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 2/21/23

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FMI AP & Grocery Resilience Conference
March 19-23

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March 21

ISC West 2023
March 28-31

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April 2-5

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April 11-13

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April 30-May 3

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June 5-7

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August 5-10

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September 11-13

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Pete Barker named Director of Product for Appriss Retail
Before joining Appriss Retail as Director of Product, Pete spent over a year with SpyCloud as Director of Fraud and Identity. Prior to that, he spent more than 11 years with Dick's Sporting Goods in various LP leadership roles, including Sr. Manager of Digital LP, Manager of Omni-Channel Fraud, and District LP Manager. Earlier in his career, he held LP roles with Sears, KB Toys, Staples, and Sun TV. Congratulations, Pete!



Frank Dara promoted to Marketplace Investigations Manager - Eastern US for Nike
Frank has been with Nike for more than nine years, starting with the company in 2013 as District Loss Prevention Manager. Before his latest promotion to Marketplace Investigations Manager - Eastern US, he served as Investigations and Intelligence Manager North America. Throughout his career, he has held LP roles with TJX Companies, Target and Sam's Club. Congratulations, Frank!



Steven Onderdonk named AP Risk Manager for Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace
Before being named AP Risk Manager for Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, Steven served as District AP Manager for Ocean State Job Lot. Prior to that, he served as Northeast RLPM for Gymboree for nine years. Earlier in his career, he held loss prevention roles with Sephora, Old Navy, Marshalls, and Sterns Federated. Congratulations, Steven!


See All the Executives 'Moving Up' Here   |   Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position
 
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Interface Unveils New Brand Identity to Reinforce Customer-Focused Innovation

New brand identity reflects Interface’s vertically integrated business security solutions that unlock business insights leveraging a purpose-built network backbone.


St. Louis, MO (February 20, 2023) Interface Systems, a leading managed service provider of business security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses today unveiled a new brand identity reflecting the company’s evolution. With a new logo and a brand new website, the rebrand builds upon the company’s 27+ years of strength, stability and growth, and underscores Interface’s mission to simplify operations, maximize ROI and deliver relentless customer support for the nation’s top multi-location brands.

Read more in the Vendor Spotlight column below
 



The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

 


 

 

Deadliest Weekend of 2023 Three days. 10 mass shootings.

Three days. 10 mass shootings. More than 50 victims. US sees worst weekend of 2023.

Nine children were shot at Georgia gas station.

Six people were killed in a Mississippi town.

Eleven people were shot in Memphis.

Five people were injured near a parade in New Orleans.

Six people were shot on a Chicago expressway.

That's just half of the reported mass shooting violence over the weekend. 

There were 10 mass shootings from Feb. 17 through Feb. 19 – the most of any weekend so far this year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. That’s considering all shootings from Friday to Sunday in which four or more people were shot, not including the shooter or shooters.

The number of shootings over the weekend is unusual for mid-February in the U.S.  The incidents come on the heels of several high-profile mass shootings in California last month, as well as an attack at Michigan State University last week. 

Mass shootings in 2022 reached their peak in mid-July, when the U.S. witnessed 15 mass shootings over a regular weekend,

This past weekend, there were two mass shootings in Georgia and Missouri and one each in Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina and Mississippi. All together, 13 people were killed and 46 injured.  At least 15 of the victims were children and teens

Mass shootings in 2023 outpace 2022

There have been 82 mass shootings this year, compared to 59 at the same time last year, according to data from the publicly sourced nonprofit database.

'More guns everywhere'

Almost all of the states that witnessed mass shootings over the weekend – expect for Illinois and South Carolina – do not required a license to carry concealed loaded guns.  usatoday.com

 

Nike's Portland Closure Getting Lots of Media Coverage

"Rapid Escalation in Theft & Deteriorating Public Safety" Nike Closed Portland Store
No Agreement May Close Store Permanently & Wants Same in Downtown Store

Nike asks to hire or fund police in order to reopen Portland Community Store

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Nike Community Store in Northeast Portland has been shuttered for months due to problems with retail theft, and the company now appears to be pressing the city for dedicated police support — and even offering to pay for officers — to get the store back open.

In a Feb. 9 letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler, first reported by The Oregonian, Nike chief security officer Joe Marsico and North America general manager Sarah Mensah said the company closed the Community Store "in response to deteriorating public safety conditions and rapid escalation in retail theft."

The letter proposes a partnership with the city that would take one of two forms: either Nike would contract and pay for off-duty uniformed PPB officers to be at the store, or the company would form an intergovernmental agreement with the city to fund a designated number of additional full-time officers.

The Nike officials note that the officers would have the power to arrest offenders or detain them until on-duty police arrive. 

Security guards contracted by Nike have previously told KGW that they're forbidden from physically stopping shoplifters — a common policy among major retailers — and increasingly brazen criminals were seen simply walking out the front door with armloads of merchandise last year.

In either of Nike's proposed scenarios, the letter said the company would still provide private security and the officers would still be expected to respond to urgent community safety calls elsewhere. The letter also said Nike would be interested in pursuing a similar model at the company's downtown store.

The letter hints that the Community Store closure could become permanent without the new police support, stating "we are now at a critical juncture" and later adding "as Nike evaluates business decisions impacting retail operations, it is critical that one of these two models be made effective prior to May 1, 2023."

"Because a safe and secure workplace is essential for our employees, consumers, and communities, we have proposed a sustained and coordinated partnership with the City to better protect employees, consumers, and the community surrounding our MLK Community Store," the company wrote. "We look forward to hearing its response."  kgw.com

 

2022 - The Most Incidents of Fatal Police Shootings Then Ever Recorded
2022 The Most Fatalities Ever - The Daily's Retail Violent Fatalities Report

There were only 15 days in 2022 when police did not shoot and kill someone

The number of fatal police shootings across the country rose again last year, with officers killing 1,096 people, including a 2-year-old girl caught in a standoff.

Last year saw the most incidents since The Washington Post started tracking the deaths in its Fatal Force database in 2015.

Since 2017, the number has increased every year, and is now up about 10 percent compared with just three years ago. But criminologists caution that more data is needed to understand what is driving the rise

With more than 18,000 police departments nationwide, it’s difficult to pinpoint a single reason for the increase, experts said. The rate of violent crime dropped steadily after 2016 but has climbed higher since 2020. Last year, 49 police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty, compared with 61 the year before, according to FBI data.

The demographics of those killed, however, have remained largely the same: While more White people were shot and killed by police overall last year, Black people were killed at a rate 2.5 times higher based on their percentage of the population.

The majority of people police shot and killed were armed. And, as in prior years, about one quarter of people killed were in the throes of a mental or emotional crisis.

The most deadly calls remain those for domestic disturbances.  washingtonpost.com

 

Seattle's "Violent Crime Rate Reached a 15-year High in 2022.”
Evidence Disappeared - City Officials Deleted Thousands of Text Messages

The Price of Anarchy in Seattle

The city pays $3.65 million to the victims of the ‘summer of love.’

Residents and businesses were victims of the riots that broke out in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder. On Friday Seattle settled for $3.65 million with locals who sued after the police abandoned the city’s East Precinct to mayhem.

The notorious Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, really an urban anarchy zone, operated from June 8 to July 1, 2020. Then-Mayor Jenny Durkan called it a “summer of love,” and last week the Seattle Times still insisted it was “mostly peaceful.” Yet the occupiers declared a no-cop zone, and Seattle restored control only after two murders and multiple shootings.

In a federal lawsuit filed in June 2020, businesses, property owners and residents described how they were subjected to “extensive property damage, public safety dangers, and an inability to use and access their properties” after Seattle chose “to actively endorse, enable and participate in the occupation.” The city made no admission of wrongdoing in Friday’s settlement, but its failure to maintain order clearly led to havoc.

Car Tender, an automotive repair business that is among the plaintiffs, described how an intruder doused its premises with hand sanitizer and lit a fire. The owner repeatedly called 911, but ”police never responded to the scene that night,” the lawsuit says.

The occupiers also told property owners that “if they dared to paint over graffiti, their buildings would be more severely vandalized or even burned to the ground,” the complaint says. It describes how “violence, vandalism, excessive noise, public drug use, and other crimes were rampant” within the public park at the occupied zone’s epicenter.

Evidence that would show to what extent city officials enabled the mayhem has disappeared under questionable circumstances. In an order last month, federal Judge Thomas Zilly excoriated Ms. Durkan, former Seattle police chief Carmen Best, fire chief Harold Scoggins and others for having “deleted thousands of text messages” during the relevant period “from their City-owned phones in complete disregard of their legal obligation to preserve relevant evidence.”

June 2020 began Seattle’s descent into disorder, and there’s no end in sight. The Seattle Police Department released its annual report this month, and it shows that “the violent crime rate reached a 15-year high in 2022.” Seattle recorded 52 homicides last year, a 40.5% increase over 2019. Shootings and shots-fired incidents reached an all-time high.

Friday’s settlement offers some relief for some residents and businesses harmed by Seattle’s dereliction in 2020. But the costs from the summer of lawlessness continue to mount.

 

Stores in Antioch, CA.?  Police Aren't Responding to Burglaries

Police took hours to respond to a pair of Antioch burglaries 'in progress'; the repercussions reveal a division between cops and City Hall

Police apologize, union accusations follow the slow response

Restaurant owner watches security camera images from home as burglars throwing property from the business into a backpack. Minutes earlier, the security company that oversees his restaurant monitors called 911 to report it.

The wait went on so long that it prompted a viral social media post by Gilliland, followed by a public apology from the police department and a pledge to increase staffing, which in turn was quickly followed by a message from the police rank-and-file laying blame for the delayed response at the mayor’s doorstep.

The same morning that the Hillcrest was being burglarized, the Cocina Medina restaurant in Lone Tree Square also was hit. Police also took hours to arrive to that one. Gilliland posted his frustrations about the long wait time to social media from inside the restaurant, 90 minutes after he called 911, lamenting that “police never showed up.”  eastbaytimes.com

 

Police Staffing Issues Aren't Just in Big Cities - Response Times?

Startling photo of empty patrol cars sounds alarm over N.C. staffing woes

Last summer, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office was short 13 officers. Now, it’s short nearly 30

CLINTON, N.C. — They say a picture is worth a thousand words. One North Carolina sheriff is hoping this rings true after posting a startling photo to the department’s Facebook page.

Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton is sounding the alarm over his department’s staffing woes with a photo of rows of empty, unused patrol cars – at least 17 – that remain idle in the department’s lot.  police1.com

 


 

Hy-Vee suspends employee discounts citing 'significant' discrepancies, plans to revamp program

Hy-Vee has suspended its employee discount program and plans to revamp it by mid-April after the company found cases of fraud and misuse.

In a press release Monday, Hy-Vee officials said there was a significant uptick with people using the discount, even though they did not live in the same household, or even the same city, as the employee. The employee-owned company based in West Des Moines, Iowa, added that there were other fraudulent practices and loopholes that were occurring within the program.

“The discrepancies found were significant enough to signal a much broader issue that needed to be addressed immediately,” the release stated.

As reported by TV station KAAL in Rochester, Minnesota, Hy-Vee executive vice president Georgia Van Gundy noted some instances of fraud in a video sent to employees last Friday. Those include an employee having their Fuel Saver account used in five different states in one hour and another employee using their discount to make large purchases with the intention of reselling the items at a profit.

Some of the chain’s workers, however, still see the action as punitive.

One worker who contacted KAAL-TV/ABC 6 News in Rochester, MN, said, “This feels like penalizing their frontline workers who have continued to work and support Hy-Vee through the COVID-19 pandemic.”  omaha.com

 

Retailers Upgrade Payments Choice and Fraud Prevention With Outside Help

Retailers upgrading their payments experience and fraud prevention capabilities are increasingly seeking outside expertise in their innovation journeys, going for “buy” rather than “build” in digital systems.

Analyzing results from the study “Retail Payments Innovation Year in Review: How Real-Time Payments Drive the In-Store Customer Journey,” a PYMNTS and ACI Worldwide collaboration, we find that just over half (51%) of U.S. and 63% of U.K. retailers say they’ll use third-party technology partners for innovative tech, with 1 in 3 saying efforts will combine both.

The use of third parties underscores the growing complexity of systems needed for retailers to create the digital experiences that are most in demand by consumers in 2023. We found that 57% of non-grocery retailers plan to outsource payment method innovation, for example.

More convenience and better customer experience are driving retailers to seek third-party expertise as they seek scalability and proven functionality without the time and cost of developing these systems in-house.

As the study notes, “75% of all respondents cited improved customer experience as the reason to implement digital in-store tools, 31% said it was the most important reason. Another 63% cited convenience as their motivation to use these tools, with 13% saying it was the most important draw.”

Get the study: Retail Payments Innovation Year in Review: How Real-Time Payments Drive the In-Store Customer Journey

An example of the third-party systems expected to be sought this year by merchants is ACI Instant Pay. Introduced in January, ACI Instant Pay is getting the jump on the Federal Reserve’s FedNow instant payments system being launched later this year.

There are no interchange fees for use of ACI Instant Pay. Merchants pay a flat fee for the instant payments functionality, which is also expected to reduce chargebacks.

However, in addition to payment methods, merchants will be relying more heavily on third parties for help in data security and fraud detection from companies with deep expertise in these areas.

Per the study, “Approximately 40% of both U.S. and U.K. retailers reported currently innovating around data security. A similar share of U.K. retailers (39%) plan to innovate in the next 12 months. More than half of U.K. retailers are already engaged in fraud detection innovation, and 18% plan to innovate. In the U.S., 37% of retailers have introduced these innovations and 37% have innovation plans.”

See also: ACI Worldwide Debuts ‘Instant Pay’ Ahead of FedNow Launch   pymnts.com

 

Remote Work's Financial Disaster Wake For Big Cities
No more big Urban push for retailers. At least until converting empty offices to residences - which is the discussion now

Nearly 30 percent of work remains remote as workers dig in

Nearly 30 percent of all work happened at home in January, six times the rate in 2019, according to WFH Research, a data-collection project. In Washington and other large urban centers, the share of remote work is closer to half. In the nation’s biggest cities, entire office buildings sit empty. 

The share of all work performed at home rose from 4.7 percent in January 2019 to 61 percent in May 2020. Some economists consider the remote-work boom the greatest change to the labor market since World War II.  

Workplace experts say remote work is here to stay. Workers love it. Employers have learned to live with it. The average worker saves 70 minutes of daily commuting time by working from home — and spends almost half of that extra time doing work: a win-win.

Much of corporate America has settled on a weekly formula of three days in the office and two at home for the hybrid worker. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are popular choices for trudging into the office. On Fridays, city centers can look like depopulated ghost towns. 

The work-from-home movement has reshaped the largest cities. Only last month, for the first time since the pandemic began, did the occupancy rate in urban office buildings reach 50 percent in the 10 largest cities.   As of last week, 49 percent of desks sat empty in Chicago, 53 percent in D.C., 51 percent in New York and Los Angeles.  

For some mayors, tax collectors and downtown businesses, the remote-work boom has seeded fiscal disaster. New York, alone, “is going to see about $12 billion less in expenditures in downtown Manhattan” because of remote work, Bloom said.  

Working from home “means less consumer spending, and it means less transit use,” in big cities.

“It’s not the end of cities,” Ozimek said. But “if cities aren’t flexible and smart about how they change their fiscal policies and tax policies, you could end up in a bad situation.” 

The number of CEOs lobbying for a return to fulltime office work “is dwindling to basically zero,” Bloom said. thehill.com

 

The First Real Example of the Three Year Wage Wars
Home Depot Says $1 Billion in Wage Increases Will Weigh on Profit

Go ahead complain about inflation......

Tuesday Morning to close 250+ stores

 

Illinois Police Respond After Training Grenade Found in Goodwill Donation Box

 

 

Quarterly Results

Walmart Q4 U.S. comp's up 8.3%, eCommerce up 17%, Total revenue up 7.3%
     Sam's Club Q4 comp's up 12.2%, Membership income up 7.1%
     International Q4 net sales up2.1%

Walmart Full Yr. U.S. comp's up 6.6%, eCommerce up 12%, total revenue up 6.7%
     Sam's Club FY comp's up 10.5%, Membership income up 8.6%
     International FY net sales flat

 

Dillard's Q4 comp's flat, total sales flat, Full Yr. comp's up5%, total sales up 5%

Home Depot Q4 comp's down0.3% sales up 0.3%, FY comp's up 3.1%, sales up 4.1%





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Last week's #1 article --
 

The D&D Daily's Exclusive & Industry's Only
Q4 & 2022 Retail Violent Fatalities Report

2022 The Most Violent Year in America's Retail Stores Ever With 694 Fatalities

• Fatalities up 86% from 2016 & 17% from 2021
• Incidents up 73% from 2016 & 16% from 2021

 




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Interface Unveils New Brand Identity to Reinforce
Customer-Focused Innovation
 

New brand identity reflects Interface’s vertically integrated
business security solutions that unlock business insights leveraging
a purpose-built network backbone.


St. Louis, MO (February 20, 2023) Interface Systems, a leading managed service provider of business security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses today unveiled a new brand identity reflecting the company’s evolution. With a new logo and a brand new website, the rebrand builds upon the company’s 27+ years of strength, stability and growth, and underscores Interface’s mission to simplify operations, maximize ROI and deliver relentless customer support for the nation’s top multi-location brands.

“Offering differentiated managed services using best-of-breed technologies has always been our strength. We pioneered the interactive remote video monitoring service that gives our customers an unprecedented advantage in securing people and assets. In the last few years, Interface has completely reimagined business security solutions by adding on business intelligence and strengthening our network offerings. Our suite of managed services are game changers for customers and we feel this is the right time to refresh our brand identity,” says Sunita Mani, SVP of Marketing at Interface.

The new brand identity includes a brand new logo that depicts the evolution of managed services using a series of vertical lines and a new set of brand colors that reflects Interface’s bold approach to deploying impactful solutions for customers.

“Business security is no longer just about cameras and alarms operating in silos. We have transitioned to a vertically integrated business security solution stack that’s designed to proactively address threats before they arise, leverage visual data streams and AI from cameras to measure customer experience, and deploy purpose-built connectivity solutions to enable digital transformation. Our refreshed brand identity captures the essence of what we are now offering to multi-location enterprises and franchise operators,” says Brent Duncan, CEO of Interface.

The brand refresh goes beyond just the brand identity. Interface is also streamlining its customer support processes, and is actively developing a new comprehensive customer portal for its extensive suite of services, highlighting its emphasis on delivering relentless support at every customer touchpoint.

About Interface Systems

Interface Systems is a leading managed service provider of business security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses. We enhance security, streamline connectivity, optimize operations, and reduce IT costs, maximizing ROI for the nation's top brands. Learn more and follow us on our blog Making IT Happen, on LinkedIn and watch our latest videos on YouTube.




Reimagine Security, Deepen Insights, Strengthen Connectivity


 

 

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Be Proactive About Pending US Federal Data Privacy Legislation

What the American Data and Privacy Act means for businesses

Whether or not ADPPA passes this legislative term, there’s a good chance a similar bill will pass soon

The American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) is a potential major bipartisan bill that introduces oversight on how consumer data is collected and processed by U.S. businesses. The legislation aims to strengthen data privacy and to provide oversight on how artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are used to uncover insights in the data that can be monetized. The goal of this legislation is to ensure the safety, integrity, and equity of AI algorithms.

While the potential legislation is important for protecting individual privacy rights, it will have significant implications for businesses when developing and managing their AI algorithms.

The ADPPA is bipartisan federal data privacy legislation that will create an Office of Data Privacy within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oversee the way that companies use and collect data. However, the ADPPA is about more than just data — it will also examine AI algorithms to determine whether they’re safe, effective, and non-discriminatory. Companies will have to disclose what data they collect, how they plan to use it, and how long they intend to retain it. The pending legislation is a natural extension of GDPR and CCPA, which many states have already accepted as the standards for data privacy in the United States.

It’s important to note that ADPPA won’t just affect large enterprises, it will apply to all businesses of any size. The only businesses that will be exempt from the regulations will be small businesses that for the three years prior to the law's passing have

    - Revenue that was less than $41 million a year
     - Personal data sales that accounted for less than 50% of their revenue
     - Not processed more than 100,000 records

It is likely that only a small number of businesses will meet all three of these criteria, especially due to the threshold of the record. And even if businesses meet these criteria now, if they have any plans to grow, they will unlikely be able to meet the criteria in the future. This means that most businesses will need to prepare to comply with ADPPA regulations eventually.

The ADPPA is necessary because people in the United States are seeing harmful, unintended outcomes from poorly designed AI algorithms.

To comply with the ADPPA, organizations must be able to provide complete insight into how the algorithm works, what it’s expected to do, and how it’s trained. Businesses will also need to demonstrate that their algorithms are effective (i.e., they do what they are supposed to do), the costs of fewer data privacy don’t outweigh the benefits, and that the algorithms are safe, non-intrusive, and non-discriminatory.   securityinfowatch.com

 

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DOJ & U.S. Companies Are Fighting Back - Disrupting Gangs & Getting Some KO's
Gangs Are Shifting Back to Scams to Obtain Payment Card Data

Ransomware Attacks Decline as New Defenses, Countermeasures Thwart Hackers

Cybercriminals face drop in payments while some get laid off

After ballooning for years, the amount of money being paid to ransomware criminals dropped in 2022, as did the odds that a victim would pay the criminals who installed the ransomware. With ransomware, hackers lock up a victim’s computer network, encrypting hard drives until victims pay.

Alphabet Inc.’s Mandiant cybersecurity group said it had responded to fewer ransomware intrusions in 2022—a 15% decrease from 2021. CrowdStrike Holdings Inc., another U.S. cybersecurity firm, said it saw a drop in average ransom-demand amounts, from $5.7 million in 2021 to $4.1 million in 2022, a decline the company attributed to disruption of major ransomware gangs, including arrests, and a decline in crypto values. Ransomware payments are generally made using cryptocurrency.

The blockchain-analytics firm Chainalysis Inc. says that payments that it tracked to ransomware groups dropped by 40% last year, totaling $457 million. That is $309 million less than 2021’s tally.

The hacking groups behind ransomware attacks have been slowed by better company security practices. Federal authorities have also used new tactics to help victims avoid paying ransom demands. Asset seizures have disrupted major ransomware gangs, one of which recently had layoffs, cybersecurity officials say.

The FBI said last month that it disrupted $130 million in potential ransomware profits last year by gaining access to servers run by the Hive ransomware group and giving away the group’s decryption keys—used to undo the effects of ransomware—for free.

In the fall, about 45 call-center operators were laid off by former members of a ransomware group known as Conti.  They had been hired as part of a scam to talk potential victims into installing remote-access software onto networks that would then be infected by ransomware, but the call centers ended up losing money, he said.

Companies have also stepped up their cybersecurity practices, driven by demands from insurance underwriters and a better understanding of the risks of ransomware following high-profile attacks. Companies are spending more money on business continuity and backup software that allow computer systems to restart after they have been infected.

Four years ago, 85% of ransomware victims wound up paying their attackers. Today that number is 37%.  The average ransomware payout in the final quarter of 2022 was just over $400,000—up from around $300,000 during the last quarter of 2021.

Experts said that in some cases financially motivated hackers are migrating away from ransomware toward other methods of attacks, such as scams to obtain payment-card data. 

“Just because traditional ransomware has slowed down doesn’t mean threat actors have,” said Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at CrowdStrike.  wsj.com

 

The Long Arm of the FBI - Especially if you Hack Biden-Musk-Bezos Twitter Accounts

Spanish Court Approves Twitter Hacking Suspect's Extradition to U.S.

British Man Also Charged With Nude Photo Extortion, Swatting, Cryptocurrency Theft

Spain's high court approved the U.S. Department of Justice's request that a British man be extradited to face charges that he hacked Twitter in 2020 to perpetrate a cryptocurrency scam.

Authorities arrested O'Connor, aka "PlugwalkJoe," in southern Spain's Costa del Sol in July 2021, at U.S. request.  The court said the Justice Department's documentation of crimes allegedly committed by O'Connor was voluminous and detailed.

Twitter Hacked in 2020

O'Connor is one of four individuals charged with tricking several Twitter employees to share their administrator credentials, which attackers used to gain unauthorized access to 130 high-profile Twitter accounts on July 15, 2020. Compromised account holders included Biden, who was then the Democratic presidential nominee, plus Tesla CEO Musk, the corporate accounts of Apple and Uber, and Floyd Mayweather, Jeff Bezos, Kim Kardashian, Mike Bloomberg and Warren Buffet.     govinfosecurity.com

 

PCI Security Standards Council

New Video Series: Questions with the Council

In this new video series, Emma Sutcliffe, SVP Standards, answers the payment industry’s questions about PCI DSS v4.0. Questions include:

What are the first steps organizations should take when transitioning from v3.2.1 to v4.0?
Why is PCI DSS v4.0 more stringent on multifactor authentication?
Can you discuss the transition timeline from v3.2.1 to v4.0?
The new standard lists several requirements as "best practices" effective with the release of the standard. How should organizations look at beginning to implement these practices while still focusing on 3.2.1 security implementations?

Watch “Questions with the Council” where Emma answers these questions and more! Make sure to subscribe to the Council’s YouTube page to stay up to date with upcoming payment security videos. 
pcisecuritystandards.org

 


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Amazon wants employees to return to the office in May

Starting in May, Amazon will require employees to work out of the office at least three days per week. The company announced the plan in a memo published on Friday and attributed to CEO Andy Jassy (via CNN). In advocating for the policy, Jassy said a hybrid work arrangement would “strengthen” Amazon’s corporate culture and lead to better collaboration among its workforce.

“It’s not simple to bring many thousands of employees back to our offices around the world, so we’re going to give the teams that need to do that work some time to develop a plan,” Jassy said. “We know that it won’t be perfect at first, but the office experience will steadily improve over the coming months (and years) as our real estate and facilities teams smooth out the wrinkles, and ultimately keep evolving how we want our offices to be set up to capture the new ways we want to work.”  engadget.com

 

Why you should rewrite your game plan for DTC inventory management

The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer

A new industry report confirms the rise of Direct-to-Consumer in North America, with 66% of companies having increased their DTC spend since the start of the pandemic. A total of 35% said investments increased significantly.

But the game plan isn’t fully baked

Winning with DTC requires that companies look at the inventory management technologies running point to support this new model. Over, under, around, and everywhere in between. 

The competition is completely different now. The rules and conditions of the game will surely continue to evolve. Omnichannel brands can no longer rely on old systems to compete in new and unfamiliar avenues. 

Inventory visibility, the real ‘New Normal’

Uncertainty will always be our ‘normal’. Beating it will require new moves and technologies that were not in the playbook prior to DTC.

Legacy inventory management software has left brands largely helpless when it comes to being able to fulfill orders from wherever or however they are placed. Available inventory quantities become very blurry with DTC. Even the simple new concept of starting to ship in Eaches instead of Pallets introduces new difficulties in satisfying DTC demand. 

So in 2023, companies continuing on the DTC path must rewrite their narrative: inventory visibility first, vs. inventory management. 

DTC order fulfillment solutions create the fast break

Modern order fulfillment solutions that bring real-time inventory visibility are how brands will get a clear picture of inventory and reign their DTC markets. 

When asked how their business best protects against failing customer expectations with DTC, survey participants cited investing in order management and fulfillment technology as the number-one strategy (42% of the sample in Europe and 36% in North America).  retaildive.com

 

Why Digital Identity is About More Than Fighting Fraud

Digital identity used to be something that people considered “just tick-the-boxes” technology. 

But as Steve Durney, vice president of strategy at Prove, told PYMNTS, forward-thinking companies can use digital identity as a way to differentiate themselves … and actually generate more revenue by improving the customer experience. 

There’s certainly room for many companies to improve how they verify and authenticate users. As it stands now, there are speed bumps in the mix as we conduct more of our daily commerce online.

“The old joke,” he said, “is that secure and fast are not friends, and they’re not great dance partners. You wind up sacrificing one for the other.” Any time that users are attempting to get through a slew of online screens just to simply make a payment or to onboard themselves to set up a loyalty account, said Durney — well, those journeys come with a lot of friction.    

The enterprise-level challenge, he said, is to balance security and convenience in such a way that consumers complete those onboarding and verification activities … and businesses keep their top-line momentum intact.  

A Tough Trade-Off 

That’s no easy undertaking, as Durney observed. Here’s the quandary: Make it too easy to make transactions, and companies and consumers are exposed to the fraudsters. Make it too hard, and the shopping cart gets abandoned. The consumer, forced to pause, may disappear and never return. 

It’s more important than ever for security professionals to consider their tech investments and ID efforts, said Durney. In the current macro environment, the fraud threat is increasing. More people do shadier things when they’re stressed, said Durney, and that includes hacking.    pymnts.com

 


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Napa, CA: Man arrested after outlet store theft in Napa

Officers were made aware of an Outlet Retail Theft Crew from Fresno. The crew has stolen thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, typically from Nike Stores. Benshone Carter was located inside the Napa Nike Store with various bags of merchandise. As Officers approached Benshone, he began walking away. He soon started running to his vehicle, which was conveniently parked behind the food court emergency exit. He fled at an extremely high rate of speed out of the parking lot (possibly 80 MPH+). It is believed he hit a curb as both front tires exploded. Benshone then ran across Highway 29, where he was located hiding in the parking lot of Embassy Suites. Benshone's vehicle was impounded and he was arrested on various charges (facebook.com/NapaPD/)

Berks County, PA: Couple Arrested for Stealing $25K Worth of Merchandise from Two Ulta Stores; , Possibly as Part of Multi-State Theft Ring

Elkin Riva Gallego, 22, and Angy Ramirez Linares, 32, were arrested Thursday in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and are facing felony retail theft charges, according to court documents obtained by Inside Edition Digital. A couple was arrested in Pennsylvania last week after cops say they stole from 2 Ulta stores and are suspects in a multi-state theft of the beauty store chain, according to reports. Elkin Riva Gallego, 22, and Angy Ramirez Linares, 32, were arrested Thursday in Berks County and are facing felony retail theft charges, according to court documents obtained by Inside Edition Digital. Spring Township police say the couple stole $25,000 worth of merchandise from two Ulta stores, ABC 6 reported. Officers allegedly caught them in the act on Thursday. "They were pushing a stroller. There was no baby in the stroller. They are simply used for the theft. Putting items into the stroller, and that's how they did other thefts too across a multi-state area," Spring Township Det. Sgt. Robert Long said in a statement. (insideedition.com)

 

Bartow County, GA: Well-dressed thief steals copper from metro Atlanta Lowe’s

UPDATE: The sheriff’s office says they have identified the suspect. His name has not been released. Deputies in Bartow County are searching for a suspected thief who dressed himself up before shoplifting from Lowe’s. Surveillance photos show the dapper suspect dressed in suit complete with a pocket square. Investigators say he walked into the Lowe’s the day before Valentine’s Day and loaded five spools of copper wire onto a cart and pushed it out of the store without paying. Loss prevention employees described the incident and deputies say surveillance footage matched their account of events exactly. (wsbtv.com)

Washington, DC: $4K of Lululemon clothing stolen from DC store, front door shattered

More than $4,000 worth of Lululemon clothing was stolen from one of their DC locations on Monday morning, according to a police report.

Officers responded to 1925 14th Street NW around 6:30 a.m. and found the front entrance glass door had been shattered. A total of $4,340 worth of clothing was reported stolen including 16 joggers, 16 pairs of pants and 5 jackets. (fox5dc.com)

Lenexa, KS: Man charged in robbery of Lenexa GameStop store where 2 employees were tied up

One man is charged in the Feb. 12 robbery of a GameStop store in Lenexa, Kansas, where the robbers tied up two employees and detained a customer.

Johnson County prosecutors charged Sylvester Pickett, 30, of Kansas City, Kansas, with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and felony theft under $25,000. (kshb.com)


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Shootings & Deaths

 

El Paso, TX: Police says armed bystander shot teen suspected in Cielo Vista Mall’s shooting

The shooting that left one teen dead and three injured happened after two groups of teens got into a fight in the food court area. The first group of six teenagers, including Angeles Zaragoza, 17, who was shot and died got into a confrontation with the second group consisting of three teenagers and a 20-year-old, according to El Paso Police. According to EPPD investigators the 16-year-old in this group is the suspected shooter under custody. Police say the 16-year-old suspect pulled out a handgun and shot Zaragoza. A 17-year-old male and the 20-year-old man were also injured. As the shooting ended the teen suspect ran away pointing the gun in the direction of bystanders. Emanuel Duran, 32, a licensed to carry holder and bystander, shot at the teen suspect. Duran then helped and off-duty El Paso Police officer render aid to the teen suspect and the others injured in the shooting. Detectives found there were two other legally armed citizens in the area of the shooting, but were not involved. (kvia.com)

Indianapolis, IN: Court records reveal what led to a shooting at Castleton Square Mall on Friday

Court records reveal what led to a shooting at Castleton Square Mall on Friday, Feb. 17. The shooting ended with the quick arrest of 18-year-old Curtis Wilson for criminal recklessness. According to the affidavit, Wilson was walking into the mall with his brother when they got into a dispute with three strangers near a south entrance. Wilson’s brother told police the pair had gone to the mall to return shoes to Foot Locker when they began yelling with three other men in the hallway. Surveillance video allegedly shows Wilson grab his brother’s gun, follow the men to the entrance and start shooting. The men returned fire which resulted in Wilson being shot in the thigh and arrested. “I didn’t think this was déjà vu. I thought, ‘What do you expect to happen?’” said Eddie Smith Sr.The shooting took place just over six weeks after a 16-year-old was killed and Eddie’s son was wounded in the mall parking lot in January. (fox59.com)

 

Dallas, TX: Man shot and killed inside GameStop, 2 charged with capital murder

Two people have been arrested and charged with capital murder after a shooting at a Dallas GameStop over the weekend, but at this point we still don't know what led to the shooting.

25-year-old Jacob Cohen was shot and killed inside the store just off I-30 and Buckner Boulevard just before 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. Witnesses say they heard gunfire and saw young people running from the area around the Pleasant Grove shopping center.

"Right before I passed the GameStop store I heard six to seven gunshots, and it took me like a couple of seconds to realize that there was a shooting," said Murat Ensar Sirdas. Sirdas works in shopping center and says he was walking to a nearby ATM when he heard the shots. "Then I saw like 5 to 6 people running away from the GameStop," he said. "I saw a guy. He was on the floor, and I assumed he was dead. He was not moving." Dallas police have not said what led to the shooting or how many people were involved, but they've charged 18-year-old Jameson Mills and an unidentified juvenile suspect with capital murder. (fox4news.com)

Seattle, WA: Tobacco store owner shoots, kills suspected robber in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood

A robbery suspect is dead and another person is left with serious injuries after a shooting in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood Monday afternoon, according to the Seattle Police Department. Police responded to King Smoke Shop at 7758 15th Ave NW just after 4 p.m. to a report of a man shot outside of the business. When officers arrived they discovered the co-owner of the business had also been shot.

Seattle police said it appears a 30-year-old male suspect entered the business and attempted to rob the store. The suspect shot at the employee who returned fire. Police attempted life-saving measures on the suspect but he died at the scene. (king5.com)

Fresno, CA: 2 men shot and killed at hookah lounge identified

The two men who were shot and killed at a shopping center in northwest Fresno Sunday night have been identified. Police say the victims are 41-year-old Felix Hawkins and 32-year-old Akili Moffett. The shooting happened in front of a hookah lounge on Milburn and Herndon just before 11 pm Sunday. Police arrived to find Sterling-Hawkins with multiple gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, Moffitt was driven to the hospital. Both men died from their injuries.

Detectives say there were somewhere between 30 and 50 people at a private party inside the lounge. (abc30.com)

Clinton, MO: Man killed during local Grocery store hostage situation

An investigation is underway after Missoula law enforcement say they were forced to kill a man holding his wife hostage at a store. The Missoula County Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the Clinton Market just after 11 a.m. on Saturday for reports of a man holding his wife hostage. A press release from the MCSO states the situation evolved to the point where deputies were, "forced to use lethal force." (kpax.com)

Atlanta, GA: Man shot and killed outside convenience store in southeast Atlanta, police say

Man shot and killed outside convenience store in southeast Atlanta, police say. (wsbtv.com)

Richmond, VA: Man killed outside Richmond 7-Eleven

Man killed outside Richmond 7-Eleven. (wtvr.com)





Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

 

Macedonia, OH: New police video shows lead-up to shooting at store

Newly obtained 911 calls and dashboard camera video shed new light on a police-involved shooting in a busy shopping center in Macedonia. The shooting happened around 5 p.m. on Jan. 22, after police were called to the Best Buy for an alleged shoplifter. An employee at Best Buy told police the suspect stuffed “like four cameras into his jacket” and left the store. The man was then seen going into a Burlington store. Officers went into the store and found the suspect. Macedonia police told the I-Team a struggle took place, and during the struggle one of the officer’s firearm discharged. The suspect was injured. “Radio, need a squad here,” an officer can be heard saying on the dashboard camera video.

Police started first aid while waiting for EMS. Police told us the suspect was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. Macedonia police and agents with the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation are continuing to investigate. The BCI investigation could take several more weeks to complete. (fox8.com)

Charlotte, NC: NC has more gun theft from gun shops than most states in America

A few years ago, a group of 14 to 18-year-olds tried to break into Larry Hyatt’s family-owned gun shop. The adolescents had stolen a car and rammed it into the Family Dollar Store next door. “They smashed right into the wrong building,” Hyatt said with a chuckle. On their second attempt to break into the Hyatt Gun Shop, they were stymied by a large steel barrier that Hyatt had installed on the advice of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

There are over 3,000 gun shops in North Carolina, more than in California, Georgia, and most states in the country. Not surprisingly, North Carolina ranks as one of the top states for gun theft from gun dealers. (wect.com)

Portland, OR: Nike asks to hire or fund police in order to reopen Portland Community Store

The Nike Community Store in Northeast Portland has been shuttered for months due to problems with retail theft, and the company now appears to be pressing the city for dedicated police support — and even offering to pay for officers — to get the store back open. In a Feb. 9 letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler, first reported by The Oregonian, Nike chief security officer Joe Marsico and North America general manager Sarah Mensah said the company closed the Community Store "in response to deteriorating public safety conditions and rapid escalation in retail theft." (kgw.com)

Montgomery County, MD: Police investigate Armed robbery, sexual assault at Claire’s store

Police investigate Armed robbery, sexual assault at Claire’s store. (fox5dc.com)

Philadelphia, PA: Shooting at Save A Lot store leaves man in critical condition

Shooting at Save A Lot store leaves man in critical condition. (pennlive.com)

Fresno, CA: Convenience store clerk shot while being robbed in central Fresno

Convenience store clerk shot while being robbed in central Fresno (abc30.com)

 

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Daily Totals:
• 12 robberies
• 10 burglaries
• 2 shootings
• 1 killed



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Kevin Gorman named Field Loss Prevention Manager for Staples


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Corporate Risk Manager
Charlotte or Raleigh, NC - posted February 14
Summary of Role and Responsibilities: Proactive approach to preventing losses/injuries whether they are to our employees, third parties or customers valuables. They include cash in transit, auto losses or injuries; Report all incidents, claims and losses which may expose the company to financial losses whether they are covered by insurance or not...




Director of Asset Protection & Safety
Mount Horeb, WI - posted January 27
The Director of Asset Protection and Safety is responsible for developing strategies, supporting initiatives, and creating a vibrant culture relating to all aspects of asset protection and safety throughout the organization. As the expert strategist and leader of asset protection and safety, this role applies broad knowledge and seasoned experience to address risks...



Manager of Asset Protection (Corporate and DC)
North Kingstown, RI - posted February 17
The Manager of Asset Protection - Corporate and Distribution Center (“DC”) role at Ocean State Job Lot (“OSJL” and “Company”) will have overall responsibility for the ongoing safety and security of all operations throughout the corporate office and supply chain...




Field Loss Prevention Manager
Phoenix, AZ - posted February 2
As a Field Loss Prevention Manager (FLPM) you will coordinate Loss Prevention and Safety Programs intended to protect Staples assets and ensure a safe work environment within Staples Retail locations. FLPM's are depended on to be an expert in auditing, investigating, and training...



Business Continuity Planning Manager
Jacksonville, FL - posted January 26
Responsible for developing, implementing and managing the company's Business Continuity (BCP) and Life Safety Programs to include but not limited to emergency response, disaster recovery and site preparedness plans for critical business functions across the organization. In addition, the position will develop and lead testing requirements to ensure these programs are effective and can be executed in the event of a disaster/crisis...



Region Asset Protection Manager (Ft. Lauderdale)
Fort Lauderdale, FL - posted January 18
Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...



Region Asset Protection Manager-St Augustine and Daytona Beach Market
Jacksonville, FL - posted January 18
Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...



Region Asset Protection Manager: Fresco y Mas Banner
Hialeah, FL - posted January 18
Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...



 


Manager of Asset Protection & Safety Operations
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - posted December 9
The Manager of Asset Protection & Safety Operations is responsible for the physical security, safety compliance and reduction of shrinkage for Party City Holdings, by successfully managing Asset Protection (AP) Safety programs for all PCHI locations...




Loss Prevention Auditor and Fraud Detection Analyst
Boston - Framingham, MA - posted December 2
As a Loss Prevention Auditor and Fraud Detection Analyst for Staples, you will conduct LP operational field audits remote, virtual and in person, within a base of 60 retail stores to ensure compliance to operational standards to drive operational excellence and preserve profitability...



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Your self-evaluation is probably the most important document you'll write all year and it requires a degree of self-reflection and openness that, if done correctly, thoroughly, realistically and written well, will in actuality garner more respect than virtually anything else you can do. However, it's also a double-edged sword that mandates your adherence and constant effort to reach your written objectives and goals. The problem is that while most are rather open about their areas of improvement, very few actually quantify what they are going to do to improve and set specific goals that are realistically obtainable. The first step may be in just approaching and completing the reviews of your direct reports first and doing them with the same intensity and focus as you do yours. This step gets you in the game so to speak and allows you to tie yours into your teams and also may just give you some feedback you need to hear.


Just a Thought,
Gus


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