• Bad Checks
  • Tennessee Bad Check Statutes
  • Check Cashing Precautions
  • Bad Check Prosecution - Basic Bad Check Law

• Shoplifting
  • Preventing Shoplifting
  • Tennessee Shoplifting Statutes

• Preventing Robbery of Retail Stores

• Preventing Telephone Fraud

 

 

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Preventing Robbery of Retail Stores

Take measures that make your store unattractive to robbers.

Some prevention measures include:

1. an attentive sales staff;
2. a visible cash register;
3. good lighting;
4. and frequent deposits to the bank.
5. The use of mirrors, cameras, alarms, and security personnel in high-crime areas.

What to do When a Robbery Occurs:

1. Cooperate with the robber for your safety and the safety of others.
2. Make an effort to stay calm and think clearly.
3. Make mental notes of the robber's physical description and other observations that will help law enforcement officers.
4. If you can reach your silent alarm without this being noticed, do so.
5. Otherwise, wait until the robber leaves.
6. Have a prearranged signal with your employees that indicates a robbery is occurring.
7. Do not use it if the robber can see you, instead, wait until the robber leaves.
8. Most robbers are as nervous as you, so be careful!

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Preventing Shoplifting

1. Train your staff to be courteous and alert.
2. Thieves are less likely to steal if they think they are being watched.
3. Sales personnel can notice if merchandise is missing if it is displayed neatly in standard groups with three or four items per display.
4. Place small, expensive items in secured display cases close to sales staff.
5. Counters that are near exits are easy targets for "grab and run" thieves.
6. When displaying clothes, turn every other hanger on the rack the opposite direction.
7. This also deters the "grab and run" thief. Display signs in your store that state "shoplifters will be prosecuted".
8. When you apprehend a shoplifter, contact the police department regarding actions you should follow.
9. Cooperate with law enforcement, and with the attorney prosecuting the case for the District Attorney's office.

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Check Cashing Precautions

1. Accept only local checks with the current names and addresses printed on them.
2. Does the check have a low number or no printed number?
3. About 90% of bad checks are drawn on new accounts.
4. Does the word amount match the number amount?
5. Examine checks closely. Don't accept any with alterations.
6. Accept only payroll or government checks when you know the person or can verify the check.
7. Don't accept postdated checks.
8. Don't accept two or more party checks.

The above was compiled from the Santa Monica Police Department website.

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Preventing Telephone Fraud

Secret passwords, random access codes, high-tech surveillance ... It sounds like a script from the latest James Bond movie. But such discussions should be going on in your own company to make sure you're not a victim of toll fraud.

How vulnerable you and your pocketbook are depends on how secure your system is. While no system is 100 percent safe, BellSouth suggests the following steps to make it more difficult for intruders to enter your system.

1. Configure your system to restrict calls to local numbers only or only the area codes you designate.
2. Use the toll protection devices in your voice mail system, such as secured messaging and invalid log-on attempt limits.
3. Designate passwords that are difficult to guess. The best ones are lengthy and nontrivial. Don't use your extension number.
4. Train employees to be security conscious and to report unusual calls or messages.
5. Secure all equipment, including administration terminals. Shred manuals, authorization codes, printouts and other materials before disposing.
6. Audit calling reports to identify suspicious patterns. Audits don't prevent toll fraud but they may decrease the time it takes to discover an intruder.

Toll fraud today costs businesses billions of dollars every year. It's up to you to make sure you're not a victim.

Toll Fraud Warning Signs

If any of these patterns suddenly show up on call records, check them out immediately. You could be a toll fraud victim already.

• long holding times,
• unexplained surges in use,
• increases in calls after business hours,
• reports of odd calls, or
• complaints that your system is "always busy".

Toll Fraud Hot Spots

You might think it would be great to call your grandmother in Topeka for free, but international calls actually are the hot ticket for telecom hackers. Following are the most popular call destinations:

China, Russia, Egypt, Ghana, Pakistan, India, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Columbia, El Salvador.

The above was compiled from information provided by BellSouth.

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