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10/27/20

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Axis Communications 'Security Insights' Podcast - Latest Episode:

Organized Retail Crime - Awareness Now & Leading Up to the Holidays
We are approaching what some retailers expect to be a “Crime Tsunami” as the holiday season, and the continuing pandemic, present new challenges for retailers across North America. We, together with two major retailers, discuss how current trends and future shifts could affect retailers in Canada and the USA. Listen Here

Episode panel includes:
● Matt Brenner, Director, Global Investigation s & ORC, Gap Inc.
● Nigel Ramoutar, External Fraud & Crime Specialist, Rexall Pharmacy Group
● Hedgie Bartol, Retail Business Development Manager, Axis Communications

Listen to more Security Insights episodes:
● Pivoting business operations today for preparedness tomorrow
● Beyond de-escalation tactics in retail

UK's LP Think Tank - ECR Retail Loss Group Hosting Webinar Tomorrow

Self-Checkout - How Design Thinking Can Improve Participation, Scan Accuracy and Reduce Walkaways

Wed, Oct 28 @ 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT - Register Here

Join over 60 retail organizations, see 20 new design ideas to reduce loss and increase participation, and hear responses to the research from Carrefour and Lidl. All webinar participants will be the very first to receive a new report commissioned by the ECR Retail Loss Group with academics from the University of Arts Design Against Crime team. The report will look to understand how shoppers are using, misusing and abusing self-checkouts.

Georgia AG Supporting INFORM ACT

Op/Ed: Congress can help stop organized retail crime

By Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr

Organized retail crime impacts 97% of retailers in Georgia. Last year, Dunwoody police, who say the bulk of the service calls they receive every day are related to theft, conducted two sting operations in partnership with the Georgia Retailers Organized Retail Crime Alliance that resulted in the arrest of more than 40 people. Home Depot has reported instances of criminals stealing carts full of merchandise, shoving employees aside in the process.

Such criminal activity exposes Georgia retail workers to potentially dangerous encounters, puts consumers at risk of unknowingly purchasing expired and defective goods from online marketplaces and threatens the health and growth of local businesses. In fact, the Department of Homeland Security has warned about the dangers posed to the public.

Organized retail crime is also a kingpin for other criminal operations. The International Criminal Police Organization, or INTERPOL, has said that there is a direct link between organized retail crime and human trafficking, drug trafficking, corruption, bribery and money laundering. Continue Reading

Unrest, Violence & Protests

Proactive Stance Hopefully Impacts Turnout
In Advance of U.S. Election, Retailers and Cities Practice Preparedness

Officials and business owners in Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis and other major cities are being proactive about safety.

Preparedness is at the root of many of the discussions and protocols that are being put in place to try to prevent any personal injury or property damage in the event of any civic unrest in major cities around Election Day. In Portland, Ore., and Seattle — two cities that erupted with violence and upheaval following the killing of George Floyd while under the custody of Minneapolis police officers — law enforcement officials are helping to keep business owners informed.

John Elder, the Minneapolis Police Department’s director of police information, said, “We are aware of current and future possible flash points that present challenges on both a local and national level. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, locally, regionally and federally in order to properly respond to situations as they unfold.

Following the upheaval last spring, the Chicago police department and city officials created a public-private partnership that is coordinated by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. In recent months that group has been briefing business organizations such as the Magnificent Mile Association on a weekly basis about plans for a long-term strategy to keep city residents safe and businesses protected in the event of civil unrest.

Chicago's efforts included the creation of Chicago Police’s Critical Incident Response team with MMA members being notified when deployed. Continue reading

Police @ Polls Unlawful in Some States
Police Struggle to Protect Voters and Avoid Intimidation at Polls

Concern about police presence at voting sites dates to Jim Crow era, when police intimidated Black voters

States and cities across the U.S. are wrestling with a delicate task as they gear up for the possibility of violence on Election Day: how to keep voters safe without deploying a police presence that could intimidate some voters.

So far, authorities have taken different approaches. Michigan has moved to ban firearms at the polls after armed protests took place at the state capitol. Police in New York City plan to boost their presence in and around polling sites.

While a number of states ban police at the polls unless they are asked to help with a particular situation by election officials, some are encouraging officers to be nearby, but not at, election sites.

The concern among law-enforcement officials is that efforts to protect voters put them in the position of policing the polls, a practice that historically has been discouraged or even forbidden by law.

Armed militia groups like the Oath Keepers have pledged to monitor polling places in presidential battleground states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Carolina. A private security firm that was recruiting ex-special forces operatives as shadow poll watchers is being sued by a voter-rights group in Minnesota.

Democrats are also planning to field a robust poll-watching effort, with the goal of ensuring voter participation, amid an atmosphere rife with tension across the country

Two armed security guards showed up last Wednesday at an early-voting location in St. Petersburg, Fla., according to election officials, sparking concerns in the tightly contested state. wsj.com

In Case You Missed It
D&D Daily Survey: Election Violence & Protests
How are you preparing?
Given the current elective divisiveness coupled with the nation reeling from protests, rioting, and looting since George Floyd's death in Minneapolis and the COVID-19 lockdowns, restrictions and social isolation, law enforcement and intelligence agencies across the nation are preparing for protests and violence throughout the election process. Especially given the long, drawn out mail-in ballots that will reportedly take up to a week or more to determine the winner.

That being said, we wanted to provide the community with a public survey/benchmark that can be shared and hopefully provide value with your individual review and preparation process.

Please take 5 minutes and share your thoughts: Click here to take the short survey

Survey Ends Wed. – Results This Week in the Daily

Violence & Looting in Philly
30 Philadelphia officers injured, one run over by truck, in protests after police fatally shoot Black man

Angry crowds took to the streets in West Philadelphia overnight in response to the death of Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man armed with a knife who police shot and killed Monday, with some in the crowds throwing rocks and bricks at police and some looting or vandalizing businesses.

At least 30 police officers were hurt, police said. One was hospitalized, a 56-year-old sergeant who was struck by a pickup truck at 52nd and Walnut streets early Tuesday. Her leg was broken, among other injuries, police said.

Police cars and dumpsters were set on fire as police struggled to contain the crowds. More than a dozen officers, many with batons in hand, formed a line as they ran down 52nd Street chasing protesters away from the main thoroughfare. Police said five police vehicles and one fire department vehicle were vandalized. More than 30 people were arrested for throwing rocks and bricks at police or looting, police said.

Looters seized on the night of unrest. Police said numerous stores were broken into, including several Rite Aid stores in West Philadelphia, clothing and shoe stores and at least one restaurant. People could also be seen trying to break into a check cashing store and going in and out of a beauty supply store. Clothes and merchandise were strewn across the sidewalk and street at 57th and Vine streets, where the glass screens of two ATMs had been bashed in.

The looting, vandalism and violence were initially concentrated in West Philadelphia's commercial corridors. But, unrest and looting was also reported in other parts of the city, including Center City and North Philly. The looting picked up again before daybreak as people could be seen going in and out of stores. nbcphiladelphia.com

White House ‘Prepared To Deploy Federal Resources’ If Necessary Following Night Of Violence, Looting Over Fatal Police Shooting Of Walter Wallace Jr.

NYC: Fights break out between pro-Trump caravan and protesters; 7 arrested

NYC: Civil rights groups sue de Blasio, NYPD over protest response

Video redaction software enables enhanced transparency for Ohio police department

COVID Update

US: Over 8.9M Cases - 231K Dead - 5.8M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 44M Cases - 1.1M Dead - 32.3M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 203
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 130
*Red indicates change in total deaths

15 Minutes Exposure in 24 Hours
New CDC Guidance Makes Contact Tracing More Difficult for Employers
Employers will have to revise their COVID-19-related safety policies and practices to meet new guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on what it means to have been in "close contact" with an infected person.

Under prior guidance, the CDC defined a close contact as someone who spent at least 15 consecutive minutes within six feet of an infected person, thus putting the individual at higher risk of contracting the virus.

The CDC updated its guidance to define a close contact as:

Someone who was within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

"We are now looking at cumulative rather than consecutive," said Jonathan A. Segal, an attorney with Duane Morris in Philadelphia. So a person who was exposed three times in a 24-hour period—for five minutes during each encounter—would meet the definition.

What should employers do in light of the new guidelines? "Revise your current policies and forms based on the new definition of close contact and … wear a mask," Burgett said. shrm.org

The COVID Squeeze is Here & Retailers Are in the Middle
Lenders Cracking Down on Mall Owners Behind on the Mortgage
More lenders are starting to deliver a stern new message to delinquent mall owners: time to pay up.

During the early months of the pandemic, lenders were willing to allow rent deferrals and offer other concessions to retail property owners. Retail cash flow would return once the initial lockdown period passed, lenders figured. But the pandemic has accelerated store closures. In a big blow to dozens of malls, Lord & Taylor filed for bankruptcy in August and will close all 38 of its stores.

Now, as many landlords continue to struggle and miss payments, some banks and other lenders think it is time to start cracking down.

In one recent example, lenders to the Saks Fifth Avenue store at Miami’s Dadeland Mall are foreclosing on the property owner after it defaulted on its mortgage payment in April, and hasn’t paid since, according to court documents filed at a court in Miami-Dade County.

Meanwhile, a number of mall owners are filing lawsuits against retailers that they say have the financial ability to meet their obligations but haven’t paid rent. Some tenants, in turn, have asked the courts to allow them to break their leases.

“Every step of the way, everyone is fighting each other to see who will take the loss,” Jim Costello, senior vice president of research firm Real Capital Analytics. wsj.com

Survey: More Than Half of Consumers Will Keep Out of Stores
This Holiday Season Due to COVID-19
A new SecurityNerd survey finds that the pandemic will dramatically change retail holiday shopping behaviors. Respondents said the time-honored tradition of gift-giving will be impacted and that they have significant concerns that holiday shipments may not arrive safely.

● 54% plan to minimize in-store holiday shopping compared to years past
● 43% will scale back in-person holiday gift exchanges with friends and family
● 38% plan to ship directly from retailer to recipient
● 40% are concerned about “porch pirates” and package theft businesswire.com

Italy protests new COVID-19 lockdown with fires, looting
Italians violently protested lockdown measures imposed Monday after a boom in COVID-19 cases. Gyms, pools, cinemas, and theaters were required to close until November 24, and bars and restaurants were forced to close by 6 p.m. each day.

Demonstrators clashed with police officers in cities like Rome, Turin, Milan, and Naples, as well as in smaller towns. The police made dozens of arrests. Videos posted on social media showed a group of people breaking into and looting a Gucci store in Turin. A Louis Vuitton store in the city was also hit. businessinsider.com

Boll & Branch Becomes First Retail Store to Install New, State-of-the-Art Far-UVC Sanitizing Technology

‘Shots in Arms Within 24 Hours:’ Army General’s Complex Vaccine Delivery Task Takes Shape

UK BBC Report: Supermarket staff: 'We feel unsafe when customers don't wear masks'

Former eBay Global Security Op's Employee Pleads Guilty
Former eBay Employee Pleads Guilty in Aggressive Cyberstalking Campaign
A former supervisor of security operations for eBay’s European and Asian offices pleaded guilty today to his role in a cyberstalking campaign targeting a Natick, Mass. couple who published a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company.

Philip Cooke, 55, of San Jose, Calif., a former police captain in Santa Clara, Calif., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. Sentencing is Feb. 24, 2021.

It is alleged that in August 2019, the seven defendants executed a three-part harassment campaign against the Natick couple. Among other things, several of the defendants ordered anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, including a preserved fetal pig, a bloody pig Halloween mask and a book on surviving the loss of a spouse.

As part of the second phase of the campaign, some of the defendants allegedly sent private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to visit the victims in Natick.

The third phase of the campaign allegedly involved surveilling the victims in their home and community. The victims spotted the surveillance, however, and notified the Natick police, who began to investigate.

Aware that the police were investigating, the defendants allegedly sought to interfere with the investigation.

The charges of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses each carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. justice.gov

Editor's Note: The Global Security group was and still is a separate group from Loss Prevention team and effort.

Security & Data Privacy Becomes #1 Priority of CFO's Globally
Industry First - Driven by Breaches, Insiders, Protests, Sexual Harassment

CFO role expands amid pandemic, according to survey
Protiviti’s annual Finance Trends Survey found that the pandemic has served as a wake-up call to finance departments that were not already investing – or not investing enough – in cloud infrastructure as they struggled to shift to the remote and fragmented work environment.

Survey respondents (1,000 finance leaders) were asked to rate 17 finance areas on a 10-point scale, considering the importance to improve knowledge and capabilities in each of them over the next 12 months. Of those, the top five priority areas for finance organizations to improve were identified as the following:

1. Security and privacy of data

2. Enhance data analytics

3. Changing demands and expectations of internal customers

4. Cloud-based applications

5. Challenges with regulations

“Having the right technology infrastructure and cloud capabilities is now considered a baseline in order to operate effectively and efficiently and will continue to be as organizations move into a hybrid work environment," chainstoreage.com

Reputation Hit? Does SEC or Courts Jump In To Close Loophole?
Bonuses before bankruptcy: Companies doled out millions to executives before filing for Chapter 11
Major brands like Hertz, J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus issued six- and seven-figure payouts before asking bankruptcy courts to shield them from creditors during restructuring — often before erasing thousands of jobs — court and regulatory documents show.

Since the pandemic took hold in March, at least 18 large companies have rewarded executives with six- and seven-figure payouts before asking bankruptcy courts to shield them from landlords, suppliers and other creditors while they restructured, the Post review found. They collectively meted out more than $135 million, documents show, while listing $79 billion in debts.

Labor experts and bankruptcy attorneys say the payouts are particularly egregious — and unjustifiable — during an economic crisis, and were timed to bypass a 2005 law passed specifically to prevent executives from prospering while their companies flailed.

The rise of pre-bankruptcy bonuses corresponds with the passage of 2005 legislation meant to stamp out such payouts during reorganization, attorneys say. The Post’s review found that companies typically awarded bonuses within weeks — or days in several cases — of filing for Chapter 11 protection. washingtonpost.com

‘Our Purpose to Feed the Human Spirit’: Kroger's CEO
Kroger enacts sweeping plan to promote diversity and inclusion

‘Framework for Action’ aims to create ‘real change now and into the future,’ CEO Rodney McMullen says

The Kroger Co. has unveiled a multi-pronged plan to foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace as well as in the thousands of communities served by its supermarkets.

Kroger said Monday the Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative focuses on five areas, covering 10 short- and long-term efforts: creating a more inclusive culture, developing diverse talent, advancing diverse partnership, advancing equitable communities, and “deeply listening” and reporting on progress. The nation’s largest supermarket operator, with nearly 2,800 stores under more than 20 retail banners, Kroger said the plan was developed in tandem with associates and leaders across the company. supermarketnews.com

What the CEO's Read:
For the Retail Student

BBB Rising - Five Big Ways BBB Is Working Its Way Back
For decades Bed Bath & Beyond was all about opening new stores. It all worked fine…until it didn’t. It’s no secret that as other big U.S. retailing companies were coming to the rationalization that they had too many stores and that online was the growth medium of the future, BBB apparently didn’t get the memo. It slowed down the number of new stores but kept opening new ones and made no effort to justify the purchases it had made.

When Tritton took the CEO job 11 months ago, coming over from Target where he was chief merchant, he inherited a very much entrenched management group, many of whom were BBB lifers, or at least near lifers. The company’s inbred culture was broken and risk-adverse to a fault. Tritton made hard choices and he made them fast. Less than 60 days after arriving he got rid of the entire C-level management group. therobinreport.com

Great story of how far a retailer can go in 11 months. therobinreport.com

COVID Wipes Out 159 Year NYC Tradition
Macy's Herald Square Cancels it's Miracle on 34th Street Santa Meet & Greet Started in 1861
There will be no miracle on 34th Street this year – at least not at Macy’s Herald Square flagship in New York. Which is sure to disappoint the nearly quarter of a million people who typically visit Santa at the Herald Square store each year.

“At Macy’s, the safety of our customers and colleagues is paramount,” said Susan Tercero, Macy’s VP of branded entertainment. “To replicate the magical experience of visiting Macy’s Santaland for children and their families, we will shift to a virtual engagement this year.” chainstoreage.com

California Wildfires
100,000 told to evacuate as utility says it may have sparked blaze
A power company in southern California says its equipment may have sparked a fast-moving wildfire that has forced evacuation orders for around 100,000 people and seriously injured two firefighters.

The Silverado fire sparked early in Orange County on Monday, quickly jumping a highway and exploding to 4,000 acres. The fire had doubled in size within two hours, with strong wind gusts pushing flames along brushy ridges in Silverado canyon toward thousands of homes. In total, 20,000 homes in the city of Irvine, 40 miles south-east of downtown Los Angeles, have been evacuated, according to firefighters.

Dunkin’ Brands in potential $8.8B blockbuster deal to sell itself

Gap mulls closure of entire store estate in Europe

Thursday Oct. 29th Q2 Results for Over a Dozen Retailers

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Vice President, Loss Prevention job posted for Public Storage in Glendale, CA
The Vice President, Loss Prevention will develop and lead the Loss Prevention and Safety strategies and team to protect the our company’s 2500+ stores, throughout the US, supported by our 5500+ employees who deliver approximately $2.5+ billion in annual revenue. As a business leader, the VP will create and implement programs and practices that provide a safe and secure environment for Public Storage Properties, employees, and customers; and will lead the our business to minimize Total Loss. indeed.com

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Hanwha Announces Wisenet X series PTZ PLUS Cameras, powered by the Wisenet 7 SoC

Based on new Wisenet 7 SoC, new cameras feature AI-based object tracking, enhanced cyber security, precise PTZ control, and clear images in all lighting conditions

Teaneck, NJ - Hanwha Techwin America, a global supplier of IP and analog video surveillance solutions, has announced the launch of its new high definition Wisenet X PTZ PLUS cameras. Available immediately from Hanwha’s extensive network of resellers and systems integrators, the new cameras feature AI-based object tracking, precise PTZ control, improved pre-set accuracy, adaptive IR illumination and enhanced cyber security.

Designed for perimeter protection and large, open area applications such as airports, parking lots, industrial estates, stadiums and city centers, the new 2MP, 6MP and 4K Wisenet X PTZ PLUS cameras are able to capture forensic-level image quality at a distance of up to 650 feet (200 meters). Featuring adaptive IR technology which adjusts the power of the camera’s IR LEDs, they can match the level of zoom regardless of the lighting conditions.

Wisenet 7 chipset
At the heart of the new Wisenet X PTZ PLUS cameras is Wisenet 7, Hanwha Techwin’s ground-breaking proprietary System on a Chip (SoC), significantly enhancing the cameras’ cyber security credentials. The cameras also benefit from a Hanwha Techwin proprietary device certificate issuing system which embeds unique certificates into Wisenet products during the development phase and the manufacturing process. Additional cyber security features include ‘Secure by Default’ configuration and UL CAP certification.

Wisenet 7 also ensures the capture of high-quality images with an ‘extreme’ Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) feature utilizing Local Contrast Enhancement and Scene Analysis technologies to capture ultra-clear images from scenes containing a challenging mix of bright and dark areas.

Auto-Tracking | Preset Accuracy | Installer Friendly

Read More Here

RH-ISAC: 7 Crazy Things That Happen in Your Online Story Every Day
Particularly during the pandemic, a greater percentage of our transactions are taking place online. And for those of us who work in the digital retail space, cybersecurity is a familiar concept: nobody ignores the need to protect our digital assets anymore. But are we really as well-protected as we think we are?

RH-ISAC and The Media Trust are exploring some of the unexpected sides of online retail in our series, 7 Crazy Things That Happen in Your Online Story Every Day. The first in this series, “Crazy Things You Wouldn’t See in Brick & Mortar,” focuses on online security controls and monitoring with retail stores. What is happening on your eCommerce site daily? And based on reviews of several hundred eCommerce retailers, we found that it was all too common to find:

● No monitoring at all – many retailers don’t monitor their online stores at all.
● Manual monitoring – some retailers were only monitoring select pages at random frequencies
● Automated monitoring – even fewer retailers were performing automated monitoring, usually in a limited capacity rhisac.org

Police Battle Criminal Abuse of Cryptocurrency, Encryption
Europol's Philipp Amann Describes Latest Cybercrime Trends Across EU and Beyond

"Cybercrime is an evolution, not a revolution," says Philipp Amann, the head of strategy at the European Cybercrime Center, aka EC3, which is part of the EU's law enforcement intelligence agency, Europol.

Exactly how cybercrime has been evolving - and what police and policymakers are doing to better combat the latest changes - is the focus of Europol's latest Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA). The annual report distills the latest insights from Europol's work with law enforcement agencies in Europe and elsewhere that are on the front lines of attempting to track and disrupt cyber-enabled crime, frequently across international borders.

Amann says today's chief threat remains ransomware. He notes that ransomware-wielding gangs have been a fixture of the COVID-19 pandemic because they have been targeting healthcare organizations providing critical care and services.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Amann also discusses:

● The latest ransomware trends;

● How data breaches and extortion have changed in the era of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation;

● Cross-cutting factors, including criminal abuse of cryptocurrency, encryption and artificial intelligence, and ongoing social engineering attacks. govinfosecurity.com

Drone risk mitigation: Implementing counter-drone security success
Among the challenges facing the security of high-risk facilities, locations, and events is the inexpensive, highly capable airborne threat from drones. securitymagazine.com

Attackers finding new ways to exploit and bypass Office 365 defenses
March to August 2020, over 925,000 malicious emails bypass Office 365 defenses & secure email gateways (SEGs) helpnetsecurity.com

How to turn on end-to-end encryption in Zoom (and why you should)
Zoom has finally launched end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for all users. Here’s how to enable it right now. fastcompany.com

COVID-19 Tracing Notifications on Your Phone

Apple and Google have teamed up to create a system that notifies cellphone users when they’ve been exposed to a COVID-19 patient. It allows you to alert the system if you’ve been in contact with COVID-19 or you can be alerted if you’ve been exposed to someone who has shared they have been in contact with COVID-19. The Exposure Notifications system only works if you decide to opt-in. Turned off by default, you can enable by going into your iPhone or Android phone’s Settings and looking for Exposure Notifications.

The Reason Congress Should Pass The INFORM Consumers Act of 2020

Falling thru the Cracks - Validating & Investigating 1.7 Million Sellers
Amazon has created fertile ground for bribery schemes, sellers say
In the wake of a $100 million Amazon bribery scandal, sellers say the tech giant deserves more scrutiny for suspending merchants with no warning and little explanation.

Last month, US federal authorities indicted six e-commerce consultants and former Amazon employees in a $100 million bribery scheme in which insiders allegedly accepted payments to help certain Amazon merchants on the platform and hurt others. In the close-knit world of top Amazon sellers and consultants, this was big news. But it was not a surprise. Rumors of such behavior are common in industry circles, and Amazon itself admitted in 2018 that it was investigating employees for reportedly leaking internal marketplace data to outsiders in exchange for cash.

In the weeks since the indictments, a half dozen top-earning Amazon sellers told Recode that the consultants and former employees indicted should face the legal consequences if they broke the law. But these same top sellers also argued that the problem is much bigger than a few bad apples and that Amazon deserves scrutiny for creating the fertile ground for bribery schemes to blossom. The reason? Amazon’s inability or refusal to consistently offer adequate support to its 1.7 million sellers when they have issues, especially when it comes to suspensions that Amazon hands down with little explanation and sometimes no warning. On top of these issues, it’s not uncommon for sellers to languish in Amazon purgatory for weeks or months trying to reinstate their business, either on their own or with the help of an ecosystem of consultants — some of whom prey on merchants’ desperation. vox.com

Editor's Note: Great story of just how monumental the task of monitoring and investigating sellers truly is. Not to mention the ROI of funding the effort. One might consider that until legally required to do so under a set of guidelines will Amazon ever build and manage the investigative effort needed to control the risks.

A perfect statement from them regarding this article reflects the size of the issue: "Fan, the Amazon spokesperson, emailed Recode a statement that read in part: “Amazon’s Selling Partner Support team handled more than 51 million contacts from selling partners in 2019, and we strive to respond to and resolve every contact expeditiously.” "Amazon sellers acknowledge that scaling seller support at Amazon’s size is a challenge." Just a thought. - Gus Downing

Amazon Investigators & Cybersecurity Experts Complimented by U.S. Attorney
DOJ: Six indicted in connection with multi-million dollar scheme to bribe Amazon employees and contractors
Seattle - Six people have been indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Washington with conspiring to pay over $100,000 in commercial bribes to Amazon employees and contractors, in exchange for an unfair competitive advantage on the Amazon Marketplace.

According to the Indictment, since at least 2017, the defendants have used bribery and fraud to benefit merchant accounts on the Amazon Marketplace, resulting in more than $100 million of competitive benefits to those accounts, harm to competitors, and harm to consumers. More specifically, the Indictment alleges that the defendants served as consultants to so-called third-party (“3P”) sellers on the Amazon Marketplace. Those 3P sellers consisted of individuals and entities who sold a wide range of goods, including household goods, consumer electronics, and dietary supplements on Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar electronic commerce platform. In addition to providing consulting services to these 3P sellers, some of the defendants, including NILSEN, LECCESE, and NUHANOVIC, made their own sales on the Amazon Marketplace through 3P accounts they operated.

U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran, "I commend the investigators and cybersecurity experts who have worked to identify and indict those engaged in these illegal schemes.” justice.gov

Click here to see the D&D Daily's INFORM Consumers Act toolkit and how you can help get it on Donald Trump's desk.

Amazon Tweaks Algorithm & Causes 'Weekend of Hell'
Thousands of Amazon sellers find themselves in the dark after mass suspensions
Amazon’s oversight algorithm, which trawls accounts for possible abuses, seemed to have confused one seller for another seller with a similar name. And now she was being punished for it.

Over the weekend, thousands of sellers received a similar email: Amazon was freezing their businesses because, the company said, they were operating multiple Amazon accounts at the same time. The company noted the problem might take up to 90 days to resolve. Sellers flocked to Facebook groups, Twitter, and LinkedIn and Reddit threads to express their confusion and post desperate messages about what some called the “weekend of hell.”

The rules Amazon was enforcing, to be sure, did not come out of nowhere. Amazon has long had restrictions on multiple accounts, and sellers have received suspensions in small numbers from time to time for operating accounts simultaneously. It’s considered a way to disincentive abuse.

Lawyers and other experts who specialize in seller suspensions said that this recent wave of suspensions was among Amazon’s biggest. Craig Gedey, whose firm Thompson and Holt advises suspended sellers, told Modern Retail, “it’s the busiest weekend we’ve had all year.” The mass suspensions represent a familiar pattern for Amazon, however — whenever the company tweaks its algorithm, often without warning, sellers find their livelihoods on ice overnight.

It isn’t clear why Amazon decided to crack down on the multiple-accounts rule this weekend. Amazon has been ramping up enforcement of its policies, especially its rules around price-gouging, since the start of the pandemic. But the move demonstrates just how much power Amazon’s algorithms have over the livelihoods of its prized third-party sellers. modernretail.com

Amazon is hiring 100,000 seasonal staff for the holidays

REGISTER NOW
October GROC Intelligence Sharing Meeting
The GROC October Intel Sharing Virtual Meeting is scheduled for Oct 29th
from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

In addition to our normal Intel sharing, we will have a special guest for the first half of the meeting - Jolee Porter from the US DOJ will be joining us! Jolee previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia in the Complex Fraud section.

Throughout the nation, vulnerable and elderly victims are falling prey to scams in which they are directed to pay overseas fraudsters using gift cards. DOJ attorney Jolee Porter will present on the wide ranging problem of scams involving gift cards, including the various types of scams that fraud networks use, and how gift card retailers can help fight the scourge of elder fraud. Click here to register

Madison, WI: Store employee, Security Guard injured after $4,500 of phones
stolen at West Towne Mall
An employee of a cellphone store and a mall security guard were injured Saturday night after a group of suspects allegedly stole phones from a store. The U.S. Cellular employee said a group of suspects used a small cutting tool to take four cell phones around 7:45 p.m. at the store at West Towne Mall. According to Madison Police Department, the merchandise was worth over $4,500.

The employee ran after the suspects, but was struck in the face by one of the men. He then went to the hospitals to get stitches. MPD continued, saying a West Towne Mall security guard tracked the stolen phones to an SUV parked in the mall lot. The car was unlocked and running with several phones inside. As the guard tried to turn the SUV off, a male suspect allegedly jumped into the driver’s seat. A female passenger also climbed into the passenger seat. nbc15.com

Birmingham, England: Romanian female shoplifting gang stole more than $8,000 of perfume in nationwide spree under the orders of organized crime bosses
The Birmingham-based quartet targeted busy shopping centres across the country, discreetly swiping luxury products such as Chanel, before being foiled. All eventually pleaded guilty to charges of theft and were handed community orders after a judge concluded it was clear 'there are others in control'. The group were caught stealing £6,101 worth of perfume in Bristol, Northampton, Telford and Worcester over four months by simply 'removing the items from the perfume cabinet and placing them in their bags', the court was told.

Although they claimed the crimes were 'spur of the moment', sentencing Judge Sarah Buckingham, who had presided over the trial, concluded that the women were working under the orders of organized crime bosses. dailymail.co.uk

Cape Coral, FL: Police searching for Lowe’s Shoplifter attempting to steal 4 Nail Guns valued at nearly $900

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Shootings & Deaths

Davenport, IA: Woman charged with murder in shooting at busy Chuck E. Cheese
A woman was charged with first-degree murder after a mother of five was shot to death inside a busy Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Davenport, police said. Eloise Chairs, 29, was killed Sunday evening, Davenport Police said in a news release. Treshonda M. Pollion, 24, was charged Monday in the shooting. She was being held without bail in the Rock Island County Jail and was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. The shooting followed another that happened hours earlier, around 11 a.m. Sunday outside a home, police said. Officers called to the scene found the body of Lavonte Lee Baker, 19, of Davenport, lying on the grass. kcci.com

Phoenix, AZ: Man found shot to death in Fry's parking lot
Phoenix police are investigating what led up to a deadly shooting in a Fry's Food Store parking lot Monday night. Authorities say officers arrived at the store near 43rd Avenue and McDowell road around to investigate a shooting call in the area. When officers arrived, they found a man in a car who had been shot to death. Detectives say initial information indicates shots were fired from another vehicle. abc15.com

Queens, NY: Off-Duty NYPD Officer Tackles, Disarms Gunman After Deadly Shooting at Queens Store
A man was shot in the stomach while inside a neighborhood smoke shop and convenience store in Queens, but the situation could have been even worse had it not been for an off-duty NYPD office who happened to be at the right place at the right time. Law enforcement sources said that the gunman, 63-year-old Steven Cohen who has been living in a minivan parked behind the shop in Ozone Park, went into the store just after 6 p.m. Monday and was escorted out when he couldn't pay for an item. Cohen later returned with his gun and shot the man who kicked him out, sources told NBC New York. After firing at that employee, Cohen tried to shoot the store clerk as well, but was thwarted by plexiglass, according to police. He then left the store, but Officer Jason Maharaj, who just happened to be there, ran outside and tackled him to the ground. nbcnewyork.com

Update: Modesto, CA: Police release bodycam video from Walgreens Police Shooting
New body camera video from the Modesto Police Department shows the events the led up to a police shooting in a Walgreens pharmacy earlier in October. Daniel Ahlschlager, 30, of New York, was shot by police after an in-store chase where an officer noticed that Ahlschlager had a gun, according to police. In a news release, Chief Galen Carroll said the officers were doing a traffic stop on a Chevy Tahoe when it pulled into the Walgreens on McHenry Avenue on Oct. 21.

Police said Ahlschlager, a passenger in the SUV, got out and went inside the store. The driver of the SUV was not charged with any crime. Body camera video shows an officer talking with Ahlschlager before he appears to run away from the officer and later slip and fall revealing that he appeared to have a gun.

The chase kept going and, according to police, Ahlschlager said he was going to shoot. Body camera video showed an apparent standoff between the officer in the store and Ahlschlager that continued until another officer entered the store to help with the situation and later fired his weapon, hitting Ahlschlager. Police said he had minor injuries from the shooting. Carroll said Ahlschlager had a long criminal history in New York and Virginia that included armed robbery, theft, and drug charges. abc10.com

Hampton, VA: Newport News man to serve 15 years for role in GameStop robbery that led to Hampton officer being shot

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Cleveland, OH: Man wanted for raping woman at store in Cleveland’s Steelyard Commons
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is looking for Kevin Ballard. Ballard is wanted by the Cleveland Police Department for rape and aggravated burglary. He is also wanted by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority for a parole violation. Police say on October 4, 2020, Ballard attacked two women within minutes of each other in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. According to police, Ballard also sexually assaulted a woman that same day at Target in Steelyard Commons. Ballard was released from prison on Sept. 25. fox8.com

Columbus, OH: Dollar General employee Pistol whipped during Armed Robbery

Lansing MI: Two men sentenced to 22 years for the Armed Robberies of 8 C- Stores in 2019

Savannah, GA: SPD arrests 3 teens in attempted Burglary of Gun store

• C-Store – Lincolnton, NC – Robbery
• Clothing – Philadelphia, PA - Burglary (Rainbow)
• Dollar General – Columbus, OH – Armed Robbery
• Dollar General – Picayune, MS – Armed Robbery
• Family Dollar – Philadelphia, PA – Burglary
• Foot Locker – Philadelphia, PA – Burglary
• Gas Station – Columbia, SC – Armed Robbery
• Gas Station – Columbus, OH – Armed Robbery
• Gas Station – Silver Spring, MD – Armed Robbery
• Guns – Savannah, GA - Burglary
• Home Depot – Bangor, ME – Robbery
• Jewelry – Queenstown, MD – Robbery
• Jewelry – Menlo Park, NJ – Robbery
• Jewelry – Las Vegas, NV – Robbery
• Jewelry – Chula Vista, CA – Robbery
• Liquor – Rockford, IL – Armed Robbery
• Pharmacy -Washington, DC - Burglary
• Pharmacy – Washington, DC – Burglary
• Pharmacy – Arlington, VA - Burglary
• Restaurant – Brooklyn, NY – Armed Robbery
• Restaurant – Chester, VA – Armed Robbery (Burger King)
• 7-Eleven – West Jordan, UT – Armed Robbery

Daily Totals:
• 15 robberies
• 7 burglaries
• 0 shootings
• 0 killed

Click to enlarge map

Gregory Bleakley, CFI, LPC named Regional Asset Protection Manager for Party City

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Holding people accountable can be a difficult task made even more difficult if those people don't even hold themselves accountable for their own performance or actions. Rationalizing, minimizing, deflecting - some people are just incredibly difficult to develop and lead. But then again, isn't that the key to being good leaders. Learning how to manage and lead is a life-long process that's tested every day you go to work. With human nature being to take the path of least resistance, the manager has to be there making sure no one does.

Just a Thought,
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