The Zellman Group raises $1,979 for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund through Sports Memorabilia Auction at NRF Protect
The Zellman Group raised $1,979 at this year's NRF PROTECT, auctioning sports memorabilia, with all proceeds going to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. This year, the Zellman Group auctioned off a signed Kevin Durant authentic Golden State Warriors jersey, signed John Elway authentic helmet, signed Mike Tyson boxing glove, and many other items.

"Wage Theft Greater Issue Than Shoplifting"
Says Progressive Policy Group in Report
Retail employers steal as much from their workers as shoplifters steal from stores, according to a new report. The progressive policy group Demos compared minimum wage theft data from the Economic Policy Institute with shoplifting data from the Global Retail Theft Barometer.

Between 2013 and 2015, Demos found employers underpaid or otherwise skimped on wages worth $15 billion each year. Shoplifters stole $14.7 billion in merchandise each of those years.

Report author Amy Traub says retailers get a slap on the wrist for committing wage theft.

"A retailer that's stealing millions of dollars in wages from its employees often faces a lower risk of punishment - and really, a lighter penalty - than a shoplifter who nabs a pair of shoes off the shelves of the store," she points out.

The highest civil federal penalty for wage theft violators is repaying the stolen wages and an equal amount in damages. The penalty for repeat wage theft offenders isn't much higher, with a maximum of $1,100.

The report notes shoplifters who steal more than $2,500 in merchandise can face felony charges.

The report also says retailers spend far more money protecting their stores from theft than the Department of Labor spends enforcing wage laws.

In 2015, retailer security spending was almost $9 billion. That's 39 times greater than the Department of Labor's entire Wage and Hour Division budget of about $227 million. publicnewsservice.org

Mastermind of Lottery Fraud & Former Security Director
Admits He Rigged Jackpots
A former lottery computer programmer has pleaded guilty in Iowa to running a criminal scheme that allowed him to collect millions of dollars in lottery winnings in four other states.

Former Multi-State Lottery Association security director Eddie Tipton on Thursday admitted that he manipulated the computer software he designed, allowing him to provide winning numbers to his brother and others.

Tipton, his brother Tommy Tipton and Texas businessman Robert Rhodes will repay $2.2 million in prizes they improperly claimed in Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Kansas. dailymail.co.uk

Walgreens abandons Rite Aid bid, will instead buy nearly half of stores
Walgreens Boots Alliance abandoned its deal to acquire drugstore chain Rite Aid and will instead buy nearly half of its smaller rival's stores after U.S. regulators raised anti-trust concerns about the original plan.

The long-suffering deal's implosion preserves the three largest drugstore chains as independent entities, but the new agreement will still make Walgreens the nation's No. 1 by number of locations, barely edging archrival CVS Health.

Consumer advocates gently welcomed the development, saying the original accord would have given Walgreens too much power but cautioning that the new deal may still require oversight scrutiny.

"This merger would have led to higher prices," former FTC policy director David Balto said. "It's important to preserve three national competitors. That's in essence what the FTC was saying."

Walgreens said Thursday that it would pay $5.175 billion for 2,186 Rite Aid stores, three distribution centers and inventory.

To be sure, the new deal must still pass regulatory muster, which could be stiff if officials suspect that Walgreens would have too much pricing power or bargaining leverage.

With the new agreement, Walgreens would have more than 10,200 U.S. stores, giving the chain opportunities for cost cuts and greater leverage in negotiation with landlords, health-care companies and vendors.

Rite Aid, which currently has about 4,600 locations, is selling stores primarily located in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. CVS has more than 9,600 stores. usatoday.com

Staples in $6.9 Billion Sale to Private Equity Firm Sycamore
Sycamore Partners said on Wednesday it would acquire U.S. office supplies chain Staples Inc for $6.9 billion, a rare bet by a private equity firm this year in the U.S. retail sector, which has been roiled by the popularity of internet shopping.

Buyout firms largely have refrained from attempting leveraged buyouts of U.S. retailers in the past two years, amid a wave of bankruptcies in the sector that have included Sports Authority, Rue21, Gymboree and BCBG Max Azria LLC.

Sycamore's deal for Staples, however, which Reuters was first to report would come this week, illustrates that some buyout firms are distinguishing between mall-based fashion retailers, which are vulnerable to changing consumer tastes, from retailers with a niche and rich cash flow, such as Staples.

The acquisition also shows that Sycamore, whose buyout fund is dedicated to retail deals, is willing to take on the risk of falling store sales at Staples because of the potential it sees in Staples' delivery unit, which supplies businesses directly. nytimes.com

Sycamore Plans to Split Staples Into Three
U.S. retail, Canadian retail and corporate-supply units
Sycamore Partners intends to split Staples Inc. into three to help fund its $6.9 billion purchase of the office-supply seller, in another sign of the challenges facing the retail industry.

The plan calls for Staples to be divided into three separately financed entities, according to people familiar with the matter: U.S. retail; Canadian retail; and corporate-supply businesses. The three groups will remain under the same corporate umbrella. wsj.com

Trains ferrying fakes from China to EU should be 'on radar'
Counterfeiters could exploit the rail links between China and the EU to further their trade in fake goods, a new report has revealed as an emerging threat.

According to the latest situation report into counterfeiting and piracy in Europe - published by Europol and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) - maritime shipping containers are still the main transportation method for counterfeits arriving in the EU from Asia but the long-distance cargo trains from China "offer a possibility for quick and relatively cheap transportation of goods and could be abused by criminals". securingindustry.com

New York Apple Store gunfire triggers panic, video shows
New video released Tuesday showed the panic that ensued after a gunman opened fire at an Apple Store in a New York mall last November. The gunman, identified as Tasheem Maeweather, opened fire at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, northwest of Albany, on Nov. 12, 2016, the Times Union reported.

Surveillance video showed employees in red shirts and shoppers dashing under the seat and running toward the back of the store. Some people even got trampled.

Maeweather was found guilty in May of reckless endangerment. He was sentenced last Friday to 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison. He was also already serving nine years in prison for an unrelated drug charge. Maeweather will not begin serving his sentence for the Apple store shooting until he finishes that stint. foxnews.com 

Report: Amazon-Whole Foods deal increases other food retailers' likelihood of default

Dollar Financial Group - Director of Security, LP and Safety job taken off website

Axis' new high resolution cameras now offer enhanced Forensic WDR technology

Axis is bringing its Forensic Wide Dynamic Range technology to several new network cameras, enhancing the ability to capture detail in challenging light conditions and allowing surveillance operators to see forensic details in challenging lighting conditions.

Axis Communications, the market leader in network video, announces Forensic WDR, an enhanced Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) method that focuses on achieving high forensic value, in new cameras. WDR is a term that is commonly used for the art of balancing both very dark and very bright areas in a scene. It is also known as HDR (High Dynamic Range). In the surveillance industry, the aim is to capture forensic details at all times.

"Until now, the WDR methods on the market have not been able to add sufficient forensic value to ultra-high resolution cameras or surveillance scenes that feature a significant amount of movement," said Ryan Zatolokin, Senior Technologist, Axis Communications, Inc. "In launching Forensic WDR, Axis has addressed both issues in several new cameras."

Axis announces the following cameras that feature Forensic WDR, which include new additions to AXIS P32 and AXIS Q35 Series:

AXIS P3227-LV Network Camera
AXIS P3227-LVE Network Camera
AXIS P3228-LV Network Camera
AXIS P3228-LVE Network Camera
AXIS Q3517-LV Network Camera
AXIS Q3517-LVE Network Camera

Read more here

NRF Protect 2017 Recap

See Pictures, Presentations and News From the Event

In case you missed some exciting session presentations this week at NRF Protect 2017, or want to share with your team, here are all the session presentations, available for download.

During the NRF, three members of the law enforcement and retail loss prevention community were honored for their 'support of the loss prevention community by protecting retailers and their customers and sharing their skills and experience to help develop highly proficient loss prevention professionals' said Bob Moraca. The Ring of Excellence award ceremony was held on Tuesday, and ceremonies for the Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Award and Loss Prevention Case of the Year Award were held on Wednesday. Meet this year's honorees:

Ring of Excellence Award
This award recognizes pioneers in the retail LP community whose "honor, integrity and character serve as an example for the industry."

This year's recipient is Gene Smith, founder of the Loss Prevention Foundation and former president of Downing & Downing, a human resources firm specializing in LP staff development, in recognition of his more than 40 years of experience and his work to develop the industry's Loss Prevention Qualified and Loss Prevention Certified designations. Smith has provided career counseling to countless LP professionals, university curriculum committees and industry trade association committees.

During Smith's time at Downing & Downing, he conducted assessment interviews and career counseling with thousands of industry associates and performed industry organizational and consulting reviews designed to maximize resources and deliver value. Smith is recognized as an industry leader and expert on talent assessment and acquisition.

Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Award
This award acknowledges law enforcement officers or agencies that have gone "above and beyond the call of duty" to support the retail industry in combating fraud, protecting assets and reducing losses.

This year's award will be presented to NYPD Lt. Tarik Sheppard for his efforts to create the New York Metro Organized Retail Crime Alliance in 2014 while head of the Grand Larceny Analytical unit. The unit works to identify pattern crimes and pattern crime offenders, and Sheppard recognized the extent of organized crime in retail thefts while working there.

Loss Prevention Case of the Year Award
This award recognizes investigators whose work has made a significant impact on their companies, communities and the industry.

This year's recipient is FBI Special Agent Kevin Kohler, who uncovered a multi-state crime ring that placed fraudulent bar codes on high-value products, intentionally lowering prices and inflicting losses exceeding $200,000. Kohler played an integral role in the investigation by securing crucial evidence, and in a matter of two months was able to arrest the head of the group. Going beyond the retail fraud that initiated the case, the investigation also led to charges of child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors, resulting in the rescue of several children from a predator. The ringleader was sentenced to 70 years in prison without parole.

Catch more of the excitement of this year's NRF conference by viewing pictures here.

Retailers on alert after global cyberattack, continue to strengthen defenses
Following this week's major cyberattack that shook businesses, customers, and governments throughout the globe, several retail loss-prevention executives said they are working with IT experts to ensure a similar attacks do not happen to their companies.

Speaking to S&P Global Market Intelligence at the National Retail Federation 2017 Loss Prevention Conference & Expo on June 28, Dave Magersupp, senior manager of retail loss prevention at Verizon Communications Inc. Corporate Security, said although cybercrime falls outside of his world of brick-and-mortar retail, the threat of a tandem cyber-human theft is very real, especially as the retail landscape continues to evolve.

"It's becoming a focus for us," Magersupp said. "Brick-and-mortar is transforming quite a bit. Between the in-store pickups, store-to-customer delivery services, all of the dynamics are new to us."

CVS Health Corp. Loss Prevention Director Dave St. Angelo told S&P Global that the company's IT department helps identify cyber issues that he said could affect in-store theft and product loss.

"That's why we have that team of people in place," St. Angelo said. "They do that on a daily basis."

Similar preparation goes for Bloomingdale's, where its vice president of loss prevention and risk management, Chad McIntosh, said in an interview that hackers routinely bait the company with phishing emails in an effort to test the waters.

In response, the company "reinforces good practices," he said, adding that the IT security team and other experts in the field help neutralize the threats before they occur.

"We see collusion all the time with deviant behavior," McIntosh said. "Those phishing emails test us so we have to respond." snl.com

Teardown of 'NotPetya' Malware: Here's What We Know
A cleverly built piece of malware, based in part on previously seen Petya ransomware, continues to spread globally in an outbreak rivaling last month's WannaCry campaign.

Security firms are referring to the malware tied to the global outbreak by various names: NotPetya, SortaPetya, Petna, ExPetr, GoldenEye and Nyetya.

Unfortunately, the malware appears to lack WannaCry's inadvertent kill switch. Plus, it has the ability to infect even fully patched Microsoft Windows systems.

But much about the malware - hereafter referred to as NotPetya - remains unclear. That includes the identity of the individual or group who launched the attack and their motivation, as well as the "patient zero" in the attacks and how long related infections might propagate before being brought under control.

Here is what is known so far:

Affected: 65+ Countries

Security experts say NotPetya first appeared Tuesday in Ukraine and quickly spread across Europe and beyond.

On Tuesday, Microsoft counted at least 12,500 infected systems across 65 countries. Those include Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Russia and the United States.

In the U.K., advertising firm WPP reported that it had been affected. Meanwhile, in the United States, two hospitals in Heritage Valley Health System in Pennsylvania reported infections, as did pharmaceutical giant Merck.

Multinationals See Lateral Movement

Multinational organizations, such as Copenhagen-based shipping giant Maersk, reported that the malware was able to move laterally through their networks across geographically dispersed operations. Maersk reported outages not only in Denmark, but also the United Kingdom, Ireland and beyond.

Multiple Propagation Methods

Once NotPetya infects a system, however, it can spread laterally, using other techniques, to other systems that touch the same networks. "It will begin to hijack local credentials from the Windows Local Security Authority (lsass.exe), then leverage those credentials via PsExec or WMI in an attempt to remotely compromise other systems on the local network," Kirk Soluk, manager of the ASERT threat intelligence and response team at Arbor Networks, says in a blog post.

Likely Patient Zero: MeDoc User

Multiple security firms report that at least some NotPetya infections are being spread via a widely used Ukrainian accountancy software program called MeDoc. "Microsoft now has evidence that a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process," it says.

Security researchers say MeDoc may be the "patient zero" - the first victim to be infected with the malware. Read more here govinfosecurity.com

Ransomware Vaccine Now Available
According to analysis by CyberArk Labs, the new Petya variants appear not to affect Windows endpoints that are configured to use a US English-only keyboard. That leads researchers to believe that the new malware may have been developed by a nation state whose target is a specific country or set of countries. Still, Windows users and enterprises around the world should take the new threat seriously.

Thanks to Cybereason researcher Amit Serper, there's now a "vaccine" that can be applied to Windows machines that haven't yet been infected. Serper's discovery findings have been confirmed by TrustedSec, Emsisoft, and PT Security. Unlike the killswitch for WannaCry that was discovered by Marcus Hutchins, Serper's "vaccine" must be manually applied. He warns that his idea is merely a temporary fix. infosecurity-magazine.com

A cyberattack disrupts FedEx's TNT Express unit
Operations of FedEx Corp.'s European subsidiary TNT Express have been affected by a cyberattack that is wreaking havoc with computer networks across the globe.

The TNT disruption comes about six weeks after FedEx said it was affected by the "WannaCry" malware that locked up company networks and demanded payment in bitcoin, a digital currency. "Like many other companies, FedEx is experiencing interference with some of our Windows-based systems caused by malware. We are implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible. We regret any inconvenience to our customers," FedEx said May 12, declining to detail how it was affected. digitalcommerce360.com

Amazon Prime is biggest concern for Canadian retailers
Amazon is Canada's biggest e-commerce retailer by a vast margin, according to a new analysis from BMO Capital Markets. BMO estimates the Seattle-based retailer and operator of Amazon.com and Amazon.ca generated just over $3.5 billion in Canadian e-commerce sales in 2016, up from an estimated $2 billion in 2014.

"There is a sizable gap in Canadian e-commerce sales between the company and all the other retailers," BMO retail analyst Peter Sklar wrote in the report.

Sklar attributes Amazon's rapid online sales growth in Canada to a continued growth in product categories at Amazon.ca, as well as a growing number of Canadians who subscribe to Amazon Prime, the e-commerce giant's $79 annual priority delivery subscription.

"Whole Foods Canada has a limited physical distribution footprint for Amazon to leverage: 13 locations in Canada, with only six offering awkward, semi-online delivery services. The more pressing threat for Canadian retailers is Amazon's continued foray into general merchandise categories and an increase in the number of Prime-eligible items." calgaryherald.com

With its 'endless aisle' Walmart Canada takes another swipe at Amazon
As Amazon makes a bold move into bricks-and-mortar fresh grocery retailing through its pending purchase of Whole Foods, Walmart Canada is increasing the amount of products available on its Walmart.ca website in the next two months by opening it up to an "endless aisle" of third-party Marketplace sellers, making goods from outside brands and small businesses available for sale on its website.

At the same time, Walmart Canada is launching in-store pickup for the goods it sells online, a model known in the industry as "click and collect." It's a draw for customers who want to save the cost of having items delivered to their homes. "Our plan is to have 100 stores with (the feature) by Christmas," Tappenden said, and over time roll out the pick-up feature to the remainder of Walmart's 410 stores across the country.

It comes well over a decade into a war between Amazon, a pioneer of marketplace selling in addition to its own offering of goods, and big-box retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy, who have been dealing with Amazon and eBay's encroachment into what was originally their biggest asset - a vast selection. financialpost.com

Sears Canada to close 59 stores, lay off 2,900 in restructuring
Employees won't get any severance
Sears Canada plans to close 59 stores and eliminate 2,900 jobs across the country as part of a court-supervised restructuring process.

Shares in Sears Canada were halted Thursday morning after the retailer applied for and was granted protection from its creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act - the law that covers insolvency proceedings.

The move gives the retailer 30 days to restructure itself, which includes $450 million in debtor-in-possession financing to fund the company while it restructures, a process that will include closing dozens of locations and laying off thousands of workers.

The chain will axe 20 full Sears stores, 15 Sears Home Stores, all 10 outlet stores and 14 Sears Hometown stores - roughly one-third of its current retail footprint. cbc.ca huffingpost.ca

Affected Sears locations are listed here:

Sears Canada store closures expected to have little impact on RioCan
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust says the restructuring of Sears Canada is expected to have a far smaller impact on its business than when Target closed up shop in Canada. The Toronto-based real estate trust says seven of the 59 announced Sears closures are in RioCan properties and represent 0.4 per cent of the trust's annual rental revenue. The timing of the closures has not been finalized, but RioCan also says the closure of a Sears Outlet store in Timmins, Ont., had been previously announced and the lease is about to expire. The other six locations are Sears Home stores in Calgary, Toronto and four smaller Ontario cities (Kingston, Orillia, Sudbury, Windsor). The longest of those leases has nearly six years left, but most of them expire within two years. Sears Canada received court protection from creditors on Thursday and announced a plan to close 59 locations and cut 2,900 jobs. 660news.com

Theft reduction or more red tape?
London, Ont. wants pawn shops to photograph items
London city council is inching closer to mandating pawn shop dealers to take pictures of items sold at their stores with some second-hand dealers calling it "unfair." The motion was introduced to cut down on people stealing personal items by making it hard to re-sell them in the city. He hopes the steps address "some of these stolen goods that are being sold at second-hand dealers."

Several pawn shop owners in London told CBC News that they do not support the proposed changes to the by-law, saying they're already keeping meticulous records. "I think it's a misconception," said one owner. "Stuff doesn't come to our store that's stolen. It doesn't make sense for any pawn broker to take a stolen item because you're just out the money." cbc.ca

Canadian parent company of Circle K completes $4.4 billion merger with CST Brands
The Canadian parent company of Circle K convenience stores finalized its $4.4 billion merger with CST Brands Inc. as CEO Kim Lubel announced she is leaving the San Antonio-based convenience store operator. The CST acquisition is a big get for Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard's fleet of Circle K convenience stores. After selling off 229 stores to satisfy antitrust regulators in the U.S. and Canada, Couche-Tard will have gained more than 1,300 stores in both countries via the sale, expanding its footprint to almost 9,500 locations including 666 in Texas. mysanantonio.com

Clandeboye, MB: Shot fired during armed robbery;
Gunman remains at large
Manitoba RCMP are searching for an armed robber who fired a shot during a heist in the RM of St. Andrews. A man had entered the business wearing a baseball cap and a neck warmer over his face, and carrying a backpack. He pointed a gun at an employee and demanded all the money in the till, RCMP said Tuesday.

When another employee entered the business, the robber ran out the front door, but not before a shot was fired from the weapon, which was pointed at the floor, police said. No one was injured and an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen. winnipegfreepress.com

Winnipeg, MB: Man charged after two-day Winnipeg armed robbery spree
4 businesses hit within 24 hours
A 34-year-old Cross Lake man is charged with four counts of robbery and other offences after robbing four businesses in Winnipeg over the course of 24 hours June 23-24. The string of robberies began June 23 at a retail pharmacy chain on when a man with his face covered and carrying a blunt object approached an employee and attempted to rob the establishment but was unsuccessful and left empty-handed. About half-an-hour later, a man with his face concealed and carrying a blunt object approached an employee and her child at a grocery store and escaped with an undisclosed quantity of cash and merchandise. The third robbery took place in a gas station on Taylor Avenue and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money. The following day the suspect went into a beer vendor with his face covered and attempted to rob the business but was unsuccessful. thompsoncitizen.net

Winnipeg, MB: Armed robbery suspect armed with knife & scissors arrested after asking to be shot, jumping on police car
A 27-year-old Winnipeg man is behind bars after he jumped on a police car while asking officers to kill him following a convenience store robbery, police said Thursday morning. The man, who is accused of robbing a convenience store in the same block, was armed when police found him.

The man had scissors and a knife and asked officers to shoot him, police said in a news release. Police said they Tasered the man but the shock wasn't enough to stop him. Still armed, he jumped on the hood of their cruiser, police said. Police shot the man a second time with a Taser and the shock was enough to take him down, allowing officers to take him into custody. cbc.ca

Sarnia, ON: Business owner lured man to his store then staged break & enter

Vancouver, BC: 4-year-old started fire that gutted 7-Eleven

Saskatoon, SK: Employee injures and thwarts would-be thief with metal rod

Winnipeg, MB: Man arrested after attempted robbery with a shotgun

Update: Windsor, ON: Police arrest one of two suspects linked to pharmacy robbery

Barrie, ON: Puppy stolen from pet store recovered, 4 kittens still missing

Update: Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, NL: Man found guilty of bat-wielding robbery

Robberies & Burglaries

• Dryden Variety - Whitby, Ontario - Armed Robbery
• Mac's - Barrie, ON - Robbery
• Undisclosed business - Saskatoon, SK - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Convenience Store - Winnipeg, MB - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Convenience Store - Vaughan, ON - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Gas Station - Winnipeg, MB - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Gas Station - La Ronge, SK - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Grocery Store - Winnipeg, MB - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Beer Store - Winnipeg, MB - Armed Robbery
• Undisclosed Pharmacy - Winnipeg, MB - Armed Robbery
• 7-Eleven - Saskatoon, SK - Armed Robbery

The operational costs of fighting online fraud
According to The Nilsen Report, an industry publication that covers card and mobile industries, direct fraud losses incurred by retailers on all credit, debit and prepaid payment cards totaled $16.3 billion globally last year, or nearly 5.7 cents for every $100 in transaction volume. Total fraud volume for the year was up a stunning 19 percent from 2015, outpacing even the 15 percent increase in payment volume.

Hard Costs

Hard costs to merchants associated with fraudulent card charges can include not only the cost of goods sold but also shipping costs, where applicable, as well as the administrative costs associated with processing chargebacks. In addition, some retailers can incur penalties from card associations such as Visa and MasterCard when their chargebacks exceed a predetermined threshold. They also may owe processing fees to the banks that issue cards.

In addition to the hard costs enumerated above, fraud also can impact revenue, reputation, customer loyalty, and strategic business planning.

Opportunity Costs: Lost Revenue

Merchants take a hit to revenue and inventory when a sale turns out to have been paid for by fraudulent means. But retailers also lose when legitimate transactions are declined due to suspected fraud that proves unwarranted. Javelin Strategy and Research estimates that these false positives account for three out of every ten declined transactions, and they can directly harm merchants by robbing them of revenue they otherwise might have booked.

Reputation and Customer Loyalty

Customers who see fraudulent charges on their monthly statements may blame the merchant, becoming frustrated by the need to dispute the charges and wary of doing additional business with the merchants that processed them. Merchants who generate false positives at the point of sale also run the risk of souring their reputation and relationship with customers, who may be offended by having their card rejected and inconvenienced by having to go elsewhere for the goods or services they need.

Quantifying the Strategic Risks

In a recent survey of 155 finance executives by CFO Research, in collaboration with Vesta, more than four in ten respondents-43%-say the risk of fraud has interfered with their organizations' efforts to develop new products or services, or caused them to make changes to their business models. That number swells to 53% for companies that derive more than 90% of their revenue from e-commerce, and 55% for those that use only internal resources to detect and assess fraud rather than enlisting the aid of a third-party fraud-prevention specialist.

EMV Cards and Fraud Risk

The rate at which online fraud is growing rivals the rate at which e-commerce is increasing, which isn't particularly surprising. What may be surprisingto some is that the debut of EMV chip cards, marketed as a fraud-fighting tool, appears to be exacerbating the incidence of online payment fraud. While 71% of survey respondents say payment fraud generally has decreased substantially since the introduction of chip cards in the U.S. in 2015, six in ten (62%) say both the number and dollar amount of credit card chargebacks has increased. One possible explanation is that chip cards, which generate unique transaction codes for every purchase, may have pushed fraudsters to focus less on card-present transactions at brick-and-mortar stores and concentrate more on online purchases. Countries that adopted chip cards in advance of the U.S. rollout saw a similar shift in fraudster strategy. digitalcommerce360.com

Chanel Scores Win Against Amazon Sellers in Counterfeit Fight
Chanel is the victor in a multimillion-dollar trademark infringement lawsuit against more than two dozen Amazon sellers allegedly peddling knock-off goods.

A California federal judge on Friday sided with the luxury house in entering a default judgment against about 30 sellers of counterfeit Chanel-logoed products that had been operating through Amazon.com.

While Chanel had initially sought $2 million from each seller-defendant for every knock-off item they sold, the court whittled that number down to $100,000, leaving Chanel to collect somewhere around $3 million as a result of the decision.

Amazon now must disable the defending stores and take down images of any infringing product. Amazon Payments is this week supposed to transfer funds held in the accounts of the sellers to Chanel. Although details of the account holdings are not available, the totals are unlikely to equal the amount of damages. wwd.com

Amazon will kick off 30 hours of Prime Day deals on the evening of July 10

Amazon Positions Itself For Online Grocery Dominance With Dash Wand

eCommerce ThredUP to Open Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Square Launches Hosted Online Checkout 

Washington, DC: 2 Md. men arrested for theft of over $20K worth of Alcohol
Two Maryland men have been charged in connection to the theft of over $20,000 worth of alcohol from box trucks parked at Montgomery County's Department of Liquor Control warehouse. Jean Auguste, 27, of Lanham, and DLC employee Kelvin Eugene Snowden Jr., 31, of Gaithersburg, allegedly stole around $21,769 worth of alcohol from the trucks parked at the Gaithersburg warehouse. The DLC first reported the theft to police in February; Police say six more thefts happened at the DLC warehouse, twice in April and four times in May. On May 28, security personnel at the DLC noticed a theft suspect on video surveillance and immediately called police. wtop.com

Polk County, FL: Sheriff's Office Searching For Three Suspects In Retail Theft Case
This trio traipsed into the Family Dollar store on 3rd Street in Wahneta on June 20th, took some things (white shirt, yoga pants, cap gun & cap gun rings), then took off in a Toyota Corolla. Actually, no - the guy with the dreadlocks saw the store manager confront his friends in the car, so he walked the other way & hid the stuff he stole behind a bush, then fled on foot. His friends left in the car. It's not the crime of the century, but being the trained investigators we are, we know that people who shoplift aren't exactly rule-followers, and tend to commit other crimes as well. And, nobody likes a thief. dailyridge.com

Saginaw County, MI: Woman faces prison after 8th Shoplifting case in 3 years
A 25-year-old woman who has pleaded guilty in six separate shoplifting cases in the last three years is again accused of thieving from stores, this time more than $200 worth of goods from a Saginaw County Kohl's. During her arraignment Monday, June 26, Rebecca E. Wiechec had to appear on video, as she's lodged in the Bay County Jail in another felony retail fraud case. mlive.com

Albuquerque, NM: Thieves steal $2,000 in vacuums from sewing shop

Shootings

Nashville, TN: Three Vanderbilt Football Players Suspended From Team
After Target Shooting
Three football players at Vanderbilt University have been suspended indefinitely after reportedly taking the law into their own hands, attempting to recover a stolen cell phone. "Vanderbilt Football Coach Derek Mason has indefinitely suspended the three student athletes reportedly involved in the June 26 shooting incident at a Nashville Target from all football activities."

Tennyson had put his phone up for sale online. After a prospective buyer expressed interest, the two agreed to meet around 5 p.m. Monday at the parking lot of the Chili's restaurant on West End Avenue. He told police his phone was stolen during the encounter. Later in the evening, Tennyson believed he say his phone for sale online. The teens told police they created a fake account and offered to buy the phone. After an agreement was made, the two parties arranged to meet in the Target store parking lot. Tennyson, Daley and Coppet then drove to the meeting location.

Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said one of them took a pellet pistol. Coppet reportedly brandished it when the suspects arrived. That was when one suspect got out of the car with a handgun and started firing. The driver also revealed a shotgun and fired. Daley was shot in the leg. Coppet had birdshot wounds to his arms. Both teens were expected to recover from their injuries. newschannel5.com

Brooklyn, NY: Sporting Goods Store Owner Opens Fire During Attempted Robbery
An attempted robbery ended in gunfire at a Brooklyn gun store Wednesday morning. At around 10:55 a.m. at DF Brothers Sports Center on New Utrecht Avenue in Bensonhurst, a man entered the store and asked to see a gun for sale. The owner asked the man for his license, at which point the man pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the clerk. he owner asked the man for his license, at which point the man pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the clerk. The suspect then smashed a display case with a hammer and grabbed two guns. The owner pulled out his own gun and fired at the suspect, who dropped the guns and ran off empty handed. cbslocal.com


Update: Memphis, TN: Security guard arraigned on charges of shooting man over alleged meat theft at Kroger
A 24-year-old man who worked as a security guard at Kroger was arraigned Wednesday on charges of shooting a man in the arm over an alleged theft of meat from the store. Police said in an incident report that Gregory Towner told an officer on Monday that men had stolen meat and that he fired a warning shot in the direction of their truck when they tried to leave. The victim told police he was pulling off of the parking lot in when he heard a shot and was struck in the right arm. When police arrived at the scene, they found the man sitting in the passenger seat of the truck that had a broken back window. He was bleeding heavily with blood on the driver's seat and center console. commercialappeal.com


Cleveland, OH: Man shot during gas station robbery
A 42-year-old man was robbed and shot early Wednesday while pumping gas, police said. The shooting happened at the Hanini's gas station in the city's Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. The shooter walked out of the gas station and had a brief conversation with the 42-year-old man, police reports say. The shooter walked to his car and sat there for about one minute for walking back up to the man, according to police. He threw a bottle of Simply Lemonade into the garbage can, opened the man's door and shot him in the leg, police reports say. The shooter rummaged through the man's car and stole $100 and his cellphone. He ran back to his car and sped off, police reports say. cleveland.com

Anchorage, AK: Cigarette store clerk fires shot at theft suspect
A store clerk fired a shot at a theft suspect Wednesday evening in Anchorage. Just before 7, Anchorage Police responded to Smoker's Choice on reports of a theft and shots fired. According to APD, a white male entered the store and ran out with a carton of cigarettes. The store clerk fired one shot after the suspect, though police say there's no indication the man was armed or that anyone was injured. ktva.com

Robberies & Thefts

Labadieville, LA: Man gets 12 years for Family Dollar robbery;
got away with $80
Tyler Cavalier said the Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office responded on the night of Dec. 9, 2016, to the store. Investigators learned that the suspect had entered the store wearing a mask and held one hand behind back as if he had a weapon in his waistband. Coleman ran away after getting the cash, but other customers were able to pull off his mask, Cavalier said. Witnesses and surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store implicated Coleman in the crime. houmatoday.com

St Paul, MN: Man breaks into Police Station, takes police radio
A 34-year-old St. Francis man has been charged with second degree burglary after breaking into the St. Paul Police Department Western District Office. On Sunday at 3 p.m., Jason Bradley Phyle parked his car at the Herberger's Department Store and jumped the fence to the police department. After looking into cars in the employee parking lot, he forced the employee-only door open and went inside. Once inside, Phyle looked around the garage and went through officers' belongings. After looking through items at the front desk, he took an officer's official police-issued radio and left the police station and went to the nearby Target. fox9.com

Niagara Falls, NY: After 66 convictions, man says 'I retire' from life of crime
Ricky Q. Caldwell, 52, has more criminal convictions than his age. Caldwell, of Niagara Falls, was sent to state prison Tuesday for his 66th criminal conviction "In my illustrious career, I apologize, and I retire," said Caldwell to State Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. Caldwell was caught this time for robbing a man in his car outside a 7-Eleven store in Niagara Falls. Police found his glasses in the victim's car. The retirement announcement is not new. Caldwell said the same thing in 2013, the last time he went to prison for shoplifting and pulling a knife on a clerk at the Family Dollar store. Not counting parole violations, Caldwell is now going to prison for the sixth time. newyorkupstate.com

Kanawha County, WV: Couple leaves grocery $100 in goods without paying

San Jose, CA: 82-YO woman recovers serious injury after Apple Store robbery

Laredo, TX: Pawn Shop employee busted for theft on over $10,000 in cash

Cape Town, South Africa: Police arrest 4 in botched Cell Phone store Robbery

Zales on Steinway Street in Queens, NY reported a Grab & Run on 6/26, no value given

None to report. 

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