|
Coming Dec 1 & 2
The Daily's Exclusive Q3 & 2020 YTD ORC & Robbery
Reports
 Due
the holiday week and the COVID impact, the D&D Daily’s industry exclusive Crime
reports will be published next week, on Dec. 1st & 2nd.
Both have rather surprising results. With one increasing monetary amounts and
the other maintaining the 'numbers' even after the massive shutdowns impact,
showing that demand remains high even while supply is limited.
Criminals don’t take breaks or recognize national emergencies. Addictions
and opportunities are always there, fueling and feeding the criminal activity in
retail America. - Gus Downing
In Case You Missed It:
Read
the Daily's Q3 2020 'Retail Violent Fatalities Report'
Sensormatic Solutions Enhances Shrink Management as a Service
for Greater Retail Insights
Retailers can improve LP programs with
predictive analytics and actionable insights
 Johnson
Controls, the global leader for smart and sustainable buildings, announced
that Sensormatic
Solutions, its leading global retail solutions portfolio, expanded its
Shrink Management as a Service offerings with new capabilities to help
retailers enhance their loss prevention strategies. SMaaS includes device
management and predictive analytics which reduces shrink, optimizes staffing and
improves sales.
“With global retail shrink on the rise, the retail landscape is rapidly
changing, and smart loss prevention technology is more critical than ever. SMaaS
helps manage shrink in an effective and timely way,” said Craig Szklany, vice
president, global solutions management and marketing, Sensormatic Solutions.
“Based on our retail customers’ needs, we’ve added new and enhanced capabilities
to help solve real-world loss prevention challenges. With device management,
predictive analytics and actionable insights, SMaaS allows retailers to spend
more time and resources on improving store performance and creating a better
customer experience.”
Read More
Murphy USA Standardizes on 3xLOGIC Retail Business Intelligence Solution
 The security integrator CBE, Inc. and
3xLOGIC
completed a nationwide deployment of 3xLOGIC’s VIGIL surveillance systems at
over 1,400 Murphy USA convenience store locations. The systems are comprised of
3xLOGIC IP and hybrid appliances, cameras, and VIGIL
TRENDS business intelligence software integrated into a customized solution
designed by CBE. In addition to overall system design, CBE has installed the
solution in Murphy USA locations across 26 states and continues to oversee new
deployments, as well as performs on-going service and other needs.
Read more in today's Vendor Spotlight below.
Protests & Violence
D&D Daily Crime Analysis: Shootings Spike, Deaths Steady
Most Shootings Reported in November as Deaths Stay Flat
147
shootings, 31 killed in 20 Major U.S. Cities from Nov. 20-22
The
D&D Daily continued to analyze violent crime in
20 major cities,
including those in the
DOJ's 'Operation Legend',
where they've
made over 1,057+ arrests since its onset in July.
There were
147 shootings and 31
killings from Friday through Sunday,
with an average of
49 shootings and
10.3
killings per day.
Click here
to view the complete breakdown of violence in 20/36
major cities from July to
August.
“We have a pandemic of crime right now.”
Largest One-Year Increase in Homicides We've Ever Seen in U.S.
Homicides Hit 300 in
Los Angeles
- "Nationally Driven Trend"
Killings are
up 25% over last year and shootings are up more than 32%, mirroring
increases in violence that are driving concerns in big cities across the nation.
Over the weekend, the violence played out as a weary L.A. fell under a new 10
p.m. limited curfew aimed at halting the spread of another killer: COVID-19. For
Police Chief Michel Moore, the fact that there didn’t seem to be anywhere near
the amount of concern for the violence was frustrating.
“With the health pandemic, we don’t just cross our arms and say, ‘It is what it
is.’ We’re taking all types of efforts to flatten the curve, to lower the
impact, to save lives. And
that’s what I’m asking for us
to do with this violent crime,” he said. “We have a
pandemic of crime right now.”
According to Jeff Asher, a crime analyst and consultant based in New Orleans,
data suggest that,
because of surges in Los
Angeles, New York and other big cities, 2020 could see “the
largest one-year increase in homicides nationally that we have ever seen” in the
U.S., even as “overall murder remains down significantly” from its
peak toward the end of the 20th century.
He said there is a
major correlation between the
“stresses of the pandemic” and the violence, but more study is needed on
the connection. There also could be a connection between the violence and “the
loss of police legitimacy” before and during massive protests this year, he
said.
“I would caution people against looking for local explanations for
what is clearly a nationally
driven trend,” Asher said.
latimes.com
Minneapolis, MN: Second Individual Charged With Arson Of Target Headquarters
 According
to the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Minneapolis
experienced
arson, rioting, and looting,
following the suicide of a suspect in a homicide, and in response to false
rumors surrounding the man’s death.
At approximately 11:06 p.m., City of Minneapolis and Target Headquarters
surveillance video showed a man, later identified as WILLIAMS,
light a cardboard box on fire and place it inside the Target Headquarters
building through a shattered glass door.
WILLIAMS made several attempts to
reignite the cardboard box.
At 11:10 p.m., WILLIAMS was seen making several additional attempts to
start a fire inside
of the vestibule of the building.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the
Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.
justice.gov
Six months after George Floyd's death, Minneapolis reeling from rise in violence
As dozens of officers leave a police department reeling from funding cuts
spurred by racial justice advocates, Minneapolis officials say response times
have slowed and violent crimes, including shootings, carjackings, and robberies,
have spiked.
In June, the City Council cut the police budget by about $14 million, with Mayor
Jacob Frey vowing instead to pour resources into a new public safety program
that seeks to provide more mental health outreach and help for vulnerable
communities. But the city of 425,000 is facing an exodus of cops ahead of a
threatened complete defunding of police that could impact public safety for
years to come. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said earlier this month that
more than a hundred officers have departed the 888-member force — more than
twice the average attrition rate.
According to
police data, more than 500 people have been shot in Minneapolis this year –
twice as many as 2019, while murders are up more than 50%. So far this year,
there have been nearly 5,000 violent crimes, the most in the past five years,
the records show.
foxnews.com
Brazil: More protests after Black man killed by supermarket security guards
Demonstrations against racism took place over the weekend outside Carrefour
supermarkets in Brazil to protest the death of a black man beaten to death
by white guards at a Porto Alegre store branch. A video taken Thursday night in
the southern city showed 40-year-old welder Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas
repeatedly being punched in the face and head by a security guard while he is
being restrained by another at a Carrefour market.
france24.com
Omaha, NE: Protest at police HQ over shooting declared 'unlawful,' arrests made
At least two demonstrators who gathered in the Old Market section of Omaha,
Neb., on Friday night to protest the deadly police shooting of a Black man were
taken into custody after police declared an unlawful assembly, according to
reports. The protest came one night after the man, identified as Kenneth Jones,
was shot and killed during a vehicle stop.
foxnews.com
Kenosha, WI: Teen charged in protest slayings posts $2M bail
Seattle: Mass exodus worsens with 34 more Seattle police out, as Council defunds
Sterling, VA: Trump Supporter Accused of Breathing on Protesters Charged With
Assault
COVID
Protests:
Sacramento, CA: Third Straight Weekend Of Protests, Violence As Trump Supporters
Descend On California’s Capitol
Huntington Beach, CA: Protesters take to the streets to bash Newsom's curfew
orders
Buffalo, NY: Frustration over shutdown: ‘Let us open or we will have to close
forever’
Protests at Elected Officials'
Homes:
Oregon: Armed protesters gather in front of Gov. Brown’s residence
Minnesota: Protesters Gather at Gov. Walz's Residence Over More COVID
Restrictions
Ohio: Dozens of people protest outside Gov. DeWine’s home with noise makers
New Hampshire: Protesters bash state mask mandate outside Gov. Sununu's home
Los Angeles: Small Group Holds Another Protest Outside Mayor's Official
Residence
COVID Update
US: Over 12.5M Cases - 262K Dead - 7.4M Recovered
Worldwide:
Over 59.1M Cases - 1.3M Dead - 40.9M Recovered
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths:
225
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths:
147
*Red indicates change in total
deaths
"We're Facing The Most Dangerous Moments in This
Pandemic"
Hospitals brace for holiday COVID surge, fearing staff shortages and burnout
The recent rise in COVID-19
patients in the middle of the country has sapped the nation’s reserves of nurses
and doctors, as well as masks, gloves and other protective equipment.
Good news about vaccines offers hope for the future,
but it’s the present that
worries those who care for California’s sickest patients.
Health systems in the United
States have moved toward a “just in time” model, so they don’t keep a lot
of supplies on hand. And they’ve consolidated their buying, because gloves,
masks and isolation gowns are cheaper if they give all their business to one
supplier. But if that supplier
runs out, there’s no backup.
“It’s a constant concern every single day as to what’s going to break down next
in the supply chain,” said Williamson. “A hallmark of the pandemic is laying
bare that we have tenuous supply chains.”
latimes.com
Operation Warp Speed Advisor Says Distribution of Vaccine Could Start Dec. 11th
“Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24
hours from the approval, so I would expect maybe on day two after approval,
on the 11th or on the 12th of December,” Dr. Moncef Slaoui said
during an interview on CNN.
Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government’s coronavirus vaccine program, has
been
ramping up preparations to distribute doses across the country. On
Wednesday, officials said they expect about 40 million doses of vaccines could
be available by the end of December.
The companies have already manufactured and stockpiled doses in anticipation of
the rollout.
freightwaves.com
Pharmacies are key to ensuring patient access to COVID-19 vaccine
Pharmacies have historically stepped up to address public health crises and
immunization needs. Now, they have an opportunity to play a crucial role in
supporting a COVID-19 vaccine — particularly in rural areas where they are the
primary healthcare destination for miles.
The Department of Health and Human Services recently authorized pharmacists to
order/administer COVID-19 vaccinations to persons age 3 years old and older. In
August, HHS also authorized state-licensed pharmacists to order/administer all
CDC-recommended and FDA-approved vaccines for children between the ages of 3 and
18 years old, aiming to strengthen vaccine access during the pandemic.
With nearly 90,000 pharmacies in the United States, they represent the most
accessible healthcare destinations in this county. Like doctors, pharmacies must
be treated as essential sites of care for COVID-19 testing and immunizations to
protect their businesses and, most importantly, patients.
drugstorenews.com
Walmart Executive Highlights Adjustments to Pandemic
Almost overnight, the pandemic changed priorities for companies around the
globe. Eduardo B. de la Garza, chief people officer and senior vice president
for Walmart Mexico and Central America, discussed the company's adjustments to
the pandemic.
Given the current global health and economic crisis, Taylor asked, what's
changed the most in workplace dynamics?
"This pandemic has changed
everything," de la Garza said.
Onsite and Remote Work
"How has Walmart pivoted to protect the safety and well-being of workers?"
Taylor asked.
De la Garza said the company has focused on three elements: physical,
emotional and economic protection.
Vulnerable workers—workers with medical conditions or older workers—have been
allowed to go home with full salary and benefits. This has impacted more
than 20,000 workers and was done before the government recommended it.
Another step the company has taken is paying wages weekly rather than
every other week.
The company has hired a chief medical officer to review what the company
has done to make the workplace safe and to make recommendations for improvement.
Town halls used to be held once or twice a year but now are monthly.
And managers and executives are listening to what employees say in meetings over
Zoom calls. "Everyone is taking notes," de la Garza said, and managers and
executives are expected to provide employees with answers to their questions
within a week.
shrm.org
Daily California coronavirus cases triple as pandemic dramatically worsens
California’s average daily number of
new coronavirus cases has
tripled in the last month, as pandemic conditions deteriorated
dramatically around the state. The seven-day average of new cases surpassed
11,000 for the first time on Saturday.
The coronavirus is now infecting more Californians daily than at any previous
point in the COVID-19 pandemic,
raising concerns about a new
peak in coronavirus-related deaths by Christmas.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have
doubled in the last month, the analysis found. And COVID-19 deaths have
suddenly begun to climb in recent days. In the last week, an average of 65
Californian deaths have been reported daily,
a more than 50% increase from
two weeks ago, when 43 fatalities were reported daily on average.
latimes.com
“It’s become like a game of chess over the entire
state.”
 'No
beds anywhere': Minnesota hospitals strained
to limit by COVID-19
Minnesota’s experience with the pandemic suggests one-third of patients on
ventilators won’t survive, even with optimal critical care. Statewide, 79% of
available ICU beds are filled, and 26% filled with COVID-19 patients. “A lot of
our patients are so sick, they need one-to-one nursing,” Webb said.
HealthPartners on Friday reported 308 workers absent due to COVID-19 infections
and 414 who were quarantined due to viral exposures.
startribune.com
3rd major COVID-19 vaccine shown to be effective and
cheaper
AstraZeneca, Oxford University say their COVID-19 vaccine is up to 90% effective
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Monday that late-stage trials showed its
coronavirus vaccine was up to 90% effective, giving public health officials hope
they may soon have access to a vaccine that is cheaper and easier to distribute
than some of its rivals. No hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were
reported in those receiving the vaccine, which was
developed by Oxford University.
apnews.com
U.S. Dept of Labor’s OSHA Announces Over $3.1 Million in Coronavirus Violations
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Nov. 12, 2020, the U.S.
Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has
issued 232 citations arising from inspections for violations relating to
coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,148,452.
dol.gov
COVID-19 in Canada
'I don't want to be here': PM Trudeau tells 'sick and tired' Canadians to 'immediately' cut contacts, as the country teeters on edge of crisis
 “I
don’t want to be here, you don’t want me to be here – we’re all sick and tired
of COVID-19. But this virus is not going away any time soon,” the PM started his
message to Canadians.
“We need to do everything we can right now to slow the spread of COVID-19, to
stop this spike in its tracks,” Trudeau said. “We are now
going to have to really
tighten up once again.”
The prime minister also spoke about how the number of COVID-19 cases in Canada
are
overwhelming hospitals,
putting extensive pressure on frontline workers
in the healthcare system.
When asked about the Christmas holiday, the prime minister said that
a “normal Christmas” is going
to be “out of the question” this year
but the extent of the
regulations depends on the actions that Canadians take right now to limit
contacts.
Current
border restrictions
between Canada and the U.S. have been extended for another 30 days, until Dec.
21.
yahoo.com
Is It Time for a More Ambitious Covid Reduction Target in Canada?
Only Atlantic Canada, which is isolated from the rest of the country and the
world by province-level travel restrictions, has escaped increasingly grim
pandemic news this month. On Friday the federal government said that unless
Canadians reduce contact with one another and provinces apply more restrictions
the country is on a path to 60,000 new cases a day by the end of the year, about
5.5 times the current rate.
While positive developments in vaccines continue, the time when most Canadians
will be inoculated remains far off. Perhaps as a result,
some physicians and scientists
are suggesting that the nation aim to do more
than flatten the curve graphing new infections. Around the world, there is a
renewed push to outright eliminate new infections, an idea known on social media
as
#COVIDzero.
nytimes.com
NYC Covid Updates:
40 NYC ZIP codes now above 4 percent as COVID-19 comeback fears grow
Upper Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island heading for COVID-19 restrictions:
Cuomo
Gov. Andrew Cuomo will receive Emmy for COVID-19 TV briefings
CDC 'Close Contact' Definition Creates Employer Challenges
L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges
Public health expert: Americans no longer acting 'with common purpose' on
pandemic
Stay informed with
CDC's Emergency Partners Information Connection (EPIC):
Happy Zooming on Thanksgiving Day
A Little Confused? Because No One Showed Up?
Somebody Clue Him In
D&D Daily Confidential Benchmarking Survey:
Senior LP Pyramid Head Reporting Structure Survey
5 Questions - Less than 5 Minutes - Click Here
Industry Public Service
This survey is at the request of a retail CEO at
no charge.
No names or organizations will be identified and is not for sale.
Please take the time to help a colleague and obtain your own copy.
Do you want a copy? Let us know.
Copies limited to senior pyramid heads of LP & AP and C-level retail officers.
Survey Ends Tuesday, Nov. 24
Privacy statement: All answers
will remain anonymous and aggregated by sector.
The information is not for sale or reproduction.
'Wild Card' Black Friday
Retailers in Minnesota, around U.S., prepare for Black Friday with a bit of gray
During a year that has repeatedly tested the resilience of retailers,
Black Friday has turned into a bit of a wild card
with stores unsure of just how busy the next few shopping days will be.
“It’s not that same chaotic, score-the-deal concept that we were used to in the
last decade,” said Marshal Cohen, a retail analyst with the NPD Group. “So it’s
going to change, but
it’s still going to be one of, if not the, most important shopping day of the
holiday.”
Nearly 190 million Americans shopped from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday
last year, a record. But this year, the coronavirus crisis is expected to
dramatically alter the shopping season.
However, updated numbers show
that consumers could be feeling more confident.
PwC surveyed potential shoppers
in October shoppers were more
optimistic with
gift spending matching last year’s levels.
At the same time, online sales are estimated to jump. Data from PwC last week
showed that 37% of consumers are expected to only shop online this Black Friday.
That’s up from 30% last year.
While the significance of Black Friday might be diminished this year because of
how spread out the sales will be and how many shoppers will simply go online,
retailers should still expect a boost, Cohen said.
“The Black Friday weekend is going to turn a little gray,” he said. “So it will
be Gray Friday, but there will still be big business. There will still be a lot
of people out looking to shop.”
startribune.com
Online Sales To Increase 20 to 30%
NRF Expects Holiday Sales Will Grow Between 3.6 and 5.2 Percent
The National Retail Federation today forecast that holiday sales during November
and December will increase between 3.6 percent and 5.2 percent over 2019 to a
total between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion. The numbers, which exclude
automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, compare with a 4 percent
increase to $729.1 billion last year and an average holiday sales increase of
3.5 percent over the past five years.
Online Sales
NRF expects that online and other non-store sales, which are included in the
total, will increase between 20 percent and 30 percent to between $202.5 billion
and $218.4 billion, up from $168.7 billion last year.
NRF Chief Economist Jack
Kleinhenz said. “Consumers have experienced a difficult year but will likely
spend more than anyone would have expected just a few months ago.
Kleinhenz said households have strong balance sheets supported by a strong stock
market, rising home values and record savings boosted by government stimulus
payments issued earlier this year. Jobs and wages are growing, energy costs are
low and reduced spending on personal services, travel and entertainment because
of the virus has freed up money for retail spending.
nrf.com
Deloitte Survey "2020 Pre-Thanksgiving Pulse Survey"
Thanksgiving shopping period shifts from in-store events
Consumers Reimagine Thanksgiving Traditions as COVID-19 Cases Surge
Black
Friday online shopping to surpass in-store shopping for the first time
For the first time since the survey's inception,
more consumers plan to shop
online
(61%)
than in-store
(54%)
on Black Friday.
Of the consumers that plan to shop during the Thanksgiving period,
95% will shop online.
Nearly one-third
of consumers plan to shop
fewer days this season, with
concerns about COVID-19
cited as the main reason
(63%).
Health
and safety concerns mean holiday shopping looks different in 2020
This year, as consumers are increasingly worried about health and safety, they
plan to take their shopping online to avoid in-store crowds. As a result, online
shopping is emerging as the top choice for Black Friday, Thanksgiving Day and
Cyber Monday.
prnewswire.com
CDC: Avoid Crowded Stores on Thanksgiving
More retailers are closed on Thanksgiving this year
Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other
major retailers announced their decision over the summer to close stores on
Thanksgiving Day. Macy's announced in September that it will close on
Thanksgiving.
Costco, Home Depot, Nordstrom, Publix, Trader Joe's and others have closed on
Thanksgiving for several years and will do so this year. Walmart's Sam's Club
chain historically has closed on Thanksgiving, as it will again this year.
Some states, including
Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island, have prohibited big-box stores from
opening on Thanksgiving.
Stores
Open:
Whole Foods, Dollar
General and Kroger, among others, will stay open.
The CDC:
says shoppers should
avoid "going shopping in
crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving"
to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
cnn.com
NRF: Earlier Start to Holiday Shopping Season Embraced by Consumers
Health and safety are top of mind this year
with COVID
Over 40 percent of holiday shoppers say they started earlier than they normally
do, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail
Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
“Retailers have demonstrated their commitment and ability to ensure safe
shopping environments for their customers and their associates,” said NRF
President and CEO Matthew Shay. “With consumers looking to fulfill their gift
lists earlier this year, retailers are prepared to meet that demand with deep
discounts, robust inventory and providing the best experiences possible whether
in store or online.”
As of early November, 59 percent of holiday shoppers say they had started
making purchases, a 21 percent increase from a decade ago. Even so, there is
still plenty of shopping left to do. On average, holiday shoppers say they have
completed only 26 percent of their shopping so far.
Retailers’ top priority is the health and safety of their employees and
customers, and these investments are paying off. A large majority (70
percent) of holiday shoppers say that, given the precautions retailers have
taken for COVID-19, they have felt safe shopping in stores this holiday season.
nrf.com
NRF 2021 Virtual Event - Keynote Session
Leading through crisis: A conversation with Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Tuesday, January 12 | 11:00 am–11:45 am EST |
Register Here
As the United States’ 66th Secretary of State and national security advisor, Dr.
Condoleezza Rice pioneered a policy of transformational diplomacy and heralded
the formation of new global governments based on democratic principles. Dr. Rice
has proven to be a significant leader during a time of unprecedented and
tumultuous world affairs, recognized for her courageous efforts to foster
worldwide freedoms for all people. In this candid fireside chat, Dr. Rice
discusses her faith in America's core values constituting the foundational
strength of foreign policy, socioeconomics, education and the empowerment of
women.
nrf.com
Coronavirus derailed 2021 salary plans for many employers, survey says
The coronavirus pandemic
has disrupted fiscal
year 2021 salary increase plans for 45% of employers,
according to Gallagher
survey results released Nov. 10.
Of those who said the crisis derailed compensation plans,
51% said they expect to
reduce salary increases, and 45% said they expect to suspend them entirely.
While
many employers have
undertaken
pay cuts as a result of the pandemic,
most are determined to pivot back to salary increases, Catherine Hartmann,
talent and rewards senior director at Willis Towers Watson, said in August.
hrdive.com
Home Depot to Invest $1B in Workers Benefits
Starbucks Giving All U.S. Employees 10% Raise Mid-Dec.
Target &
Best Buy Raised Pay to $15 an Hour this Summer
Will it really cost 1.3
million Americans their jobs while raising the pay for 17 million others?
retailwire.com
Coresight Research
Retail Store Databank
Week 47
8,325 2020 YTD Store Closures
3,363 2020 YTD Store Opennings
Big Y post 1,000 jobs throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut
Guitar Center Files for Bankruptcy
Shipt to Onboard Additional 50,000 Shoppers
What HR Suggests as Christmas Gifts – The Safe Alternative
Quarterly Results
Hibbet Sporting Goods Q3 comp's up 17.5%, online sales up 50.7%, net sales up
21.2%
Natural Grocers Q4 comp's up 13.2%, sales up 16.3%, full yr. comp's up 12%, full
yr. sales up 14.7%
The Buckle Q3 comp's up 12.4%, online sales up 72.5%, net sales up 12%
Canada's Metro Grocery Stores Q3 comp's up 10%, online sales up 160%, sales up
7.4%
Foot Locker Q3 comp's up 7.7%, sales up 9%
Last week's #1 article --
Chicago's Mayor Turns City's Infrastructure Into Weapons Against Protesters
|
|
Here’s a New One – Internal Threat @ Store Level
In-Store Hacking: Employees Hack In-Store Payroll System
and Change Direct
Deposit Routing Info for $11K
 As
many people are working part time jobs and extra shifts just to pay the bills,
deputies say, Solomon Smith, 19, was pocketing
their hard-earned cash. Smith and his co-worker, Garrett
Sivley, 18, used their access at a
Lakeland Highlands, Florida Lowe’s to redirect paychecks to
themselves, authorities said.
The pair is accused of changing the direct deposit information and sending
the payroll funds to fraudulent bank accounts before moving the money to cash
apps. Employees at two stores in Lakeland and one in Plant City were
impacted.
According to the sheriff’s office, Smith and Sivley stole $11,795 from Lowe’s
employees before the company notified law enforcement. No customer information
was affected.
“Smith ‘utilized more than 30 personal identifications to create fraudulent
banking accounts, email addresses, address changes, e-commerce accounts, or to
change banking information,’” read a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Those identities were stolen during 20 car burglaries, some of which were armed,
earlier this year in Lakeland. Between the Lowe’s fraud and the car
burglaries, Smith victimized 223 people, alleges Sheriff Judd. Smith was
arrested on dozens of charges, including grand theft, defrauding a financial
institute, money laundering, armed burglary, and grand theft of a firearm.
wgntv.com
Domain Giant Hit for 3rd time Since March
GoDaddy Employees Used in Attacks on Multiple Cryptocurrency Services
 Fraudsters
redirected email and web traffic destined for several cryptocurrency trading
platforms over the past week. The attacks were facilitated by scams targeting
employees at GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar, KrebsOnSecurity
has learned.
The incident is the latest incursion at GoDaddy that relied on tricking
employees into transferring ownership and/or control over targeted domains to
fraudsters.
In March, a voice phishing scam targeting GoDaddy support employees allowed
attackers to assume control over at least a half-dozen domain names, including
transaction brokering site escrow.com.
And
in May of this year, GoDaddy disclosed that 28,000 of its customers’ web
hosting accounts were compromised following a security incident in Oct. 2019
that wasn’t discovered until April 2020.
This latest campaign appears to have begun on or around Nov. 13, with an
attack on cryptocurrency trading platform liquid.com.
krebsonsecurity.com
Twitter names famed hacker 'Mudge' as head of security
Social media giant Twitter, under increased threat of regulation and plagued by
serious security breaches, is appointing one of the world's best-regarded
hackers to tackle everything from engineering missteps to misinformation.
The company on Monday named Peiter Zatko, widely known by his hacker handle
Mudge, to the new position of head of security, giving him a broad mandate to
recommend changes in structure and practices. Zatko answers to CEO Jack Dorsey
and is expected to take over management of key security functions after a 45- to
60-day review.
In an exclusive interview, Zatko said he will examine “information security,
site integrity, physical security, platform integrity -- which starts to touch
on abuse and manipulation of the platform -- and engineering.”
Zatko most recently oversaw security at the electronic payments unicorn Stripe.
Before that, he worked on special projects at Google and oversaw handing out
grants for projects on cybersecurity at the Pentagon’s famed Defense Advanced
Research and Projects Agency (DARPA).
Zatko's colorful career began in the 1990s, when he simultaneously conducted
classified work for a government contractor and was among the leaders of Cult of
the Dead Cow, a hacking group notorious for releasing Windows hacking tools in
order to goad Microsoft into improving security.
reuters.com
Employee surveillance software demand increased as workers transitioned to home
working
As people hunkered down to work from home during COVID-19, companies turned to
employee surveillance software to track their staff.
A new study shows that the
demand for employee
surveillance software was up 55% in June 2020
compared to the
pre-pandemic average. From webcam access to random screenshot monitoring,
these surveillance software products can record almost everything an employee
does on their computer.
Global demand for employee monitoring software increased by
108% in April, and 70%
in May 2020
compared with searches
carried out the preceding year.
Queries for "How to monitor employees working from home" increased by 1,705% in
April and 652% in May 2020 compared with searches carried out the preceding
year.
The most popular surveillance tools are Time Doctor, Hubstaff, and FlexiSPY. The
tools with the biggest increase in demand include Teramind, DeskTime, Kickidler,
and Time Doctor, with interest for the latter tripling compared to the
pre-pandemic levels.
zdnet.com
Europol EC3/Cybercrime Centre
Malicious Uses and Abuses of Artificial Intelligence
 - Trend Micro Research
- United Nations Interregional Crime & Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
- Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3)
New report finds criminals leverage AI for malicious use,
and it's not just deep fakes
Europol, UNICRI and Trend Micro uncover
current and future threats of AI
and how to combat them
Read the full report:
Malicious Uses and Abuses of Artificial Intelligence.
Vote Now for 2021 Special Interest Group Projects
 From
now through 21 December 2020,
PCI SSC Participating Organizations are invited to vote on proposals for 2021
Special Interest Group (SIG) projects.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
are community-driven initiatives that focus on payment security challenges
related to PCI Security Standards. SIGs bring together experts from across
industries and around the world to address the topics that are most important to
their payment security efforts, resulting practical and relevant resources that
help stakeholders apply PCI Standards to their organizations.
blog.pcisecuritystandards.org
56% of organizations faced a ransomware attack, 27% paid average $0.99M ransom
in U.S. |
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Michael
has been with City Furniture for more than a year and a half. Prior to his
promotion to Corporate Director of Fraud Prevention, he served as the company's
Corporate Fraud Prevention Manager. Before joining City Furniture, he briefly
served as a Loss Prevention Manager for Amazon. Earlier in his career, he held
LP roles with Tractor Supply, Rent A Center, Ratner Companies, Home Depot and
more. Congratulations, Michael!&uuid=(email))
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Trumbull
police have arrested a man who they said led officers on a pursuit after robbing
a store at the Westfield Trumbull Mall on Friday night. Officers said they took
24-year-old Eddie Lynch, of New Haven, into custody early Saturday morning
following a six-hour standoff with Bridgeport and Trumbull police. According to
police, Lynch surrendered at about 1:10 a.m. at the intersection of Madison
Avenue and Anton Street in Bridgeport, where he had crashed his vehicle during a
police pursuit following the armed robbery.
nbcconnecticut.com
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