Retailers Estimate Holiday Return Fraud Will Cost Them $3.6 Billion, According to NRF Survey

WASHINGTON, December 19, 2014 - Techniques and processes put in place to thwart criminal activity around retailers' return policies continue to be put to the test, and with steadily improving retail sales, even more is on the line when it comes to losses from return fraud.

According to the National Retail Federation's 2014 Return Fraud Survey completed by loss prevention executives at 60 retail companies representing grocery, department, discount, specialty and small retailers, the industry will lose an estimated $10.9 billion to return fraud this year. Additionally, of those surveyed, retailers estimate $3.6 billion will be lost to return fraud this holiday season alone, similar to last year's $3.4 billion. Overall, retailers polled estimate 5.5 percent of holiday returns are fraudulent, similar to last year's 5.8 percent.
 

View complete results from the 2014 Return Fraud Survey here.