Retail Loss Prevention, a good thing, or a data harvest?

I've been toying with posting about this for some time, but I've been put off by the fact most people not familier with the concept, will disagree, based on the assumption the subject matter is a GOOD thing, instead of one to be worried about.

Over here in the UK, some big chain stores operate something called Civil Recovery, which is designed to help them recoup losses from shoplifters, sounds like a good idea? is a good idea? You can make your own mind up, but please reserve judgement until you've read the rest of my thread.

I'm going to include plenty of links and information for you to make an informed choice as to wether you agree, or disagree with what I am saying here.

Retail los prevention, or RLP for short, operates very simlar to a money scam, those operating it have less power to prosecute than your local paperboy. Most people who've had dealings with them over innocence, will say the same thing, it's a scam.

What happens to victims of RLP? Well, if you happen to have the misfortune of misplacing a small item, lets say a lipstick or other small object in among your other shopping, and say the person at the tills doesn't see it is tucked in with a larger object in your shopping, and through no fault of your own, you fail to pay and leave the store.

Seconds later a store guard asks to see your bags, you oblige as you know you have nothing to hide, he checks your shopping and finds the misplaced item. He then asks tou to come with him, you're taken into a room at the back of the store and told no police will be called if you simply sign a form, giving details such as your name, address, phone number and DOB.

You leave the store feeling lucky you were not arrested, and grateful for the store's simple 'slap on the wrist'.

About a week later you receive a letter demanding around £130, this contans trumped up charges and accusations of stealing. No charges were brought against you by the police, you were not arrested or formally charged with theft.

The letter states that failing to pay this sum by such & such a date will result in your name being placed on a 'list of dishonest persons' database.

RLP have never taken a single person to court, nor has anything bad happened to those who have not paid. It is a money scam, where the retailers benefit very little from any monies paid. RLP pocket 99.9% of the takings, the stores doubtfuly get more than the cost of the item, if that.

The money scam aspect of RLP is one thing, not paying seems only to resort in a stream of computer generated mail which suddenly stops, with no more ado, after so long.

But what happens to the data? the details of hundreds of INNOCENT people being stored, and made available to those who wish to access it? Probably sold on to government agencies, credit companies, employers, retailers etc.

RLP seems NOT to target organised shoplifting or the silly girl who did not want to pay for her makeup, it seems to go for those most likely to pay up to avoid this 'list of dishonest persons'. Students, parents, people in important jobs etc. In the mail, they claim to be able to 'effect future prospects' etc with this so called list.

Remembering NO criminal charges have been levied, and RLP are nothing more than a powerless Debt Collection Agency. Scare tactics seem to be their way to manipulate, mixed in with using guilt and shame, and convincing people that you DID STEAL, and to pay up out of shame.

Now my question is, is this part of a data gathering plan by an agency much bigger and more powerful than your everyday superstore? Who could possibly be wanting the data of innocent people, gathered via this scam?

The RLP system is a wolf in sheeps clothes, something very very bad pretending to be something good, and helpful.

www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk... - experiences with RLP. - ignore the ones where people admit to stealing, pick out the ones of the innocent mistakes, which most of the stories here are.


www.retaillossprevention.co.uk... the RLP website, I wonder if the symbol, which appears to be of a sunset over the sea, could be something related to the NWO/illuminati? I've run a few searches, found simlar symbols, but nothing that drew my attention to being simlar to this one, if anyone else has any ideas, please post them!

lossprevention.co.uk... - this 'advice' sheet, aimed at minors, has another interesting symbol of an eye on the top right.

They appear to be very clever liers and manipulators, not so good scammers, as most people are wise to it now and simply don't pay, & bin the mail. However, this does not guarantee your data is not being stored, sold or made available to other agencies.

It might not seem like much, but hundreds of innocent people are being persecuted by this scam, and their data stored with no way for them to remove or protect it. Even the DPA (Data protection act) doesn't seem to be able to stop RLP and the stores that exploit innocent people in this way.

Big stores, run by BIG people, people with the sort of money & power to move mountains, people with connections, people who very possibly are a part of the NWO. Is our data being collected for a much more dangerous purpose than a simple shoplifting allegation? Why are no police called if a crime has taken place? BECAUSE THE STORES KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP TO!!!

RLP don't take people to court for non payment, it is not worth the risk of someone having a good lawyer and blowing their scheme out of the water. The less publicity they receive, the better, as with most secretive organisations.

Think about it before you reply with flames, constructive skepticism/criticism welcome, but if you're one of the few who dislike me as a person, then please don't reply.

~Chez

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Let's bring vendors into this equation.
Through no fault of their own, out of date/damaged product ends back on the shelf.
Fines are introduced.
By what law does a store/customer of the vendor have the right to extort monies from the vendor for said bad merchandise?
Not to mention the myriad of other fine-able offenses, such as being late, questioning the management, and honest counting errors.
All hearken back to security/loss prevention.
If the vendor wishes to continue to do business, they better pay up.
The fines are not slaps on the wrist either.
Average offense is between 3 - 10 units
$50 per unit first offense, $100 per unit 2nd offense, 3rd offense get the vendor kicked out of the chain until a substantial monetary adjustment has been made.
Usually to the tune of $9,000.00

Honest counting mistakes, such as bringing in 11 loaves of bread instead of 12, or a wrong tray of a similarly packaged item, or get this, 13 units, where it's invoiced for only 12.

The write up is actually call "HONEST MISTAKE" and a fine of $75.00 is introduced.
Some chains make the vendor pay out of pocket and if they don't out the door they go.
Management has a quota to fill as well.
All of the materials dealing with this extortion are labeled "strictly confidential property of ___"

This is the cost of doing business.





[edit on 7/8/2010 by reticledc]

What I find interesting is that retail stores use fake shoppers to spy on other shoppers.

But mostly to spy on the kid making $7 an hour.

I think the moral of the story is don't take stuff, and don't sign stuff without reading and understanding it.

Originally posted by Signals
I think the moral of the story is don't take stuff, and don't sign stuff without reading and understanding it.

AGREED! To many people sign stuff without reading it, and their is a wide assumption that we will do this. If I'm stood somewhere with 20 people behind me, being asked to sign something, I always read it, fully, often to the great irritation of those asking me to do so.