In Case You Missed It

March's Moving Ups

35 New Senior LP's - 19 Promotions - 16 Appointments

At Least 8 Security Officers Have Died From The COVID-19 Virus
150+ Have Tested Positive So Far
The latest of those was an NYPD school safety agent from Queens. She became the fourth casualty of the coronavirus among New York's Finest in recent days, sources said Monday. Two other New York City security officers died from the virus last week including a 69-year-old theater security officer. A Federal Court security officer passed away in Detroit and two security officers are reported to have died in California from the virus.

Private Officer has also received reports of three other security officer deaths and is working to confirm these. But confirmation and detailed information like the names of the deceased has become difficult to verify due to the HIPAA law and the delayed release of information from county health agencies. Most agencies are only reporting the number of infected or deceased persons and not detailed information such as their job position, names or other details.

There have also been more than 150 other security officers identified who have tested positive for the virus. As security officers, loss prevention agents, special police officers and TSA agents continue to work to protect life and property, they will continue to be in harm's way. Source: PrivateOfficer.org
 

7-Eleven Donates 1 Million Masks to FEMA in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

7-Eleven, Inc. has donated 1 million masks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to aid the medical community who are tirelessly battling the coronavirus pandemic. 7-Eleven has provided all stores and Franchisees with a supply of masks for use by Franchisees and their employees as they serve customers in their stores, and has donated all remaining inventory to FEMA.

The brand is also taking steps inside and outside of stores to provide customers with what they need in a safe and clean environment. Stores will soon have sneeze guards at registers, and 7-Eleven has enhanced its standards and procedures for hygiene, handwashing, sanitation, food handling as well as increased the frequency of cleaning high-touch surfaces. prnewswire.com
 

Industry Solution Providers Answering the Call
The past couple weeks the Daily has been swamped with submissions from a number of solution providers wanting to share their ideas, white papers, new products and solutions that might help during this difficult time in our country, and the world for that matter. And while we at the Daily are as concerned as everyone is about merely surviving this horrible nightmare, we too have an obligation to do what's right, not just for our industry but for the workers, consumers, and our industry colleagues.

Therefore, we'll be sharing more solution provider postings in the Daily related to new products, studies or assistance programs that aid retailers, even those submitted to us from non-sponsors. We'd like to invite the LP/AP solution provider community to email us any pandemic-related announcements they'd like to share at lpnews@d-ddaily.net. We'll post it in the Daily and in our weekly LP Newswire email, while providing other options to help maximize exposure and industry impact.

(VIDEO) Agilence: Supporting Retail During Corona Quarantine
Everyone is quarantine stir crazy so the Agilence team set out to visit customer locations to see how BOPIS (Buy Online Pickup In Store) is working for a few of their retail & restaurant customers. While the video is irreverent, we want the message to be clear that Agilence stands with our customer community & brands of all sizes during these chaotic times. Watch the video here.

Appriss Retail Shares Research on COVID-19 and Retail Sales:
Influence of Social Media on Retail Sales of Essential Items During the 2020 Pandemic

APG Releases Retail Solution to Help Reduce the Spread of COVID-19 at the Point of Sale

Indyme: Real-Time Social Distancing Reminders Promote Safer Retail Store Shopping Experience
 

Coronavirus Update: March 31

US: 173K+ Cases, 3,433 Dead --
Globally: 815K+ Cases, 40K+ Dead

Walmart to Check Temperatures of Store Workers Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Walmart will start taking temperatures of U.S. store workers at the start of each shift and offering masks for those employees who wish to wear them, the company said Tuesday.

"We are in the process of sending infrared thermometers to all locations, which could take up to three weeks," the company said in a blog post. Employees with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be sent home with pay and will be unable to return until fever free for three days.

The company said it would take one to two weeks for the masks to arrive at its stores. "They will be high-quality masks, but not N95 respirators-which should be reserved for at-risk health-care workers," the company said.

Walmart is the country's largest private employer with around 1.5 million workers. Its stores have largely remained open in the U.S., China and other areas throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The company has been closing its U.S. locations overnight to allow for cleaning, installing sneeze guards at registers and has promoted social distancing with signs. wsj.com

DOJ Task Force's Popping Up All Over the Country
U.S. Attorney Announces Multi-Agency Group To Investigate
& Prosecute COVID-19 Fraud
U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez today announced that, in response to the increased threat of fraud presented by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have joined together to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force.

Some examples of these fraudulent schemes include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.

• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.

• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.

The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. From there, complaints will be coordinated among at least 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities. justice.gov

Biometrics industry seeing higher demand and adapting technology to help outbreak mitigation
Biometrics is one of the industries singled out as experiencing a surge in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic by Research And Markets.

Facial recognition is being pitched by technology providers as a contactless alternative to fingerprint scanners in many cases, the market research vendor says, singling out Dermalog and Telpo. Companies are also adapting facial recognition software to work with masks.

ResearchAndMarkets.com pointed out 30 industries seeing demand increases from the pandemic, with biometrics third on the list.

New technologies, implementations, certifications and pilots related to the outbreak continue to be announced.

Remote fever detection from Digital Barriers remote real-time fever detection and remote monitoring offering featuring both HD and thermal cameras to help safeguard frontline workers against viral infection.
Creating the free COVIDA app to help organize social support systems for vulnerable elderly people to practice self-isolation during the pandemic crisis.

Age estimation and contactless ID technology - Coronavirus citizen quarantine compliance technology biometricupdate.com

Mall's Doomsday?
Malls Survived The Retail Apocalypse, But Coronavirus Threatens To Be Their Armageddon
Retail faces a doomsday scenario of biblical proportions now. Major national retailers largely ignored the prophetic warnings of the retail apocalypse and now face the final battle that will occur in the nation's 1,200 malls, retail's Meggido.

Already, RetailNext reports that 97% of the 450 brick-and-mortar retail executives it just surveyed have closed some or all of their doors. How many of those stores are located in malls is undetermined, but it stands to reason that a vast majority have significant mall exposure, since malls are filled with non-essential retail businesses which have been forced shut vs. essential ones that have remained open.

Facing another month of closures, 96% of the retailers surveyed are seeking rent abatement from landlords. At least one major mall owner, Taubman, has publicly nixed any such concessions in a letter to tenants.

And there remains another wildcard: many malls may not be able to open at the end of April depending upon local conditions. Since the coronavirus threat appears to be greater in high population areas - just the kind of places where malls are located - malls may face extended closings in local communities.

As of mid-March Coresight Research expects 15,000 stores to close permanently in 2020, but it could go even higher depending on the duration of the coronavirus.

Malls to become do-not-enter zones afterward - Read more here

Nielsen: Sales are skyrocketing in these categories due to COVID-19

Consumer demand for key products is rising well into three-digit growth rates compared to 2019.

According to Nielsen total U.S. dollar sales data, sales of some items in the health/safety/cleaning, food, beverages, pet, and beauty products categories for the one- and four-week periods ending Saturday, March 21, 2020, are up dramatically year-over-year. Following are some highlights from each category:

Health, safety & cleaning products - Food - Beverages chainstoreage.com

Columbia Sportswear employees to receive regular pay as CEO cuts own salary to $10,000

Hobby Lobby open during coronavirus pandemic, even as other retailers close
 

More Than 500,000 Retail Workers Furloughed
Largest US mall owner, Simon Property, furloughs 30% of workforce, adding to avalanche of coronavirus-related retail layoffs

It has also permanently laid off some employees.

As of Dec. 31, Simon had roughly 4,500 employees, of which 1,500 were part time, according to its latest annual filing. About 1,000 of those people worked from Simon's Indianapolis headquarters, it said. cnbc.com

Canceled orders and furloughed employees are part of today's retail reality
In a letter to vendors last Thursday, Ross Stores canceled all purchase orders through June 18, joining numerous other "non-essential" retailers that are taking drastic steps to preserve cash as a shield against the impact of the coronavirus.

WWD reported last week that moves by stores to cancel orders and postpone payments to vendors has increased as the operational and financial realities of the outbreak have become clear.

A Wall Street Journal report last week said H&M, Marks & Spencer and Primark were among European retailers suspending or canceling orders. A H&M spokesperson told the Journal, "Our long-term commitment to suppliers will remain intact, but in this extreme situation we need to respond fast."

Many retailers are quickly rolling out cost-containment efforts, including reducing salaries and implementing furloughs. The top executives at Dick's Sporting Goods, Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom and L Brands have all agreed to forgo their salaries and reduce the pay of their management teams.

Yesterday, both Macy's and Kohl's announced they were furloughing the majority of their employees. In Macy's case, that means around 125,000 people will not be working; for Kohl's, the number is about 85,000.

Nordstrom has also announced that it is furloughing a portion of corporate employees for six weeks. retailwire.com

New Retail Layoffs & Furloughs

Kohl's will furlough about 85,000 employees

Gap Inc. furloughing 80,000 store workers because of coronavirus hit to sales

Neiman Marcus to furlough nearly 14,000 workers amid virus crisis

L Brands announces 'most' store associates will be furloughed starting April 4

Urban Outfitters furloughing 'substantial number' of store, wholesale & corporate employees for 60 days starting April 1

Christopher & Banks furloughing all store associates & 60% of remaining workforce

Cato Furloughs Most of Workforce

Simon Property furloughs 30% of workforce

David's Bridal furloughing "vast majority" of store employees & over 50% of corporate workforce

RTW Retailwinds furloughing all store associates & "significant portion" of corporate employees

UK dollar store Poundland temporarily closes 100 stores, furloughs 250 HQ employees
 

Retailers Predict 50% Revenue Impact Due To Coronavirus In New Survey

The spread of coronavirus is causing 'dramatic' losses for retailers

If things persist for six months revenue will be impacted by 50 percent. There will be an overall reduction of future buys by 25 to 50 percent. At the moment, 63 percent of retailers are reporting to cancel on order products that are yet to arrive.

The results of the Covid-19 Retailer Survey are from NuORDER. When asked if the retailers had closed stores or are planning to close stores, 43 percent reported that all locations are closed, 4 percent stated that some are closed, 31 percent are open, but with reduced staff, and 22 percent said there are no store closures and that they're operating as normal.

Stores project at least a 25 percent decrease in annual sales over the next three months, which will no doubt cause many small retailers to suffer. Eighty-two percent of buyers reported that they will reduce their buys by 25 to 50 percent next season.

To curb losses, 28 percent of retailers reported increasing an online presence, 26 percent said they would cut overhead, 23 percent would like to reduce inventory, and 18 percent reported they would like to discount still existing inventory. Fifty-two percent of vendors said they would like to see extended credit terms during this period. forbes.com

Amazon fires warehouse worker who led Staten Island strike
for more coronavirus protection
Amazon has fired a Staten Island warehouse worker who organized a strike to demand greater protections for employees amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Smalls, a management assistant at the facility, known as JFK8, said he was fired Monday afternoon following the strike. Smalls and other employees walked out to call attention to the lack of protections for warehouse workers. The workers are also urging Amazon to close the facility after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus last week. The organizers said that at least 50 people joined the walkout.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that Smalls was fired, saying he received "multiple warnings" for violating social distancing guidelines and refusing to remain quarantined after coming into close contact with an associate who tested positive for the virus. cnbc.com

Chicago: Medical examiner rules death of alleged shoplifter at Boystown Jewel-Osco was homicide
The Cook County Medical Examiner has ruled the death of an alleged shoplifter who struggled with a security guard at a Lakeview grocery store late last year was a homicide.

Police allegedly found 55-year-old Eugenio Escriba Guzman unresponsive, handcuffed, and lying on a crate in the store's security office on the evening before Thanksgiving 2019. Minutes earlier, Guzman struggled with a security guard and other employees who tried to stop him for allegedly stealing toiletries, according to police. CPD officers began administering CPR, but fire department personnel later pronounced him dead at the store, 3531 North Broadway.

Now, the medical examiner has determined that Guzman died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease with "stress due to physical restraint" and "methamphetamine toxicity" as secondary causes. The manner of his death is homicide, the medical examiner said.

Guzman's family filed an eight count civil lawsuit against Jewel in December that seeks more than $400,000 in damages. cwbchicago.com

"It looks like hell." Coronavirus has Philly businesses boarding up as if bracing for a hurricane

New York State coronavirus cases top 75,000, death toll reaches 1,550

Dr. Anthony Fauci sees 'glimmers' that social distancing is 'dampening' coronavirus outbreak

6 feet enough for social distancing?
MIT researcher says droplets carrying coronavirus can travel up to 27 feet
 

Senior LP Job Postings Removed from Website:

• VP, Information Security - Tractor Supply Co. - Brentwood, TN
• Sr. Director, Voice Theft/Fraud - Comcast - Greenwood Village, CO
• Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Dir. - PwC - Seattle, WA
• Senior Manager, Field Asset Protection - Carvana - Phoenix, AZ
• Mgr. Physical Security Programs & Technology - Grainger - Lake Forest, IL

Click here to see senior LP/AP job openings.
 

Apple announces COVID-19 website & app in partnership with CDC & White House
Apple has developed a new website and app that will provide a screening tool for COVID-19 symptoms as well as up-to-date information from trusted sources about the coronavirus outbreak.

The software announced Friday was developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control, the White House-led coronavirus task force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. cnbc.com

Using Zoom For Video Conferencing @ Home? Beware of it's darkside

Forget Facebook: Zoom is the tech industry’s newest problem child

Just like every other platform that’s exploded in popularity, the videoconferencing system has problems with child pornography and privacy.

A tech company, basking in the glow of viral user growth, becomes an investor darling. Over the span of just a few months, the company’s valuation doubles. More than that, it becomes a cultural phenomenon, beloved by users of all ages and flooded with examples of feel-good creativity.

But there is a dark underside to this company. It has a child abuse problem. And a porn problem. And a privacy problem. Does anyone care?

Today, the problem platform is Zoom, but there’s a reason this narrative feels like déjà vu. It’s because we’ve seen it before with YouTube, Facebook, and every other Silicon Valley platform that has spent the past decade monetizing users while evading regulation. Moreover, we’ll see it with every platform that follows, unless we finally make policy changes that protect users and hold platforms accountable.

Federal prosecutor Austin Berry referred to Zoom as “the Netflix of child pornography” in his closing remarks, according to The New York Times.

Zoom says it has improved its ability to police such content. But over the last several weeks, as people self-isolating at home have flocked to the service, many are seeing their happy hours and discussion groups “Zoombombed” by users broadcasting graphic pornography.

For adults, such disruptions can be a mostly laughing matter. But for children—one of Zoom’s fastest-growing constituencies, as schools and daycares shut down—the ramifications are far different. Will teachers powering up the video service for the first time realize that the onus is on them to switch on Zoom’s troll-prevention setting?

After this story was published, news broke that the office of New York Attorney General Leticia James is looking into Zoom’s security and privacy practices. In addition, The Intercept reported that Zoom does not provide end-to-end encryption for its services, despite what its marketing materials say. Vice reported that the video conferencing company has leaked the personal emails and images of thousands of users. fastcompany.com

RELATED: Zoom Stops Transferring Data by Default to Facebook

The Fixers For Corporations
When hackers kidnap their data, companies are increasingly using ‘breach coaches’ and negotiators
Cyberinsurers can help providers recover from digital attacks or even make ransom payments to recover lost data.

“These are very urgent situations,” says Bill Siegel, cofounder and CEO of Coveware, a ransomware recovery company based in Connecticut. “The position the companies are typically in is one of severe business disruption.”

For the growing number of organizations with cyberinsurance policies that cover digital attacks, the answer is often their insurers, who will often quickly put them in touch with so-called “breach coaches“—a term that usually refers to specialized attorneys who’ve essentially become fixers in the fight against ransomware.

John Mullen, whose law firm Mullen Coughlin specializes in data breach situations, says his firm operates hotlines where dozens of insurers, brokers, and their clients can leave voice messages in the event of a ransomware attack or other breach.

“If you would, we’re the general contractor,” Mullen says. “We’re going to bring in the plumbers.” fastcompany.com

Securing Your Remote Workforce: A Coronavirus Guide for Businesses