One more thing to worry about

As if it weren’t already a big enough headache planning and executing Black Friday promotions, ensuring adequate inventory levels and dealing with the operational and staffing issues associated with opening before dawn. Retailers must also concern themselves this holiday season with a rise in fraudulent returns due to counterfeit receipts. It is a $3 billion problem for the retail industry, according to BrandWatch Technologies, a company that coincidently manufacturers a technology to combat receipt fraud. “Cash register receipts are easier to counterfeit than money, and while it's commonplace to have your currency validated at the register, retailers have no way of validating receipts,” said Steve Delepine, VP of BrandWatch Technologies. “The scam is perpetrated on retailers when cash or store credit is given in exchange for fraudulent receipts.” Inexpensive and high quality printers and computer software have made it easier than ever to create bogus receipts and Delepine said the downturn in the economy has led to an upturn in counterfeiting activity.