Credit card skimmers cost consumers over $1 billion annually
Credit-card skimming remains a massive threat with the FBI estimating losses over $1 billion each year. Criminals are using devices attached to ATMs, gas pumps, and checkout terminals that steal card data and sometimes record PINs with tiny cameras. Even chip-enabled cards aren’t safe — a newer device known as a “shimmer” can capture chip info. Consumers are urged to inspect card readers for tampering, use digital payment methods and stay vigilant in high-risk areas such as self-checkout lanes.
Ex-QVC Executive Gets 2.5 Years In Prison For Defrauding Company
Shopping networks QVC and HSN are cautioning their audiences about a spike in online retail scams involving counterfeit goods, fake promotions, and phishing attempts. Fraudsters are exploiting the trust built around well-known brands to lure shoppers into paying for goods that never arrive or are misrepresented. The companies emphasize verifying seller credentials, using secure payment methods, and being aware of too-good-to-be-true offers. The trend signals that even trusted retail environments must bolster eCommerce security to protect consumers and reputation.
Woman Films Herself Stealing Groceries as SNAP Benefits Lapse: ‘Easy Peasy’
In a viral TikTok video, a woman appears to shoplift groceries from a large grocery chain while bragging that the lapse in SNAP benefits makes theft “easy peasy.” The clip underscores mounting tensions as food‐stamps delays hit millions of households across the U.S. While one creator claims the video is for entertainment, experts warn of real risks: benefit disruptions can push vulnerable consumers into criminal activity out of desperation. Retailers and LP teams should prepare for upticks in theft attempts during economic or assistance-program disruptions.
Wild video shows jewelry store employees fight back against armed smash and grab LA robbers
Surveillance footage out of Los Angeles captures a brazen smash-and-grab at a high-end jewelry store, showing suspects breaching glass, grabbing merchandise and fleeing with high-value items. The incident highlights the evolving boldness of organized retail theft crews willing to strike prime locations during business hours. Store operators are under increasing pressure to boost physical deterrents, reinforce perimeter controls and sync with law-enforcement for rapid response. This kind of event amplifies the importance of layered security in luxury retail environments.
‘Go protect yourself’: Nashville shopper recalls encounter with armed gunman
A Nashville shopper shared her harrowing ordeal when she came face-to-face with an armed assailant inside a store who threatened violence during a theft attempt. The encounter left her shaken and reinforced concerns that retail theft is moving from property loss to personal-safety threats for customers and staff alike. Retail operators must now place equal focus on employee training, situational awareness and emergency protocols in addition to shrink control. The incident serves as a sobering reminder that loss‐prevention strategy must address both asset protection and human safety.
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Over 80 TVs stolen from stopped freight train found in Georgia woods, police say
Two men are facing charges in Georgia after police say they tried to hide dozens of TVs in the woods after stealing them from a train.
The City of Fairburn Police Department says their investigation began on the morning of Nov. 1, 2025, when they received a call reporting suspicious activity near the railroad tracks.
When officers got to the scene, they found a stopped train and dozens of boxes of TVs hidden down a slope in the nearby woods.
Accused Serial Coupon Counterfeiters Are Arrested Again
Walmart’s newly-revised coupon policy says it does not accept coupons for gift cards. It also doesn’t accept mobile coupons, coupons that aren’t on its master list of legitimate coupons, and it certainly doesn’t accept counterfeits.
Try telling that to Lenito McCarthy and Kadeem Fletcher, two Walmart shoppers who’ve been arrested and accused of engaging in all of the above, on multiple occasions.
The MCSO in suburban Houston, TX announced the two men’s most recent arrests last week.
What is the ‘ghost tapping’ scam? Thieves stealing credit card data without contact
What is the “ghost tapping” scam that targets people using the tap-to-pay option with their credit cards?
It’s a new way that thieves are trying to steal credit card information, and it’s so dangerous because it doesn’t require any physical contact.
Tap-to-pay has become one of the most popular ways for people to pay at stores, gas stations, and restaurants. You don’t have to insert or swipe your card -- you just put it up to the reader.
But thieves are trying to take advantage of that convenience through “ghost tapping”.
The most festive night in Loss Prevention is back and this time, it’s ugly sweater season! Grab your drink of choice, throw on your most hideous holiday masterpiece, and join the leading ladies of LP for a night of laughs, connection, and virtual networking.
Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned pro, this is your chance to unwind and catch up with the best in the business.
State AG Platkin, law enforcement officials honored at conference for combating retail crime
The New Jersey Food Council, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA), and the Delaware Food Industry Council (DFIC), hosted the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Loss Prevention Conference and Expo in late October at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe.
The event brought together retailers, law enforcement officials, and security professionals from across the Mid-Atlantic region to address security issues facing the food industry.
Scam websites lurk for online holiday shoppers
The holiday season is right around the corner and BBB officials are warning about scammers when shopping online.
Don O’Brien, Quincy BBB regional director, said shopping in person is the safest way to avoid scammers.
When shopping online, O’Brien said he recommends doing research before buying anything, especially if it’s an unfamiliar website. He said he recommends using an online URL finder to check the age of a website as he said newer websites might not be legitimate.
Shoplifting in the US: Problems, Progress, and the Path Forward
Shoplifting has moved from a manageable nuisance to an urgent threat across the U.S. In large metropolitan and suburban markets alike, retailers, communities, and law enforcement are grappling with sophisticated theft both opportunistic and organized. According to the NRF, retail theft (including ORC) cost U.S. businesses nearly $112B in 2022.
The consequences ripple beyond balance sheets: consumers face higher prices, employees confront increased risk, and some communities lose storefronts that cannot survive persistent losses.
How 2 retailers are making safety everyone’s job
Early in his career, Aaron Nelson, director of account management for CAF Outdoor Cleaning, ran fuel stations. At a store one day, he saw an employee working in the forecourt without safety equipment. He mentioned the issue while talking with the store’s manager, but then turned his attention elsewhere, he said during a panel on safety at the 2025 NACS Show.
That worker later got injured.
“Why didn’t that employee care about her own safety? Well, it was probably because the store manager never talked to her about safety.”
Video Surveillance to Reduce Product Shrink
Retail businesses face diverse challenges every day, from inventory loss to theft to operational inefficiencies. Cloud video surveillance provides powerful tools and features built to improve incident response, streamline investigations, and enhance workflows for better profits and safer stores.
These advanced capabilities help uncover actionable insights into retail operations, helping take business to the next level. With a complete cloud video platform, retailers can improve loss prevention efforts, keep an eye on operations from any location, and enhance customer experience.
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