Joe Oliveira, CFI named Director of Asset Protection for The Fresh Market
Joe was previously the Divisional Manager of Loss Prevention for Visionworks of America, a position he held for the past 6 years. During his 30 plus years in the loss prevention and asset protection industry, Joe has held a variety of positions including Regional Manager of Asset Protection for Winn-Dixie, Divisional Director of Loss Prevention for HD Supply, Director of Field Loss Prevention for Charming Shoppes and Regional Manager of Loss Prevention and Safety for Parisian Department Stores. Congratulations Joe!

Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position

7-Eleven Bringing Facial-Recognition Technology to 11,000 Stores in Thailand
Largest Rollout Ever By One Company
The convenience store 7-Eleven is rolling out artificial intelligence at its 11,000 stores across Thailand, as the technology becomes more prevalent in Asia.

7-Eleven will use facial-recognition and behavior-analysis technologies to identify loyalty members, analyze in-store traffic, monitor product levels, suggest products to customers, and even measure the emotions of customers as they walk around.

The company announced it will be using technology developed by US-based Remark Holdings, which says its facial-recognition technology has an accuracy rate of more than 96%. Remark, which has data partnerships with Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu, has a significant presence in China.

Facial-recognition technology is experiencing a boon across Asia, particularly in China where customers can use it to pay for food, get money from ATMs, and even get a loan.

And while China's government is hoping to install 400 million surveillance cameras with facial-recognition by 2020, the rollout at Thailand's 7-Eleven stores remains unique in scope. It could potentially be the largest number of facial-recognition cameras to be adopted by one company, especially one as entrenched in daily life as 7-Eleven.

With a population of nearly 69 million people, approximately 10 million consumers visit a 7-Eleven store each day. businessinsider.com

Amazon encouraged by repeat customers at Go store
Amazon.com Inc is tracking how regularly customers shop at its store without checkout lines in Seattle - and so far, the verdict is they keep coming back.

"The ones who work very close, like in the building up above, will come down even just to grab a drink because it's so fast and easy," Amazon Vice President Gianna Puerini said in an interview at the ShopTalk e-commerce conference in Las Vegas.

The detail offers an early glimpse at how the store, known as Amazon Go, is faring two months after opening its doors to the public. Shopping frequency, sales and other metrics reviewed by Amazon will likely inform how it thinks about expanding the concept elsewhere in the United States, if at all.

Amazon Go is fashioned after small grocery stores, with a crucial difference: it has no cashiers. Customers scan a smartphone app to enter the store, and then cameras and sensors track what they remove from the shelves and what they put back. Amazon then bills shoppers' credit cards on file after they leave.

"What we didn't necessarily expect is how many people would stop at the end, on their first trip or two, and ask, 'Is it really OK if I just leave?'," Puerini said.

She declined to discuss specific expansion plans and said there were no plans to add the technology to Whole Foods Market, the upscale grocery chain Amazon bought last year. Analysts have speculated otherwise. reuters.com

2nd Nike exec leaves company amid complaints about inappropriate behavior
A second Nike executive is leaving the the company in the wake of complaints about inappropriate behavior at the sneaker giant, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Jayme Martin, vice president and general manager of global categories for Nike, has been ousted from the company effective immediately. Martin joined Nike in 1997 and most recently oversaw several of the company's major business units, including women's, running, training and basketball.

Representatives from Nike did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Martin's departure comes one day after Nike President Trevor Edwards resigned amid complaints about poor workplace conduct. cnbc.com

How Uber ghost rides are linked to online money laundering
Online service marketplaces are relatively new, and there are few ways for their operators to regularly monitor the entirety of services and transactions. Unfortunately, this creates an open environment for electronic money laundering, known as 'transaction laundering,' to occur.

Uber now faces exploitations similar to Airbnb, but the transaction laundering process becomes a bit more complicated, albeit conceptually parallel: users of a laundering service pay for "ghost rides" - rides that they never took.

How the Uber scam works

Here's how it works: the client employs a money laundering service to seek out and hire complicit Uber drivers looking to make an extra buck, who then accept ride requests from money laundering clients at pre-established rates.

Laundering large amounts of money is also pretty simple: multiple drivers are involved in the scheme, easily increasing the volume.

Then, after Uber takes its standard cut from the "ghost rides," the complicit drivers distribute their earnings to the operator of the laundering scheme. The operator takes a cut, and passes along the remaining, clean money to the client.

Transaction laundering through Uber simply wouldn't work without drivers willing to be part of the scam to earn their piece of the pie.

These "ghost ride" driving positions are viewed as highly valuable - providing additional revenue streams at minimal risk and involving little to no work. In fact, the positions are increasingly being advertised on online forums and have links with step-by-step guides to effectively execute the scam. thenextweb.com

Drug Cos. Say Cherokee Opioid Suit Must Stay In Fed. Court
CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart accused of funneling opioids to black market
McKesson Corp. and other drug distributors and retail pharmacies urged an Oklahoma federal judge Thursday to reject the Cherokee Nation's bid to take its suit over the companies' alleged role in the opioid epidemic back to state court, saying McKesson's distribution of opioids under a federal contract means the case must stay in federal court.

In the Cherokee Nation's March 1 motion to remand its suit against McKesson, Cardinal Health Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corp., CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Walmart Inc., the tribe contended that McKesson supplied only "a comparatively tiny amount of opioid products" under the federal contract and that that activity didn't lead to the opioid diversion that impacted the tribe's members.

McKesson and the other companies argued in a response Thursday that the amount of opioids distributed to the Indian Health Service and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under McKesson's federal contract isn't relevant to whether the federal court has jurisdiction. The defendants said the tribe "cannot so re-characterize its lawsuit and carve out those opioids that were distributed at the direction and under the authority of a federal superior in order to avoid federal jurisdiction."

The tribe and the companies have been locked in a multifront battle since last April, when the Cherokee Nation filed a lawsuit in its tribal court accusing the companies of helping to create rampant opioid addiction among tribal members.

At the heart of the fight are the Cherokee Nation's allegations that the companies allowed opioids to be diverted to unauthorized users and the black market along with the tribe's effort to be paid back for health care expenses and other costs it has incurred. law360.com

Trump Administration, McDonald's Rush to Avoid Employer Liability Trial
The National Labor Relations Board is ignoring its own guidelines and rushing to settle a major workplace action involving McDonald's Corp., lawyers for employees involved in the litigation alleged. If the workers win at trial, the case could have a profound effect on how major corporations are held liable for workplace wrongdoing.

The action before the NLRB stems from claims by McDonald's franchise employees who said they were fired in retaliation for joining a national effort to obtain a $15 hourly wage, the so-called Fight For $15 movement. McDonald's has both denied any wrongdoing and said it shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of individual franchises. insurancejournal.com

Large U.S. retailers urge Trump not to hit China with tariffs
Several large U.S. retail companies, including Wal-Mart Inc, Target Corp, Best Buy Co Inc and Macy's Inc, on Monday sent President Donald Trump a letter urging him not to impose massive tariffs on goods imported from China.

The Trump administration is said to be preparing tariffs against Chinese information technology, telecommunications and consumer products in an attempt to force changes in Beijing's intellectual property and investment practices. Washington could impose more than $60 billion in tariffs on goods ranging from electronics to apparel, footwear and toys.

"At the same time, we are concerned about the negative impact as you consider remedial actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act could have on America's working families," the letter stated. "Applying any additional broad-based tariff as part of a Section 301 action would worsen this inequity and punish American working families with higher prices on household basics like clothing, shoes, electronics, and home goods."

Sandy Kennedy, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, which organized Monday's letter, argued that tariffs would eliminate any benefit the recent tax overhaul provided the economy. reuters.com

Claire's Stores jewelry chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Mall jewelry chain Claire's Stores has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, hoping to escape huge debts preventing the company from shimmering in a dim environment for retail. Claire's is another victim of a string of private equity buyouts orchestrated by outside investors who loaded up on debt about a decade ago, saddling retailers with burdensome payments.

The retailer, which sells products in more than 7,500 locations in 45 countries and employs about 17,000 people, signaled no plans to close stores. More than 5,300 of the company's locations are in the U.S. - many of which amount to dedicated floor space with other retailers. usatoday.com

Supermarket Bankruptcies Are Beginning to Pile Up
Regional chains are filing for bankruptcy. European-born discounters are expanding, forcing competitors to keep their own prices low. And Kroger Co. and Walmart Inc., the two largest grocers in the U.S., are investing in technology and expanding delivery as they try to fend off an incursion by Amazon.com Inc.

It's a bleak outlook for a sector that was supposed to be rebounding this year. A historic bout of food deflation -- which fueled a price war in the past two years -- has ended, but efforts to sell more groceries online are gobbling up investment dollars. And some well-known names are crying uncle. bloomberg.com

The demise of Toys R Us puts a lot of toy sales up for grabs
The soon-to-be liquidated toy retailer had been an e-commerce leader; its online sales reached almost $1.7 billion in 2017. Putting a Toys R Us-sized chunk of the e-commerce toy market up for grabs represents a big opportunity for online competitors of Toys R Us - including smaller, niche retailers and other giants, such as Amazon.com Inc. (No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2017 Top 1000), Walmart Inc. (No. 3) and Target Corp. (No. 20). Here's a look at what the liquidation of Toys R Us means to the online toy business. digitalcommerce360.com

Toys R Us closures will leave hundreds of vacant stores on the market
with few obvious replacements

Superstore chain Fred Meyer to stop selling guns, ammunition

Ulta Beauty to open 100 stores in '18

FAO Schwarz inks deal for North America airports

Blue Apron plans to start selling its meal kits in stores

 

Last week's #1 article --

31,000 Toys 'R' Us employees: No job and no severance

Scarsdale Security finds a way to get the job done!

Leading retailers and LP executives trust Scarsdale Security to provide building security, fire protection, loss prevention and video surveillance needs. In addition to unsurpassed security services, Scarsdale is the retail industry's leading source for advanced Business Intelligence and traffic analytics.

In this LPNN interview, Jim Mahoney, VP of Sales, and Frank Baker, VP of Business Development, for Scarsdale Security, discuss LP's role in cross-departmental functionality, the opportunities with Central Station Monitoring, and how Scarsdale can help retailers keep existing infrastructure active while still promoting new technology.

Watch the LPNN video here!

Walmart Jewelry Partner Exposes Personal Data Of 1.3M Customers
A misconfigured Amazon (S3) Simple Storage Service bucket, managed by a Walmart jewelry partner, left personal details and contact information of 1.3 million customers exposed to the public internet.

The S3 repository containing a MSSQL database backup belongs to MBM Company, a Chicago, Ill.-based jewelry company that operates mainly under the name Limogés Jewelry.

The publicly accessible bucket, discovered Feb. 6 by Kromtech Security, contained personal information, including names, addresses, zip codes, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, IP addresses, and plain text passwords, for shopping accounts of over 1.3 million people throughout the US and Canada. threatpost.com

Former White House CIO to Speak on Cyber Risk at NRF Protect
Theresa Payton, founder of Fortalice Solutions and a former White House chief information officer has a vision for cyber security. She says managing dynamic and complex cyber risk requires a combination of old school risk management and compliance with newer and more innovative technologies. And if you're thinking the best place to start is a checklist...think again. Join us for cautionary tales and a comprehensive insight.

Learn to:

● Follow the digital breadcrumbs
● Take action and get resolution on what to do when you've been compromised
● Regain control and re-engineer in the hopes of thwarting another attack

Payton's session takes place Tuesday, June 12th at 3 pm. Register today. Early rate ends April 6th!

Macy's to add mobile checkout to all stores by year's end
Macy's wants to make checking out at its stores less of a hassle. The company will roll out a mobile checkout option, powered by its mobile app, to all full-line Macy's stores by the end of 2018, CEO Jeff Gennette said Sunday at the ShopTalk conference in Las Vegas.

The company is also adding an augmented reality shopping experience for furniture to the Macy's app, hitting phones as early as next month for some shoppers. With the upgrade, customers will be able to virtually place Macy's furniture within their own living spaces, seeing how it looks there before they buy. cnbc.com

L.L. Bean Cancels Data Collection Project Following 'Creepy' Response
L.L. Bean Inc. canceled a data collection and analytics project that would have tested the use of a blockchain ledger and sensors attached to coats and boots.

CIO Journal reported on Feb. 8 that L.L. Bean planned to start the test this year, asking select consumers to agree to wear garments that send data to the Ethereum blockchain platform for L.L. Bean to access, as well as allow some of their demographic information to be shared with the company. L.L. Bean and Loomia, a technology company that would have provided sensors to be sewn into boots and coats, announced their partnership last December.

Media coverage following the CIO Journal story included articles that called L.L. Bean's concept "creepy" and some that mistakenly reported that the company wants to know customer location data and would "continually track clothing after purchase." wsj.com

The Corporate Risks of Voice-Operated Devices
The problem with having smart speakers and digital assistants in the workplace is akin to having a secure computer inside your office while its wireless keyboard is left outside for everyone to use.

The Internet of things (IoT) is enabled by sensors, allowing smart devices to respond to their environment by registering voices, movements, temperature changes, smells, and more. Sensors also introduce new cybersecurity challenges, not the least of which stem from voice-operated devices, smart speakers, and digital assistants such as Amazon Echo with its accompanying Alexa Voice Service (nicknamed "Alexa").

Though most voice-operated devices are considered primarily to be consumer products, these devices eventually will reach the corporate world (if they have not already), where they will present unique challenges when connected to corporate networks holding sensitive data.

The "Big Truck" Attack
Imagine the following scenario: Take a big truck. (Yes, an actual physical truck.) Load it with huge speakers. Set the volume to maximum. Drive around New York, Berlin, London, or any other big city. Play a recording with various dangerous voice commands for Alexa (or any other voice-activated device). Sit back and watch the world burn.

Since you can use Alexa to do many things such as write emails, access data, and operate other smart devices, the ability to control it remotely could potentially cause data leakages, disruption of processes, and data integrity problems.

The Vocal Perimeter
By this point, I assume that you have guessed one of my two main points. Up until now, restricting access to sensitive systems by using physical means was, more or less, an easy job. Our offices have walls, locks, and security guards. With voice-operated sensors, it is not always possible to limit access through traditional security measures. Think of it as having a secure computer inside your office and its wireless keyboard outside for everyone to use. darkreading.com

Cybercriminals Launder Up to $200B in Profit Per Year
Cybercrime funds make up 8-10% of all illegal profits laundered and amount to $80-200 billion each year. Cybercriminals launder an estimated $80-200 billion in illegal profit each year, which amounts to 8-10% of all illegal proceeds laundered around the world. Virtual currencies are the most common tool used for money laundering - but Bitcoin isn't quite as trendy among hackers.

The data comes from a nine-month study into the macroeconomics of cybercrime and how cybercriminals "cash out" the funds they generate through illegal activity. darkreading.com

9 policies and procedures to know if you're starting a new security program

Facebook suspends firm that took 50M users' data, says it wasn't a breach

Walmart to sell Handy's in-home installation and assembly services in 2K+ stores

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New Report Says Free Trade Zones Are Ripe for Counterfeit Activity
The rapid growth of free trade zones (FTZs) are unintentionally fostering growth in counterfeit goods trafficking, according to a new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union's Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

The report, "Trade in Counterfeit Goods and Free Trade Zones," released Thursday, found that exports of counterfeit and pirated goods from a country or economic zone increase in ratio with the amount and size of free trade zones it has.

The report said while FTZs-areas used by importers and exporters usually near key ports that offer reduced taxes and often lax customs controls-"bring clear economic benefits to their host countries, there is the possibility that they can be misused by criminal organizations to traffic and smuggle counterfeit and pirated goods. This raises the double concern of the impact of crime and illicit trade activities on good governance, public safety and the rule of law, as well as the negative effect that counterfeit trade has on legitimate competitive advantage of rights holders, and consequently on innovation, employment and long-term economic growth." sourcingjournalonline.com

UK: New laws enforcing online sellers to pay full tax come into effect
Online marketplaces are now accountable for tax fraud committed by online sellers on their platforms, as new HMRC powers come into effect this week.

This means online marketplaces now have the responsibility to make sure sellers on their platform pay the right tax and to make sure fraud does not happen.

If sellers based in the UK or overseas are not paying the correct VAT when selling in the UK, and are not removed from the site following the issue of a notice by HMRC to the marketplace, then HMRC has the power to pursue the marketplaces themselves.

This could lead to fines and recovery of future unpaid tax by those sellers.

The rules also make online marketplaces liable for VAT where they knew or should have known that an overseas online seller should have been VAT-registered but was not. retailgazette.co.uk

WHITEPAPER - The Right Fit: How AI is Changing eCommerce Apparel Returns
Online retailers face a return rate over 20%, compared to their 'brick and mortar' counterparts who have a 9% return rate. With such a significantly higher return rate, it's no wonder that reducing returns in the eCommerce world is such a hot topic.

In an effort to combat apparel's share of the $206 billion returns industry, eRetailers are leveraging advancements in AI technology. Finding innovative AI solutions to further personalize the online shopping experience for consumers can lower eRetailers returns rate, and strengthen their bottom line.

Download the whitepaper here. retaildive.com

Amazon tracks repeat shoppers for line-free Seattle store

Levi's is suing Chinese companies for trademark infringement as trade war talk heats up

ORCAID Success Story
Boise, ID: Two arrested after tips lead police to seven-state fraud crew
One retailer reports $156K in losses
After receiving tips from members of the Organized Retail Crime Association of Idaho, Boise Police began investigating possible fraudulent activity at area stores on Thursday afternoon. Officers located two suspects who matched witness descriptions at a retail store. Evidence indicated that the two had been making fraudulent returns and purchases at stores in Nampa and Eagle.

At the Boise location, officers gathered evidence that one of the suspects had fraudulently replaced the price tag on a high value item and then purchased it for the false price. Officers contacted the two suspects in the parking lot, and upon investigation they located information that the two belonged to a group of subjects connected to numerous retail thefts throughout seven states in the U.S. One retail chain confirmed a known loss of at least $156,000.00 to this traveling fraud crew.

"This was a fantastic result of the strong partnership we have between local retailers and law enforcement here in the Treasure Valley. With communication and cooperation, we are able to identify and apprehend traveling fraud crews almost as soon as they get here," Boise Police Crime Prevention Supervisor Ed Fritz said. "Hopefully that sends a message to fraudsters loud and clear: don't come to the Boise area and try to get away with it. Because those thefts affect the everyday shopper, and we will do everything we can to not allow that."

Officers appreciate the cooperation of the local business community to help recognize these suspicious activities and report them to police. For more information on the Organized Retail Crime Association of Idaho go to https://orcaid.org/.

Lopatcong Township, NJ: Man made $70,000 in fraudulent purchases from
Advance Auto store
Lopatcong Township police said they charged a man with using stolen credit cards to buy nearly $70,000 in merchandise from an auto parts store. Ramon O. Dominguez, turned himself in to police on Saturday, police said. He has been charged with using several credit cards to make purchases at Advance Auto Parts. Police said the purchases were made during 2016 and 2017. Police said Dominguez was released pending an upcoming court appearance. mcall.com

Glen Rock, NJ: Kilroy's Market Employee Accused Of Stealing $18K From Store
Police began an investigation March 9 into the theft of cash from the store. Detective Lucas Doney arrested an employee Wednesday who police identified using the store's surveillance system, said Chief Dean Ackermann. Store managers reported that the 26-year-old employee, whose name was not immediately available, may have stolen the money by conducting fraudulent transactions at her register. patch.com



Menifee, CA: Exotic birds worth $9,000 swiped from pet shop
Burglars reportedly stole half a dozen birds valued at a total of almost $9,000 from a California pet shop early Friday - part of what the store's owner believes to be a string of connected exotic bird heists to plague the area in recent weeks. The thieves smashed open the front window of Birds-N-Paradise in Menifee, CA, and slipped inside around 2 a.m. nypost.com



Napa, CA: 3 women arrested for shoplifting more than $2,500 in merchandise
Police received a report at about 4:45 p.m. that suspects had shoplifted at Kohl's on 1116 First Street. They said the suspects were not at the scene when they arrived. Twenty minutes later, a Polo Ralph Lauren outlet store about two miles away reported an attempted shoplifting with suspects who matched the description from Kohl's. They also gave police a description of the suspects' vehicle. sfgate.com


Seattle, WA: Pair of Costco Shoplifters exit Fire Door, right into the hands of Police
Two shoplifters in Seattle were in for a surprise when their escape with armful of stolen goods was cut short by the cops. While thieves run away from police, a pair of suspected serial shoplifters in Seattle was caught on camera running right into the arms of police officers waiting for them outside the store. Everything was well -planned, at least that is what it might have seemed to two alleged shoplifters in a Seattle Costco, a man and woman, who burst through the doors of the chain-grocery mart with hands full of merchandise, hoping to flee in their getaway car that was in control of an 18-year-old accomplice. But little did they know, along with their getaway car, waiting for them was the police. globalnews.ca

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4 Things Not to Think and Do When You Get Promoted
If you've recently been promoted, congratulations and well done! It's time to celebrate, however as you know, moving up the ladder is not always a cake walk. If you want to really be successful and excel in your new role, be careful not to fall into one of these four post-promotion pitfalls! Don't go on a spending spree

How to Get a Promotion: Sleep More
Leaders understand how rough a job it is being at the top - the pressure, responsibilities, stress. But if you really look at the numbers, being a top dog can be pretty cushy compared to being an employee. If you're looking to be a leader, here's how to snooze your way to the top! The value of sleep

Last week's #1 articles --

6 Brilliant Things the Best Companies Do to Make Employees Feel Like They Truly Matter
Today, more companies understand what it takes to make workplaces engaging, positive and fulfilling. Here are some best-in-class strategies from leading executives, a Navy Seal and science to help improve employee engagement. Balance work and life

Giving Eye Opening Feedback Is Hard -- Here's How to Get Over It
Feedback can sting, which is why we sometimes fear giving and receiving it. However, offered with thought and authenticity, it can change lives. Here's how to get over difficulties of giving critical feedback. Find your courage

Energy is the primary force behind success and without it mediocrity or failure is almost guaranteed. The ability to move things forward and influence change requires energy and there's a direct correlation to the amount of it and to the degree of success. It's great to start off energized and gung ho about a project or initiative, but it's critical to maintain the energy thru to completion. As one senior executive has said, "there's no bad plan -- it's always a matter of execution" and execution is all about energy. So when you think you've lost your energy, take a break, do something different, and give your mind a chance to re-energize. Because the worst thing you can do is to try to execute without it.

Just a Thought,
Gus

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