| This is the absolute best time of the year to be a | | | | begins. Orientation is the first place to discourage this |
| dishonest temporary worker. Holiday hustle and | | | | behavior. Policies must be openly discussed. |
| bustle overwhelms managers and supervisors and | | | | Employees are shown aspects of loss prevention and |
| they can't possibly see everything their employees | | | | physical security in place. They are further told |
| are doing. It has been said that only 10 percent of | | | | incidences of theft will be prosecuted under the |
| employees are honest, 10 percent of employees will | | | | fullest extent of the law. They are reminded that |
| always steal and 80 percent will steal based on | | | | previous employees were caught and the expenses |
| circumstances. Hiring temps during the holidays | | | | in fines and to lawyers in a criminal defense cost far |
| becomes the perfect storm for employee theft. | | | | more than the goods or cash that were stolen. In |
| Estimates reveal that 40-50 percent of all business | | | | Singapore, Iran, Saudi Arabia, they put an average of |
| losses are due to employee theft. Employers need to | | | | 500 people a year to death for various non-violent |
| first vet out potential hires so as not to invite a thief | | | | crimes. That's perception equaling reality. |
| into the workplace. | | | | Understand the Theft Probability Equation. Chance of |
| Prescreening | | | | getting caught + consequences of action taken = |
| - Use prescreening services; Otherwise become a | | | | Level of risk & probability of theft. |
| master interviewer. Look for incongruence. | | | | - Low risk: high probability of theft |
| - Resumes are often "false advertising" and outright | | | | - High risk: low probability of theft |
| lies, look for red-flags and exaggerations. | | | | - A reputation for non-action breeds theft. If you fire |
| - Appearance is telling. Someone who is disheveled | | | | thieves without prosecution, you will hire thieves in |
| and unkempt is a sign of character. | | | | the future. |
| - Interviewees who are well-spoken and ace the | | | | Increase technology to reduce threats. |
| interview process may have had lots and lots of | | | | Computer Worldpoints out to bolster physical security |
| jobs. | | | | around temporary cash registers and handheld |
| - Use employment applications: check and verify | | | | scanners. It's easy to install a card-skimming device |
| everything. | | | | on a satellite register. Install additional video cameras |
| - Background checks are only one small part of the | | | | to monitor the use of such devices. |
| screening process. But necessary. | | | | Review log data daily. System and transaction logs |
| - Criminal records checks are insufficient and do not | | | | can reveal a lot of information about the security of |
| detect employee theft unless prosecuted and | | | | a payment system. Check them daily for red flags. |
| convicted. | | | | Implement "hard" firewall policies. Use a white list of |
| - Juvenile convictions do not show on a criminal | | | | known good addresses to preclude the possibility of |
| records check. | | | | card and payment data going anywhere outside the |
| - Drug and alcohol testing. | | | | enterprise firewall except to your payment |
| - Reference checks. | | | | processor. |
| - Credit reports. | | | | For your own good, protect your identity. Get a |
| - Physical exams. | | | | credit freeze. Go to ConsumersUnion.org and follow |
| Hire honest people. | | | | the steps for your particular state. This is an |
| Honest people live by the golden rule, "do as to | | | | absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In |
| others...". Honest people see stealing as demeaning. | | | | most cases, it prevents new accounts from being |
| Honest people believe in karma, that if they steal | | | | opened in your name. This makes your Social |
| then someone will steal from me. Honest people are | | | | Security number useless to a potential identity thief. |
| well thought out and think of the consequences of | | | | Invest in identity theft protection and prevention. Not |
| their actions over a lifetime, not just in the moment. | | | | all forms of identity theft protection can be |
| Hire honest people. | | | | prevented, but identity theft protection services can |
| Perception is reality. | | | | dramatically reduce your risk. |
| Assume after an "honest" person is hired the stealing | | | | |