Atlanta Loss Prevention Investigator

August 24, 2010 by

Loss prevention investigator’s in the Atlanta area.

A loss prevention investigator conducts employee theft investigation in any type of business, traditionally in the retail sector. However, we have found that the skills and techniques are used seamlessly across any business sector.

Employee theft, embezzlement, business fraud and vendor fraud are just a few of the areas that a loss prevention investigator can look into. Why pay for an investigator? Why would you not just call the police? First Police Departments have always been traditionaly understaffed in this area. With the economic problems the country is going through staff cuts have also hit the police. Then keep in mind that violent crime always takes priority.

In addition a typical law enforcement investigator in the U.S.is assigned an average of 30 cases a month. How many of those are going to get the attention they deserve. Yours would be added to the pile.

If you do not submit a finished case and I mean a completely finished case that is exactly what will happen. We are routinely told three months to a year for law enforcement to bring the case to charges filed in a case they conduct by themselves.

A loss prevention investigator can be dedicated to that one investigation and do the same work, many times with higher quality standards than a law enforcement investigator. Again it is the difference between the public and private sector.

Should you hire an off duty police officer? Again, the difference between the public and private sector is that not only will the loss prevention investigator generally have a higher skill level but also a true loss prevention investigator is a business person. We understand business needs and are not only concerned with putting someone in jail.

Atlanta is a very dynamic city with a vast and diverse business community. Law enforcement in the metro area is stretched to the limit. Don’t let your case be put in “the pile”

Contact us or in the Atlanta area call 770.426.7593

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They Didn’t Stop Employee Theft Soon Enough!

August 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Simply put waiting to stop employee theft will just cost a business more in the end.

An employee theft investigation was initiated at the request of the Owner of a retail store chain located in the Atlanta metro area. The owner stated that his Accounting department had discovered a loss of cash and merchandise of approximately $28, 308.00. This loss was attributed to the one store.

The owner explained the procedures and operations of the company. In addition, a review of the background of the three employees at the store was conducted.

An interview was conducted with one employee. During the interview the employee admitted to the theft of $ 23, 250.00 in cash from the store. He stated that he needed the money for bills including child support, fuel, food, a car note, clothing and because of garnishments, which decreased his take home pay.

The employee stated that he stole approximately $100 each day he worked. He stated that he did this by not ringing selected transactions into the cash register and pocketing the money.

He admitted that he had been stealing for 14 months. The employee further stated he stole every day he worked, which was five to six days a week. He said that he stole in that manner three out of four weeks. He said that the last time he stole cash was the day before the interview.

The employee also stated that he stole merchandise valued at an average of $40.00 each month by giving it to friends.

The employee incorporated his admissions into a voluntary written statement. As a result of the employee theft investigation criminal charges were filed with a Metro Atlanta area Police Department.

You must be proactive to stop employee theft . I have found that after a business looks back at a typical employee theft investigation they find that they waited entirely too long before taking action.

More info? Contact us in the Atlanta area to stop employee theft or call 1.770.426.0547

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Who Is A Qualified Loss Prevention Investigator?

August 21, 2010 by

When looking for a loss prevention investigator for employee theft investigations you should keep in mind that one of the principal requirements is a high skill level in interview and interrogation.

Very few people understand how this works. The average person takes what they see on TV as reality. Far from it.

An interrogation is a structured conversation that follows very clear guidelines. If someone says “I can just talk to him or her for a while and usually they will tell me something”, run. This approach along with good guy, bad guy routines and the like are simply garbage.

This is a skill that many portray as having, but few are truly qualified. When you need an loss prevention investigator look for the follow things:

1 A person who has worked successfully for several major companies such as Macy’s, Wal-Mart, The Gap… They should have a clean track record at each of these companies.
2 Did they actually do investigations on their own to completion?
3 How many interrogations have they done on their own? If it is less than 400, keep looking.
4 How many formal interview and interrogation courses have they completed? They should have certificates from organizations such as John Reid, Wicklander…. If they tell you “Oh I didn’t need those I learned on the job” find someone else. That’s like asking someone to be your lawyer based on the number of John Gresham books they read.

These courses and methods not only provide structure to the investigator but when you get to court not having formal training to hold up is asking for trouble. The defense will tear them apart.

Do not trust your business or investigation to a loss prevention investigator that is less than qualified.

Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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Reasons for pre employment screening needs on the rise

August 20, 2010 by

Employers of all sizes are now conducting pre hire employment screening of some type and are looking at several areas. The obvious ones are:

A criminal background check probably comes to mind at or near top of the list.  Banking institutions or retailers seeking to hire individuals who will be handling potentially thousands of dollars per day want to be sure there is no record of theft and so on.

A driving records check obviously makes good sense if an employee will be using a company vehicle.  A bad record will cause insurance rates to soar.

A credit check will give a great idea of how a person manager their money which will translate into many roles across many industries.  A bad manager at home will not likely do miracles at work.

A public records check will show court record like bankruptcies, lawsuits and judgments that could be unwanted baggage for the employer.

Worker’s compensation claims checks are gaining popularity. There are individuals who have a pattern of filing claims wherever they work and again it is possible to avoid potential problems there.

One reason to conduct employment screening employers may not consider, but could possibly rank at the top of the list is to avoid a negligent hiring lawsuit.  If an employee harms others intentionally on the job and it is found that the employer did not conduct pre employment screening on the individual and that they had a violent past… this makes the employer liable in the eyes of the plaintiffs and their legal representation.

For more info contact the experts at employment screening

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Loss Prevention Consultants

August 20, 2010 by

There are a lot of people that call themselves loss prevention consultants, but what should a professional loss prevention (LP) consultant provide? There are a number of disciplines in LP: employee theft, shoplifting, inventory control, safety sometimes falls under LP, LP training and auditing just to name a few.

Many LP people that consult are generalists in most of these areas. You should narrow down your search by looking carefully at what you need. Loss prevention consultants that have auditing development skills can help you keep your losses down by identifying and preventing theft, loss, shoplifting and more.

Auditing is proactive. Audits are designed to seek out the causes of loss and bring them to the surface. Management then can make policy and procedure changes that increase profitability. Audits are then done on a routine basis but unannounced basis. The results should go directly to Senior Management.

Another proactive area loss prevention consultants can help a business with is LP Training.  Training should target entry-level employees all the way to middle management. Topics can include employee theft identification and prevention, how to deal with employee theft, shoplifting, inventory control, vendor fraud, pre-employment interviewing and more.

Seasoned loss prevention consultants should have a minimum of 15 years of loss prevention experience in several major companies. Do not be afraid to ask for letters of reference or referrals. You should talk to them at length about their experience. Does it fit with your business model and goals? Watch for people that try to talk like the police. A true LP professional is a businessman not a cop.

Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. of Atlanta employs professionals with store level, regional level, district level and director level Loss Prevention experience, each with decades of success. For more information contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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Loss Prevention Agent…Want a new career path?

August 20, 2010 by

Loss Prevention is found in every company, especially retail, that is concerned about reducing losses from theft.   Loss prevention agents are involved in apprehending shoplifters, testifying in court, investigating employee theft, conducting interviews, and much more.

What type of person makes a great loss prevention agent ?  If you have prior military service, loss prevention is a great transition to the civilian job force.  Criminal justice majors in college are also great candidates for this type of career.  It will help get your foot in the door for later career opportunities. 

There are online courses as well as classroom style settings that will offer training for loss prevention agents .  Some of these courses can be completed in as little as 2-3 weeks.  Many individuals going into this career path do not have prior experience.  Companies who hire loss prevention agents are mainly retail but can include hotel chains, restaurants, super markets and distribution centers. 

It sounds kind of clandestine; however these people are not like security guards with a uniform and a night stick to attack you as you exit.  They quietly observe the shoppers, or shoplifters, and individuals in the retail setting, much like they are a customer themselves. Usually these types of careers are not dangerous.  Most companies will employ a non violent policy to protect their employees. 

You probably will not become rich taking a job of this nature.  The average national salary for loss prevention jobs is $20-$30K per year.  This total includes bonuses as well as benefits.  Retail, clothing and apparel stores seem to pay a higher price than say a restaurant or hotel.  On average, Macy’s is the top income provider coming in at $26K straight salary.  Kmart is the lowest at $18K.  This information was gained from payscale.com.

If you need additional information on training or hiring a loss prevention agent please contact us.

 

 

 

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WHAT IS WHITE COLLAR CRIME???

August 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Well, you may be thinking of the new television series, White Collar Crime…but that’s not quite it! White collar crime is specifically defined as “a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation.”  This term was first coined by Edwin Sutherland in 1939.  In recent decades it has taken on a whole new meaning including embezzlement, forgery, money laundering and, today’s favorite, identity theft.

Many company executives get caught in a white collar crime due to negligent safety or environmental issues.  In 2007, the Atlanta based company Acuity Specialty Products was fined $3.8 million dollars in violation of the Clean Water Act.  As a result of the investigation, Daniel Schaffer, Acuity’s former Director of Environmental Compliance, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act, in February 2006. This ladies and gentlemen is one of the largest fines ever levied against a chemical corporation and also a perfect definition of white collar crime .

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, these types of crimes are estimated to cost the United States more than $300 billion annually.  The penalties for white-collar offenses include fines, home detention, community confinement, paying the cost of prosecution, forfeitures, restitution, supervised release, and imprisonment. However, sanctions can be lessened if the defendant takes responsibility for the crime and assists the authorities in their investigation.

If you feel white collar crime is affecting your business or place of employment contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

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Anti Shoplifting solution that works

August 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment

There are only a few  anti shoplifting solutions that not only work very well but are very cost effective.  The key is to clearly understand the core issue you are experiencing so that you do not throw money into the “winging it” or guessing game.

Probably the most popular “winging it” anti shoplifting solution smaller retailers go to is the installation of a camera system. This is thought to be a deterrent but unfortunately that is not true for the most part.  There are three types of shoplifters, impulsive, amature and professional.  The impulsive shoplifter may be stopped with the installation of a CCTV/ camera system because they think you may be watching them; however, amateur and professional shoplifters know that you are not staring at your CCTV monitor 24 hours a day and they do not care if they are recorded in the act. A CCTV system is used by larger retailers for liability more than anything else such as evidence in a slip and fall suit.

Backing up a step some retailers may think their burglar (or security) alarm is an  anti shoplifting solution.  Technically that is for when you are not there and are subject to burglary; vs. shoplifting which occurs during business hours and your burglar alarm is turned off.

Almost all major retailers us an EAS or Electronic Article Surveillance system for their anti shoplifting solution.  Checkpoint Security Systems offers the most technologically advanced EAS system utilizing RF or radio frequency detection vs. the older technology of AM or acousto magnetic.

These systems involve installing pedestal antennas at entry exit points which will detect protected merchandise when approaching the doorway.  This is an active system that alarms when the event is occurring. The cost is typically far less than a comprehensive CCTV system and the solution will deter theft to the rate of a proven 50% to 70% immediately.

Go here to learn more anti shoplifting or visit Checkpoint Security Systems

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EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECKS….ARE THEY BENEFICIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS?

August 19, 2010 by

YES!! In today’s tough economic times many companies, especially small ones, have eliminated some fundamental job applicant requirements, such as drug testing or checking someone’s history.

In today’s climate, employers should be even more cautious who they hire, particularly in high risk positions, such as individuals in the teaching or day care profession.  Things such as the Enron scandal, September 11th and other corporate scandals have caused a heightened awareness of falsifying information and put higher scrutiny on company officials.

Many federal and state laws now require employers to run employee background checks on potential canidates. It will depend on what your particular company does and what those employees are being hired to do. Even if your business ventures are not high risk, resume fraud is on the rise, you do not want to hire an employee that costs your business profits in the long run.

Reporting on a potential hire can include an extensive amount of information or can be as simple as verifying education and social security numbers.  Often these reports include:  driving records, credit history, court records, bankruptcies, medical history, military records, past employer information and criminal history.  The computer and information technology age has increased what we can find out about other individuals.  It is up to you how extensive you want your search information to be. Each state law outlines what can be searched on an individual’s history.  You can also check the Fair Credit Reporting Act for additional guideline information.

Why is all this information important to an employer? Often an employer can be held accountable for criminal acts or acts of negligence committed by an employee.  This is especially true if the employee will be working with the public, elderly, children or entering people’s homes.  Conduct employee background checks….it can save your profit margin!

Contact us at employee background checks for more information or call: 1.770.426.0547

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Why use a background check company

August 19, 2010 by

One way to to answer the question why use a background check company is to tell a true story about employee theft.

Smart pre hire processes will help you identify potential threats to your business and prevent potential losses like the one one of our clients experienced in the story below.

Management of a chain of hardware stores received an anonymous tip that an employee was making suspicious refunds. Our refund audit at that location uncovered over $20,000 in refunds that could not be verified as legitimate, and were traced to the employee, a cashier. During the interview with our investigator, the clerk admitted taking stock from the sales floor and initiating refunds, crediting them to her relative’s accounts. The cashier also implicated other employees who were involved in other illegal activities.

People like this do not start at this level and you will see a pattern if you conduct a criminal background check through a professional background check company that will help you avoid hiring such a bad apple.

You will want to get not just a criminal background check but also driving history if any company vehicles are to be used at any time in the forseeable future.  Bad driving record will have the potential to skyrocket your insurance costs.

Also things like educational verification will identify exaggerations or flat out lies about their credentials/ background.  A credit search will identify a persons ability to manage their money which is important if you plan to trust them to manage anything for your business.

These are the highlights of why you should use a background check company.  You will also want to dig deep into the actual solution you will be getting because just like anything else, not all companies providing this service are equal or provide equal results.

To learn more go here:  background check company

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