How Checkpoint Labels Sealed The Fate of a Large Retail Theft Operation – Part 2

I’ve learned over the years that I will never stop shoplifting completely. I can deploy camera systems, invest in additional checkpoint security systems, or even hire armed guards. Sometimes, that’s still not enough. In order to prevent a theft, and really combat the problem, you have to stop it at the source. Sometimes that’s training your store teams. Sometimes that’s making smart merchandising choices. Other times however, you may find yourself battling a professional group of individuals whom sole job in life is to steal from you. I am so grateful that I found a career field that allows me to aggressively go after these types of people. 
I wasn’t prepared for how much work would go into this case. I’m used to closing a theft case pretty quickly. Most times, cases are simple. Someone comes in, rips an anti-shoplifting device off a product, conceals it, exits, and then goes to jail. I know, as well as anyone else in this industry, that stolen goods are often funneled somewhere. Just like a street level drug dealer doesn’t give up his supplier, a booster will keep where the goods are going a closely guarded secret. In both instances, that level of secrecy is what, in fact, keeps the money in their pocket.
At this point, it was several weeks since a joint investigation with a local police department had uncovered a store front dealing in stolen goods. On the outside, it was your typical corner market. Once inside though, it was clear to people like myself, what was really going on. There were cases of tide detergent, NFL jerseys, branded product… there was no way they were acquiring this legally. Some of these manufactures wouldn’t sell to my company, so I knew they couldn’t possibly have a purchase order with this tiny store. 
As the weeks progressed, several retailers and their LP departments became involved in this case. The police department would request certain items and an undercover detective would sell the product to the store. We needed to make certain that the items appeared to have been stolen. Here’s where a simple checkpoint label made a huge impact in this case. We provided a certain type of branded cap to the undercover detective. That cap had an anti-shoplifting device attached to it, in addition to a checkpoint label with my company’s name and logo. Any normal person could assume that the merchandise, presented in the way it was, had to have been stolen from a merchant. 
They took the bait. The store was more than happy to take the caps from the detective. The store clerk even told the detective to make sure that all the security tags were off the hats “next time”. It was a remarkable piece of evidence, all thanks to a very simple tag. A few more weeks went by and the store was eventually raided. The store and a warehouse belonging to the owners were found to contain about $250,000 in stolen goods from several different retailers. We did, in fact, make the front page the next morning!
For more information, contact us: Anti-Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

I’ve learned over the years that I will never stop shoplifting completely. I can deploy camera systems, invest in additional Checkpoint Security Systems, or even hire armed guards. Sometimes, that’s still not enough. In order to prevent a theft, and really combat the problem, you have to stop it at the source. Sometimes that’s training your store teams. Sometimes that’s making smart merchandising choices. Other times however, you may find yourself battling a professional group of individuals whose sole job in life is to steal from you. I am so grateful that I found a career field that allows me to aggressively go after these types of people. 

 I wasn’t prepared for how much work would go into this case. I’m used to closing a theft case pretty quickly. Most times, cases are simple. Someone comes in, rips an anti-shoplifting device off a product, conceals it, exits, and then goes to jail. I know, as well as anyone else in this industry, that stolen goods are often funneled somewhere. Just like a street level drug dealer doesn’t give up his supplier, a booster will keep where the goods are going a closely guarded secret. In both instances, that level of secrecy is what, in fact, keeps the money in their pocket.

 At this point, it was several weeks since a joint investigation with a local police department had uncovered a store front dealing in stolen goods. On the outside, it was your typical corner market. Once inside though, it was clear to people like myself, what was really going on. There were cases of tide detergent, NFL jerseys, branded product… there was no way they were acquiring this legally. Some of these manufactures wouldn’t sell to my company, so I knew they couldn’t possibly have a purchase order with this tiny store. 

 As the weeks progressed, several retailers and their LP departments became involved in this case. The police department would request certain items and an undercover detective would sell the product to the store. We needed to make certain that the items appeared to have been stolen. Here’s where a simple Checkpoint Label made a huge impact in this case. We provided a certain type of branded cap to the undercover detective. That cap had an anti-shoplifting device attached to it, in addition to a Checkpoint Label with my company’s name and logo. Any normal person could assume that the merchandise, presented in the way it was, had to have been stolen from a merchant. 

They took the bait. The store was more than happy to take the caps from the detective. The store clerk even told the detective to make sure that all the security tags were off the hats “next time”. It was a remarkable piece of evidence, all thanks to a very simple tag. A few more weeks went by and the store was eventually raided. The store and a warehouse belonging to the owners were found to contain about $250,000 in stolen goods from several different retailers. We did, in fact, make the front page the next morning!

For more information, contact us: Anti-Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Proponent Of Good Will- Library Theft Prevention

What happens when you have components of your organization that are not reliable? For many campus libraries that have an issue with library theft, they are turning into an unreliable resource. By ignoring the need for library theft prevention, the reputation and good will of the entire learning institution can be called into question.

If library losses get bad enough, students are forced to go elsewhere to gain resource information that is critical to the success of their coursework. There are only so many times students will get burned by their campus library not having what they need.

There is also an underlying impression that their library might not be safe. If they are aware of theft issues of “monitored” library resources, can they be convinced that they will not also become victims of theft?

If you are aware of library theft, then you more than likely have fielded an increasing number of complaints from students who have had things stolen from them while inside the library.

Not only is the library slowly becoming unreliable, but also if it is deemed unsafe, the reputation of the school is damaged. The perception of an unsafe library can make the entire school deemed as unsafe, or seedy. Installing a library theft detection system can save more than library assets over the long haul.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Library Theft Detection System devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop inventory losses.

For more information on a Library Theft Detection System, Library Theft Prevention, or a Checkpoint System and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to stop inventory losses in your library or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

“I’m pregnant, I wouldn’t steal or anything…” Misconceptions of Shoplifters Part 1 – Prevent Shoplifting

There are a number of things you can learn by observing people, especially when it is your job to catch thieves in a retail setting. One thing that a little bit of training has taught me, and that years of experience have proven is that you can never judge a person’s intentions merely by their appearances. Observing peoples’ behaviors is the best-proven way to identify shoplifters and to prevent shoplifting. But for a moment, let’s explore some of the common misconceptions about who does and who does not shoplift.
When you hear the word “criminal”, it usually invokes a particular mental image. For many people, it is the image of a suspicious man, maybe wearing a ski mask. Or maybe it is a man with black cloth around his face with holes cut out for eyes, and a black and white, horizontally-striped shirt. Whatever the case may be, that image in your mind is not the only profile of a shoplifter. Shoplifters are men, women, and even children, both young and elderly, and of all shapes and colors. The youngest shoplifter I have personally caught was six; he and his eleven-year-old sister stole hundreds of dollars of jewelry. The oldest one was 76; she stole several high-dollar perfumes.
Another misconception you should erase from your mind is capabilities, both physical and mental. Shoplifters are not only limited to those without any disabilities. One of the many felony shopliftings I have prevented involved a 14-year-old boy, paralyzed in a wheel chair. He concealed several hundred dollars-worth of men’s colognes and concealed them into a bag which he sat upon. Likewise, just because someone appears to be “above” shoplifting, they may not be. Young, attractive men and women in suits and fancy dresses commit thefts. Aspiring college athletes commit thefts. However capable of committing theft someone appears to be will surely mislead you.
A few weeks ago a pregnant woman entered the department store where I work as a loss prevention detective. She went to the shoe department, quickly selected a pair of shoes, and went immediately into a dark corner. She slipped the shoes into her purse, and then walked around carrying the empty box. She approached an employee and asked, “Where is the register closest to an exit? Don’t worry, I’m pregnant. It’s not like I would steal or anything…” After standing in line at the register for a brief moment, she placed the empty box down, and ran out of the store with the stolen shoes.
So if you were to be asked what a shoplifter looks like, I hope that you would not be so easily fooled to give a quick response. Do they have tattoos? Do they wear old or raggedy clothes? Are they male? Are they a minority group? The answer is “yes” for the same reasons that the answer is “yes” for those without tattoos, with new, bright clothing, for females and members of a majority group; people of all appearances can shoplift. So then how do asset protection and loss prevention professionals prevent shoplifting? How can they target those individuals before it is too late? The answer is the one thing shoplifters tend to have in common; suspicious behaviors. Many of these behaviors were exhibited by the pregnant woman who stole shoes. Read part 2 of this blog series to find out how to spot those telling behaviors.
For more information contact us: Prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

There are a number of things you can learn by observing people, especially when it is your job to catch thieves in a retail setting. One thing that a little bit of training has taught me, and that years of experience have proven is that you can never judge a person’s intentions merely by their appearances. Observing peoples’ behaviors is the best-proven way to identify shoplifters and to prevent shoplifting. But for a moment, let’s explore some of the common misconceptions about who does and who does not shoplift.

When you hear the word “criminal”, it usually invokes a particular mental image. For many people, it is the image of a suspicious man, maybe wearing a ski mask. Or maybe it is a man with black cloth around his face with holes cut out for eyes, and a black and white, horizontally-striped shirt. Whatever the case may be, that image in your mind is not the only profile of a shoplifter. Shoplifters are men, women, and even children, both young and elderly, and of all shapes and colors. The youngest shoplifter I have personally caught was six; he and his eleven-year-old sister stole hundreds of dollars of jewelry. The oldest one was 76; she stole several high-dollar perfumes.

Another misconception you should erase from your mind is capabilities, both physical and mental. Shoplifters are not only limited to those without any disabilities. One of the many felony shopliftings I have prevented involved a 14-year-old boy, paralyzed in a wheel chair. He concealed several hundred dollars-worth of men’s colognes and concealed them into a bag which he sat upon. Likewise, just because someone appears to be “above” shoplifting, they may not be. Young, attractive men and women in suits and fancy dresses commit thefts. Aspiring college athletes commit thefts. However capable of committing theft someone appears to be will surely mislead you.

A few weeks ago a pregnant woman entered the department store where I work as a loss prevention detective. She went to the shoe department, quickly selected a pair of shoes, and went immediately into a dark corner. She slipped the shoes into her purse, and then walked around carrying the empty box. She approached an employee and asked, “Where is the register closest to an exit? Don’t worry, I’m pregnant. It’s not like I would steal or anything…” After standing in line at the register for a brief moment, she placed the empty box down, and ran out of the store with the stolen shoes.

So if you were to be asked what a shoplifter looks like, I hope that you would not be so easily fooled to give a quick response. Do they have tattoos? Do they wear old or raggedy clothes? Are they male? Are they a minority group? The answer is “yes” for the same reasons that the answer is “yes” for those without tattoos, with new, bright clothing, for females and members of a majority group; people of all appearances can shoplift. So then how do asset protection and loss prevention professionals prevent shoplifting? How can they target those individuals before it is too late? The answer is the one thing shoplifters tend to have in common; suspicious behaviors. Many of these behaviors were exhibited by the pregnant woman who stole shoes. Read part 2 of this blog series to find out how to spot those telling behaviors.

For more information contact us: Prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Clothing Security In Fitting Rooms

The changing, or fitting rooms are the hub of most theft activity that occurs in clothing departments, or clothing stores in general.  Shoplifters will use many different methods to try and pull a fast one on your employees.  Not having some form of clothing security tags on your merchandise could cost you a great deal of money, but having an unstaffed fitting room can cost you far more in the end. Clothing security doesn’t stop at tags on the clothing, but also includes all of your employees.  
Shoplifters feel comfortable stealing in areas where their actions cannot be observed by other people, so what better place for them to commit their theft than in your fitting rooms.  Once in the room, they know that no one is observing their actions, so they are free to do whatever they want to do without fear of being seen.  After all, they want to attract as little attention as possible while they are in the store.  
A fitting room attendant is on the front line in clothing security, and they can ensure that customers are exiting the rooms with the same amount of clothing they are bringing into the room.  Some thieves will actually double hang merchandise, which is when they take one piece of clothing, and place an identical piece of clothing on top of it on the hanger.  This way, when they are bringing the items into the fitting room, it looks like there is only one piece of clothing on the hanger.  If you have a properly trained fitting room attendant, they will be able to spot these types of things and stop this from happening.  
The employee stationed at the fitting room should also check the rooms on a regular basis, or before and after customers are in the rooms.  The reason for this is so they can check for empty hangers, price tags, and clothing security tags.  You can be sure that tags will be hidden anywhere a price tag could possibly fit.  I have found them stuck under benches with gum, behind mirrors and even in the cracks of the walls.  The fitting room attendant should physically handle all merchandise brought in and out of the room, because they will be able to feel if anything is inside the clothing or if it is double hung.  Nothing makes shoplifters madder than spending time trying to sneak something into the fitting rooms, only to have someone find the merchandise. I have seen people try to hide hundreds of dollars of cosmetic items into a stack of folded pants.  When they spend the time doing this, the looks on their faces are priceless when they are caught.  They thought they were smarter than the average person.
Placing clothing security tags on clothing may deter some shoplifters from trying to steal your clothes, but it doesn’t always deter all of them.  In my experience, the best way to reduce theft in the fitting room is to have an employee present at all times.  The question isn’t whether or not you can afford to have staff always at the fitting rooms, but if you can afford not to have someone there at all times.  The cost of keeping someone there is much lower than what you will lose if you don’t have an employee present. 
For more information contact us: (clothing security) or call 1.770.426.0547

The changing, or fitting rooms are the hub of most theft activity that occurs in clothing departments, or clothing stores in general.  Shoplifters will use many different methods to try and pull a fast one on your employees.  Not having some form of clothing security tags on your merchandise could cost you a great deal of money, but having an unstaffed fitting room can cost you far more in the end. Clothing security doesn’t stop at tags on the clothing, but also includes all of your employees.  

Shoplifters feel comfortable stealing in areas where their actions cannot be observed by other people, so what better place for them to commit their theft than in your fitting rooms.  Once in the room, they know that no one is observing their actions, so they are free to do whatever they want to do without fear of being seen.  After all, they want to attract as little attention as possible while they are in the store.  

A fitting room attendant is on the front line in clothing security, and they can ensure that customers are exiting the rooms with the same amount of clothing they are bringing into the room.  Some thieves will actually double hang merchandise, which is when they take one piece of clothing, and place an identical piece of clothing on top of it on the hanger.  This way, when they are bringing the items into the fitting room, it looks like there is only one piece of clothing on the hanger.  If you have a properly trained fitting room attendant, they will be able to spot these types of things and stop this from happening.  

The employee stationed at the fitting room should also check the rooms on a regular basis, or before and after customers are in the rooms.  The reason for this is so they can check for empty hangers, price tags, and clothing security tags.  You can be sure that tags will be hidden anywhere a price tag could possibly fit.  I have found them stuck under benches with gum, behind mirrors and even in the cracks of the walls.  The fitting room attendant should physically handle all merchandise brought in and out of the room, because they will be able to feel if anything is inside the clothing or if it is double hung.  Nothing makes shoplifters madder than spending time trying to sneak something into the fitting rooms, only to have someone find the merchandise. I have seen people try to hide hundreds of dollars of cosmetic items into a stack of folded pants.  When they spend the time doing this, the looks on their faces are priceless when they are caught.  They thought they were smarter than the average person.

Placing clothing security tags on clothing may deter some shoplifters from trying to steal your clothes, but it doesn’t always deter all of them.  In my experience, the best way to reduce theft in the fitting room is to have an employee present at all times.  The question isn’t whether or not you can afford to have staff always at the fitting rooms, but if you can afford not to have someone there at all times.  The cost of keeping someone there is much lower than what you will lose if you don’t have an employee present. 

For more information contact us: Clothing Security or call 1.770.426.0547

 

The New Normal- Loss Prevention Seminars

What is normal? Normal is whatever falls within a certain range of acceptability, when compared to everything else. So what is normal for you and your store may not be the same normal in another store. That being said, when it comes to shoplifters compared to customers there actually is a normal range to compare each one too.
Understanding how normal customers act when they go shopping is particularly important to understand and to recognize. By doing so, you are able to more quickly and accurately identify a person who is shoplifting. If you do not have a solid concept of normal shopping activity, you and your employees will likely waste significant amounts of time (labor dollars) watching and following honest shoppers. Even a customer who is only browsing with no intention to buy will fall into the normal customer category of behaviors, instead of into shoplifter behaviors.
Loss prevention seminars are a highly efficient tool and resource to help you and your employees understand customer and shoplifter behavior. A seminar will help to break down what normal activity looks like, and what abnormal would be. The seminar will also help to evaluate when some of these behaviors cross over and how to further assess a situation.
For example, a shoplifter will typically try to avoid any and all interaction with other customers and employees. That is one of the main reasons why customer service is the best defense against shoplifting. That doesn’t mean that all people who avoid employee interaction are going to be shoplifters. Many customers who are window shopping will avoid employees because they know they are not in the store to spend any money. 
That doesn’t mean that they won’t come back at a later time to make a purchase, they are just not willing to do so now. Other paying customers will also avoid employee interaction because they do not want to be hovered over, or feel pressured into buying something. They simply want the autonomy to shop alone. So avoiding employee interaction is a behavior that is normal for both a customer and a shoplifter.
Confused yet? Well recognizing a shoplifter starts by taking one action that might be indicative of a shoplifter and then adding on several more actions. Eventually you will see a pattern emerge by the person that is either more conducive to being a customer or being a shoplifter. The more characteristics of both that you understand and can evaluate, the better your analysis of a situation will be. 
It is very out of the norm for a paying customer to hide merchandise in their bag when faced with the availability of shopping carts, or store provided shopping bags. An employee can also offer to hold merchandise at the front counter for a customer and the customer will show gratitude in their face and body language. A shoplifter who has been caught putting merchandise into their bag or purse will not show the same body language. They will be more likely to also state that they changed their mind and no longer want the item.
For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.

What is normal? Normal is whatever falls within a certain range of acceptability, when compared to everything else. So what is normal for you and your store may not be the same normal in another store. That being said, when it comes to shoplifters compared to customers there actually is a normal range to compare each one too.

Understanding how normal customers act when they go shopping is particularly important to understand and to recognize. By doing so, you are able to more quickly and accurately identify a person who is shoplifting. If you do not have a solid concept of normal shopping activity, you and your employees will likely waste significant amounts of time (labor dollars) watching and following honest shoppers. Even a customer who is only browsing with no intention to buy will fall into the normal customer category of behaviors, instead of into shoplifter behaviors.

Loss prevention seminars are a highly efficient tool and resource to help you and your employees understand customer and shoplifter behavior. A seminar will help to break down what normal activity looks like, and what abnormal would be. The seminar will also help to evaluate when some of these behaviors cross over and how to further assess a situation.

For example, a shoplifter will typically try to avoid any and all interaction with other customers and employees. That is one of the main reasons why customer service is the best defense against shoplifting. That doesn’t mean that all people who avoid employee interaction are going to be shoplifters. Many customers who are window shopping will avoid employees because they know they are not in the store to spend any money. 

That doesn’t mean that they won’t come back at a later time to make a purchase, they are just not willing to do so now. Other paying customers will also avoid employee interaction because they do not want to be hovered over, or feel pressured into buying something. They simply want the autonomy to shop alone. So avoiding employee interaction is a behavior that is normal for both a customer and a shoplifter.

Confused yet? Well recognizing a shoplifter starts by taking one action that might be indicative of a shoplifter and then adding on several more actions. Eventually you will see a pattern emerge by the person that is either more conducive to being a customer or being a shoplifter. The more characteristics of both that you understand and can evaluate, the better your analysis of a situation will be.

It is very out of the norm for a paying customer to hide merchandise in their bag when faced with the availability of shopping carts, or store provided shopping bags. An employee can also offer to hold merchandise at the front counter for a customer and the customer will show gratitude in their face and body language. A shoplifter who has been caught putting merchandise into their bag or purse will not show the same body language. They will be more likely to also state that they changed their mind and no longer want the item.

For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.

 

Don’t Let Them Put It On Your Tab – Bottle Security and Credit Fraud

To stop theft of alcohol from occurring at your business, you have a good bottle security program in place and bottle locks on your liquor, but what can you do to stop your own employees from committing fraud? How do you think a customer would react if they found out that their credit card information was obtained from using it at your business? My guess is that they would be much less likely to return, and your image would be tarnished.  Fraud is a year round problem, but it only increase during the holiday season.  One reason for this is that everything is hectic during the holidays.  Everyone needs more money during the holidays, so right before the season, some of the not so ethical members of society take advantage of the situation and fraud activity increases.  The mix of the busy environment, with access to credit cards, and need for extra money may be too tempting for some of your employees. 
Restaurants and bars are infamous places for fraud to be committed by the employees.  It’s one of the few places where the employee takes your credit or debit card from you, and walks out of sight.  At this point, they should just be taking the card and swiping it through the business’s register for approval.  This also gives them the opportunity to obtain the information from your card for themselves, either by imprinting the card, writing it down, or swiping it through a device.  Unfortunately, you can’t put bottle locks on your customer’s credit cards, so trying to make sure this doesn’t happen at your business would obviously start with background checks on all employees.  After that, their activity should be monitored on occasion to ensure they are not taking doing anything out of the ordinary.  Ensure the employees are being supervised and don’t have any opportunities to slip away with a card.
I have actually been a victim of fraud myself.  I checked my account activity and learned that a purchase for $900 had gone through at a major retailer using my bank card.  This immediately shocked me, because I hadn’t even been to that retailer recently, and I still had my card in my possession.  I immediately called my bank and reported this as fraud.  To make matters worse, the bank froze my account for a few days until they investigated the transaction.  Of course it was proven that it was fraud, but it was a very inconvenient experience to say the least.  So if I still had my card, how did the thieves use my card in the store?  
Most likely, my information was obtained from using my card at a restaurant or other business, and then re-encoded onto another card.  It sounds complicated, but it’s very easy for thieves to do this today.  It’s as easy as ordering a device online that they can swipe your card with, then store it and put your information on another card.  The black strip on the back of the card stores the information they need.  Thieves are even placing devices on gas pumps on top of the real device, so when you swipe your card, you are running it through their device as well.  If this all sounds a little scary to you, it should.  Do all you can to protect your alcohol with bottle security, and then look at your employees to try to stop fraud from occurring in your business.
For more information contact us: (bottle security) or call 1.770.426.0547

To stop theft of alcohol from occurring at your business, you have a good bottle security program in place and bottle locks on your liquor, but what can you do to stop your own employees from committing fraud? How do you think a customer would react if they found out that their credit card information was obtained from using it at your business? My guess is that they would be much less likely to return, and your image would be tarnished.  Fraud is a year round problem, but it only increases during the holiday season.  One reason for this is that everything is hectic during the holidays.  Everyone needs more money during the holidays, so right before the season, some of the not so ethical members of society take advantage of the situation and fraud activity increases.  The mix of the busy environment, with access to credit cards, and need for extra money may be too tempting for some of your employees. 

Restaurants and bars are infamous places for fraud to be committed by the employees.  It’s one of the few places where the employee takes your credit or debit card from you, and walks out of sight.  At this point, they should just be taking the card and swiping it through the business’s register for approval.  This also gives them the opportunity to obtain the information from your card for themselves, either by imprinting the card, writing it down, or swiping it through a device.  Unfortunately, you can’t put bottle locks on your customer’s credit cards, so trying to make sure this doesn’t happen at your business would obviously start with background checks on all employees.  After that, their activity should be monitored on occasion to ensure they are not taking doing anything out of the ordinary.  Ensure the employees are being supervised and don’t have any opportunities to slip away with a card.

I have actually been a victim of fraud myself.  I checked my account activity and learned that a purchase for $900 had gone through at a major retailer using my bank card.  This immediately shocked me, because I hadn’t even been to that retailer recently, and I still had my card in my possession.  I immediately called my bank and reported this as fraud.  To make matters worse, the bank froze my account for a few days until they investigated the transaction.  Of course it was proven that it was fraud, but it was a very inconvenient experience to say the least.  So if I still had my card, how did the thieves use my card in the store?  

Most likely, my information was obtained from using my card at a restaurant or other business, and then re-encoded onto another card.  It sounds complicated, but it’s very easy for thieves to do this today.  It’s as easy as ordering a device online that they can swipe your card with, then store it and put your information on another card.  The black strip on the back of the card stores the information they need.  Thieves are even placing devices on gas pumps on top of the real device, so when you swipe your card, you are running it through their device as well.  If this all sounds a little scary to you, it should.  Do all you can to protect your alcohol with bottle security, and then look at your employees to try to stop fraud from occurring in your business.

For more information contact us: Bottle Security or call 1.770.426.0547