7/14/21

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PCI SSC Shares Resources for Navigating Changing Payment Environments
At the beginning of the pandemic, PCI SSC shared a resource guide intended for small merchants on ways to protect payment card data in rapidly changing payment environments. During that time, as employees worked from home, many merchants were rapidly changing how they operated including moving to accept mobile, remote, e-commerce and even over-the-phone transactions. Now, as employees return to the office, and businesses begin to re-open, those payment environments are changing once again.

Data breaches and related attacks often happen because of vulnerabilities that are entirely preventable. We want to help small and medium businesses take simple steps to protect themselves and their customers' payment card data. And so, over the course of the next eight weeks, we thought it was reasonable to highlight payment security basics for protecting against payment data theft. blog.pcisecuritystandards.org

Kaseya Ransomware Attack: Guidance and Resources
CISA has created a webpage to provide information and guidance for the recent ransomware attack against Kaseya customers that include managed service providers (MSPs) and customers of those MSPs.

CISA encourages affected organizations to review Kaseya Ransomware Attack: Guidance for Affected MSPs and their Customers for more information. us-cert.cisa.gov

Can Government Effectively Help Businesses Fight Cybercrime?
 

Register Now for the 2021 RH-ISAC Summit - September 28-29

Hey LP/AP senior: If your retailer is a member you might want to consider attending yourself or sending one of your team members who works with cybersecurity on investigations or e-commerce fraud.

Especially now with the increased ransomware attacks and data beaches and the corresponding increased attention from law enforcement. Cross pollinating and building those relationships could pay off long term.  Register here
 

On the Clock: Sean Spence, director of enterprise corporate security, Sobeys Sean Spence, director of enterprise corporate security, Sobeys, discusses his security career path from guard to senior leader as well as the lessons retailers have learned while dealing with COVID-19. canadiansecuritymag.com

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COVID Update

Stores Respond to British Columbia Lifting Mask Mandate
B.C. stores change their mask policies now that they're no longer mandatory
Shopping malls, grocery stores and coffee shops were packed on Canada Day, and just about everyone inside was wearing a mask. Outside, signs have gone up with new instructions about face coverings.

"Masks are recommended," read the postings at B.C. Liquors Stores, while at London Drugs, sandwich boards indicated "masks are strongly recommended." Starbucks stated masks "are optional."

The B.C. government's mask mandate order was officially lifted at midnight on July 1.

That means coverings are no longer required in indoor spaces, but health officials are still recommending them for those who aren't fully vaccinated. Individual stores can still require masks.

But Wolak is concerned most of the population still hasn't been fully vaccinated, and therefore B.C. hasn't reached the threshold for herd immunity.

"So when you're going to the grocery store, you do not know what the vaccination status of every single person in the grocery store is, so it would be prudent to keep the mask on," she advised. bc.ctvnews.ca

Returning to Pre-Pandemic Life - But Short on Staff
B.C. business operators cautiously excited about return to near-normal
The buzz of full restaurants and tills ringing will start to become familiar on Thursday as British Columbia largely returns to the rhythms of pre-pandemic life. While businesses are excited about the return of customers, restaurant, retail and hotel associations say they are also hampered by staff shortages.

Residents can go to dinner indoors and outdoors without a limit on numbers, and attend fairs and festivals by following communicable disease measures, such as staying away if they're sick. Masks will no longer be mandatory before further restrictions are removed in September.

Although masks aren't mandatory, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry encouraging people to continue wearing them in all indoor places. She said Wednesday that masks remain an important layer of protection until more people have immunity from two doses of a vaccine.

Ian Tostenson, president of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said the industry is both excited and worried about reopening.

"It's kind of scary for everybody. It's kind of like opening night on Broadway," he said with a laugh. "It's the anticipation. It's so odd. Like the anticipation of being able to operate in a way we did it before, but we want to make sure we do it right." msn.com

Canada Heading Toward Post-Lockdown Boom?
Business sentiment rises to record in Canada on vaccine rollout
Canadian consumers and businesses are entering the second half of the year brimming with confidence about the nation's economic prospects, a signal of what could be an imminent boom.

A gauge of business sentiment released by the Bank of Canada rose to record levels as an accelerating vaccine rollout bolsters confidence in the recovery. Separate surveys of consumer confidence from the central bank and Bloomberg News found optimism at or near all-time highs.

The numbers will stoke expectations among economists and policy makers that households and business will be in a spending mood as pandemic restrictions are lifted, particularly because they have a massive stock of savings accumulated during the crisis. bnnbloomberg.ca

Shopping Centres in Canada to See Changes Amid Pandemic & Shifting Retail Industry

Over 50% of eligible Canadians now fully vaccinated against COVID as cases fall

Canada to reach 55M doses by week's end, catching up to U.S. on second doses

Many visitors still turned away at Canadian border despite looser restrictions
 

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Pot Smuggling Operation Busted at Canada Border
Feds seize 2,270 lbs of Canadian marijuana at the border worth $3.6M
A Canadian trucker has landed in America's federal court system, accused of smuggling more than 2,270 pounds of 'highly potent' Canadian marijuana into Detroit, court records show.

The trucker said he had no idea that he was hauling weed across international lines, according to court records, though federal agents didn't believe him - not given the amount of weed they found: 2,048 vacuum sealed packages of marijuana worth $3.6 million.

"Based on experience ... the quantity of controlled substances seized is consistent with large scale smuggling/distribution activities," a Homeland Security agent wrote in an affidavit filed in federal court this week, noting the bust was part of a bigger drug trend.

"Canadian-grown marijuana has been routinely smuggled in commercial trucks from Canada into the United States where is has been distributed for the past 20 years," the agent wrote. "The distribution areas for this marijuana are typically in the midwestern and southeastern areas within the United States where large amounts of highly potent marijuana are difficult to purchase."

The suspect in this case is Tasbir Singh, a commercial truck driver who is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances for his alleged actions that were discovered at the Fort Street Cargo Facility port of entry in Detroit. freep.com

Manitoba Grocery Workers Speak Out
Proposed legislation changes could strip retail workers' right to refuse Sunday work, union says

Amendment says employers can ask employees to agree to work Sundays in writing when they're hired

The Manitoba government is looking into amending Manitoba's employment standards legislation so that retail workers would not be able to refuse work on Sundays under some circumstances. The existing legislation allows employees to take a Sunday off with 14 days notice, and not be penalized for it.

The proposed amendments add an exemption that, if passed, would prohibit employees from refusing to work Sundays if they agreed to work them in writing when they were hired. They would also be prohibited from refusing Sunday shifts if their collective agreement states that they can't, and/or if the business they work for has four employees or less.

UFCW Local 832 president Jeff Traeger says the union is worried the amendment asking new employees to agree to work Sunday in writing would essentially get rid of the right to refuse Sunday work entirely for future retail employees and create a two-tiered system.

The concern is that employers will start asking employees to sign away their right to refuse Sunday shifts as soon as they're hired, he said. "As soon as you do, you don't have the right to refuse. And if you don't, you don't get hired. So no one will have the right to refuse," he said. cbc.ca

Counterfeit products catch Canadian online shoppers off guard
Shopping online comes with risk. Often you do not know with whom you are dealing and that can lead to problems.

Just ask Andrew Forrest. He recently went online searching for two portable wall heaters. He clicked on what looked like a legitimate product from a real business but ended up with potentially unsafe counterfeit products. Now he was out about $200 and fighting with the seller and his credit card issuer to get his money back.

The CAFC determined that Forrest had been dealing with a counterfeit seller. The website appeared to be piggy backing on a legitimate business by using the same name and changing up the URL address in a way that would trick a consumer into purchasing.

CTV News reached out to Scotiabank and received an email response. The bank apologized for any inconvenience Forrest may have experienced. However, it did not answer any of our questions regarding its dispute procedures. Yet the bank did contact him and credited him for the purchase. bc.ctvnews.ca

Canadians to Continue Shopping Online Post-Pandemic Amid Ecomm Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated online shopping trends in Canada and a new survey by PayPal Canada indicates just how much consumers shifted their spending patterns. The survey, titled Trends & Spends: PayPal Canada's 2021 Consumer Shopping Study, found that Canadians overall increased their monthly online shopping spend by more than $2 billion compared to pre-pandemic.

Survey respondents said they are spending $178 per month shopping online, an increase of $69 compared to pre-pandemic. Across the country, this translates to almost $5.5B in current monthly online spending, said PayPal. The survey found that 59 per cent of Canadians have boosted their online shopping habits compared to before the pandemic and the grocery sector in particular has seen a significant increase. retail-insider.com

Walmart Announces 150,000 SF Supercentre at Kingsway Mall in Edmonton

Banana Republic Shuttering Montreal Flagship, Bodega Replacing RYU Off Robson

Sleep Country Canada Opening 2 Super Hubs Amid Explosive Retail Growth

Edmonton, AB: 2 men injured in 'random' strip mall shootings, attacks
Two men were taken to hospital after they were shot as a result of what police believe were "two random shootings" in west Edmonton on Friday afternoon. Police said officers were called to a strip mall over a weapon complaint at about 5:20 p.m. Police said when they got there they found two injured men and were told a suspect had left the scene on foot.

The victims, who are 25 and 35 years old, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Both were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital where they are recovering in stable condition.

At least five police vehicles were seen at the strip mall early Friday evening. A car with two doors open was spotted at the scene, as well as a pickup truck that was partially on a sidewalk.

"I heard about seven gunshots - sirens and helicopters," said Shawna Greaves. "Unbelievable." globalnews.ca

Mask-Wearing Repeat Robber
Calgary, AB: Man wearing blue mask connected to 9 robberies

Police say he has hit at least 9 gas stations and convenience stores in past month

The Calgary Police Service is seeking a man believed to be connected to nine commercial robberies, all of which occurred over the past month. One common factor is that he is usually wearing a blue mask.

According to a release, the gas station and convenience store robberies are believed to be connected, after investigators identified similar circumstances and suspect descriptions on Monday.

The thefts occurred in communities on the city's east side: Abbeydale, Forest Heights, Radisson Heights, Rundle, Sunridge, Erin Woods, Penbrooke Meadows, Red Carpet and Winston Heights/Mountview. cbc.ca

C-Store Robbery Spree
Thunder Bay, ON: Police arrest suspect responsible for 6 c-store robberies
Thunder Bay police have arrested a 25-year-old man who is accused of perpetrating six different convenience store robberies in the northwestern Ontario city. The Thunder Bay Police Service, announcing the arrest on Friday, said the incidents took place between June 23 and July 4.

Officers with the police service's break and enter and robbery unit made the arrest early Friday morning. The accused was also in possession of a stolen vehicle, police added. The accused is charged with six counts of robbery, six counts of disguise with intent, seven counts of breaching probation, and one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000. cbc.ca

One man, police dog dead following confrontation near Campbell River Tim Hortons

Grenfell man charged after Regina police recover $38,000 in stolen property

Assault rifle seized from Mississauga home during robbery investigation

Timmins woman arrested in relation to robbery, theft investigations

London, Ont., man charged after convenience store robbery, weapon waved at police

View Canadian Connections Archives
 

'Item Not Received' Fraud
Return Scams Jump as Fraudsters Exploit E-commerce Boom

Amazon, Walmart and others are targets of 'item not received' fraud, which surged during pandemic

Retailers say they are seeing a sharp increase in a type of return fraud in which consumers claim they never received their online orders even though they did.

The practice, known as "item not received" fraud, took off during the pandemic, when warehouses were backed up and carriers were overwhelmed by a surge in e-commerce orders. In some cases, consumers are hiring professional fraudsters, who market their services on social media and advertise refunds of as much as $20,000 at chains such as Amazon. com Inc., Walmart Inc. and Target Corp.

"This type of fraud really skyrocketed with Covid-19," said Dajana Gajic-Fisic, who heads e-commerce risk operations for Finish Line Inc. and the U.S. arm of JD Sports, sellers of athletic shoes and apparel. Both companies are owned by JD Sports PLC. "There were a lot of people with a lot of time on their hands, and they researched how to do this," Ms. Gajic-Fisic said.

Here is how it works. A consumer places an online order with a retailer. After the package arrives, the consumer-or the professional refunder the consumer has hired-calls the retailer's customer-service department and says they didn't receive the package.

Professional fraudsters research the return policies of individual retailers and know the loopholes, said Karisse Hendrick, founder of fraud-prevention company Chargelytics Consulting. "They game the system through trial and error," she said. "Sometimes they'll use an insider who has worked in customer service for a particular retailer."

Many retailers will simply issue a refund, particularly if the items are under $500, Ms. Hendrick said. wsj.com

Experian Selected as a Leading Provider of Fraud Detection and Prevention
COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Experian was named one of the established leaders in fraud detection and prevention in Juniper Research's Online Payment Fraud Deep Dive Strategy & Competition 2021-2025. The report looks at the continuing growth in online payment and the vulnerability it has caused for online fraud and identity theft.

The Juniper report, which takes a deep dive into emerging threats, segment analysis and market forecasts, also looks at the online payment fraud competitor analysis. Juniper scored Experian high for their marketing and branding strength, service range and features, financial performance in the sector, experience in sector, operations and global reach, partnerships, creativity and innovation, and future business prospects.

According to Juniper Research, "Experian continues to invest into its fraud detection and prevention solution and uses its vast array of customer data to deliver an effective set of solutions across the entire consumer journey, from onboarding, through account management/account takeover and transaction risk mitigation." The report highlights the Experian CrossCore platform noting, "Experian leverages a combination of proprietary solutions and partner capabilities and data - integrated into its CrossCore platform - where it leverages a robust machine learning approach that takes into account these dynamic sources of data." businesswire.com

Amazon pledges to hire 100,000 US veterans and military spouses by 2024

Update: Baltimore, MD: Security guard fatally shoots man, injures woman after altercation in Giant Food store
A man is dead, and a woman is injured after a security guard shot them after a physical altercation inside a Giant Food store in northwest Baltimore, police said. There were several customers and employees inside the store when the shooting happened, including Mayor Brandon Scott's mother. She was working there at the time. The mayor's office said she's doing OK, but is a bit shaken up.

Another employee described how he ran when he heard the gunfire. An employee, working in the bakery at the Giant Food store in the 6600 block of Reisterstown Road, told 11 News he heard three shots in the front of the store just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Police said a store security guard shot two people. A man, who died at a hospital, and a woman who was shot in the hand. Police aren't giving details about the circumstances of the shooting except that it happened after a physical altercation inside the store. Police said the security guard is not a Baltimore police officer and investigators are looking into the security guard's actions. wbaltv.com

Sierra Vista, AZ: Two dead after shooting at Sierra Vista restaurant
Two people are dead Tuesday, July 13 after a man allegedly shot them at a Mexican restaurant in Tucson. Sierra Vista police Lt. Armin Lewis confirmed that a woman was pronounced dead at the scene and a man died later at a local hospital. One man is in custody, Lewis said, but he did not say his name. The victims and shooter knew each other beforehand, he said. Police plan to release more information on the shooting Wednesday. Check back for updates on this and other live, local and late breaking stories. kold.com

Franksville, WI: Man Kills One at Gas Station, Is Slain in Shootout
A man filling up his car at a Wisconsin gas station was shot and killed by another man on Tuesday, with the suspect fleeing the scene and dying soon after in a shootout with an undercover sheriff's investigator. Authorities in Wisconsin respond to an apparent shooting at a Pilot Travel Center, with one witness describing a "sea of people" fleeing the store Tuesday, July 13, 2021 in Franksville, Wis. Police released few details except to say that there was no threat to the community and that they were also investigating at a second gas station about 2 miles away.  usnews.com

Las Vegas, NV: Man shot, killed at northwest Las Vegas restaurant
A man was fatally shot during an argument at a northwest Las Vegas restaurant late Monday night. Las Vegas police Lt. Dave Valenta said police were called at 11 p.m. to the restaurant in the 5900 block of Centennial Center Boulevard, for a shooting. Valenta did not identify the restaurant by name, but more than a dozen officers and detectives were observed gathered in front of the FireRock Steakhouse at 1 a.m. 2realnews.com

Update: Charleston, SC: Judge clears store clerk of murder in customer's fatal shooting at downtown store
A 9th Circuit Court judge cleared a store clerk of murder charges in a September fatal shooting at a downtown convenience store. Suhib Yousef, a Jordanian citizen, was 18 when he was accused of fatally shooting 41-year-old David Wilson on Sept. 28 after an altercation at his uncle's store on President Street. Yousef was initially charged with attempted murder and a firearm offense. After Wilson died from his wounds, the attempted murder charge was upgraded to murder. Judge R. Markley Dennis Jr. dismissed the charges against him on June 24 after determining Yousef had a right to defend himself during his encounter with Wilson under the Protection of Persons and Property Act, the state's version of a stand-your-ground law. Officers were called to a report of a shooting at Green's Grocery, 167 President St., at 5:55 p.m. Sept. 28, according to court records. When they arrived, police found Wilson suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. postandcourier.com

Update: Akron, OH: 2 arrested in connection to October Aggravated Robbery, Murder in Akron
The two men are accused of shooting and killing a man who refused to hand over money. On Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals of Northern Ohio announced that members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested two men in connection to an October aggravated robbery and aggravated murder in Akron. According to officials, Eric Farrey Jr., 21, and a 17-year-old male were taken into custody by officers with the Akron Police Department for allegedly shooting and killing a man outside of a cell phone store in Akron in fall of 2020. Officials tell 3News that Farrey and the 17-year-old suspect approached a man outside of a cellphone store and demanded money from the victim. After the man refused to hand over any belongings, police believe the two suspects shot the man in the chest. The victim was found deceased nearby following the incident.  wkyc.com

New Haven, CT: Man gets 20 years for shootout with police at Hamden store
A New Haven man was sentenced Monday to 20 years behind bars for his role in a 2018 shootout with local police after an interrupted store robbery, according to prosecutors. Kwaun Cole, 34, was sentenced by Judge Gerald L. Harmon. The sentencing came just weeks after Cole pleaded guilty on June 3 to criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and criminal possession of a firearm as the jury selection process was underway for his scheduled criminal trial. westport-news.com
 

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Orange County, CA: 19 facing federal charges in alleged scheme to sell heroin by taking fake Mexican food phone orders at O.C. call centers
Nineteen people have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly distributing at least $2 million worth of heroin through call centers in Orange County that took phone orders for deliveries of the drugs, authorities announced. At the "Operation Horse Caller" news conference held Tuesday, the FBI detailed how the heroin scheme worked. "Customers seeking heroin called the call center using coded language largely referencing Mexican food," Kristi Johnson, FBI assistant director in charge, said. "For example, a taco or an enchilada would be used for the type of order. The call takers would then send a runner to a parking lot in Orange County to deliver the heroin to the caller in exchange for cash." ktla.com

Albuquerque, NM: APD looking for man who Pointed Gun a Harbor Freight Loss Prevention
Police are looking for a man who pointed a handgun at a store security guard over the weekend. Around 6 p.m. Friday, the man was walking out of the Harbor Freight on Menual Blvd. holding a black handgun and a 2,000-watt inverter he did not pay for. krqe.com

Mount Pleasant, WI: Elderly woman attacked by Walmart employee speaks out

San Juan, Puerto Rico: Man Who Stole Over $67,000 Charged With Three Armed Robberies Of Supermarket And Gas Stations In Cataño And Vega Baja
 

Counterfeit

Orange County, CA: 2-year prison sentence ordered for Laguna Hills man behind $72 million counterfeit cell phone parts scheme
A Laguna Hills man, who admitted orchestrating a multi-million dollar operation to import counterfeit cell phone parts and resell them as genuine brand-name products, has been sentenced to two years in prison. Chan Hung Le was also ordered on Friday to pay a $250,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States by trafficking counterfeit goods, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a news release. He and his wife co-owned EZ Elektronix, a wholesale business in Westminster that was searched multiple times by law enforcement. An attorney representing Le declined to comment Monday. Over the course of six years, he transferred over $72 million to suppliers in Hong Kong and elsewhere in China to purchase and deliver unlicensed products, some bearing the trademarks of Apple, Samsung, HTC, T-Mobile, Verizon and other tech companies, according to court documents. Three shipments of knock-off cell phone parts addressed to EZ Elektronix were intercepted by federal agents in 2010 and 2011. ocregister.com

Nogales, AZ: CBP officers bust loads of meth and $16.5M in counterfeit merchandise
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says its officers in Nogales made two recent busts involving millions of dollars worth of contraband. On July 6, Guadalupe Ramirez, director of field operations for CBP's Tucson Office posted to Twitter that Nogales-based officers had seized "numerous counterfeit goods" with an estimated retail value of $16.2 million. CBP public information officers were unable to provide any additional information on the bust, including the date it occurred and the type of merchandise that was seized. However, a photo attached to Ramirez's tweet showed an assortment of T-shirts, some bearing Mickey Mouse logos, laid out a table. nogalesinternational.com

Submit Your New Hires/Promotions or New Position

Featured Job Spotlights
 

Help Your Colleagues By Referring the Best A great industry is built one great executive at a time. And you can help, by sharing these jobs with execs you know and think highly of. Our industry is being challenged and relied on more so than ever before. With violence, crime, ORC, and fraud at historic levels, every LP/AP position plays a critical role in trying to maintain safe store environments for the associates and consumers of America. Couple that with the increased emphasis on the pandemic-driven store safety measures and we have one of the most stressful jobs in the entire retail industry. Managing and supporting these efforts is a significant and time consuming challenge itself with demanding adherence to real-time, life-threatening changes that require always-on mental attention and instant reaction. The LP/AP profession has advanced well beyond what anyone would have imagined even ten years ago. And now we have technology, the online marketplaces, and criminal justice reform, all of which are driving monumental changes and requirements. Point being, before you respond so quickly to make a referral, just take a moment and ask yourself: How is this executive going to respond when a group of teenagers come running through those front doors? Just remember your referrals are a direct reflection of you. Let's build a great industry. Make a great referral today!
	Senior AP Operations Manager, Supply Chain Albany, OR - posted July 14 As a Senior Assets Protection Operations Manager (SAPOM), you'll manage a multi-level team comprised of both exempt AP leaders and non-exempt AP Security Specialists responsible for the execution of Assets Protection routines and initiatives to support secure environments and protect Target's profitability...
	Field Loss Prevention Manager Chicago, IL - posted July 9 Manages and coordinates Loss Prevention and Safety Programs intended to protect Staples assets and ensure a safe work environment within Staples Retail locations. Conducts investigations in conjunction with Human resources involving Workplace violence and Ethics...
	Asset Protection Coordinator Rochester, NH - posted June 17 Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...
	Asset Protection Coordinator York, ME - posted June 17 Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...
	Asset Protection Coordinator Dover, NH - posted June 17 Preventing and deterring theft and limiting the loss of company assets in the stores through best-in-class service, healthy business partnerships, profit analysis, and investigations. Oversee and complete Asset Protection Department responsibilities including but not limited to internal theft investigations, external theft investigations, and physical security...

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