ORC Leader Jerry Biggs

"Sometimes the best but most controversial approach
is the obvious one"

By Jerry Biggs
President, Asset Protection & Investigation Services

Thirty-six years ago, I began my career in retail loss prevention by taking a part-time "plain clothes" security position with a local K-Mart while working in law enforcement, and four years later, found myself as a full-time retail security manager in Houston, Texas. As my retail career developed, I was chosen as a member of the first retail theft task force created to identify and apprehend professional retail thieves. Since that time, I have dedicated over two decades heading or taking part in countless organized retail crime ("ORC") investigations across the country while working for some of the industry's largest retailers such as Walmart, Lowe's Home Improvement and Walgreens.

Back when I first started in the business, the term "security" was still used to define your role and though shoplifting was common, the phrase Organized Retail Crime didn't exist.

In the past twenty years, there have been countless articles written, books published, TV documentaries created, and annual surveys conducted on the topic of ORC. To date, approximately three dozen states have passed some type of ORC legislation, and ORC investigative coalitions exist in many major cities around the country. Despite these efforts, recent surveys indicate ORC is worsening, and in my experience combatting ORC, I would have to agree.

Retailers are being targeted today more than ever - not just by shoplifters but also by cybercrime, fraud, robbery, and burglaries, which can equally harm a corporation's brand and bottom line. Even though each of these crime categories represent their own level of impact to the retail community it is my opinion they are nowhere near that of shoplifting.

For many years, the retail industry failed to acknowledge or seek the true impact external theft has had on the industry. It wasn't until the early 90's that retailers began to realize how popular and widespread shoplifting had become among common criminal types and organized crime groups.

External theft has always been a difficult problem for retailers to manage, let alone measure. This further contributes to the problem, as we live in a technologically and analytically driven society that pays more attention to percentages than actual dollars.

Read his full story here

APIS is based in Northern Indiana and offers an array of security, investigation, asset protection and training services for business and the individual consumer. Learn more about APIS.
 

2017's Top 5 ORC Cases
 

#1 Reported on April 19, 2017
From Russia With Love
Russian National Confesses to Major $170M Credit Card Fraud in Letter to US Court

#2 Reported on July 26, 2017
Florida Ring Leader Gets 7yrs Prison For Stolen Credit Card Trafficking Ring
Involving More Than 114,000 Accounts And Losses Of $23 Million

#3 Reported on March 16, 2017
New York: 'Operation Sticky Fingers' busts $12M criminal gang making millions from stolen ink cartridges

#4 Reported on January 3, 2017



New York, NY: Thieves steal $6M in jewels while ball drops on New Year's Eve






#5 Reported on Sept. 29, 2017
Miami-Dade County, FL: Search Warrants served on 2 homes in connection to $3 Million Walmart burglary during Irma; 26 people already arrested
 

Northern California Wine Country Fires:
23 dead, hundreds missing, 3,500 structures burned
Wildfires tearing through Northern California's wine country flared up again Wednesday, destroying hundreds more structures and leading to new evacuation orders as authorities raised the death toll to 23.

Officials confirmed the death toll Monday night, and crews are working to find at least 285 people who have been reported missing in Sonoma County.

There were originally 600 reports of missing people, but officials said that 315 were located safely. The numbers had been inconsistent as authorities tried to get confirmation.

Approximately 3,000 structures have been destroyed statewide, including homes and businesses and several wineries. abc7.com

Wine Country fires burn some stores while smoke, blackouts shutter others

   ● Gap Inc. closed 4 Gap/Banana Republic stores due to air-quality issues
   ● Santa Rosa Plaza (high-end mall) closed through yesterday morning due to "great deal of smoke"
   ● Kmart in Santa Rosa suffered major structural damage from fires
   ● Whole Foods Market closed stores in Napa and Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa
   ● Williams Sonoma in San Francisco closed Monday and Tuesday this week
   ● Target says all 10 stores in the region are open, but some operating on generator power sfgate.com

Kmart, Trader Joe's, McDonald's, Arby's, Applebees among businesses destroyed

Napa, Sonoma hotels shut down due to fires - including 3 Hiltons

Full list of Napa Valley business closures

"Las Vegas Part 2"
NY man arrested after threatening 7 employees at Denver retail-rebate company as part of extortion scheme
The FBI has arrested a man who sent pictures of two MAC-11 submachine guns to employees at Ibotta and then threatened to turn the Denver retail-rebate company into "Las Vegas part 2."

Victor Casillas, 34, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was taken into custody Tuesday night in midtown Manhattan, said John Marzulli, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn. Casillas is charged with making extortionist threats, a felony, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Casillas made a series of threats between Sept. 26 and Oct. 1 against Ibotta employees as part of an extortion scheme, according to the criminal complaint filed under seal on Friday. He allegedly named seven Ibotta employees he was going to kill.

Then, on Oct. 4, three days after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Casillas allegedly sent an email to Ibotta saying: "Get ready for a Las Vegas repeat (final warning). I still have not recieved (sic) my god dam FLTNDS...(profanity)... Well get ready 5 Las Vegaspart2... Maybe today you will meet you (sic) maker."

Ibotta is a popular startup that allows its users to get cashback rebates on various products and at certain stores after completing certain small tasks on the app.

According to the complaint, Casillas had started using the "referral bonus" system Ibotta allows to create new accounts for himself and game the system to get extra cash back by using various email addresses and user names. The company discovered Casillas had made 15 accounts in 2016 and 2017, according to the complaint, "and concluded that they represented a potentially fraudulent effort to generate referral bonuses." thedenverchannel.com denverpost.com

Vegas To Push Gunshot Detection Systems
The Las Vegas shooting and the future of physical security systems
Discussing how to prevent mass shootings can be a sensitive subject, especially in the aftermath of a tragic episode that occurred in Las Vegas on October 1, which was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Such events, however, also trigger the field of security to evolve and consider which techniques and technologies can avert similar attacks in the future. The recent Las Vegas shooting was also crucial in that it followed a different template than many other past shootings, forcing hotel owners, casinos and event planners to rethink physical security.

To learn how technology can help mitigate similar attacks in the future, the Internet of Things Institute reached out to Will Hedgecock, director of engineering at V5 Systems, which specializes in portable outdoor IIoT security technology, including IP cameras and gunshot detection. In this interview, Hedgecock discussed the limits of conventional technology but also explains how gunshot detection systems can be best integrated with video surveillance to combat future shootings. Read the Q&A here.

U.S. Security Associates Provides Personal Safety Video for Active Shooter Survival

Announcing September's LPQ and LPC professionals!
The Loss Prevention Foundation would like to recognize and congratulate the following individuals who successfully completed all of the requirements set forth by the board of directors to be LPQualified (LPQ) and/or LPCertified (LPC):

• Jason Coren, LPC • Fess Whitaker, LPC • Relana Brokmann, LPC • William Everett, LPC • Leonard Talbert, LPC • Joseph Carter, LPC • John White, LPC • Gregory Nottingham, LPC • Aaron Leger, LPC • Brian Marcial, LPC

• Charles Moubray, LPC • Nathan Hamblin, LPC • Keith Langley, LPC • Michael DeGrenier, LPC • Edgardo Gonzalez, LPQ • Bruce Herritt, LPQ • Albert Bedard, LPQ • Keith Mitchell, LPQ • Denise Coghiel, LPQ • Ian Cherry, LPQ

Prosecutor's office denies resisting warrant against man beaten with baton at Meijer in Detroit
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office rejected the Detroit Police Department's request for a warrant of resisting and obstructing for a man wrongfully accused of retail fraud and beaten with a baton by an off-duty officer at a Meijer store, according to the man's attorney.

The incident prompted claims of police brutality after cellphone video circulated social media. David Bivins was taken into custody for disorderly conduct and resisting and obstruction. The interaction with police began with accusations of retail fraud. clickondetroit.com

U.S. Supreme Court Declines Review of Computer Fraud & Abuse Act Conviction
Former Recruiter Used Ex-Colleague's Password to Steal Trade Secrets From Korn/Ferry
As is custom, the justices without comment declined a petition for certiorari filed by David Nosal, a former Korn/Ferry International executive who was convicted in 2013 of violating the CFAA by stealing trade secrets from his former employer using a valid password that was freely given to him by his ex-assistant. A divided Ninth Circuit panel affirmed Nosal's conviction in 2016.

Nosal, who had used the password to access a proprietary KFI database after the company revoked his access, had argued that the Ninth Circuit's decision exposes harmless, day-to-day activity to criminal prosecution and that high court review was needed to resolve a circuit split over who can authorize access under the CFAA.

Nosal was indicted in 2008 on charges that he and three former colleagues accessed executive search firm KFI's network using another worker's valid password and stole the company's candidate lists as part of a plan to form a competitor.

In 2012, the Ninth Circuit kept in place claims that he accessed the database "without authorization." He was convicted of violating the CFAA and the Economic Espionage Act in April 2013 and sentenced to one year and one day in prison.

Editor's Note: The same would hold true for removing database files immediately prior to a planned departure. law360.com

Flu Season Coming - For the Travelers
"Poop and germs are everywhere: Here's how to avoid getting sick"
"The flu virus dies off within a minute of being outside a person, but norovirus can survive for hours, days and even weeks on a dry surface."

So other than donning a hazchem suit, how do you stop these bugs spreading? "The main thing is to practice regular hand-washing and to keep critical surfaces, such as door handles and mobile phones, as clean as possible. Here's what else to watch out for...

Mobile phone microbes: a study found that 90 per cent of us use our phone in the bathroom*. If you must take your phone into the restroom, wash your hands thoroughly and give the phone a clean with an antibacterial wipe.

Your Shoes: Study found that 39.7 per cent of shoes they tested were carrying C. diff - that's the fecal bacteria that can cause everything from diarrhea to a fatal infection. Stop the spread: "Try to place your shoes in cloth bags in your suitcase to prevent bacteria transferring on to your clothes."

Remote Controls: Study of cold viruses on household surfaces showed the remote control was one of the most infested.

Hotel Glasses: A study of US hotels by ABC News found in 11 out of 15, drinking glasses hadn't been changed or had just been rinsed and wiped with a dirty cloth.

Lights out: The main light switch and the switch on the bedside lamp are two of the germiest spots in a hotel room.

Bed bugs: Hotel bedspreads had some of the highest germ counts. nypost.com

Editor's Note: Shaking Hands: Ladies and Gentlemen, if you're ill or starting to feel ill, please do NOT shake hands regardless of where you're at or who it is.  As a matter of fact, tell the person why and it'll show how considerate you are and quite frankly earn you some points with that group. Big time!

Predicting the Death of the Mall - One J.C. Penney at a Time
Back in February, J.C. Penney said it planned to close down about 140 struggling stores. That might be just the beginning.

Analysts at System2 LLC, a big-data startup, have identified another 197 stores at risk. The outlets -- from San Bernardino, California to a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska -- have a more than 64 percent likelihood of closing. nreionline.com

Director Global Security Programs & Strategy, Legal & Corporate Affairs for Starbucks in Seattle, WA
This position contributes to Starbucks success by ensuring Starbucks Global Security enables the business to realize our retail, consumer products and digital growth ambitions across six continents. ● Leads cross-functional initiatives with senior executives to support our growth agenda and help drive the Global Security strategy. ● Leads project management efforts and driving successful delivery of strategic programs for the Global Security organization. ● Manages and develops a team of physical security and other program and project managers responsible for managing and delivering the Global Security, strategic multi-year programs. ● Provides insights into corrective action for existing programs/projects within Global Security and assists in driving maturity into the program methodology. starbucks.taleo.net

Amazon to hire more than 120,000 holiday workers across U.S.

Canada's Couche-Tard could add to empire with purchase of Kroger's 784 c-stores

The Power of Social Media
Nordstrom faces call to drop Donna Karan merchandise

Advance Auto Parts responds to record hurricane season

Shoppers expected to forego Black Friday lines this year

VECTOR: Loudoun County, VA Goes Live with Automated Secure Alarm Protocol

Learn how Under Armour introduced a game-changing loss prevention strategy

After establishing a new standard for electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology for its North American stores, Under Armour does have one lingering regret. "I could kick myself for not discovering this solution sooner," said Sean Donnelly, Director of Global Retail Asset Protection and Investigations for the premier activewear giant.

"My advice to other AP leaders is to not write things off by thinking that something looks too good to be true. Be open to challenging the status quo and willing to put new solutions to the test. We learned that openness pays big dividends, and it's an important part of servicing any rapidly growing business that prides itself on innovation."

Read more here

Hyatt Hotels Suffers 2nd Card Breach in 2 Years
Hyatt Corp. is alerting customers about another credit card breach at some hotels, the second major incident with the hospitality chain in as many years.

Hyatt said its cyber security team discovered signs of unauthorized access to payment card information from cards manually entered or swiped at the front desk of certain Hyatt-managed locations between March 18, 2017 and July 2, 2017.

The hotel chain said the incident affected payment card information – cardholder name, card number, expiration date and internal verification code – from cards manually entered or swiped at the front desk of certain Hyatt-managed locations. It added there is no indication that any other information was involved.

In late 2015, Hyatt announced that for about four months that year hackers had gained access to credit card systems at 250 properties in 50 different countries. This time, the breach appears to have impacted 41 properties across 11 countries. Only five of the Hyatt properties affected in this most recent breach included U.S. locations, including three resorts in Hawaii and one each in Guam and Puerto Rico. krebsonsecurity.com

Ransomware is a $6.2 million industry
Sales on the Dark Web Spike 2,502% in 2017
Ransomware is a $6.2 million industry, based on sales generated from a network of more than 6,300 Dark Web marketplaces that sell over 45,000 products, according to a report released Wednesday by Carbon Black.

Revenue from these illicit marketplaces soared 2,502% so far in 2017, compared to $249,287 raised in all of 2016, the report states.

Among the best sellers on the Dark Web marketplaces include do-it-yourself ransomware kits that range from 50 cents to $3,000, with the median price at $10.50, the report notes. Custom ransomware, meanwhile, costs in excess of $3,000, says McElroy.

The Dark Web marketplaces also feature a rating system for sellers, similar to that found on eBay, McElroy says. darkreading.com

Phishing Emails that Invoke Fear, Urgency, Get the Most Clicks
If an employee receives an email about a data breach, chances are they're going to click. If an "important" or "urgent" message arrives from human resources, they're going to want to know why. If an email warns their password is about to expire, they will investigate further to change it.

Hackers know this, which is why they have begun to prey on victims' sense of urgency in phishing attacks. The most effective phishing email subject lines include psychological triggers to get people to click, discovered security awareness firm KnowBe4 in a study of most-clicked phishing email subject lines for Q3 2017. After all, nobody wants to miss an important message from HR.

The most-clicked general email subject lines, and attacks in the wild, for Q3 were designed to provoke a sense of urgency or reward, according to KnowBe4's findings:

   ● Official Data Breach Notification (14%)
   ● UPS Label Delivery 1ZBE312TNY00015011 (12%)
   ● IT Reminder: Your Password Expires in Less Than 24 Hours (12%)
   ● Change of Password Required Immediately (10%)
   ● Please Read Important from Human Resources (10%)
   ● All Employees: Update your Healthcare Info (10%)
   ● Revised Vacation & Sick Time Policy (8%)
   ● Quick company survey (8%)
   ● A Delivery Attempt was made (8%)
   ● Email Account Updates (8%)

"The most successful phishing attacks are those that effectively capitalize on natural human responses," says Amy Baker, vice president of marketing at Wombat Security. "We frequently see attackers attempting to drive an emotional reaction, using fear tactics, urgent language, and offers that seem - and are - too good to be true."

Common "in the wild" phishing subject lines, similarly crafted to provoke user action, include:

   ● LinkedIn: Important Security Update
   ● Amazon: Kindly update your account with Amazon to avoid shutdown
   ● Email account will be closed
   ● Office 365: Incoming mail on hold
   ● We have created your ticket for server upgrade   darkreading.com

Ireland: Hackers target thousands of SuperValu customers' details

Deloitte Hack May Have Exposed Data From Major Government Agencies and Companies

This simple USB key can protect everyone from phishing

Robotics Industry Launches Alliance With Federal Safety Watchdogs

Cashierless checkout transactions to explode to $78B

Security concerns may keep shoppers from trying new online retailers
this holiday season
Fears about online security could keep shoppers from buying from some online retailers this holiday season, but there are tactics that sellers can use to attract buyers.

With ongoing news coverage about massive hacks at Equifax Inc. and Yahoo Inc., the Accenture Holiday Study finds that security is a concern for many consumers this year.

"Consumers are clearly aware of cyber threats and this perhaps plays more heavily on their mind during holidays when people are likely making a larger volume of online transactions," says Jill Standish, Accenture senior managing director of global retail. "In this year's holiday shopping survey, 62% of shoppers said they are concerned about the security of their personal information when making online purchases."

Additionally, the study finds that 64% of consumers plan to shop only at sites that they already know or feel are reputable. That may make it hard for retailers to acquire new customers during the busiest shopping time of the year, but Standish says there are a few ways sellers can make buyers feel more secure.

Standish said that open, transparent data practices can help shoppers feel more secure. That includes making it clear what data is collected and what benefits users are getting from retailers having that data. digitalcommerce360.com

Amazon's Response To 'Porch Pirates'
Delivering items to your car trunk and inside your home
The company is in advanced talks to forge a partnership with Phrame, a maker of smart license plates that allow items to be delivered to a car's trunk, according to a person with knowledge of the potential deal. Phrame's product fits around a license plate and contains a secure box that holds the keys to the car. Users unlock the box with their smartphone, and can grant access to others - such as delivery drivers - remotely.

At the same time, Amazon is developing a smart doorbell device that would give delivery drivers one-time access to a person's home to drop off items, said two people familiar with the matter.

The new initiatives are part of Amazon's effort to go beyond convenience and fix problems associated with unattended delivery. Web retailers are dealing with products getting damaged by bad weather as well as the rise of so-called porch pirates, who steal items from doorsteps. cnbc.com

Alibaba Tops Amazon to Become the Biggest E-Commerce Company

Nearly Half of Global Consumers Unhappy With Online Shopping Experience

Digital Wallet Adoption Slows, But Merchants Still Preparing for Surge: Report

Why Shop.com says two-click checkout is better than one

Ikea on Amazon? Furniture giant to use online retailers

Target takes voice-activated shopping nationwide with Google, joining Wal-Mart in fight against Amazon

Salina, KS: Sporting goods store employee arrested for stealing $16,000
in merchandise
A 22-year-old Dick's Sporting Goods employee was arrested for felony theft after the business discovered a $16,000 discrepancy in their inventory. Salina Police say that between July 15 and Oct. 10, Damarcio McCoy, of Salina, had acquaintances pretend to make transactions for items. He would then void the transaction at the register and let them leave with the merchandise. This gave the appearance of a transaction and let them make it out of the door, according to authorities. Sgt. James Feldman said that the business, located at 2450 South Ninth, uncovered the scheme after looking into a $16,000 hole in their inventory. That is when they uncovered a large number of voided transactions by McCoy. McCoy was arrested for felony theft and booked into the Saline County Jail. salinapost.com

Murfreesboro, TN: Store Owners Suspect Crime Ring Behind Chainsaw Thefts
Several business owners across the mid-state said they suspect a crime ring is behind a rash of chainsaw thefts this year. Most recently, someone broke into Kelton's Hardware & Pet in Murfreesboro and stole 17 STIHL chainsaws from the shelves. It only took a matter of minutes for the culprits to shatter the glass door and get away with approximately $8,300 worth of chainsaws.

In Chapel Hill, Daryl Pardee said his business was also burglarized several months ago. "He got six saws in less than two minutes and he was out of here." He knows of at least five other companies across the region to experience a similar issue. In March, officials with the Franklin Police Department released surveillance video of a similar burglary at the Kubota dealership. newschannel5.com

Lake St Louis, MO: Suspects in Victoria's Secret Theft Caught
After Vehicle Catches Fire
Lake Saint Louis Police said that three female suspects who fled Victoria's Secret with approximately $8,000 in clothing and merchandise were apprehended after their vehicle caught fire in Frontenac. The three suspects entered the store in the Meadows Shopping Center at about 12:27 p.m. on Wednesday. When they left with the stolen items, police attempted to stop them. The vehicle hit a curb, resulting in a flat tire. Nevertheless, the suspects continued eastward on Interstate 64. The vehicle caught fire at Interstate 64, "possibly due to the heat and sparks from riding on the tire rims," police said. The three suspects were apprehended and not injured. 70westsentinel.com

Columbus, GA: Two nabbed on theft charge at Home Depot
Two Columbus men are accused of exchanging an item for credit at Home Depot without ever paying for the merchandise, police said. Both charged with refund fraud and theft by deception after their 9 a.m. arrest. The suspects are accused of entering the store an removing merchandise and taking it to the return counter without paying for the item. ledger-enquirer.com



Camp Hill, PA: 5 sought in 3 thefts from Walmart store
Police said two men and a woman entered the store together early Saturday, and one of the men loaded a TV and speakers into a Ford Escape without paying. The man who took the TV and speakers, returned about 9 hours later in a Honda Accord and again fled with another television and speakers. abc27.com



Ebensberg, PA: Police investigating $3,500 theft of electronics, tools and outdoor supplies from Walmart

Pendleton, OR: Police arrest man connected to $1,000 in multiple thefts from Safeway

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Professionalism or the lack thereof is a reflection of a person's inner self. How an executive presents themselves and talks about their former jobs, bosses and colleagues is a real indication of how they'll talk tomorrow about who they're working with today. And while it's human nature to be interested in the gossip, it's usually the wolf in sheep's clothing and the one who has the need to rationalize that has the most to say.

Just a Thought,
Gus

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