in West Virginia. All are charged with conspiracy to commit identity theft, a felony charge that carries a one- to five-year prison sentence and $10,000 fine.  [Source: WSAZ3 News]

Suspected shoplifter fakes having gun; gets arrested

In Fairfield, California, a shoplifter who tried to get away from a Solano Town Center Mall loss prevention associate by saying that he had a gun early Tuesday afternoon is now behind bars, according to Fairfield police. Police descended on the shopping center to take Delton R. Asjes, 27, into custody at gunpoint after getting a report that the suspect had threatened someone with a gun. Asjes is suspected of trying to shoplift from a store in the mall and, when stopped by the loss prevention associate, allegedly said he had a gun and made a motion toward his waistband, according to police. No gun was found and Asjes tried the tactic to get away from the loss prevention officer, police said. Asjes was booked into Solano County jail on suspicion of robbery, a felony; and trespassing and for an alleged violation of his probation, both misdemeanors, according to jail records. He was held on $105,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.  [Source: Daily Republic]

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Pawn shop defendants face trial in organized crime scheme

A Detroit pawn shop remains open for business as its owner and an employee face trial on organized crime charges, amid allegations they bought merchandise stolen from stores in Canton and other southeast Michigan communities.
iPawn Detroit owner Gasswan Usama Gargis, 38, and employee Trisha-Lynette Viado Razon, 20, both free on personal bonds, are allowed by law to run the Eight Mile Road business as they await trial in Wayne County Circuit Court, Canton Deputy Police Chief Craig Wilsher said. A pawn shop employee who answered the phone Wednesday said neither Gargis nor Razon was available to answer questions about the charges involving accusations they bought stolen high-end electronics, kitchen appliances, generators, jewelry, power tools and other merchandise. The employee said he would give a message to Gargis and Razon, who are facing a total of 21 charges in what authorities call an organized retail crime scheme. The charges follow a six-month investigation that culminated with Canton police executing a search warrant June 12 at the pawn shop and the owner’s home.

Authorities say Gargis could face up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted of one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, seven counts of organized retail crime, six counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000 and one count of failing to keep records of financial transactions. Razon could face five years in prison, officials say, if convicted of five counts of organized retail crime, two counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000 and one count of failing to keep records of financial transactions. Police say they recovered more than $300,000 in stolen merchandise. Wilsher called it a “very extensive” list of goods taken from big box stores such as Walmart, Home Depot and Target in southeast Michigan, including Canton.The case was handled by Canton police, Michigan State Police and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities haven’t said who may have stolen the merchandise and sold it to the pawn shop. “This case should serve as notice that these wide-scale sales of stolen goods to pawn shop operations will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in Wayne County,” she said.  [Source: HomeTownLife]

Border Patrol Agent arrested for selling counterfeit watches

A Border Patrol Agent was arrested last month for selling counterfeit luxury watches and could face federal charges. Martin Macias, 31, is accused of selling counterfeit Rolex, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, and Hublot watches during two undercover stings earlier this year, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday, citing a search warrant affidavit unsealed in San Diego federal court last week. Macias earned about $320 per counterfeit watch, which if genuine would have sold for between $10,000 and $79,000. When Macias was arrested Aug. 2 following a second undercover sale, he allegedly told sheriff’s deputies “I’m going to lose my job.” Macias’ current employment status is unknown. Authorities began investigating Macias in May after private investigators met with him at the Target store in Mission Valley to buy Rolex watches advertised on Craigslist, the Union-Tribune reported. The private investigators were from a company called Investigative Consultants that helps brands detect counterfeit goods and protect their trademarks.

At the May 25 meeting, Macias allegedly showed the private investigators a display case filled with 14 high-end counterfeits — four Audemars Piguet, four Cartier and six Rolex — and confirmed they were fake. He said a man named Carlos provided him with the watches, and a private investigator bought a Rolex for $320. Macias allegedly met with the private investigator a second time on Aug. 2 in Chula Vista promising to have five Rolex watches, the newspaper reporter. When he arrived, this time driving a black Chevrolet pickup, he allegedly had six Audemars Piguet, four Rolex, two Hublot, one Armani and one child’s Casio. Sheriff’s detectives arrested Macias during the second meeting on state charges and he was released on $10,000 bail, according to the Union-Tribune. The search warrant affidavit said Macias was never charged with crimes in state court, but federal prosecutors are considering charges of trafficking counterfeit goods.  [Source: Times of San Diego]

Major ORC theft investigation leads to 3 arrests

An investigation into a major theft ring involving big trucks, trailers and assorted construction equipment valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars has been solved with the recovery of items and the arrests of three men. The case, spearheaded by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, is likely to lead to additional arrests, according to Sheriff Bill Massee. The case has been linked to nine other counties across Georgia where similar items have been stolen in recent weeks from construction sites, said Baldwin County Sheriff’s Detective Thomas “T.J.” Hargrove. The theft ring, which is believed to have been led by a man now jailed in Baldwin County, could lead to racketeering charges being filed against the suspects already in custody and those yet to be arrested, Massee said. Regardless of jurisdiction, if and when federal RICO charges are actually filed against the suspects and others expected to be arrested in the case, the entire case would then be prosecuted in Baldwin County. Already Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stephen A. Bradley is looking at the possibility of filing such charges against the trio of suspects now jailed in the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center. Assistant District Attorneys Leonard D. Myers and Dawn Baskin also are involved in reviewing the case to determine if the suspects will be charged under the RICO Act.

“We don’t know what the true volume is as far as number of theft cases is concerned,” Massee said. “The volume of stolen equipment and the dollar value that T.J. [Hargrove] has proven is a tremendous cost to property owners — these people who own these pieces of heavy equipment. What we don’t know is how many more pieces of equipment they stole that we haven’t documented yet.” That’s why the case remains an active investigation, the sheriff pointed out. “At this point in time, it literally covers from Milledgeville to Atlanta and to Crawford County,” Massee said. Anyone with information about such thefts is asked to call the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 478-445-5102.  [Source: Union-Recorder]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 15, 2017 appeared first on LPM.


Breaking News in the Industry: September 18, 2017

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Employee accused of stealing more than $25,000 in groceries

An employee at a Tennessee grocery store is accused of stealing more than $25,000 worth of groceries over a nine-year period. Police responded to an embezzlement call at the Kroger. The Regional Organized Retail Crime Manager for Kroger told police he received information that a night stocker, Marvin Cash, had been stealing food multiple times per week during his shift. Witnesses at the store reportedly saw him taking food.  When confronted, Cash reportedly admitted to stealing about $500 worth of groceries a week — mostly food — and that he had been stealing at that rate for a year, and less before then.  Cash had worked for Kroger for nine years.  Police released Cash with a misdemeanor citation for Wednesday’s theft of groceries, worth just under $100. He has not yet been charged with the other thefts or embezzlement. Surveillance video reportedly also shows Cash stealing.  [Source: WPXI11 News]

$10,000 worth of baby formula shoplifted from 3 upstate NY retailers

State police say they’re looking for three men believed to have stolen $10,000 worth of powdered baby formula from several central New York Walmart stores. Security camera images show the suspects in the baby product aisle. In one photo, a man has a shopping cart brimming with cans of Enfamil powder. Troopers say formula was stolen at stores in Cortland, Johnson City and Cicero. Baby formula theft has been a problem at stores nationwide for years because it’s a high price item that’s always in demand. Some retailers keep it locked up. Thieves typically sell the formula at flea markets or at online sites like craigslist and eBay. A 12-ounce can of powdered Enfamil retails for $17 and makes 15 6 -ounce bottles of formula.  [Source: AuburnPub]

Toys ‘R’ Us preparing for possible bankruptcy filing

Toys ‘R’ Us is working to put together a loan to fund its operations in a potential bankruptcy filing that could come before the holiday sales season, according to people familiar with the matter. The toy merchant’s move underscores the deep distress rippling through retailers of all sizes as consumers increasingly shop online at sellers such as Amazon.com Inc or go to discounters such as Walmart Stores Inc . The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that the company was considering filing for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia. There have been more than a dozen significant retail bankruptcies this year, but none for retailers as big as Toys ‘R’ Us, which has about $5 billion in debt and more than 1,600 stores worldwide. Part of the retailer’s current financial woes stem from vendors demanding tighter repayment terms over fears that Toys ‘R’ Us may file for bankruptcy, according to rerports. The tighter terms have added to the Wayne, New Jersey-based company’s cash crunch, they said. Toys ‘R’ Us tapped restructuring attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, CNBC reported this month.  [Source: Fortune]

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Five arrested in police’s latest shoplifting sting

Five people were arrested in Oxnard, California’s latest undercover shoplifting sting, authorities said.  The operation went on from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Walmart,, Oxnard police said.  The law enforcement agency has been conducting sting operations at retailers that have been a hot spot for theft and other situations requiring a police response. The stings involve the store’s employees or loss-prevention agents signaling a team of officers inside and outside the store when they see a theft occurring, police said.  The thieves are detained upon exiting the business without paying.  In Friday’s sting, four Oxnard residents were arrested in connection with theft and one Oxnard resident was arrested on outstanding warrants, authorities said. Two of the suspects were also arrested in connection with narcotics offenses, authorities said.  [Source: Ventura County Star]

Seven arrested in fraudulent credit card; ID scam

Seven people are behind bars accused of trying to purchase hundreds of dollars’ worth of items with fake credit cards. South Charleston, West Virginia, police got a tip from Kohl’s loss prevention associates that several men had opened credit accounts using stolen identities, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. Police got a description of the two vehicles and followed them to a Holiday Inn in South Charleston where the suspects tried to rent two rooms with stolen information, but their card was declined, according to the complaint. After the suspects left the hotel, police followed them and stopped them at the Sears Auto Shop to perform field interviews. When police stopped the vehicles, one of the suspects jumped out and ran inside the Charleston Town Center and was not found. The complaint said they also found another suspect asleep in one of the vehicles.

The complaint said when police approached the vehicle, they could smell marijuana and found a card reader/writer in a door pocket. According to the complaint, these devices are used to re-encode credit cards with stolen credit card information and to obtain card numbers. The complaint said a laptop computer, printer and a stack of blank checks were found in one of the vehicles. After conducting field interviews and searching the vehicles, police arrested seven people. Abraham Dousuah was arrested after police said he was found in possession of a fake ID. The complaint said he was the one who tried to rent the hotel room and that he had credit cards that contained information that had been re-encoded. Frederick Clark was arrested after providing an ID that had the same information as the stolen ID that Dousuah provided, the complaint said. All seven are being charged with conspiracy to steal identity and are being held on $25,000 bond. [Source: Fox11 Eyewitness News]

How the Equifax data breach happened: What we know now

How did it happen? Much is still unknown. But it came down to a flaw in a tool designed to build web applications, the company said in a press release this week. And Equifax admitted it was aware the security flaw a full two months before the company says hackers first gained accessed to its data. Some of the information hackers had access to includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some driver’s license numbers. The tool is called Apache Struts, and it’s used by many large businesses and government organizations. Equifax used it to support its online dispute portal — where Equifax customers go to log issues with their credit reports. The flaw allowed hackers to take control of a website. A cybersecurity arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, US-CERT, “identified and disclosed” the Apache Struts flaw in March, Equifax said in a statement. And the company’s security department “was aware of this vulnerability at that time, and took efforts to identify and to patch any vulnerable systems.” Yet, according to the company, hackers exploited the flaw months later.

Equifax has said it discovered the data breach on July 29. On Friday, it said it waited until it “observed additional suspicious activity” a day later to take the affected web application offline. And on August 2 Equifax contacted Mandiant, a professional cybersecurity firm, to help the company assess what data had been compromised. With help from Mandiant, Equifax was able to determine a series of breaches had occurred from May 13 through July 30, the company said. Patching software at big corporations with many machines does take time. They must first identify the vulnerability, then implement and test the patch to make sure it doesn’t break anything before making it public. However, security experts say Equifax should have moved faster. “There’s really no excuse whether it’s a difficult patch or not, for an organization of that size with that kind of magnitude of data,” said Jon Hendren, director of strategy at security firm UpGuard. “When you’re a big organization like that, it’s a systemic failure of process and the blame goes straight to the top.” Equifax has also been widely criticized for waiting more than a month to alert its customers and shareholders about the hack. On Friday, the company announced its chief information officer and chief security officer are “retiring.”  [Source: Erie News Now]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 18, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Las Vegas Man Dies after Being Struck by Car of Suspect in Convenience Store Theft

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A man who may have been trying to intervene in a convenience store theft Sunday morning in North Las Vegas was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by the female suspect, according to city police. The man later died at a hospital where he was rushed in critical condition, and the woman fled in a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee with California license plates, police spokesman Officer Aaron Patty said this afternoon. Investigators were looking to see if the victim may have been trying to intervene in the robbery in some way, but they don’t know the extent, Patty said.  The woman apparently walked out of the store with merchandise and encountered the man in the parking lot before striking him with the vehicle, Patty said. Detectives plan to evaluate surveillance images to get a clearer picture of what transpired. Further details were not immediately available. The suspect, victim, and store were not identified in reports of the incident. Anyone with additional information is asked to call North Las Vegas police at 702-633-9111. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or crimestoppersofnv.com. [Source: Las Vegas Sun]

The post Las Vegas Man Dies after Being Struck by Car of Suspect in Convenience Store Theft appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: September 19, 2017

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Reno man indicted for $3.5M PayPal fraud scheme

A Reno man made his initial appearance in federal court for allegedly engaging in a $3.5 million fraud scheme involving more than 8,000 fraudulent PayPal credit accounts, bank accounts, and prepaid credit and debit card accounts he created with stolen identities. 46-year-old Kenneth Gilbert Gibson was indicted on ten counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; ten counts of bank fraud; six counts of access device fraud; and six counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to allegations made in the indictment, between 2012 and 2017, Gibson allegedly obtained the identities of multiple victims and used those victims’ identities to open unauthorized online accounts, credit accounts, bank accounts, and prepaid debit and credit card accounts to obtain money and property. In total, he allegedly opened more than 8,000 fraudulent and unauthorized accounts with PayPal, an online payment company, using the stolen identities. He then allegedly used those fraudulent and unauthorized accounts to transfer, deposit, and send about $3.5 million to himself via hard copy checks and through electronic transactions to about 500 bank accounts and pre-paid debit cards owned and under his control. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud and mail fraud counts, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the bank fraud counts, a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the access device fraud counts, and a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft counts. Gibson also faces a period of supervised release and a criminal forfeiture money judgment.  The case is being jointly investigated by a Task Force consisting of the FBI, United States Secret Service, IRS, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Reno Police Department. [Source: KOLO8 News Now]

Lottery employee gets 25 years in prison for rigging jackpots

After rigging the lottery to collect jackpots in numerous states, a former lottery employee has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. An Iowa judge recently slapped Eddie Tipton, former security director of the Multistate Lottery Association, with the court’s maximum sentence. In June, Tipton pleaded guilty to ongoing criminal conduct for a scheme that involved seven lottery tickets in five different states. He confessed to rigging computer codes to produce winning numbers, which resulted in Tipton and his co-conspirators gaining millions of dollars. “I certainly regret my actions,” Tipton said to the court. “It’s difficult even saying that with all the people that I know behind me that I hurt.” Tipton will pay nearly $2.2 million in restitution to four states’ lottery systems: $1.1 million to the Colorado lottery, $644,000 to the Oklahoma lottery, $391,000 to the Wisconsin lottery, and $30,000 to the Kansas lottery. The case’s prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Rob Sand, said he plans to seize “significant amounts of restitution” from Tipton and his two accomplices, Tipton’s brother and former Texas judge Tommy Tipton and friend Robert Rhodes.

Tipton, who lives in Texas, bought lottery tickets in various states and selected numbers he knew would win, after he designed the program to generated those winning numbers. Tipton would then have a third party to cash the ticket and split the prize with him. “When you’re an insider who abuses your position of trust and privilege you should expect to see the inside of a jail cell,” said Sand. “We’re glad that the court agreed and found it appropriate to send Mr. Tipton to prison.” Tipton is not expected to serve his full sentence. Tipton’s defense lawyer says he anticipates his client will serve three to four years, and the prosecutor says Tipton, if well-behaved, will not serve more than five years. The investigation against the Tipton first started in 2010 when a suspicious claim about a $14.3 million Hot Lotto jackpot arose in Iowa. Tommy Tipton is currently serving a 75-day sentence in Texas for a misdemeanor theft charge and deferred judgment on a felony charge of conspiracy to commit theft. Rhodes, who attempted to redeem the $14.3 million jackpot, has pleaded guilty to fraud and is awaiting sentencing.  [Source: Celebrity Net Worth]

Cellphones worth $43K stolen from Texas Sam’s Club

Police are on the look out for five people who used a mattress to conceal the theft of $43,000 worth of new cellphones from an East Texas Sam’s Club. Tyler police Officer Don Martin said Friday that 73 cellphones were stolen from a locked shelf storage unit. Officers are seeking a man and four women over last weekend’s theft. Investigators say the thieves loaded a mattress and additional merchandise on a flat cart to shield them from workers and other shoppers. Martin, in a statement, said the suspects got to the hones by cutting the lock off of a shelf storage unit. Once they had access, the female suspects stuffed the cellphones in their clothes and simply walked out. Surveillance video shows four women and one man fleeing in a dark SUV. Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information about the theft is asked to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000. Tips can also be made on the Crimestoppers line at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).  [Source: CBS DFW]

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Woman assaulted detectives during shoplifting arrest, faces four charges

Johnson County prosecutors filed three felonies and one misdemeanor count against a Mississippi woman who is accused of shoplifting and then injuring three detectives who tried to arrest her and another man on Friday afternoon. Court documents say Latrina Newsome, 40, is charged with three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of theft for allegedly taking less than $1,500 worth of property from an Overland Park, Kansas, store. The three detectives were hospitalized. “Once the officers tried to detain them, a fight ensued. Three of our officers were injured, one was pepper sprayed,” Officer John Lacy said.”The officers were transported to a local hospital, they will be okay, one will be held overnight for observation.” The male suspect was chased, but officers lost sight of him at the southwest corner of 95th and Quivira. He’s described as a large black male between the ages of 19 and 22, he’s 6-foot tall with a thin build and was wearing blue jeans and a red & white plaid shirt. There’s been no word on whether he’s been arrested yet. Newsome is in jail, her bail has been set at $75,000, she’s due in court on Monday afternoon.  [Source: Fox4KC]

Judge tosses workers’ class action against Nike over security checks

A federal judge on Tuesday said Nike’s retail arm was not required to pay workers in California for the few seconds each day that they spent going through security checks, and tossed out a class action against the company. US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman in San Jose said Oregon-based Nike had shown that the 10,000 class members spent an average of 18 seconds being inspected before they left retail stores, and that amount of time was “de minimis” and not compensable under California law. Nike is represented by Seyfarth Shaw and the plaintiffs by Diversity Law Group. Judge Freeman ruled that retail workers hadn’t proven they spent more than a few seconds of off-the-clock time going through security checks.

 Freeman said Nike store employee Isaac Rodriguez didn’t submit evidence contradicting Nike Retail Services’ study, based on 700 hours of security footage, which showed that most exiting employees spent zero time waiting for their bags or jackets to be checked at the end of their shift.  [Source: Reuters]

LP Worldwide: 3 men arrested for using 118 stolen credit cards to shop on Guam

Ziwen Weng and Yukai Lu were arrested on Thursday after counterfeit credit cards were discovered in their suitcases. According to court documents, the two men’s luggage were searched by the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency officers who noted that they found 118 Visa credit cards wrapped in foil and hidden within the suitcases in a cigarette box, shoes and clothing. During an interview with Homeland Security Investigation agents, Weng told authorities that he had posted an online advertisement searching for work. An individual later identified as Daquin Liu, replied and hired him and Lu to travel to Guam from Los Angeles, California to “go shopping.” The complaint states that Weng was promised $10,000 for what was supposed to be a week-long shopping trip in Guam.

The complaint stated that Weng and Lu met with Liu while in California and was given 59 credit cards each. The bogus credit cards had their names on them and according to authorities they were instructed to sign the back of the cards and hide them in their luggage. Liu who was also captured on Guam, was found at the Bayview Hotel. He told authorities that he received the cards from an associate of the main organizer, a man only known as “Ace.” According to court documents Liu stated that “Ace” and the organization he works for is “highly secretive and organized.” Court documents also state that Liu admitted this was not the first time, in fact authorities say he admitted to making three previous trips to Guam from California where he escorted and drove other Chinese men to go shopping at the duty free shop. Liu told authorities that he would be compensated for the costs to book travel, hotel and rental cars for the shoppers as well as paid several thousands of dollars. He further admitted to spending thousands of dollars worth of merchandise that was shipped to Macau, Hong Kong and various addresses in the US. The three men have been charged with possession of fifteen or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices and have been remanded to the custody of the US Marshal Service.  [Source: Pacific News Center]

Irma could hit holiday inventories

Hurricane Irma in Florida (like Harvey in Texas before it), is buffeting area retailers. Those selling critical items like food, water and home improvement items are better positioned than those selling discretionary fashion and other merchandise without “deep-value,” according to a note from Cowen & Co. The investment bank also noted “medium-term concerns” on hurricane-related disruptions of supply chains in all categories. That could mean delays in holiday goods and inventories, Cowen analysts warned. Marketplace sellers in Florida appealed to Amazon to allow shipments of holiday merchandise ahead of the storm in August, according to the Amazon seller forum. Some $2.75 billion in consumer and retail sales (including restaurants) could be lost to Irma, in addition to costs incurred by the damage caused directly by the storm, according to Planalytics, which provides weather-related planning tools for businesses. Early storm Hurricane Harvey cost businesses some $1 billion in that measure, Planalytics said.  [Source: RetailDIVE]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 19, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: September 20, 2017

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Notorious jewel thief out of jail; facing charges of shoplifting

A notorious 86-year-old jewel thief is out of jail but still faces legal trouble.mDrew Findling, a lawyer for Doris Payne, said Monday that Payne was released Friday from the DeKalb County jail, just outside Atlanta. Payne was arrested July 17 and charged with misdemeanor shoplifting after a Walmart employee said she tried to leave the Chamblee store with items she hadn’t paid for. Payne was on probation at the time after pleading guilty in March to a felony shoplifting charge for trying to steal a $2,000 necklace from a department store in December.

She was jailed for violating that probation. Findling says a judge last week ended her probation in that case, but she still faces the Walmart shoplifting charge. Payne is well known in the jewelry world for an illicit career spanning six decades. Payne has used 32 aliases, 10 different birth dates, 11 Social Security numbers and nine names on passports, according to a probation report that said she is “quite proud” and “uninhibited and boastful about her criminal career.”  [Source: Miami Herald]

Employee accused of $2.6m fraud after FBI probe

The US attorney’s office says charges have been brought against Carmen Silvia Rodriguez on two alleged counts of wire fraud “in connection with a fraud scheme to steal over $2.6m from her employer,” Starboard Cruise Services (SCS) If found guilty she could potentially face a maximum term of 20 years in prison.

The alleged wire fraud amounts to $2.6M and according to the formal US Attorney’s Office filing of charges, Rodriguez was employed by  (SCS) between April 2010 to May 2016 – the Florida-based company operating duty and tax free shops onboard cruise ships. The formal allegation made against her by the Florida Court and the FBI reads as follows: “During the course of the alleged scheme, Rodriguez worked in SCS’s Finance and Administration Department. There, Rodriguez accessed company records related to two former SCS vendors (“SCS Vendor #1” and “SCS Vendor #2”) and added her own bank account information to the two vendors’ accounts. SCS Vendor #1 and SCS Vendor #2 did not do business with SCS after 2010.

“The information further alleges that between April 1, 2010, and May 31, 2016, Rodriguez created false internal invoices that inflated the price of certain products purchased by SCS, often by overstating the shipping and handling costs associated with SCS’s purchase of the products. “By creating the false purchase orders and making them payable to SCS Vendor #1 and/or SCS Vendor #2, Rodriguez caused approximately $2,669,372.30 in electronic Automated Clearinghouse payments to be transmitted from SCS’s bank account to Rodriguez’s personal bank accounts.”  [Source: TRBusiness]

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Is retail on the rebound? Many signs point to an upswing

We are finally seeing signs that retail is trending positively again, and with consumer confidence up, the outlook is looking less negative, and may even be slightly optimistic. Here, we look at some recent signals that indicate retail could be on the upswing.

In the second quarter of 2017, we saw some positive retail earnings trends. According to research presented by Goldman Sachs at its 24th Annual Global Retailing Conference last week, 76% of 50 retail companies that reported second-quarter earnings beat consensus EPS estimates in the quarter, while 20% missed estimates and 4% saw EPS that was in line with estimates. The companies in the group cover the entire retail sector and include operators of specialty, department, home furnishings and off-price stores. The majority of the 50 companies Goldman Sachs analyzed also beat on same-store sales. [Source: Forbes]

Two New York women sentenced in credit card fraud shopping spree

Two New York women were sentenced with probation following an investigation into their shopping crime spree in April. Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley with the United States Department of Justice announced that Latavia Hassan, 33, of Mastic, New York and Chantel Lightner, 27, of Wyandanch, New York, pleaded guilty after being caught using fake cards 24 times to acquire gift cards and merchandise from stores in Nashua, Bedford, Londonderry, Manchester and Concord.

Concord police recovered the counterfeit credit cards and stolen gift cards and merchandise after Hassan and Lightner attempted to buy gift cards from the Burlington Coat Factory in Concord. Hassan received a sentence of four years and Lightner received a sentence of two years following their conspiracy convictions. The case was investigated by the Concord Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella.  [Source: NH1]

ORC suspects charged after stealing from drug and grocery stores

Three men were charged after stealing and fleeing from a Rite-Aid and Shaw’s Supermarket.
After receiving multiple complaints from Falmouth Rite-Aid and Shaw’s Supermarkets of people stealing various items and fleeing the store, The Falmouth, Maine, Police Department arrested 39-year-old Gaga Kavtaradze, 27-year-old Davit Devidze, and 40-year-old Levan Shubitidze, all of Brooklyn, New York. The suspects are charged with organized retail theft, possession of burglars tools, and theft by unauthorized taking.  Officers located the suspect vehicle at a Falmouth Walmart, where the suspects were found exiting the store with stolen merchandise.

According to officers, the suspects utilized sophisticated equipment to communicate and compromise the security measures of the targeted stores. The Falmouth Police Department has evidence to believe all three suspects are involved in organized retail shoplifting within several communities. The suspect vehicle has been seized pending a search warrant and officers are confident further stolen merchandise will be recovered. [Source: WGME13 News]

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Woman Bystander Shoots Suspected Shoplifter

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An active investigation is underway after police said a shoplifting suspect was shot in Knightdale, North Carolina, Monday evening.

 Police said they were investigating a larceny at the Walmart on Knightdale Boulevard about 6 p.m. when the shoplifting suspect ran from officers into a nearby office building and was shot and injured. Officers chased the suspect, who they said forced his way into C. H. Wells CPA LLC and encountered the owner Connie Wells, who was working alone inside. A town official said that the woman fired a shot. 

”The suspect, during that encounter, was shot and sustained a gunshot wound,” Knightdale Police Chief Lawrence R. Capps explained. “The suspect has been transported to the hospital for treatment.

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The shoplifting suspect, identified as 24-year-old Deondre Branch, of Clayton, was taken to WakeMed and is in critical but stable condition.

Police stressed that no officers were involved in the shooting. “This is not an officer-involved shooting,” said Capps. “Obviously, it is an evolving case. It’s very rapidly evolving at this point.” The office worker involved in the shooting has been “fully cooperative with police efforts,” a town spokesman said.

On Tuesday, investigators were still sorting through surveillance video, examining evidence related to the case.  [Source: ABC11 Eyewitness News]

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Breaking News in the Industry: September 21, 2017

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New York man sentenced to two years in prison in international $200M credit card fraud conspiracy

A New York man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in one of the largest credit card fraud schemes ever charged by the Justice Department, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.Raghbir Singh, 61, of Hicksville, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Singh was originally charged in February 2013 as part of a conspiracy to fabricate more than 7,000 false identities to obtain tens of thousands of credit cards. Members of the conspiracy doctored credit reports to pump up the spending and borrowing power associated with the cards. They then borrowed or spent as much as they could, based on the phony credit history, but did not repay the debts – causing more than $200 million in confirmed losses to businesses and financial institutions.

The scheme involved a three-step process in which the defendants would make up a false identity by creating fraudulent identification documents and a fraudulent credit profile with the major credit bureaus; pump up the credit of the false identity by providing false information about that identity’s creditworthiness to those credit bureaus; finally, run up large loans. The scope of the criminal fraud enterprise required the defendants and their conspirators to construct an elaborate network of false identities.  In addition to the prison terms, Judge Arleo sentenced Singh to three years of supervised release and fined him $1,000.  [Source: Department of Justice]

Thousands of fake hoverboards, worth $1.2 M, seized in Southern California

Sheriff’s investigators on Monday seized thousands of counterfeit hoverboards worth about $1.2 million in Santa Fe Springs, officials said.Deputies who descended on the building ifound 2,500 to 3,000 of the fake toys One person was briefly detained during the raid but was released. The owner of the company storing the hoverboards was not at the location, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement. Officials did not say whether there were any arrests.

Northbrook, Illinois-based Underwriters Laboratory contacted investigators with the sheriff’s Counterfeit and Piracy Enforcement Team to alert them about sales of the counterfeit hoverboards, according to the statement. The wheeled toys, which don’t actually hover, have been popular gifts since 2015. Sheriff’s officials said the fakes had counterfeit labels from UL, which tests and certifies products for safety. Officials said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.  [Source: The Mercury News]

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$8,000 reward offered for tips on theft of 21 guns at Houston store

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms announced Tuesday an $8,000 reward for information that could help agents track down the culprits of a 21-gun heist from a Houston area store. ATF, Crime Stoppers and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, are funding the reward.The theft happened in the early hours of Sept. 12 at Kingwood Guns. The details surrounding the break-in – including the number of people involved – are still limited.

At about 4:30 a.m., at least one person pulled up to the gun store, according to the release. That person was in a dark, four-door truck. The truck may have been a crew cab Chevrolet Silverado with chrome rims and loud mufflers, according to the release. At least one person got out the truck and used a rock to smash through a window of the gun store, enter the business and nab the rifles. One person was seen exiting the shop carrying rifles, then getting into the passenger side of the truck. A physical description has only been released for one suspect – a man in his 20s between about 5-foot 2 inches and 5 foot 5 inches tall, according to the release. ATF is funding $3,500 of the reward, matched by the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  [Source: Chron]

Father and son busted with truck full of counterfeit goods

A father-son team was arrested when they drove into Manhattan with nearly $50,000 worth of fake designer duds in their van, law enforcement sources said Tuesday. Jihad Abady, 34, of College Point, and his father Hassan Abady, 64, of Whitestone, were pulled over by Bridge and Tunnel cops at a routine checkpoint on their approach to the Queens Midtown Tunnel Monday morning, the sources said. Officers asked them to randomly open the 21 large, cardboard boxes that were stacked to the roof after becoming suspicious because the boxes were unmarked. The cops confiscated nearly 400 counterfeit sweatsuits marked with designer Polo Ralph Lauren, The North Face and True Religion labels. “It’s hard to believe that people would think these were real designer sweatsuits. They were poor quality, real cheap-looking. And from the musty odor, they must have been sitting in a warehouse for a long time,” a law enforcement source said. All told, law enforcement estimated the street value at more than $50,000.  [Source: New York Post]

Walgreens wins FTC approval to buy 2K Rite Aid stores for $4.3B

Walgreens and Rite Aid went back to the drawing board again and on Tuesday announced a deal for Walgreens to buy 1,932 Rite Aid stores, three distribution centers and related inventory for $4.375 billion in cash that has cleared Federal Trade Commission approval, the companies said in press releases emailed to Retail Dive. Store purchases are expected to begin in October with completion anticipated in spring 2018, Walgreens said in its release. The amended and restated purchase agreement between the two drugstore retailers updates the terms of the agreement Walgreens had with Rite Aid that was announced in June, Walgreens said. Under the new agreement, Rite Aid will retain some 250 more stores than it would have under the June version, the result of discussions between Rite Aid, Walgreens and FTC regulators, Rite Aid said.  [Source: RetailDRIVE]

Loss prevention associate punched, bitten by shoplifting suspect

Two loss prevention associates at Macy’s at Oakland Mall in Troy, Michigan, reported they were punched and bitten repeatedly by a shoplifting suspect. Troy police arrested the 29-year-old Ann Arbor man, who allegedly tried to steal $11 in merchandise from the store. When the loss prevention associates tried to stop him, he allegedly began to fight with them, punching a woman officer in the face and eye and biting a male officer on the hand, forearm, chest area and shoulder. Troy officers checked the backpack the suspect allegedly used to conceal the stolen merchandise. Police say the backpack also contained syringes, a glass narcotics pipe, a bag of pills identified as the anti-depressant Trazadone and a bag of suspected methamphetamine.  [Source: Daily Tribune]

Minnesota woman sentenced for felony shoplifting

A Moorhead, Minnesota,  woman has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for stealing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from JC Penney in Detroit Lakes. Alexis Beryl Phillips, 30, of Moorhead, was sentenced for felony theft. According to court records, police responded to the report of a shoplifter at Central Market. Phillips was caught after she ran to the nearby McKinley Plaza and tried to hide in a business that was under construction. She shoplifted items valued at $127.

Inside the pickup truck she was riding in, which was parked in the Central Market parking lot, officers found several large garbage bags of items that had been stolen from JCPenney and Walmart. There was more than $1,000 worth of goods from JCPenney and $65 worth of items from Walmart, for a total from the three businesses of $1,322. Phillips appeared Sept. 1 before Becker County District Judge Gretchen Thilmony, who sentenced her to 13 months in prison, stayed five years, and ordered her to serve 40 days in jail, with credit for 40 days served. She was fined $1,000 plus $1,243 in court fees, and must get a chemical dependency evaluation and follow the recommendations. She was placed on supervised probation for five years. [Source: DL Online]

 

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Breaking News in the Industry: September 22, 2017

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Man accused of robbing Target identified as fleeing fugitive sheriffs tried to shoot

The Gap, Pennsylvania, man a sheriff’s deputy shot at Thursday as he tried to elude police is the same man who is charged with robbing the Lititz Target at knifepoint earlier this month. Clinton L. Young III, 26, drove at authorities and “made maneuvers to hit them,” prompting the deputy to fire at least one shot at him, Brett Hambright, spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said Thursday. Young was not struck by the bullet and it is unclear if the bullet struck the vehicle, Hambright said. Authorities said Young attempted to flee when they served him with a felony warrant Thursday afternoon at a home in Colerain Township. Hambright said one of the deputies serving the warrant fired his gun at Young after it appeared Young tried to strike the deputies with his car.

Young led authorities on a low-speed pursuit for about four miles before crashing his vehicle into an embankment in Sadsbury Township, Young was not seriously injured in the crash. A female passenger in the vehicle is not facing charges at this time but police are still investigating her involvement, according to Hambright. He was charged Wednesday with felony robbery, as well as misdemeanor terroristic threats and retail theft, in connection with the Sept. 7 incident at the Target in Lititz. [Source: Lancaster Online]

Indiana shoplifting suspect crashes into two Northeast Wisconsin brothers

Two Northeast Wisconsin brothers riding their motorcycles were struck by a shoplifting suspect who was fleeing police in Terre Haute, Indiana on Wednesday. Police say that Detective Jerry Urban of Sheboygan County, and his brother, Glenn Urban of Suamico, were riding their motorcycles next to each other when the suspect drove his sedan through them, hitting them both. “It looks like he drove right between the two of them, they were riding side-by-side and he comes between the two of them,” Sheriff Greg Ewing of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office said.Both brothers were wearing helmets and sustained serious head injuries, but are expected to be okay.  “We spoke to the families of both of the victims and they’re both going to be released from the hospital today,” Ewing said.

Police identified the suspect as 40 year-old Dale Robert Oaks, who was seen shoplifting from Walmart before the police chase. He has a severe criminal history. Since 2005, Oaks has been booked into jail 40 times with 91 charges. After Oaks hit the Urban brothers, he crashed his car and stole a maintenance truck from a car dealership that apparently had the keys still in the ignition. As police swarmed Oaks’ crash car, he took off in the red maintenance pickup truck he stole from the Dodge dealership. Oaks is still on the run. If you have any information, you are asked to call police. [Source: GreenBay.com]

Early forecast calls for stronger holiday season for retailers

Last year, total retail sales for the holiday season climbed 3.6 percent. Deloitte expects retail holiday sales to top $1 trillion between the months of November and January this year. The consumer appears to be more stable and certain heading into the holiday season, according to Rod Sides, who heads up Deloitte’s Retail & Distribution practice. With disposable personal income climbing and consumer confidence staying elevated across the U.S., the holiday shopping season could bring healthier sales for retailers to cap off a tumultuous year. Deloitte said it expects retailers to see holiday sales growth of as much as 4.5 percent.

Last year, total sales for the season climbed 3.6 percent, matching results in 2015. E-commerce sales, meanwhile, are expected to increase 18 to 21 percent during the 2017 holiday season, the firm found. Digital sales climbed 14.3 percent in 2016. “Sentiment and spending indicators are firing on all cylinders, but the question is: How will retailers respond given the profound disruption across the industry?” said Rod Sides, who heads up Deloitte’s Retail & Distribution practice. “The good news is retail is thriving, and it is the proliferation of new, niche retailers that is resulting in share constantly changing hands,” Sides said. Deloitte expects total holiday sales, which are seasonally adjusted and exclude motor vehicles and gasoline sales, to reach $1.04 trillion to $1.05 trillion for the period, which stretches from November through January. E-commerce sales could peak at $114 billion, according to Deloitte. [Source: CNBC]

Alabama still doesn’t have a data breach notification law

If a company in Alabama has a data breach, it doesn’t have a legal obligation to tell customers their personal information has been compromised. Alabama and South Dakota are the only states without data breach notification laws on the books, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, for several years has sponsored legislation to change that and, in light of the massive Equifax data breach, said he’ll try again in the 2018 legislative session.

Equifax disclosed this month that hackers were able to access the personal information of 143 million Americans, including Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and full legal names, The Associated Press reported. Equifax didn’t make the breach public until six weeks after the company discovered it. “If it can happen to Equifax … that tells me it can happen to any business or company,” Orr said. Attorney General Steve Marshall said his office will redouble its efforts next year to pass a data breach bill. “The magnitude of the recent Equifax data breach underscores why this consumer protection law is needed,” he said. Orr said he thinks there is middle ground to be found that protects consumers and isn’t onerous for businesses. The 2018 legislative session begins Jan. 9. [Source: Decatur Daily]

Those Levi’s you bought on eBay may have been stolen by a drug-addicted shoplifter

As every online shopper knows, there are a lot of bargains out there in the proliferation of social media venues. But what you might not know is that some of the merchandise you find on eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace is so cheap because it’s stolen from stores. Websites have accelerated increasingly sophisticated organized retail theft rings, which have long relied on shoplifters known as “boosters” clearing store shelves of in-demand goods and then selling and reselling to higher levels of fences who deal in truckloads of stolen property.

Now the rings can sell shoplifted bottles of aspirin, infant formula or jeans in the same virtual marketplaces where legitimate items are sold. Investigators are also seeing more of what they call “e-fencing,” where fences sell store merchandise credit or gift cards obtained by returning stolen goods. “There’s a lot of them out there,” said Raleigh police Sgt. Scott Womack. “People can outsource stolen property very quickly that way.” The cost to retailers is estimated at $30 billion a year – a cost ultimately passed along to shoppers. But customers risk being hurt by more than higher prices. Expired or improperly stored medicine and infant formula often end up back on shelves, putting people’s health at risk. And then there’s the chance that people are shopping next to drug-addicted thieves. [Source: The Herald Sun]

Panty raid foiled at Green Oak Victoria’s Secret

Malaja Sharde Isom, a Toledo, Ohio, resident, was arraigned Thursday in 53rd District Court on charges of organized retail crime after police said she and three companions attempted to leave the Victoria’s Secret store at Green Oak Village Place mall without paying for merchandise. Green Oak Police Chief Jason Pless said store staff became suspicious about the impending theft and called police as the women loaded lingerie, clothing and beauty products into the store’s shopping totes. The store has become one of many local targets for organized retail crimes, Pless said. “This has been occurring at numerous retail locations throughout Livingston County and the surrounding area,” he said, noting Green Oak Township Police responded to a similar situation at the mall only a few days prior.  “A group of individuals – three or four working in tandem – will walk into a store, load up shopping bags or just their arms – and turn around and walk right past store employees.”

The three other women with Isom, also Toledo residents, were released pending further investigation, but Isom was arrested and charged because employees observed her removing security tags from the clothing, Pless said. Isom, who was also charged with malicious destruction of property for removal of the tags, is currently lodged at the Livingston County Jail on $25,000 bond. Isom is scheduled for a probable cause conference Sept. 26, followed by an Oct. 3 preliminary exam. Organized retail crime is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison or $5,000. [Source: Livingston Daily]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 22, 2017 appeared first on LPM.


Breaking News in the Industry: September 25, 2017

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Two suspected of assaulting LP associate arrested

Two people suspected of assaulting a loss prevention associate and theft are behind bars, police said. In August, employees of Kohl’s noticed two people leave the store with items they hadn’t paid for.  The store’s loss prevention officer stopped Elizabeth Fuller, 28, and Steven Hawley, 44, as they were leaving. The loss prevention associate told police that Fuller sprayed him with a chemical and the two suspects were able to get away with the stolen items. Nearly a month went by before the two were spotted again.

On Thursday night, officers were called to Walmart the suspects were believed to be in the store. When officers arrived, they contacted Fuller and Hawley. Investigators were able to link the suspects to the Kohl’s robbery. Fuller and Hawley were arrested and booked into Tulare County Pretrial Facility on suspicion of armed robbery and conspiracy. Their bail was set at $60,000. [Source: USA Today]

LP Worldwide: Man allegedly steals $300,000 diamond from mall store

The Cerrone flagship store in Martin Place in Sydney, Australia, had just opened for business when a neatly presented man entered through the sliding glass doors. Wearing a polo neck sweater, dark jeans and black Nike sneakers with a designer satchel casually slung over his shoulder, the man made himself comfortable in the luxury store on Tuesday morning and asked to see some of the merchandise. He allegedly viewed an unset five-carat diamond worth $300,000 before switching it for a similar looking stone of much lesser value. He then allegedly left the store with the genuine diamond, walking out into busy Martin Place.

Police have released CCTV footage which shows the man outside the store before being let in and taking a seat at the counter. After he walked out of the store, staff realized the stones had been switched and contacted police. Cerrone retail manager Alison Kotevski said the calculated nature of the alleged robbery made her feel “sick”. She said the man went into the store on Monday and spent some time looking at the stone before returning the following day. “We think he studied the diamond and had a copy made before coming back to the store on Tuesday,” she said. Police established a crime scene in the shop, which specializes in high-end designer jewelry, and conducted a forensic examination. Sydney City Local Area Command officers are investigating the alleged theft and have appealed for public assistance in identifying the man. Anyone with information about the Martin Place incident can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. [Source: Forbes Advocate]

Retail employee charged with theft

A 46-year-old Illinois woman faces a felony charge for allegedly stealing $100,000 to $500,000 from JCPenney while she was employed at the store. Jennifer D. Dillingham of Mt. Vernon is charged with Class 1 felony theft, punishable by four to 15 years in prison. She is accused of stealing the money between 2014 and Aug. 30, 2017. Dillingham was arrested Aug. 30 and later posted bond and was released from the Jefferson County Justice Center. She has a first appearance court date set for 9 a.m. Oct. 6. [Source: Register News]

Couple sought after LP associate cut with box cutter during Phoenix theft

Silent Witness and the Phoenix Police Department are asking for the public’s help in identifying a couple accused of shoplifting and attacking a store employee. Police report that September 5, a man and woman entered the Safeway near 7th Avenue and Osborn Road. The suspects reportedly concealed various items from the store and tried to leave without paying. An LP associate tried to stop the two as they were leaving which led to the male suspect pulling out a box cutter and cutting the associate.  The two then fled the area. If you have any information on the identity of these suspects, you are asked to call 480-WITNESS, you can remain anonymous.  [Source: ABC15 Arizona News]

Taking extra precautions after Equifax data breach

Many people are nervous about the Equifax credit bureau data breach, but are people taking extra precautions? Equifax’s data breach potentially compromises the personal information of as many as 143 million Americans. Consumer experts say it should be a wake up call to everyone. “It’s a reminder that consumers have to be very very vigilant [about] the information that is out there,” said Frank Frassetto, Administrator of the Wisconsin Division of Consumer Protection. In a poll by research firm SSRS, taken after the Equifax breach, 66 percent of people responding said they were concerned, but only 19 percent had taken any steps to find out if their personal information had been compromised. Frasesetto says Everyone should actively monitor financial statements and credit reports. “Go to Annual Credit Report every four months and request a copy of your credit report, because that’s one way you can see if credit actually has been taken out in their name and by law they’re required, able to get a free credit report, so because we have 3 credit reporting agencies, instead of waiting 12 months every four months pick one and then the next four months pick another and keep rotating,” said Frasseto. Equifax announced this week it’s offering free credit freezes until November 21. The company will also refund fees to anyone who already paid for a credit freeze since September 7. Freezing your credit file means no one can access it, not even you, without a PIN or passphrase. It makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.  [Source: WBAY2 News]

Three Missouri men arrested for alleged credit card fraud operation

Indiana State Police troopers arrested three men from Kansas City, Missouri, in Huntington County after finding them in possession of an illegal credit card-skimming device and a total of about 500 fraudulent credit cards and gift cards with an estimated value of $50,000. The arrests came after Troopers Alaa Hamed and Christopher Eagles stopped a Nissan SUV for a traffic violation. The troopers became suspicious because of the way the men acted, and Eagles’ K-9 partner Axle was asked to conduct a free air sniff around the exterior of the SUV. After the dog gave a positive alert, the troopers searched the vehicle. The troopers allegedly found a credit card-skimming device, which was plugged into a laptop computer, and more than 160 plastic credit cards, more than 60 MasterCard gift cards, tampering tools and about 1 gram of suspected marijuana, the news release said.

As a result of those findings and further investigation, troopers from the Indianapolis State Police post obtained a search warrant for a room at the Motel 6 in Indianapolis. The search there allegedly found several hundred fraudulent cards and a hard drive. The three men were taken into custody without incident and booked into the Huntington County Jail.
Omar C. Sosa, 19, Adrian Miguel Abreu Boza, 19, and Alejandro Abreu Martinez, 27, all of Kansas City, Mo., each were arrested on preliminary charges of unlawful possession of a card-skimming device, forgery-counterfeiting, fraud and possession of marijuana. [Source: News Sentinel]

Shoplifting suspect bites LP associate during confrontation

Police say a shoplifting suspect got away after she bit a Macy’s employee during a confrontation at a Hempfield Township mall. According to state police, a woman in the Macy’s department store was caught on surveillance footage taking two sweaters and a pair of sweatpants off a rack and walking into a fitting room. She then put the items into a large purse and walked back out. A Macy’s loss prevention associate saw the woman leave the fitting room without the items she had entered with. After he checked the fitting room and found it empty, he approached the woman as she was walking towards the exit. Police say the woman complied with the officer at first, but then began to fight him when he grabbed her purse. He attempted to restrain her and forced her to the ground. The woman then bit the associate on the arm, causing him to release her, and she fled the store. The officer did sustain an injury from the bite. He was able to recover all three articles of clothing. The suspect is described as 6 feet tall and approximately 250-275 pounds. She is believed to be about 25-30 years old. She has bright red hair. Police believe she may have been driving a silver Nissan sedan. Police say she’s also a suspect in retail thefts in the Monroeville area. Anyone who recognizes this woman should call Pennsylvania State Police.  [Source: CBS Pittsburgh]

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Breaking News in the Industry: September 26, 2017

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Crime group used computer hackers in $400K Tucson fraud case

Four Mexican nationals joined forces with Russian hackers to counterfeit thousands of credit cards and make over $400,000 in fraudulent purchases over two years in Tucson and elsewhere in Arizona, federal prosecutors here said. The conspiracy included about 25 people, court records show. The indictment included four named defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty in federal court in Tucson to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, and two whose names were redacted. The cards were used to buy Apple iPhones, designer clothing, electronics, gift cards and other items that were sold for profit in Mexico. Prosecutors said the conspirators made 5,800 counterfeit credit cards from over 300 financial institutions by the time the fraud was uncovered. Most of the hundreds of fraudulent purchases occurred between 2013 and 2015 and involved $500 to $3,500 each time, federal prosecutors said.

The group used stolen credit-card information sent by email from Russia, Ukraine and Tajikistan to Hermosillo, Sonora, and later to Tucson, where it was printed onto counterfeit cards in an apartment on River Road, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. Jorge Williams Araiza, 28, was sentenced Sept. 12 to three years in prison. Javier Ramirez Villegas, 36, was sentenced Aug. 23 to four years in prison. Both men were accused of being the “shoppers” who used the counterfeit credit cards at retail stores in Tucson and the Phoenix area, court records show. Anwar Barragan Flores, who prosecutors believe led the scam, wired money to individuals in Ukraine and Tajikistan to pay for the stolen credit-card information, court records show. He and Rey Martinez Lopez, who is accused of printing and distributing the counterfeit cards, both pleaded guilty in November 2016. Martinez’s sentencing is scheduled for the first week of November, and Barragan will be sentenced Sept. 29. Martinez faces up to eight years in prison and Barragan faces between six and 12 years in prison.  [Source: Tucson.com]

Employees cited with theft after taking advantage of self check-out error

A trio of Maryville, Tennessee, Walmart employees are facing theft charges after taking advantage of a defective self-checkout station to pocket hundreds of dollars, police said. Tristan J. Fuqua, 20, Galyon Street, Maryville; Derrick Robinson, 23, Vernie Lee Road, Friendsville; and Christopher A. Knight, 28, Old Glory Road, Maryville, were each cited on a charge of theft. Maryville officers were called to Walmart in Maryville Friday after the three were caught taking advantage of an error causing a self-checkout machine to dispense too much change, according to a Maryville Police report.

A loss prevention associate told officers the machine had been improperly loaded, resulting in the problem. Fuqua, Robinson and Knight learned of this and used the machine multiple times Thursday night to pocket $373. Fuqua told officers he discovered the error while making a purchase. He failed to inform store management and made multiple purchases at the machine to steal $188. Robinson and Knight told officers Fuqua tipped them off about the machine. They also failed to inform management and used the machine multiple times each to steal additional money, police said. Robinson had $90 in ill-gotten change, while Knight received $95. All three are to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court to address the theft charges. Their court dates were not immediately known. A Walmart spokesperson said the company had no comment.  [Source: The Daily Times]

Mother uses children as lookouts while she steals from a California cosmetics store

A store owner is hoping to teach a mother a lesson after the woman was caught on camera stealing from a Victorville, California, cosmetics store and appeared to use her children as lookouts during the theft. In surveillance video, a woman and several children walk into Cosmetic Addiction in Victorville, appearing to shop for some makeup. But the woman grabs four bottles of glitter, conceals them in her right hand and then then calmly walks out with the kids. “She saw me down the aisle, I guess she thought it was an opportunity to to grab the stuff and leave,” said owner Patricia Brambila. Brambila, a single mother of three children, says the bottles cost only $20. She believes the woman used her children as lookouts so she wouldn’t get caught. 
”They learn from you as a parent. You are their biggest example. You are their role model, so basically what they see — that’s what they do,” she said.

Brambila was able to identify the mother and contacted authorities. Family members came back to the store to return the items, but the bottles had already been opened. “I cannot risk selling it to another customer,” Brambila said. She posted the surveillance video on Facebook to make an example of the woman. Brambila is not upset about the lost money, but rather it’s about teaching the mother a lesson. “You don’t do that, especially in front of your kids,” she said.  [Source: NBC4 News]

Officer accused of embezzlement, suspended without pay

A police officer with the Hazel Park Police Department in Michigan has been suspended without pay after being accused of embezzling at least $85,000 in non-drug forfeitures. Now an internal investigation is underway, as well as a criminal investigation by Michigan State Police. The officer — whose name will not be disclosed since he had not been charged at press time — is an 18-year veteran of the HPPD, formerly assigned to the detective bureau. Police Chief Martin Barner said the officer was in charge of managing non-drug forfeitures, which are assets seized by police — primarily vehicles — used in the commission of non-drug-related crimes such as retail fraud or drunken driving incidents. Barner was conducting an internal audit when he noticed inconsistencies in the numbers dating back to at least January 2012, up through Sept. 11, 2017 — at least $85,000 in missing funds, a number that could continue to grow as the investigation continues. Barner immediately suspended the officer in charge without pay. When it came time for the administrative interview, which could result in the employee’s termination, the officer resigned. The department is taking the matter extremely seriously, the chief said. The chief said he currently doesn’t suspect any other individuals involved in the crime. He said that this is the first time something like this has happened at the HPPD, to the best of his knowledge. “People ask me how I feel,” Barner said. “It makes me feel like it should make anyone feel: betrayed.” [Source: C and G News]

Kohl’s announces Amazon returns at select Kohl’s stores

Kohl’s announced that 82 stores across Los Angeles and Chicago will be offering free, convenient returns for Amazon customers starting in October. Kohl’s will pack and ship eligible Amazon return items for free, providing an additional service and convenience to Amazon customers within select Kohl’s stores. “We are thrilled to launch this unprecedented and innovative concept, allowing customers to bring in their un-packaged Amazon returns to Kohl’s and we will pack them, ship them, and return them to Amazon for free,” said Richard Schepp, Chief Administrative Officer. “This is a great example of how Kohl’s and Amazon are leveraging each other’s strengths – the power of Kohl’s store portfolio and omni-channel capabilities combined with the power of Amazon’s reach and loyal customer base.”

Amazon Returns at Kohl’s creates a convenient location for Amazon customers to return eligible Amazon.com merchandise to select local Kohl’s stores. Items can be returned free of charge regardless of return reason and regardless of whether the items are packaged for shipping. Kohl’s will package and transport all returned items to Amazon return centers. As an additional convenience, customers visiting Kohl’s for Amazon Returns at Kohl’s services can use designated parking spots near the store entrance. Starting in October 2017, Amazon Returns at Kohl’s will be available at 82 Kohl’s stores in Los Angeles and Chicago. [Source: Kohl’s Press Release]

Melee at store; attempt to steal 33 handbags

Two New York City men and one woman are facing felony charges for allegedly assaulting a Greenwich police officer and trying to steal dozens of pricey handbags from Saks The Vault in Greenwich Connecticut. The police incident report, filed at Superior Court in Stamford, described a physical brawl between the three suspected robbers and a Greenwich police officer — allied with two Saks loss-prevention associates — aiming to block their escape with well over $50,000 in handbags. A Saks LP manager suffered an arm injury during the brawl at the back entrance of the Vault store, according to the report. Under arrest on charges for robbery, assault and criminal mischief are: Jennifer Nervil, 22, of Brooklyn; Quandel Baldwin, 25, of Manhattan; and Hassan Carter, 21, also of Manhattan.

The police officer blocked Nervil from leaving the store. Carter and Baldwin attempted to flee out of the front of the store, but were blocked by a Saks LP manager and associate. A physical fight at the locked rear entry ensued, and the officer dragged Carter and Nervil to the ground, while they “began pushing and kicking to prevent being apprehended.” The security manager was punched repeatedly by Baldwin, according to the report, and the officer then “took him to the ground…to prevent any further injuries” to the LP manager. The officer was then set upon and kicked by the other suspects, “to try and help Baldwin escape,” the report states. While Baldwin was subdued and handcuffed, the other two alleged thieves unlocked the rear door and fled. Multiple police units were arriving, and they were apprehended a short time later in central Greenwich. Thirty-three bags were grabbed by the thieves, according to police. They ranged in price from $995 to $2,590. [Source: Greenwich Time]

FBI releases 2016 crime statistics

The estimated number of violent crimes in the nation increased for the second straight year, rising 4.1 percent in 2016 when compared with 2015 data, according to FBI figures released today. Property crimes dropped 1.3 percent, marking the 14th consecutive year the collective estimates for these offenses declined. The 2016 statistics show the estimated rate of violent crime was 386.3 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, and the estimated rate of property crime was 2,450.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. The violent crime rate rose 3.4 percent compared with the 2015 rate, and the property crime rate declined 2.0 percent. These and additional data are presented in the 2016 edition of the FBI’s annual report Crime in the United States. This publication is a statistical compilation of offense, arrest, and police employee data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. The UCR Program streamlined the 2016 edition by reducing the number of tables from 81 to 29, but still presented the major topics, such as offenses known, clearances, and persons arrested. Limited federal crime, human trafficking, and cargo theft data are also included.

The UCR Program collects information on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies regarding the violent crimes of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault as well as the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. (Although the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not estimate arson data because of variations in the level of participation by the reporting agencies. Consequently, arson data are not included in the property crime estimate.) The program also collects arrest data for the offenses listed above plus 20 offenses that include all other crimes except traffic violations. Of the 18,481 city, county, university and college, state, tribal, and federal agencies eligible to participate in the UCR Program, 16,782 submitted data in 2016.  [Source: FBI Press Release]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 26, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: September 27, 2017

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Suspended Florida Gators facing felony fraud charges after credit card misuse

Nine Florida players are facing felony charges after they allegedly used stolen credit card information to make purchases from the university bookstore and elsewhere, including loading school-issued debit cards to buy electronics. According to Alachua County court records, wide receiver Antonio Callaway and running back Jordan Scarlett are among nine players facing felony charges for fraud. The players were suspended before the team’s season-opener against Michigan: Callaway, Scarlett, end Jordan Smith, receiver Rick Wells, defensive lineman Richerd Desir-Jones, linebacker Ventrell Miller, linebacker James Houston, defensive lineman Keivonnis Davis and offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort. All nine players remained suspended, and no arrests are pending at this point. According to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times, seven of the nine players could be candidates for pre-trial intervention, excluding Smith and Telfort, who face more charges than the other players.

Callaway, who led Florida with 721 receiving yards last season, has been charged with a third-degree felony. Scarlett is facing two third-degree felony charges. The running back rushed for 889 yards a season ago and entered the season as the starter. Smith, who red-shirted last season, has been charged with five counts of felony fraud. Telfort, a true freshman, faces 30 charges. Many of the fraudulent purchases were iPads and laptops bought through the university bookstore at an educationally discounted price. Multiple players told police they had sold the electronics Telfort used the information from multiple credit cards to make several food delivery orders through the website 352delivery.com. [Source: Sports Illustrated]

Fraud suspects steal more than $17,000 with skimmed credit card

Two suspects wanted in a Fort Bend, Texas, fraud case got away with more than $17,000 by making purchases of money orders as well as ATM withdrawals using a counterfeit debit card.  On Aug. 7, 2017, the male suspect and female suspect used the victim’s debit card number to purchase approximately $16,600 in money orders from post offices in Brookshire, Sealy, Columbus, Eagle Lake and Sheridan, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.  The suspects also made an ATM withdrawal for $500 at the Citgo gas station in Houston. The suspect who made the ATM withdrawal is described as a Hispanic man, mid to late 20s, medium build with short brown hair. He was wearing a gray and black t-shirt and blue jeans. He was also caught on surveillance video.  The suspect who completed the money order transactions is described as a Hispanic female, mid to late 20s, medium build with brown hair. She was wearing a blue jacket and light-colored dress. Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to arrest in this case. Anonymous tips may be provided by calling 281-342-8477.  [Source: Chron]

Seventy-seven-year-old accused of shoplifting cold sore medicine; returning for cash

A 77-year-old man from Lane County, Oregon, was arrested following a two-month investigation into cases of shoplifting and forgery that started with a traffic stop. Terrence Lee Liddell faces 33 counts of first-degree theft, first-degree forgery and possession of a forged instrument. According to the Oregon State Police, the investigation began in July based on evidence found when a trooper stopped a vehicle being driven by Liddell for a traffic violation. The trooper, assisted by OSP detectives, determined Liddell had been shoplifting Abreva brand cold sore medication from Bi-Mart locations in Oregon and Washington then returning the medication for refunds using forged receipts. Evidence gathered from documents, surveillance video and a search of the suspect’s computer led investigators to believe Liddell had made 33 fraudulent returns in Oregon totaling up to $4,281. Investigators interviewed Liddell and said he admitted to the incidents. They also said Liddell showed them the stolen Bi-Mart printer paper he used to make the forged receipts.  [Source: Fox12 Oregon]

Walmart’s holiday hiring plan: More hours for current associates

What follows is a statement from Judith McKenna, Chief Operating Officer, Walmart US: “To help customers save time and money this season, we are offering the extra hours available this time of year to our current associates rather than hiring thousands of seasonal workers. These extra hours will help staff traditional roles like cashier and stocker, and newly created technology-empowered positions such as personal shoppers and Pickup associates. This is the same approach we took last year, and we heard great feedback from our customers and associates. This is what working in retail is all about, and we know our associates have the passion to do even more this year. We’ve increased our focus on service through new training, tools and technology. Thousands of associates have completed training in our Pathways and Academy programs, which prepares them to more effectively serve customers, especially during this busy season. We are also bringing back the very popular Holiday Helper and increasing the number of Helpers we have in stores this season. These associates are dedicated to helping customers get through the stores faster by finding the shortest checkout line, opening registers as needed and will even quickly grab items customers might have forgotten. Our associates make the holidays come to life in our stores, and we are thankful for everything they do to help our customers have the best possible shopping experience. As we head into our busiest time of the year, we know associates are ready to deliver for our customers and help give them a memorable and affordable Christmas.  [Source: Walmart]

Woman wanted for pepper spraying LP associate after robbing Lexington retailer

A woman is wanted for robbing an area department store and assaulting a loss prevention associate with pepper spray, according to the Lexington Police Department in South Carolina. Veronica Latrice Bailey, 32 of Winnsboro, is wanted for a strong arm robbery after an incident at Kohl’s. The Lexington Police Department is asking for the community’s help in locating Bailey, who they say has been involved in numerous past shoplifting incidents at Kohl’s. On Saturday, Bailey allegedly took numerous items of children’s clothing into a fitting room, where a loss prevention associate heard Bailey removing tags from the clothing, according to Public Information Officer Cpl. Cameron Mortenson. The LP associate said Bailey’s purse was visibly larger than before entering. The employee asked Bailey to return the merchandise when she left the store, according to the police, saying Bailey responded by pepper spraying the associate in the face while standing in the parking lot. As the associate attempted to get the license plate number of the vehicle Bailey was getting into to leave, she turned around and pepper sprayed the associate again in the face, according to Mortenson. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lexington Police Department at 803-359-6260, or Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.  [Source: The State]

LP Worldwide: Police seize counterfeit brand-name products in central Taiwan

More than 2,000 pieces of counterfeit brand-name clothing and footwear have been seized at several markets in central Taiwan in police raids, police said Monday.

 After conducting surveillance for several months, the police seized counterfeit products in Taichung and Yunlin relating to brands such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Roots.

 The goods would have a total value of NT$2 million (US$67,600) in retail stores if they were genuine, an officer said.

 The counterfeits were seized from four vendors who had been selling them at traditional markets and night markets, which often attract large numbers of tourists, according to the police.  [Source: Focus Taiwan]

Target sets $11 wages, aims for $15 minimum by 2020

Target announced plans on Monday to raise its minimum hourly wage for all team members to $11 this October, along with a commitment to increasing the minimum hourly wage to $15 by the end of 2020. The company called the move a “significant investment” that will allow it to continue to recruit and retain strong team members and provide an elevated experience for customers, according to a company press release. The retailer will provide pay increases to thousands of team members across the country before the holiday season, Target said. The increase will also apply to the more than 100,000 hourly team members Target is hiring for the holiday season. Target on Monday also reiterated its most recent sales and earnings guidance for its third quarter and full year 2017. Target expects both third quarter and fourth quarter 2017 same-store sales growth to fall within the results in the first and second quarters, and expects its full-year 2017 same-store sales growth to be in a range around flat, plus or minus 1%, according to a company press release.  [Source: RetailDRIVE]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 27, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: September 28, 2017

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Austin jewelry store manager accused of pawning Rolex watches worth $150,000

A manager of a North Austin, Texas, watch and jewelry store faces theft charges after pawning several Rolex watches valued at as much as $150,000, police say. Officers were called out to the Austin Classic Watch and Jewelry store on Monday after two customers called in to report that the store’s manager, 45-year-old Samuel Sean Thomas, would not return Rolexes they had dropped off several months before for repairs, according to an arrest affidavit filed on Tuesday. “Both were given various excuses by Sean Thomas as to why their watches were not ready or could not be returned. Both customers gave investigators the serial numbers of their watches, and officers were able to quickly track them down to pawn shops in the greater Austin area, both of which had been pawned by Thomas. The affidavit said Thomas had an active pawn history, and had either pawned or sold six other Rolex watches since late February.“Several additional Rolex watches were (pawned) or sold by members of Sean Thomas’ family,” the affidavit.   Investigators tracked down 10 more watches, whose owners all said they dropped them off with Thomas for service and never saw them again. The report said the recovered watches were valued between $30,000 and $150,000.  Thomas faces a second-degree felony theft charge punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.  [Source: American-Statesman]

The Home Depot to pay $25M in data breach settlement

A federal judge has issued final approval on a $25 million settlement between The Home Depot and financial institutions involved in a class action lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit stemmed from a 2014 data breach where hackers stole customers’ payment information from self-checkout machines. The settlement was preliminarily approved in March. Numerous credit unions were part of the class action lawsuit, and affected credit unions had until Sept. 14 to file a claim in the settlement. In addition to the $25 million settlement fund, The Home Depot will pay $2.25 million to sponsored entities whose claims were released in connection with Mastercard’s Account Data Compromise program. The Home Depot also agreed to implement stricter data security measures to better protect consumers’ personal information. Those entitled to part of the settlement can expect payouts to begin within 90 days.  [Source: NAFCU]

Retail giant denies racially profiling customers

Embattled retailer Sears Canada is defending an employee accused of racially profiling a First Nations customer earlier this month.

 Helen Ermine alleged to Global News that a staffer at a Sears Canada store in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, insinuated she was trying to shoplift a comforter, before ejecting her from the store on September 20.

 When she later returned to the store with her husband, the same employee yelled at them and locked them out, Ermine said, adding that she believed she was the victim of racial profiling. Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron told Global News a human rights complaint might now be filed against the company. 

Sears Canada spokesman Vincent Power confirmed there was an incident between Ermine and a staffer in the store’s loss-prevention team, but he would not give further details.

However, he defended the employee’s actions, saying it was “fair in light of the circumstances surrounding what occurred”, and adding that Sears “would not tolerate discrimination in any form.” 

The company has previously sacked a worker whose racist remark to a customer was caught on camera and posted to Facebook.

 The incident adds to Sears’ woes, with the retail giant closing down dozens of stores and laying off thousands of staff, many without severance pay, amid a major restructure.  [Source: Human Resources Director]

After the Equifax breach, consumers were advised to freeze their credit; almost no one did

The dominoes continue to fall after the Equifax data breach. On Tuesday, Equifax Chairman of the Board and CEO Richard Smith was the latest, and most high-profile executive to step down, following the exit last week of the company’s chief security officer and CIO. The US Justice Department is looking into sales of Equifax stock by executives before news of the breach was made public. Elizabeth Warren and 11 other Democratic Senators  launched an investigation into the massive data breach, and announced a plan to introduce a bill to give consumers the ability to freeze their credit for free. But fewer than 1% of consumers have put a credit freeze in place, according to a new report from credit monitoring site CreditSesame. Of the nearly four million TransUnion credit reports Credit Sesame analyzed, 0.32% had a credit freeze in place, and 7% had a fraud alert. Freezing your credit, which typically costs $5-10 each time you do it, requires contacting all three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. New credit activity, fraudulent as well as legitimate, will be prevented until you lift the freeze. A fraud alert is free, and requires lenders to verify your identity before issuing new credit.  [Source: Business Insider]

How the Gators’ credit card fraud case unfolded

This is an update to a story we brought to you in yesterday’s LP Insider. The investigation into alleged credit card fraud took another step Monday when sworn complaint affidavits against the nine previously suspended University of Florida football players revealed the possibility of a combined 62 third-degree felony charges. With the UPD investigation complete, the State Attorney’s office will decide whether to file charges against the nine Gators who racked up a combined $17,056.31 in fraudulent charges. If you haven’t followed the case up to this point, this timeline, based on sworn complaints, will help you catch up on how the investigation began, the evidence outlined in the sworn affidavits and what might happen next. On August 15, the University of Florida Police Department responded to an alert from UF Business Services Division Associate Director David Looney and electronic technician Michael Chambers about two students adding unusually high amounts (more than $1,500) to their UF bookstore pre-paid accounts. Students typically added $300 at most at one time for textbooks, the sworn complaint said.

Looney informed officers that the two accounts had also received multiple “chargebacks” over the previous couple months, which is when the cardholder disputes the charge after the purchase. Looney explained that the bookstore typically saw about five chargebacks a year, and any more than that raised eyebrows. UPD learned that one account belonged to Gators defensive end Jordan Smith, with the other belonging to the girlfriend of UF running back Jordan Scarlett. From there, the investigation found similar transactions from accounts belonging to seven other Gators football players: Antonio Callaway, Keivonnis Davis, Richerd Desir-Jones, James Houston, Ventrell Miller, Kadeem Telfort and Rick Wells. Over the next five weeks, further investigation revealed a total of 15 stolen credit cards, with multiple players possessing illegally obtained identification information from people who told investigators they had never met any of the nine UF players. [Source: GatorSports]

Five in custody after shoplifting incident leads to police pursuit

Hartford, Connecticut, police say five people are in custody following a shoplifting incident that led to a police pursuit early Wednesday, September 27th. The suspects, all from Milwaukee, range in age from 14 to 19 years old. Officials say officers were dispatched to the Hartford Walmart shortly before 2:00 a.m. for a report of a retail theft in progress. Those suspects left the store prior to the officers’ arrival. Officers saw the suspects’ vehicle and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated. A short time later, the suspects were headed eastbound Highway 60 at County CC and struck a tire deflation device deployed by the Slinger Police Department. At least one of the vehicle’s tires were deflated in this attempt, but the driver refused to stop. The suspects avoided a second set of stop sticks at Highway 60 and Highway 175.

Eventually, the suspects headed southbound on Highway 41 until the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was able to deploy tire deflation devices at Highway 41 and Highway 45. Officials say the vehicle drove a short distance on its rims until it was disabled. The five suspects were taken into custody without further incident — and nobody was hurt. The investigation led to the recovery of multiple stolen Walmart sound bars and televisions that the suspects threw from their vehicle while fleeing from officers. A loaded handgun, reported stolen in Milwaukee, was also recovered from the suspects’ vehicle. Criminal charges of felony eluding, retail theft, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of stolen property have been referred to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office. [Source: Fox6 News]

Trick or treat: North Korea leader Kim Jong-un dominates Halloween costumes

Halloween fans are taking inspiration for this year’s costumes from a real life horror… North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Sales of masks bearing the dictator’s likeness have surged online, ahead of Halloween on October 31. Online shoppers have been snapping up a variety of Kim-inspired face-wear, ranging from 99p cardboard masks to full latex headgear costing anywhere between £22 and £100 – of varying degrees of quality. As long as the Pyongyang despot does not make good on his vow to obliterate his enemies with a nuclear missile, it seems Halloween party-goers can expect to celebrate Halloween imitating Kim.

Last week Poundland said it was offloading President’s face masks and copies of his famous red “Make America Great Again” baseball hats in a Halloween sale. The merchandise had originally been created in anticipation of Mr Trump’s state visit to Britain.  But the trip appears to have been postponed, after Theresa May’s invitation to the US President sparked outrage and an online petition signed by thousands of people. Although there has been no official word from the Prime Minister, the proposed visit was omitted from the Queen’s Speech in June, suggesting the trip has been indefinitely shelved. [Source: Daily Express]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 28, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: November 21, 2017

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Eight indicted for $3.5 million in gas station credit card fraud in Kentucky

Eight people have been arrested in connection with credit card skimming fraud investigations spanning multiple states including Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. At a news conference Friday in Louisville, representatives from the United States Attorney Western District of Kentucky’s office, Kentucky FBI, Secret Service and the Louisville Metro Police Department announced results of the fraud bust. The eight individuals face charges on alleged incidents at 6 Lousiville gas stations on. The incidents at these locations account for 7,000 individual card numbers that were compromised, leading to an estimated $3.5 million in losses. The defendants — Misael Jose Fernandez Campos, Pabel Anguela-Vazquez, Andres Tomas Alvarez Hernandez, Leonardo Rodriguez Prado, Yusbel Folgosso Parrado, Miguel Yansel Castillo Fornaris, Noseln Hernandez Guerra and Lisandra Diaz Garcia — have been indicted by a federal grand jury and face charges that include possession of device-making equipment, conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, money laundering, wire and bank fraud. The investigations, which go back to 2015, involve 22 law enforcement agencies across the three states including departments from Clark, Scott and Harrison counties.

“This form of identity theft is causing untold losses to both financial institutions and individuals who are merely filling their tanks at the gasoline pump,” Russell Coleman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, said in a news release. “As we begin the busiest travel season of the year, consumers need to pay special attention to where and how they pay for gasoline as criminals are using new and more sophisticated technologies.” Skimmers may be secretly installed in places where people commonly use credit and debit cards — most often gas pumps and at times public ATM machines. The skimmer is placed inside the machine and acts as a USB — when the unknowing consumer swipes or inserts their card, the information is then recorded and can be used to make fraudulent purchases or clone the cards. Once a skimmer is installed, someone usually has to return to the scene to retrieve it, but increasingly they are using bluetooth skimmers, the data from which can be scooped up from 50 feet away. Cellular skimmers work in a similar way and don’t require the suspect to return to the machine. Amy Hess, Special Agent with the Kentucky FBI, said that this is a “significant problem across the country.” “It is invisible to consumers, who do not see anything nefarious going on,” she said at the news conference. Suspects gain access to the pumps or other machines by way of a key or through tampering. But this also requires them to work quickly in the public space and obscure their actions from the clerks or cameras. Richard Ferretti, Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service, announced the use of a special blue tape placed on gas pumps in the area. It warns criminals and lets the public and station owners know if the machine has been tampered with by an outside person.  [Source: News Tribune]

LP associate cut at store after confronting shoplifter; suspect in custody

One man is in police custody after allegedly stabbing a loss prevention associate at a Walmart in North Delta, British Columbia, Canada early Saturday afternoon. Police said an LP associate at the Walmart on 120th Street confronted a man suspected of shoplifting at around 12:30 p.m.
The man then stabbed the guard, Delta Police said. “The suspect fled southbound and the Delta Police responded. Within minutes they had containment established and deployed a canine unit,” she said. The suspect, a man in his mid-20s of no fixed address, was arrested a few blocks away, she said. The guard was taken to hospital and is suffering non-life threatening injuries, Brooks added. Police are recommending several charges, including robbery and breach of conditions. [Source: Global News]

$14,000 ring stolen from California mall jewelry store

Police in Riverside, California, are asking for help to identify a man they say stole a $14,000 ring from a mall jewelry store last month — and may have tried the same thing in San Bernardino and Arcadia. The man went into the Zales Jewelers at the Galleria at Tyler about 3:30 p.m. Oct. 9, looked at the ring, then ran out with it, police said in a news release. He left in a gray four-door sedan with paper plates. The ring is described as a 2-carat white gold diamond solitaire engagement ring, according to police. Just before going to the Riverside store, police say, the same man visited a Zales in San Bernardino. Police released surveillance video that shows him walking into the store, peering into cases, talking to several salespeople and sitting in a viewing room. Riverside police also said a theft similar to the one in Riverside, by a man with a similar description, happened in Arcadia in September. They said the Riverside thief was black, 20 to 30 years old, 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, with tattoos on both arms and possibly a scar or mark on his left eyebrow. He wore jewelry, including a large gold chain necklace, rings and earrings. Police asked anyone with information to contact Officer Jesse Castro at 951-343-1859.  [Source: Pasadena Star-News]

Man steals from store, pepper sprays and assaults LP associate trying to stop him

Authorities in Merced, California, are looking for a man in Merced who they say stole $1,000 worth of merchandise from Kohl’s and then pepper sprayed an assaulted the loss prevention associate who tried to stop him on Wednesday. Officers of the Merced Police Department responded to Kohl’s department store about a robbery around 1 p.m. The store’s loss prevention team reported to police that a man had taken at least $1,000 worth of merchandise, and they tried to stop him from leaving the store.  They told police that when the LP associate tried to detain the suspect, the suspect sprayed the employee with pepper spray and then physically assaulted them. The suspect was last seen getting into a red Honda and fleeing the mall, police said. Anyone with information about the suspect or the crime should call Officer Richter at (209) 388-7801 or the Police Department Tipster Line at (209) 385-4725. The public can send information via anonymous text messages to police department by dialing “TIP411” (847411) and including the word “Comvip” as the “keyword” in the text message.  [Source: Your Central Valley]

Three Florida men convicted of credit card skimming in Minnesota

Three Florida men have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a gas pump credit card skimming operation. Roilan Garriga, 20, Wilbur Perez-Soca, 24, and Asleys Acosta, 28, each pleaded guilty to five counts each of felony identity theft in Hennepin County District Court, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. They will be sentenced on January 8, 2018. Garriga and Perez-Soca are expected to receive between 41 and 57 months in prison. Acosta, who has credit card fraud convictions from Florida, agreed to a sentence in the range of 60 to 90 months. During their court hearings, the men admitted they traveled from Florida to Minnesota for the sole purpose of stealing credit card information by installing skimmers on pumps at several gas stations. Using forged credit cards with the stolen information, they went on shopping sprees in the Twin Cities, including stores at the Mall of America, nightclubs and restaurants. Police arrested the men in Minneapolis on Nov. 12, 2016. Officers found equipment used to install and monitor credit card skimmers in the men’s van, along with more than 20 debit or prepaid credit cards encoded with personal information from a Minnesota resident.  [Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press]

Minivan mom help police chase down shoplifting suspect

Krystal Tukuafu has used her minivan to haul furniture and as a camper. Now, Tukuafu can boast that she used her minivan to help a police officer chase down a shoplifting suspect and arrest him. On Wednesday, Tukuafu was shopping with her 3-year-old son when she noticed an American Fork police officer running after a man. Tukuafu, who has about 1,000 followers on Instagram, began live-streaming the chase. She followed the men for a while as the chase unfolded. But then, Tukuafu said she pulled up next to the officer in a parking lot. “I was like, ‘Hey, you want a ride?’ And he just yanked my door open, got in and was like, ‘Follow this guy,'” she said. At that point, Tukuafu said she was both shocked and excited at the same time. “I didn’t know if I knew how to get there as quickly as he wanted me to. I didn’t even knew if I had my seat belt on and I’d get in trouble for it,” she said. Tukuafu pursued the fleeing man in her minivan. She got within 5 feet of him before slamming on her brakes so the officer could jump out with his Taser, order the man to stop and arrest him. “I was excited that I was with my son because he was like, in heaven. He kept saying, ‘So cool, so cool,’” she said.  Steven Glen Munson, 34, of Salt Lake City, was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of shoplifting and failing to stop at the command of an officer.  [Source: KSL News]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: November 21, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: November 22, 2017

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Woman bit LP associate after shoplifting attempt

Police said a 53-year-old Youngstown, Ohio, woman bit a loss prevention associate during a shoplifting investigation. Sherry Gordon was arrested Saturday night at the Marc’s store on Tiffany Boulevard. The loss prevention associate told police that she witnessed Gordon hide candy in her purse and then try to leave without paying for it. She stopped Gordon and escorted her to the office, where she contacted police. The associate said it was at that time that Gordon attacked her, biting her breast, bicep and forearm. Other employees came to assist, pinning Gordon on the floor as she continued to try to bite employees, according to a police report. Gordon is charged with robbery. She’s being held in the Mahoning County Jail.. [Source: WKBN27 First News]

Two women arrested after high-speed chase in shoplifting case

Two Nashville, Tennessee  women have been arrested more than 100 miles from Eastland Mall where they’re accused of stealing items from Victoria’s Secret. Kentucky State Police said a trooper saw a car going more than 100 miles per hour on the Natcher Parkway in Daviess County Sunday. When the trooper tried to pull the car over, it sped up to more than 130 miles per hour initiating a chase. After the chase went through Daviess, Ohio, and Butler Counties on the parkway, the car tried to swerve around a semi truck in Warren County, but lost control. The car flipped several times before finally stopping. The driver of the car, 30-year-old Tawana McGill, was taken to a Bowling Green hospital to be treated for a broken neck, according to KSP. 30-year-old Michelle Beasley, a passenger in the car, was also arrested after the crash. Troopers recovered stolen merchandise from Victoria’s Secret identified as being from the Evansville store.  [Source: Tristate Homepage]

Package theft hits nearly one-third of Americans: Is video surveillance the answer?

The dream of online shopping is never having to brave store parking lots, long lines or empty shelves. The reality, at least some of the time, is coming home to an empty box or no box at all.  More than half of Americans say they know someone who’s had a package stolen from outside their home, and 30% say they’ve experienced it themselves, according to a new survey by Xfinity Home, Comcast’s home security service.  As the holiday count-down begins, consumers face a tradeoff between convenience and the risk of letting expensive goods sit out in the open for anyone to snatch. That’s prompted some unusual work-arounds from consumers and increased the incentive for delivery services, home-security providers and some police departments to find ways to crack down on package thefts. “Now I have all my personal stuff delivered to my office,” said Nyhus, who runs a public relations company called Nyhus Communications. “It kind of defeats the purpose of delivery.” Of the  nearly one-third of shoppers who’d had a package stolen, the survey found city dwellers experienced 42% of thefts. That compared with 26% in the suburbs and 19% in rural areas the survey, conducted by market research firm Wakefield Research, found. Home security systems, such as those from Xfinity Home, Ring doorbell, Nest and others, are promoted as one way to have peace of mind for home deliveries.

Police departments don’t agree on whether they help.  The Philadelphia Police Department figures it’s a boon. It posts videos of almost every crime where they’re available, said Det. Linda Longo. “You never know who’s going to recognize the person. Then if we get that person’s ID, we put out a warrant for their arrest,” she said. In Houston, police on several occasions have used surveillance footage to track serial package thieves. Spokeswoman Jodi Silva said they’ve had instances of thieves “going from house to house to house. They may be following a UPS truck. They’ll just jump out, see if there was a delivery and grab it,” she said. But in California, Capt. Gary Berg with the Campbell police department isn’t convinced. He could only think of one example of a thief being identified based on surveillance images and then arrested. “People who are relying on the camera to protect their packages are probably kidding themselves,” he said.  [Source: USA Today]

Police say woman, not Razorback basketball player, cited for shoplifting

A woman in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who police say was with a Razorback basketball player was cited, for shoplifting at a Walmart Neighborhood Market Saturday. Fayetteville police Sergeant Anthony Murphy originally said that Jaylen Barford was the one cited in the incident. Murphy now says Indica Austin was the one cited, not Barford. “He (Barford) was present, but not in trouble,” Murphy said. Murphy said Austin was cited at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. around 5:30 p.m. She was given a citation and not taken into custody, according to Murphy. Fayetteville police sent a press release Monday apologizing to Barford for releasing incorrect information. [Source: KFBM5 News]

Three New York residents arrested after department store theft, police chase

A sheriff’s deputy had to arrest, at gunpoint, two of the three people allegedly involved in Friday afternoon’s 15-mile vehicle pursuit and crash. Nonetheless, nobody was hurt after a chase that started when items were allegedly stolen from a department store in Batavia and ended on Route 98 near Barre. The three Rochester residents allegedly stole more than $2,200 in merchandise from Kohl’s, and led police on the chase, Genesee County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputy Andrew Hale said the suspects’ vehicle, a 2004 tan Ford Freestar, was traveling as fast as about 120 mph, based on how fast police had to drive to pursue it. Hale did say speeds changed based on the traffic. The three allegedly left the scene after stealing the merchandise. Hale and New York State Trooper Mitch Hamilton found the suspects’ vehicle traveling northbound on Route 98 in the town of Batavia. Police initiated a traffic stop, but the suspects fled north and a chase began.   [Source: The Daily News]

Thanksgiving holiday cargo theft trends and security tips

Don’t let thieves ruin your Thanksgiving holiday. CargoNet examined theft trends from Thanksgiving week for 2012 to 2016 and determined that 163 cargo and trucking vehicle thefts were recorded in this period. The good news is that, after 2012, CargoNet data showed that theft activity slowed significantly. Forty-five thefts were reported in 2012 compared with 31, 30, 26, and 31 in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Of the 163 cargo and trucking vehicle thefts reported in this analysis, 119 involved theft of cargo. In the 2012–2016 analysis, which runs Tuesday to Monday for Thanksgiving week, 86 semi-tractors and 107 semi-trailers were stolen. The estimated loss value for stolen cargo was $8.85 million. On average, each cargo theft was worth $132,929.69. If we apply that average across all 119 cargo theft incidents, the total estimated loss value becomes $15.8 million.

Reported theft was highest on Wednesday, with 30 reported thefts. Nineteen thefts were confirmed to have happened on Thanksgiving Day. Thieves in Texas logged the most holiday working hours: 35 thefts were reported in Texas. In Texas, thieves were most active in Dallas (10 incidents) and other cities in the Dallas–Fort Worth area (8 incidents). CargoNet recorded 26 thefts in California. Thefts were most common in Los Angeles County (8 thefts) and San Bernardino County (7 thefts). Thefts were also recorded in Alameda, Kern, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Ventura Counties. Texas and California were followed by Florida (19 incidents), Georgia (12 incidents), and Ontario, Canada (10 incidents). Perhaps surprisingly, no turkeys were reported stolen in this analysis, but cargo thieves did prefer stealing food and beverage items more than any other commodity, with 33 reported cargo thefts.  [Source: American Journal of Transportation]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: November 22, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: December 12, 2017

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Money laundering duo bought $70,000 in gift cards in 3 days

Employees at a Massachusetts Walmart store identified a pattern of activity that led to police arresting two people accused in an interstate gift card scheme. Benjin Zhu, 26, of New York, and Jia Wu, 25, of Pennsylvania, were seen Wednesday buying hundreds of gift cards in the Walmart location on Hartford Avenue in Bellingham, police said. An asset protection associate recognized their activity as similar to recent scams. The associate could see that the gift cards being used by Zhu and Wu were bought in Ohio, New York and South Carolina just a few hours earlier. Police responded and found out that the duo possessed nearly 2,000 gift cards and over 50 cases of baby formula, which is known to be a frequently stolen product. At that point, officers arrested Zhu and Wu. Additional investigation revealed that Zhu and Wu had purchased 1,100 gift cards worth over $70,000 from stores in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts in three days, police said. Most of those cards had already been emptied of their value. Zhu and Wu were charged with two counts of receiving stolen property, aggravated shoplifting by organized retail theft and money laundering. They were arraigned and released on bail. Bellingham police said they are continuing investigating and will try to return stolen funds to victims throughout the country.  [Source: WCVB5 News]

NY man fled mall with $20,000 in stolen jewelry [Viral Video]

Nassau County police in New York are investigating the theft of $20,000 in jewelry from a store in the Roosevelt Field mall. Employees at Markens Jewelers, located at 630 Old Country Rd. in Garden City, were in the process of making a sale on Friday at 9:19 p.m. when a man grabbed a ring and earrings from a sales representative and ran away, police said Sunday night in a news release. An employee chased after the man to an exit on the northeast side of the mall, the release said. The man got into a white Nissan Sentra. The suspect is described as about 6 feet tall and weighing about 190 pounds, the release said. He was wearing a green knit hat, blue jeans and a black and white jacket. A surveillance camera in the jewelry store filmed the theft. Detectives request anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.   [Source: Newsday]

Bill would outlaw credit card skimming devices

Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing a bill that could curb the use of skimming devices to illegally obtain credit card numbers. Last week, the state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would make it illegal to use skimming devices to steal credit card information. Such devices have been widely used by criminals to obtain consumers’ credit card data for theft and fraud. Typically, authorities prosecute such cases under theft and fraud laws but there is no state law to prevent anyone from owning such skimming devices. State Rep. Kristin Phillips-Hill, a York County Republican, sponsored the bill and hopes it will cut down on fraud. “People who question the need for this legislation are shocked to find it’s perfectly legal to own one of these skimming devices, which have no purpose other than to steal personal information and use it for conducting illegal transactions,” Phillips-Hill said in a statement. “We’re simply closing a loophole that contributes to the excessive number of identity theft cases that exist statewide.” Phillips-Hill said she’s grateful for the bipartisan support for the bill. Within a month of her introducing the bill, the House approved the measure. That’s an unusually swift passage for a bill in the General Assembly. The measure now moves to the state Senate. Phillips-Hill said she is hoping Gov. Tom Wolf will soon see the bill on his desk and sign it.  [Source: Reading Eagle]

Four arrested after department store theft; crash with deputies

Two adults and two minors were arrested with more than $4,000 worth of property stolen from a department store in Rancho Cucamonga, California, after their vehicle crashed into a patrol car attempting to stop them, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said. The incident happened just after 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Macy’s in Victoria Gardens when deputies and the mall theft team converged on the exits and saw Torriyon Willliams, Clintoneisha Brown, a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy leave with stolen merchandise, a news release said. The four got in a car, and Williams, the driver, failed to stop for oncoming patrol cars, ramming one car’s rear passenger door, the release said. Additional deputies prevented the suspects from driving away. Williams, 23, of Victorville, and Brown, 21, of Pasadena, were arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary, grand theft, child endangerment and conspiracy. Williams also was accused of assault with a deadly weapon. The juveniles were released to their guardians. Deputies ask anyone with information on the case to call the Rancho Cucamonga station at 909-477-2800. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact the We-Tip Hotline at 800-782-7463 or wetip.com.   [Source: Daily Bulletin]

American Express is getting rid of signatures for credit card purchases

American Express has announced that it will no longer require signatures for credit card purchases beginning in April 2018, joining Discover and MasterCard, which have also announced similar changes. According to Jaromir Divilek, an executive VP at American Express, the company is making the change because its “fraud capabilities have advanced so that signatures are no longer necessary to fight fraud.” The company also cites advances in contactless payments, the explosion of popularity in online shopping, and the buzzword-citing use of “advanced machine learning algorithms” to help prevent fraud more efficiently than comparing a signature. Unlike other card companies, American Express is doing away with signatures globally, instead of just in the US. For comparison, current American Express policy is that customers don’t have to sign for purchases under $50 in the US, under $100 CAD in Canada, or under £30 in the UK. Now that American Express is getting rid of signatures at checkout, which just leaves Visa as the last major US card company that has yet to announce a similar change.  [Source: The Verge]

Woman identified in baby formula theft

Deputies say thanks to anonymous tips, they are able to identify the woman seen on surveillance video, stealing over $300 worth of baby formula from a Lee County Publix.  According to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, it happened at the store on Paul J. Doherty Parkway on Tuesday, November 28th. They say  Samantha Beausoleil initially left the store, but returned a short time later, and this time a loss prevention associate spotted the woman loading cans of baby formula from the shelves and into her purse. The associate followed Beausoleil out of the store and attempted to detain her, however she quickly sped off in a blue Chevy four door sedan before the employee could retrieve the stolen goods. Deputies say Beausoleil is also wanted in connection to a series of thefts at the Home Depot on NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral. She was arrested in 2016 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and recently in October for grand theft in Lehigh Acres. Anyone with information on Beausoleil’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at Crime Stoppers or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.  [Source: Fox4 Now]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: December 12, 2017 appeared first on LPM.


Breaking News in the Industry: December 13, 2017

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Police go after shoplifters: 28 arrested; $12,000 in stolen property recovered

A three-day anti-shoplifting blitz by police in Lexington and Nicholasville, Kentucky, at stores in the Nicholasville Road area led to 28 arrests and 14 citations. Detectives from Lexington, Nicholasville and members of the Kentucky Organized Retail Crime Association worked undercover with retail loss prevention staffers to target shoplifters from Dec. 5 to 7, according to police. They focused on thieves at stores at Fayette Mall, Brannon Crossing and Kohl’s Drive.Thirty charges were related to shoplifting, four involved burglary, four were drug related and six were related to financial crime, police said. The blitz led to the recovery of more than $12,000 worth of stolen property, according to police. Lexington police and partnering agencies will continue the shoplifting blitz throughout the month.  [Source: Lexington Herald Leader]

Woman allegedly steals power tools from home improvement retailer; assaults loss prevention associate

Police arrested a 25-year-old Massachusetts woman Monday afternoon after she allegedly stole more than $645 worth of tools from The Home Depot, including a jigsaw and a hammer drill. The incident at the store, located at 655 Memorial Drive, was reported about 4 p.m., Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said. Responding police, meeting with loss prevention officers to sign paperwork for trespass and arrest, saw the suspect bolt up, push a loss prevention officer out of the way and attempt to flee the store. Officers, after a brief chase, caught the suspect. The loss prevention officer suffered a minor injury to her arm but denied treatment at the scene. Meagan Fredette, of 34 Royalton St., was charged with larceny over $250, resisting arrest and assault and battery. [Source: MassLive]

Dollar General employee accused of pocketing $20,000 in gift cards

Records show a Memphis, Tennessee, Dollar General employee Corderious Booker, 20, would take Visa gift cards at work, load them up with $500 and pretend to put cash in the register, but really never pay. Instead, police said he took home multiple gift cards since November 11, totaling more than $20,200 from the Lamar Avenue store. “He should be locked up,” said store shopper Edmond Horne. That’s exactly what happened when the store’s risk management director called police. Booker is now in Shelby County jail, facing a charge of theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000.

“I won’t go along with that at all. I won’t steal nothing. Not even a Popsicle,” said Horne. But one University of Memphis professor thinks Booker’s mug shot tells a deeper story. “We are back to being the poorest, largest metro area in the country,” said Elena Delavega, associate professor of social work. Stores like Dollar General pay minimum wage, which is not enough for employees to achieve the “American dream,” said Delavega. “Assuming a person can work full time, it’s a paycheck of $240 per week,” she said. “There is a promise in this country that if you work hard you’ll be able to make it and won’t be in poverty but for a lot of people, working hard is less and less resulting in not being in poverty,” she said. In fact, police said Booker admitted to what he did; he’d use the cards to buy things to help out his family. Professor Delevega said companies should pay a living wage to give employees incentive to work hard to be able to fully provide.  [Source: News Channel3]

Police double shoplifting arrests in this year’s blitz

‘Tis the season for shopping and shoplifting. This year Saginaw Township Police in Michigan arrested twice as many people compared to last year during the annual shoplifting blitz. Police arrested 35 people during the blitz on Thursday and Friday. Last year 17 were caught. Even with the success, Officer Chris Fredenburg, the township’s Crime Prevention Specialist, said many more get away. “We just scratched the surface with our operation. It kind of shows you what’s going on in all of our business districts,” Fredenburg said. Fredenburg said during the blitz officers recovered around $5,000 in merchandise.  Clothing is one of the most popular items to steal, with one brand being stolen the most. “Nike apparel. And that’s been a hot item all fall,” Fredenburg said. During the blitz Saginaw Township officers were assisted by the Michigan State Police, the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Carrollton Police Department. In addition to the extra officers, certain stores are equipped with police radios. They allow store loss prevention teams to speak directly with police, who can then quickly respond.  [Source: ABC12 News]

Teen charged with stealing $8,500 from employer

A Racine, Wisconsin teen is charged with theft of $8,500 worth of merchandise while he was working at Champ’s Sports in Regency Mall.  James L. Green, 17, of the 1100 block of 13th Street, Racine, is charged with felony theft of movable property worth between $5,000-$10,000. According to the criminal complaint, on Dec. 8, a regional loss prevention investigator for Foot Locker brands contacted Racine Police about Green’s alleged theft from the store. The investigator said he had observed Green allegedly make 22 fraudulent charges during his employment. Although Green began working at the store in September 2016, the reported thefts didn’t begin until Sept. 29, 2017. According to the investigator, Green would ring up a sale and then cancel it, but would allow the customer to leave with the merchandise. Green also allegedly charged customers for low-priced items, costing between $3 and $9, but would then give the customers other items they hadn’t purchased.

The investigator told police that at the time he contacted Green about the thefts, the employee was wearing shoes valued at $190 and a jacket valued at $100 that were both allegedly stolen from the store. The investigator provided police with documentation of the sales and surveillance footage of the transactions. Green reportedly signed a voluntary statement in which he allegedly admitted to ringing up small items and adding other merchandise to customers’ bags as well as canceling transactions and allowing customers to leave with items anyway. Green, who has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 3 in Racine County Circuit Court, told investigators he stole from the store because he and his loved ones were dealing with financial stress and he wanted to help.  [Source: The Journal Times]

Marine Veteran in dress blues chases shoplifting suspect

Decked out in his dress blues, a Marine Corps veteran who was volunteering with Toys for Tots outside a Plano, Texas, Walmart chased a suspected shoplifter through traffic. A fellow volunteer and Marine veteran snapped a photo of Nathan Hanson as he walked away from the suspect on the ground, and he shared the image in a Facebook post. “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” said Alisia Dunning. “It’s our duty to take care of those that are in need. Even though Walmart is not necessarily a person, no one deserves to be stolen from.” Dunning said Hanson didn’t hesitate when he saw other volunteers chasing a man from the Walmart store on Saturday afternoon. The Marines were there collecting Toys for Tots donations. Some volunteers were inside the store collecting toys, and others were outside collecting cash.

Hanson saw the foot chase and initially thought the person may have stolen from volunteers, so he crossed traffic to head the man off. At the time, Hanson said he didn’t know police were nearby but saw a Plano patrol car turn and head their direction. “He realized he couldn’t get away, and at that point he slowed down and stopped and said, ‘I give up, I’m sorry,'” Hanson said. “He got down, and I just waited there until the Plano Police Department came over.” Plano police say 25-year-old William Horn, stole $91 worth of electronics. Hanson tore his uniform in the chase. A fellow Marine started a GoFundMe campaign to replace it, and within a few hours the donations exceeded $500. Hanson said he was embarrassed by the attention and that the extra funds would be donated back into the Toys for Tots program. He says he hopes the photo shared on Facebook helps remind people to give to Toys for Tots. The Marine Corps League in Collin County is currently looking for volunteers to help sort donations.  [Source: NBC5 News]

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Breaking News in the Industry: December 14, 2017

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Shoplifting investigation turns up $54,000 in eyeglass frames; duo arrested

A man and woman from Tarzana, California, have been accused of stealing eyeglass lenses from a Rancho Cucamonga store — and linked to similar burglaries of LensCrafters in California and four other states, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release. The Rancho Cucamonga burglary was reported in the Victoria Gardens outdoor mall, according to the news release. Employees provided deputies with photos of two burglars. Deputies located Victor Martinez, 38, and Isis Munoz, 41, nearby and arrested them on suspicion of shoplifting, according to the release and jail records. Deputies found that Martinez had a no-bail warrant for burglary and other charges out of Orange County. Investigators discovered that the suspects were linked to other burglaries in California, Oregon, Texas, New Jersey and Washington.

On Sunday, deputies searched a Tarzana home and storage unit linked to the suspects and found 350 pairs of LensCrafters frames worth about $54,000, along with stolen electronics, jewelry and $3,200 in cash. San Bernardino County deputies are working with other law enforcement agencies to seek additional criminal charges against the suspects. Munoz was cited and released from jail Saturday. Despite the Orange County warrant, San Bernardino County jail records show Martinez also was cited and released Monday. Sheriff’s officials are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the Rancho Cucamonga station at 909-477-2800. Anonymous tips can be made to the WeTip hotline at 800-782-7463 or their website by clicking here[Source: Daily Bulletin]

Shoplifting suspect rams police chief’s vehicle [Viral Video]

It started in Englewood, Ohio, Tuesday afternoon and ended in Huber Heights, Ohio, after a high speed chase along I-70. The suspect, 40-year-old Michael Paul Williams of Springfield, is being held in the Montgomery County Jail and could face felony assault charges. Englewood Police credit their system of city-wide cameras, to be able to track the suspect without his knowledge. “In Englewood we’ve got about 30 cameras around the city so immediately our dispatchers were able to pull up that truck and follow it’s movement,” said Englewood Police Sergeant Mike Lang. He also said the incident started when Williams allegedly shoplifted a television from Walmart and drove away in what’s believed to be a stolen truck with stolen plates. Dispatchers watching on the cameras were able to track him to a Meijer gas station. “As crews were headed to Walmart the closest officer was actually chief of police,” Lang said. Chief Mark Brownfield responded to to the Meijer in his black unmarked SUV.

The video shows the suspect escape the parking lot in the white pickup truck, but when he stops at a light to exit the station, throws his truck into reverse and rams the chief’s cruiser. “He’s obviously shaken up on it,” Sgt. Lang said, “But his duty like all of ours, is to respond, it’s not every day we get rammed by somebody.” Police said Williams took off and led officers on a chase along I-70 up to speeds of 100 miles per hour. Englewood police said they lost sight of Williams, but Huber Heights police confirmed he crashed into three cars at the intersection of Brandt Pike and Longford, another at Brandt and Chambersburg, before he was stopped and arrested at Brandt Pike and Fishburg Road. “Unfortunately for reasons I can’t explain this year we have had a number of pursuits from either misdemeanors or low level felonies, that in the end you’re gunna be caught,” Sgt. Lang said, “It’s easier to stop at that point but instead to risk the lives of other innocent motorists and people on the roadway is inexcusable.” Lang said thankfully no one was injured, and the chief’s cruiser suffered minor damage. “We’re proud he was there to respond, not so proud this guy decided to ram his car and then put others in danger simply for stealing a television.”  [Source: Fox45 Now]

Bar owner tapped stolen credit cards for $87,000

A Fairmount bar owner in Pennsylvania was sentenced Tuesday to 3½ years in federal prison for racking up more than $87,000 in fraudulent credit card charges at his pub. Michael Hoffner Sr. of  Voorhees pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud, admitting that between September and December 2012 he used stolen credit card numbers 40 times to make charges at his bar, the Brown Street Pub. U.S. District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg also imposed a three-year term of supervised release and ordered Hoffner, 52, to pay $87,060 in restitution and forfeit $82,643 in proceeds. The charges were made to credit and debit cards issued by American Express, Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, ACNB and the State Employees Credit Union of Maryland.  The average charge was more than $2,000, authorities said, and cardholders were not aware of the charges. The proceeds went into a bank account controlled by Hoffner, prosecutors said In July, prosecutors told the judge that Hoffner had been warned by at least two credit card companies of the high number of disputed charges at his bar, but he maintained that the tabs had been legally incurred by the cardholders for parties hosted there.The bar, at 795 N. 24th St., was renamed Fairmount & Co. last year, but is listed online as the North 24th Street Restaurant and Bar. Before it changed names, it maintained a three-star rating on Yelp, with customers praising its beer selection and dive bar atmosphere. [Source: The Inquirer]

Shoplifting suspect punches LP associate

Police arrested a Wooster, Ohio,  couple accused of walking into a department store fitting room, concealing the store’s clothing on themselves and trying to leave without paying. Stark County Jail records show that Katie L. Munday, 39, also is accused of punching a store employee seven times in the arm when he tried to stop them. The 40-year-old man she lives with also had an undisclosed amount of marijuana in their vehicle, the jail records indicate. The couple was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Monday at the store on Dressler Road NW. The man had $164 in store merchandise and the woman had $209 worth, jail records show. Munday was jailed on a robbery charge. The man was jailed on misdemeanor charges of theft, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. The Canton Repository does not typically name misdemeanor crime suspects. Both remained in jail early Tuesday. The man was held in lieu of $2,000 bond and Munday in lieu of $50,000 bond, both pending Massillon Municipal Court hearings. [Source: CantonRep]

San Francisco law limits delivery robots

Legislation just passed in San Francisco, California, now limits robotics delivery companies to just three street-active robots each, for a citywide total of nine robots, Tech Crunch reported last week. The robots can be active only in low population, mostly industrial areas. Active robots now also require constant human monitoring, plus a top speed of only three miles per hour. Those behind the new laws mention potential danger to pedestrians such as children and the elderly, who could be forced off the sidewalk and into the street due to robotic crowding. The San Francisco limitations are at odds with those recently passed in both Idaho and Virginia, which now allow delivery robots to operate statewide.  [Source: SupplyChainDIVE]

Shoplifter uses pepper spray on AP associates

Shoplifters seldom go willingly with authorities once their crime is discovered, but not many fight back like one man did in an incident police list as an armed robbery. It occurred just before 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at Target, 3100 Fairlane Drive. Allen Park Police in Michigan were sent to the store on the report of a retail fraud incident in progress. Police officers s were told one of the store’s AP associates was pepper-sprayed by the shoplifter. Police requested that the Fire Department send paramedics to the scene. Upon arrival, officers met with the asset protection associate, who was being treated for her injuries. The associate told police she and another AP associate observed a man select three Texas Instruments calculators, worth a combined value of almost $400. She said the man ripped them from the security locking devices, concealed the items in his jacket pocket, and then passed all points of sale without offering payment.

She and two other AP associates confronted the man at the front doors, so he attempted to move to another set of doors. He dropped the concealed items, pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the employee in her eyes. The shoplifter was followed to the parking lot, but his vehicle was unable to be identified. Police said it was unknown what type of spray the man used. Paramedics treated the woman, but did not take her to a hospital. All merchandise was recovered. The man is described as black, 6 feet 4 inches tall, and weighs about 250 pounds. At the time of the incident he was wearing a blue jacket, blue tie, white dress shirt and khaki pants.  [Source: Herald-News]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: December 14, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: December 15, 2017

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Authorities bust alleged professional shoplifting ring

An alert Hermitage, Pennsylvania, patrolman helped catch members of an alleged professional shoplifting ring wanted in connection with cases on the East Coast and in the Midwest, police said. Police Chief Eric Jewell said Patrolman John Kudelko and the Hermitage Walmart loss prevention team nabbed the crew Monday. Kudelko heard a call from Walmart LP describing a shoplifting incident that had just happened, Jewell said. Store LP said that it was the same crew who allegedly stole 41 home security systems worth $11,000 from the store in September, he said. Walmart LP associates said a man and woman had just left the store in a Lexus and were traveling north. Kudelko, on traffic duty in Clark, spotted the car and pulled it over, Jewell said. Greg A. Lestingi, 47, and Sheena J. Snow, 31, both of Tennessee, were arrested. Police found an open child-safety seat box in the back seat of the Lexus filled with $1,000 worth of electronic devices that allegedly came from Walmart, Jewell said.

Snow is wanted on a Tennessee parole violation for possession of dangerous drugs. She was arraigned in Farrell district court on charges of giving false identification to law enforcement and being a fugitive from justice. Lestini and Barry K. Dabney, 50, also of Tennessee, hold previous arrest warrants from Hermitage for the September theft, Jewell said. The two men got away in September, but Hermitage detectives had enough evidence to identify and charge the pair, Jewell said. Snow and Lestini will answer to charges in connection with the Monday burglary at the Hermitage store before they are extradited to other states for outstanding warrants. One of Lestini’s warrants is from Virginia for felony larceny and misdemeanor theft for allegedly pulling a knife on a Walmart loss prevention associate, according to court records.But Hermitage will have to wait to try Dabney, who is wanted on arrest warrants in several states up and down the East Coast and in the Midwest. He was caught in Tennessee, Jewell said. “We were told by Tennessee officials that numerous other states are in line before us, so we will have a long wait for him,” the chief said. Jewell said his officers are just beginning to investigate the case. After obtaining a search warrant for the Lexus, police also recovered counterfeit identification from it. “That’s indicative of professional shoplifters,” Jewell said. “They run and run, not concealing their faces. They eventually get caught.”  [Source: The Herald]

Shoplifting suspect bites two LP associates

A woman trying to steal a case of beer at Walmart on Epps Bridge Road in Athens, Georgia, recently bit two loss prevention associates who attempted to thwart the theft. Both associates are fine, a spokesman for Walmart said Wednesday, but the woman’s identity has not been determined. The assault occurred when an associate confronted the woman as she was trying leave the store with a case of beer in a shopping cart, according to an Oconee County sheriff’s report. However, the suspect punched the employee in the face and the pair then ended up on the floor as they fought, deputies said.

A second employee ran over to help and he was bitten on the forearm, while the other employee was bitten on the thigh. The suspect then ran from the store. “The two associates were checked out and they are OK,” the Walmart spokesman said. Bites are considered a potentially dangerous assault, according to Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry. If officers are bitten, there is a procedure in place for them to be treated and evaluated, Berry said. ”That is serious business — biting people,” the sheriff said. “You can pass on all kinds of pathogens.” If the suspect is identified, Berry said officers would consult with the district attorney’s office on charges the assault and attempted theft would warrant.  [Source: Athens Banner-Herald]

For first time, PD teams with loss prevention to catch shoplifters

Eight Anchorage, Alaska, police officers spent a day inside one of the city’s larger retail stores this month patrolling for shoplifters. Over eight hours on Dec. 1, police arrested six people at a Fred Meyer store on Abbott Road. Police say the six separately tried to steal more than $1,100 of merchandise in all. It was the first instance of Anchorage police teaming up with a retail store with the goal of catching shoplifters in action. The initiative reflected broad frustration among local retailers about what’s been characterized as a sharp rise in property crime in the past two years. Dozens of new officers have been hired in recent years, which allows police to dedicate more time to proactive policing, said Capt. Kevin Vandegriff, who leads the department’s crime suppression unit. But Vandegriff said police had also been hearing reports from private security groups around the city that thefts were coming more often with the threat of violence. Vandegriff didn’t have specific data to corroborate the claims, and research by the University of Alaska Anchorage has shown that the rates of larceny and violent crime have declined in Anchorage over the past 30 years. Research tied to Alaska’s criminal justice reform has shown that putting people in jail for short periods of time for shoplifting isn’t an effective deterrent, and some cities, like Juneau, are working on programs that target the deeper issues that might motivate theft, like addiction or mental illness. But some of the stories were frightening, Vandegriff said: People caught pushing carts of stolen goods out of stores had drawn guns or knives on employees. Major retailers employ individualss known as “loss prevention associates” to patrol stores or watch front entrances for shoplifting. If a person is caught shoplifting, those charges go directly to local and state prosecutors. If the accused thief threatens to use violence, store employees contact police, Vandegriff said. But it often takes a long time for an officer to show up, Vandegriff said. By then, suspects can be long gone. [Source: Anchorage Daily News]

eBay privacy breach exposes customer names on google

In what appears to be a major breach of customer privacy, eBay is exposing customers’ real first and last names, as well as the items they’ve purchased, publicly on Google.  While the idea that your real name is exposed in a product review you left for a benign product like clothing or books is disturbing enough, Google is also displaying eBay customer names for sensitive purchases such as medical diagnostic tests – including pregnancy, drug, and HIV home testing kits. A reader who provided EcommerceBytes with the news tip told us, “As both an eBay seller as well as being a buyer who has left product reviews for item that I have purchased on eBay, this new revelation is very disturbing to me. Furthermore what really scared me is the fact that with very little effort on my part I was able to match the reviewers actual name with their anonymous eBay user ID, by opening both the eBay product page and the Google Shopping product page in separate windows and placing them side by side.” For every search we conducted, from cookbooks to medical test kits, all of the reviews on Google Shopping Product Pages that were provided by eBay.com displayed actual customer names and the date they left the review, while reviews from other online retailers, such as Target.com and Walmart.com displayed user IDs. It’s not likely that someone who purchased a medical diagnostic test on eBay name would be thrilled that their review might be read by family members, partners or employers. One buyer was clearly concerned about the privacy of his purchase, noting in his review of a test kit he’d purchased on eBay that he was pleased it had come in discrete packaging.  It appears there is a flaw in the feed eBay provides to Google, and this not the first time that eBay has been accused of compromising users’ privacy. In 2014, NYU researchers discovered that they could aggregate eBay buyers’ purchases, and characterized it as a security breach – and that was when they had only the user names, not the actual names of buyers.

As part of the 2014 study, the researchers conducted a survey to gauge buyer expectations around privacy on the marketplace, they found nearly 39% preferred to make a sensitive or private purchase on eBay, “noting that they believed the site was a more discrete vendor than a physical store.” “Additionally, 38 percent of those surveyed believed that their purchase histories were visible to no one except them,” the NYU researchers wrote.  We can’t overstate how troubling this breach of privacy is, and of all the developments that have caused users to be concerned about privacy over the years, this tops the list right next to eBay’s massive data breach of 2014 when it forced 145 million users to change their passwords.  We reached out to eBay and Google prior to publishing, a Google spokesperson said he would look into the matter. eBay as not yet responded.  [Source: eCommerceBytes]

Seven Romanian nationals plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy and ATM skimming

Seven Romanian nationals pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with an ATM skimming scheme operating throughout Massachusetts and other states including Connecticut, New York and South Carolina.  Constantin Denis Hornea, 23; Maria Lazar, 19; Ludemis Hornea, 20; Claudiu Florea, 25; Denisa Bonculescu, 27; and Anamaria Margel, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly known as RICO conspiracy, and conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices. Constantin Hornea, Lazar, and Ludemis Hornea also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and money laundering conspiracy; Constantin and Ludemis Hornea also pleaded guilty to possession of device making equipment; and Florea also pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. Ion Trifu, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices and money laundering conspiracy.  U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for March 15, 2018. In May 2017, the defendants were indicted along with five others whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The defendants, except for Trifu, were members of the Hornea Crew (“Crew”), led by Constantin Denis Hornea and Ludemis Hornea, and engaged in ATM skimming – obtaining debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting bank customers, creating counterfeit cards, and making unauthorized withdrawals from the victims’ bank accounts. Over a period of 18 months, the Crew installed skimming devices and made unauthorized withdrawals in seven states, including Massachusetts.  In particular, members of the Crew installed skimming devices in the following locations: Amherst, Bellingham, Billerica, Braintree, Chicopee, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Weymouth, and Whately, Mass.; Enfield, Conn.; Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood, Mauldin, and Saluda, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Yadkinville, N.C.  The Crew made unauthorized withdrawals at ATMs in approximately 29 Massachusetts towns; seven Connecticut towns; six New York towns; Salem, N.H.; and Sumter, S.C. Members of the Hornea Crew and Trifu transferred money throughout the United States and to Romania and the People’s Republic of China.  Some of those transfers were for the purchase of skimming devices and related components from abroad. [Source: Department of Justice]

Woman cited after child attempts retail larceny

A woman in North Carolina, was cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and neglect Friday night after police say a 13-year-old girl attempted to steal from Walmart. Police cited Tamika Danielle Squire, 35, of Morganton, after arriving at Walmart on Morganton Heights Boulevard and reviewing security footage of the crime, according to an arrest report. The store’s loss prevention officer told Morganton Department of Public Safety Officer J.T. Dale that the girl removed barcodes from pieces of felt and put them on other items, the report said. Squire was not seen switching barcodes but was cited because of the girl’s actions. Dale told Squire that the arrest report would be sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice, which may petition the girl, the report said. The store’s loss prevention officer told MDPS that Squire previously admitted to knowing what the girl was doing. Squire said she made a mistake and was struggling to raise five other kids, according to the report. Dale told Squire he would complete a grand jury packet if video evidence showed she knew what the girl was doing, the report said. The items involved in the attempted larceny were not included in the report.   [Source: The News-Herald]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: December 15, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Breaking News in the Industry: December 18, 2017

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Two men arrested in theft of $15K in power tools

Two men are facing criminal charges after police say they stole thousands of dollars worth of tools from Utah stores. Charges filed in 3rd District Court on Wednesday allege Chad Ware, 21, and Paul Labouve, 27, busted through glass doors of a Home Depot and a hobby shop in Sandy, and Lowe’s stores in Murray and Riverton, running off each time with armfuls of power tools and electronics. Investigators serving a search warrant in connection with the case Thursday discovered what they believe is at least $15,000 worth of those tools. According to the charges, online listings for some of the power tools appeared for sale on the online classifieds website Offerup within 90 minutes after surveillance video at the Sandy Home Depot recorded two men carrying them out of the broken door. A Ford Explorer the men are recorded using to drive off with the tools was also listed, charges state.

After a detective arranged to purchase one of the drills, a warrant was obtained and investigators put a GPS tracker on the Explorer two days later, according to the charges. “We were able to recover a large number of tools, approximately $15,000 worth of the tools that had been stolen across the valley,” Madsen said. “Once we get those processed, we’ll get those back to the rightful owners.” Ware and Labouve are not from Utah, Madsen said, but appear to have come from another state. The men are suspected in a similar burglary in Colorado, Madsen said, and there is a “slight chance” some of the tools found Thursday are from that alleged heist. “We will see what we can find,” Madsen said. As of Friday, no federal investigators had joined the case, Madsen said. Ware and Labouve are each charged with theft, a second-degree felony; four counts of burglary, a third-degree felony; an additional count of theft, a third-degree felony; a class A misdemeanor charge of theft; a class B misdemeanor charge of theft; a class A misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief; and three class B misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief.  [Source: KSL News]

Shoplifter: Making a list and checking it twice?

A Monroe, Louisiana, man accused of shoplifting multiple bottles of liquor at Target is facing additional charges after he reportedly threatened police. According to an arrest affidavit for Eric Daniel, 26, officers dispatched to Target were told that asset protection associates saw Daniel taking items from the alcoholic beverage aisle while an additional suspect walked the aisle ends watching for workers.  Daniel and the other suspect reportedly selected several bottles of Hennessy and Crown Royal which appeared to be selected from a list Daniel was reading from.  Per the report, the pair then traveled to the cosmetics aisle and took three Chi items before walking through the checkout area and past all points of sale to leave the store. An employee attempted to stop the suspect as he left, but both suspects entered a vehicle and sped away in a Chrysler van.

Officers later located the van and saw the suspect leaving the home in the same clothes identified in Target security footage. Daniel was advised he was under arrest and refused to comply with officer commands, the report states.  While enroute to jail, he reportedly told officers why police were being killed and that all police were going to die.  Per the report, officers saw multiple online posts from Daniel stating he had Crown Royal and Hennessy to sell. Daniel was booked into OCC on charges of organized retail theft, felony shoplifting, public intimidation and resisting an officer.  [Source: The NewsStar]

Study shows merchandise returns account for $351 billion

Appriss Retail, who provide retail performance improvement solutions, today released its 2017 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry report, which analyzes results from the National Retail Federation’s 2017 Organized Retail Crime survey to provide insights for retailers to minimize the effect of return fraud and abuse on their business. According to the survey, total merchandise returns account for more than $351 billion in lost sales for U.S. retailers. This size is overwhelming; merchandise returns are close to the estimated 2017 federal budget deficit of $400+ billion. Retail fraud and abuse accounted for $17.6 to $22.8 billion in the United States. And return fraud averages 9.4% of all Buy-Online-Return-In-Store (BORIS) ecommerce returns. “It is critical to understand how returns and return fraud reduce net sales and contribute to total loss – clear causes of retail performance issues,” said Krishnan Sastry, president of Appriss Retail. “The results within this report offer the industry’s best view of the subject of merchandise returns, as well as potential fraud and abuse.”

For a complete copy of the report, please go to the Appriss website by clicking here.  The extreme loss of profit is causing retailers to offset the negative business impact by raising prices and reducing costs, which often means a loss of jobs. Last year alone, return fraud cost U.S. retailers and workers between 596,000 and 775,000 jobs. And the cost to each state is steep also. Retail revenue losses are costing states a total of $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion in lost sales taxes. Preventing fraud and abuse is a major challenge, but retailers are also looking to improve the shopping experience and differentiate the consumer experience during the return process. The ability to offer e-commerce consumers more flexible and lenient returns, while still mitigating the risk of fraud and abuse is critical.   [Source: Business Insider]

Triple murder suspect fugitive caught while allegedly shoplifting

A triple murder fugitive wanted after escaping a north Mississippi jail last month has been captured in Houston, Texas, again. Deputies caught up to him at a Walmart in Spring.

 Harris County Sheriff’s Office District 1 Patrol Deputy N. Gonzalez was called to the Walmart in the 3400 block of FM 1960 W, where loss prevention officers held two men suspected of shoplifting.

 Neither man had ID, but fingerprints proved one of the suspects was Antoine Adams, 28. Deputies quickly learned Adams was wanted for three murders and a felony escape charge. He was also listed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives.Adams escaped from the Marshall County, Mississippi, detention facility on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, after being held there on murder charges in Mississippi, and two separate murder charges in Memphis, Tennessee.

 This isn’t the first time Adams has been caught in Houston.

 He was arrested as a fugitive on a murder warrant for those murders in July.

 Adams is currently being held in the Harris County jail, awaiting extradition back to Marshall County.  [Source: ABC13 Eyewitness News]

Winter holiday season cargo theft trends

Holidays pose significant theft risks to the supply chain, as enterprising thieves seek to exploit extended business closing hours and an increase in unattended freight. CargoNet examined recorded incidents of cargo theft and trucking vehicle theft from December 23 to January 2 for 2012 through 2016. The 2012 and 2016 holiday seasons were the most active in this analysis, each with 51 theft events. The 2016 holiday season had more events in January (11 events) compared with 2012 (7 events). There were 199 total theft events in this analysis period; 132 involved cargo theft, and 149 involved vehicle theft. Note that vehicles and cargo are frequently stolen together. For vehicles, CargoNet logged 79 stolen tractors, 104 stolen trailers, and 24 chassis/intermodal containers. In total, $10,625,339 in cargo was stolen in this analysis period, and the average loss value per incident equaled $136,222. However, the total cost of a cargo theft is often much higher when considering the value of any vehicles stolen, replacement costs for the cargo, the cost of the claims process, and more.
It can be difficult to obtain an exact day of loss in these thefts. The cargo or vehicles are often left unattended for multiple days, and there may be no clues to discern the exact day the theft occurred.

In this analysis, 57 percent of theft events had an exact day of loss. Thefts were most common on December 24, with December 27 and 31 and January 1 tied for second place. Texas had the most theft events, with 38 reported in the state in this analysis period. Thefts were also common in California (31 thefts), Georgia (25 thefts), Florida (16 thefts), and New Jersey (16 thefts). Food and beverage was the most common category of cargo stolen. In this category, thieves targeted meat products, nonalcoholic beverages, and mixed freight. Apparel and accessories along with electronics losses tied for second place. In these commodity categories, thieves targeted footwear shipments and televisions. Computer and computer accessories were also targeted electronics items. Apparel and accessories shipments were the costliest on average; each loss had an average loss value of $451,537. Theft events were most common at parking lots such as those at retail big-box stores; however, theft events were also high at truck stops and warehouse locations. Click here to view the complete winter holiday cargo theft infographic and security tips.

Noteworthy thefts from previous winter holiday weeks:

  • $3,000,000 in computer accessories from Dinuba, CA
  • $1,000,000 in footwear from Edison, NJ
  • $1,000,000 in high-end apparel from Newark, NJ
  • $599,559 in footwear from Long Beach, CA
  • $417,000 in footwear from Portland, OR   [Source: American Journal of Transportation]

UPS employee delivers package containing iPhone X, goes back to steal it

A UPS employee delivered an iPhone, then went back to the home to steal the package on Thursday. “I never would have thought it would happen in my neighborhood or to me on my front porch,” said the victim, who didn’t want to be identified. According to the arrest affidavit, Jason Mohn, 47, of St. Petersburg, delivered the victim’s Apple iPhone X package to her front porch. Mohn then allegedly returned two hours later and took the package, hiding it under his shirt and running away. “I got a motion detection on the front porch notification on my phone and it was around 8 o’clock on my phone and I’m like, ‘no one is supposed to be there.’ I asked my sister to look up the video for who delivered the package and she almost dropped my phone when she saw it was the same guy, in the same clothes, except the UPS vest,” said the victim.

Both the delivery and the theft were caught on two home security cameras that were on the victim’s front porch. “Apparently the guy that stole the phone wrote in his notes that he hand delivered it and handed it to me but that never happened. I really feel bad for the guy. He just messed up his life over a stupid iPhone,” said the victim. The iPhone was found the next day by a UPS investigator inside Mohn’s work area, next to his belongings. He faces a charge of grand theft, a felony. Deputies returned the iPhone to the victim.  [Source: NewsChannel8]

The post Breaking News in the Industry: December 18, 2017 appeared first on LPM.

Fundamentals of Credit Card Skimmer Fraud

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A credit card skimmer is a device by which thieves and fraudsters steal credit card information. Often, these theft events will occur in the retail setting, but there are other ways by which the devices can be used to steal information from card owners for criminal purposes. Unfortunately, all it requires is a little illicit technology and a lot of criminal intent.

A credit card skimmer is a small device that can scan and store credit card data from the magnetic stripe on the back of the card. Credit card skimmers can be installed on a gas pump, on ATMs, or on other card-reading devices. Sometimes, corrupt employees can have a credit card skimmer on their person, out of sight of customers but easily accessible to the dishonest employee.

Once the card is run through the skimmer, the data is recorded. The information can be used for identity theft by the fraudster or sold through a contact or online, at which point counterfeit cards can be made using the stolen card information. Criminals can then go on shopping sprees with a cloned copy of the credit or debit card—often with fraudulent names to further avoid detection—and cardholders are unaware of the fraud until a statement arrives with purchases they did not make.

credit card skimmer
A credit card skimmer is a device by which thieves and fraudsters steal credit card information. Often, these theft events will occur in the retail setting, but there are other ways by which the devices can be used to steal information from card owners for criminal purposes. Unfortunately, all it requires is a little illicit technology and a lot of criminal intent. A credit card skimmer is a small device that can scan and store credit card data from the magnetic stripe on the back of the card. Credit card skimmers can be installed on a gas pump, on ATMs, or on other card-reading devices. Sometimes, corrupt employees can have a credit card skimmer on their person, out of sight of customers but easily accessible to the dishonest employee. Once the card is run through the skimmer, the data is recorded. The information can be used for identity theft by the fraudster or sold through a contact or online, at which point counterfeit cards can be made using the stolen card information. Criminals can then go on shopping sprees with a cloned copy of the credit or debit card—often with fraudulent names to further avoid detection—and cardholders are unaware of the fraud until a statement arrives with purchases they did not make. [text_ad]

How a Credit Card Skimmer Device is Used

Credit card skimmers have been around for years, but the different devices are growing more sophisticated with evolving technology. A credit card skimmer can come in different shapes and sizes. Most operate as a portable capture device that is attached in front of or on top of the legitimate scanner, passively recording the card data as the credit card is inserted into the legitimate scanner. However, mobile credit card readers can also be used to independently capture information, or even with the use of a smartphone. This is a common way that employees capture and exploit card information in the traditional retail setting. Card SkimmingA typical credit card skimmer fits over the existing card reader at a gas pump, ATM, or other convenient self-service point-of-sale terminals. At gas stations, devices may be installed inside the pump casing and out of sight of the customer. When a credit card is swiped through the card reader, the skimmer will record the account data from the magnetic stripe on the back of the card. Sometimes thieves will even place a hidden camera in the vicinity of the card reader with a view of the number pad in order to record personal identification numbers. The camera may be in the card reader, mounted at the top of the ATM, or to the side of the device hidden in brochure cases or other inconspicuous places. Some criminals may even install a fake PIN pad over the actual keyboard to capture the PIN directly, bypassing the need for a camera. Some of the more common places where credit card skimming might occur include:
  • Gas Stations: Gas stations are a favorite target for thieves who use skimmers because there are multiple credit card devices sitting outdoors, none of which have an associate directly monitoring their use.
  • ATMs: Popular for the same reasons as illicit use at a gas station, thieves can leave a skimmer on a card reader collect your information.
  • Retail Stores: While most employees are honest, hardworking people, we must remain aware of those with dishonest intentions. Portable skimmers can quickly be used to gather information in a matter of seconds, often out of sight of the actual cardholder but occasionally right at the terminal, depending on the illicit skill of the dishonest employee.
  • Restaurants/Bars: Similar to incidents in retail stores, these thefts can occur by using a small, mobile card reader. Most customers never think twice about leaving cards unprotected in the hands of an employee at the restaurant or bar, but be beware of the possibilities.

Ten Tips for Avoiding Credit Card Skimmer Incidents

Following are ten tips to follow to help avoid becoming the victim of a credit card skimming operation. While these incidents can happen to anyone, remaining aware and following a few common sense rules can help avoid many situations. Inspect the card reader, PIN pad, and the surrounding area. Check for obvious signs of tampering at the top of the ATM, gas pump, or other card reading device. Check near the speakers, the side of the screen, the card reader itself, and the keyboard. If something looks different, such as a different color or material, graphics that aren't aligned correctly, or anything else that doesn't look right, it might be a skimmer. Compare nearby gas pumps, ATMs, or other card reading devices to see if they match. If there are any obvious differences, it might be a skimmer. For example, if one has a flashing card entry to show where you should insert the card and the other has a plain reader slot, something may be wrong. Wiggle everything. Does anything move when you push or pull at it? Legitimate devices are solidly constructed and generally don’t have any loose parts. See if the keyboard is securely attached and just one piece. Try to avoid situations where your card leaves your sight if you can help it. Store transactions should generally occur in your presence. While this may be more difficult in a restaurant setting, try to remain aware of the service provider, where they take your card, and for how long. Check Security Tape. Many gas/service stations use security tape on the device to verify that no one has entered or compromised the device. If the security tape has been broken or if the security tape isn’t consistent on all devices, there may be reason for concern. Avoid Using Your PIN at the Gas Pump. When you pay at the pump, you usually have the option to use it as a credit or debit card. It's best to choose the credit option that allows you to avoid entering your PIN. When you use it as a credit card you usually only have to enter your billing ZIP code as verification which is much safer. It's also generally safer to use a credit card versus a debit card, because it's easier to stop payment or cancel a payment than it is when money's already taken out of the account. Typically, the most you'd have to pay for unauthorized use of your credit card is $50, and if your funds are stolen, you won't have to wait to recover your losses with an empty account. Read Your Surroundings. Criminals are more likely to install a credit card skimmer in locations where they are less likely to be observed installing malicious hardware or collecting the harvested data. Readers located in poorly lit or more remote areas (for example gas pumps outside of easy view of employees) are more likely to be targeted. What Day is It? The chances of getting hit by a skimmer, especially those used on ATMs, are higher on the weekend than during the week, since it's harder for customers to report the suspicious activity. Criminals typically install skimmers on the weekend, and then remove them before business offices reopen on Monday. Keep an Eye on Your Accounts. If you suspect that you might have had your card skimmed. Keep an eye on your account balance and report any suspicious activity immediately. Consider monitoring your checking account transactions daily on your bank's website. You can also request "card not present transaction" notification. If someone tries to use your credit or debit card number online, you'll be notified immediately. Use Chip Technology When Possible. Rather than swiping the card, as you would for a card with a magnetic stripe, insert the card into a terminal slot during a transaction and then remove it once the transaction is complete. EMV cards provide a higher level of security. Unlike the magnetic stripe on a card, which contains data that remains the same, EMV cards change with each transaction and are basically impossible to predict. This article was originally published in 2016 and was updated January 23, 2018.

How a Credit Card Skimmer Device is Used

Credit card skimmers have been around for years, but the different devices are growing more sophisticated with evolving technology. A credit card skimmer can come in different shapes and sizes. Most operate as a portable capture device that is attached in front of or on top of the legitimate scanner, passively recording the card data as the credit card is inserted into the legitimate scanner. However, mobile credit card readers can also be used to independently capture information, or even with the use of a smartphone. This is a common way that employees capture and exploit card information in the traditional retail setting.

Card SkimmingA typical credit card skimmer fits over the existing card reader at a gas pump, ATM, or other convenient self-service point-of-sale terminals. At gas stations, devices may be installed inside the pump casing and out of sight of the customer.

When a credit card is swiped through the card reader, the skimmer will record the account data from the magnetic stripe on the back of the card. Sometimes thieves will even place a hidden camera in the vicinity of the card reader with a view of the number pad in order to record personal identification numbers.

The camera may be in the card reader, mounted at the top of the ATM, or to the side of the device hidden in brochure cases or other inconspicuous places. Some criminals may even install a fake PIN pad over the actual keyboard to capture the PIN directly, bypassing the need for a camera.

Some of the more common places where credit card skimming might occur include:

  • Gas Stations: Gas stations are a favorite target for thieves who use skimmers because there are multiple credit card devices sitting outdoors, none of which have an associate directly monitoring their use.
  • ATMs: Popular for the same reasons as illicit use at a gas station, thieves can leave a skimmer on a card reader collect your information.
  • Retail Stores: While most employees are honest, hardworking people, we must remain aware of those with dishonest intentions. Portable skimmers can quickly be used to gather information in a matter of seconds, often out of sight of the actual cardholder but occasionally right at the terminal, depending on the illicit skill of the dishonest employee.
  • Restaurants/Bars: Similar to incidents in retail stores, these thefts can occur by using a small, mobile card reader. Most customers never think twice about leaving cards unprotected in the hands of an employee at the restaurant or bar, but be beware of the possibilities.

Ten Tips for Avoiding Credit Card Skimmer Incidents

Following are ten tips to follow to help avoid becoming the victim of a credit card skimming operation. While these incidents can happen to anyone, remaining aware and following a few common sense rules can help avoid many situations.

Inspect the card reader, PIN pad, and the surrounding area. Check for obvious signs of tampering at the top of the ATM, gas pump, or other card reading device. Check near the speakers, the side of the screen, the card reader itself, and the keyboard. If something looks different, such as a different color or material, graphics that aren’t aligned correctly, or anything else that doesn’t look right, it might be a skimmer.

Compare nearby gas pumps, ATMs, or other card reading devices to see if they match. If there are any obvious differences, it might be a skimmer. For example, if one has a flashing card entry to show where you should insert the card and the other has a plain reader slot, something may be wrong.

Wiggle everything. Does anything move when you push or pull at it? Legitimate devices are solidly constructed and generally don’t have any loose parts. See if the keyboard is securely attached and just one piece.

Try to avoid situations where your card leaves your sight if you can help it. Store transactions should generally occur in your presence. While this may be more difficult in a restaurant setting, try to remain aware of the service provider, where they take your card, and for how long.

Check Security Tape. Many gas/service stations use security tape on the device to verify that no one has entered or compromised the device. If the security tape has been broken or if the security tape isn’t consistent on all devices, there may be reason for concern.

Avoid Using Your PIN at the Gas Pump. When you pay at the pump, you usually have the option to use it as a credit or debit card. It’s best to choose the credit option that allows you to avoid entering your PIN. When you use it as a credit card you usually only have to enter your billing ZIP code as verification which is much safer. It’s also generally safer to use a credit card versus a debit card, because it’s easier to stop payment or cancel a payment than it is when money’s already taken out of the account. Typically, the most you’d have to pay for unauthorized use of your credit card is $50, and if your funds are stolen, you won’t have to wait to recover your losses with an empty account.

Read Your Surroundings. Criminals are more likely to install a credit card skimmer in locations where they are less likely to be observed installing malicious hardware or collecting the harvested data. Readers located in poorly lit or more remote areas (for example gas pumps outside of easy view of employees) are more likely to be targeted.

What Day is It? The chances of getting hit by a skimmer, especially those used on ATMs, are higher on the weekend than during the week, since it’s harder for customers to report the suspicious activity. Criminals typically install skimmers on the weekend, and then remove them before business offices reopen on Monday.

Keep an Eye on Your Accounts. If you suspect that you might have had your card skimmed. Keep an eye on your account balance and report any suspicious activity immediately. Consider monitoring your checking account transactions daily on your bank’s website. You can also request “card not present transaction” notification. If someone tries to use your credit or debit card number online, you’ll be notified immediately.

Use Chip Technology When Possible. Rather than swiping the card, as you would for a card with a magnetic stripe, insert the card into a terminal slot during a transaction and then remove it once the transaction is complete. EMV cards provide a higher level of security. Unlike the magnetic stripe on a card, which contains data that remains the same, EMV cards change with each transaction and are basically impossible to predict.

This article was originally published in 2016 and was updated January 23, 2018.

The post Fundamentals of Credit Card Skimmer Fraud appeared first on LPM.

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