17/10/11
By Karen Moss
The UK’s largest technology retailers have come together to head off the increasingly sophisticated fraud being committed against their stores and online operations. The Technology and Electronics Loss Prevention Forum is the latest in a series of sector-specific profit protection groups facilitated by LP specialists ORIS.
The technology sector faces sophisticated scams including ID theft through SIM card fraud and the brazen lifting of ‘must-have’ smartphones and tablet computers, in-store or along the supply chain.
“Thieves that target consumer electronics are often more sophisticated because they know what they are looking for and where there is a market for high-spec technology products, many of which are stolen to order and disposed of quickly,” says Carly Richard, chairman of the new forum and shrinkage and compliance controller, Argos.
“You don’t steal thousands of pounds worth of equipment or defraud a SIM card and take over someone’s identity unless you know what you are doing. This is very organised crime and, in some cases, executed on an industrial scale,” she adds.
Vice chairman, Mike Gleeson, development manager business protection for John Lewis, says: “Collaboration works and the technology sector will truly benefit from this kind of approach, particularly with the types of crime we all witness. Also, because of fewer Police resources, we can all expect to see less assistance for business unless we as retailers have carried out the investigative leg work thoroughly and produced compelling evidence for prosecution.”
Members of the forum include Argos, Carphone Warehouse, Comet, Everything Everywhere, Office Depot, Jessops, Rymans and John Lewis.
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