INSIGHT · US
US retailers report 69% surge in phone scams as theft prevention advances
National Retail Federation data shows phone-based fraud and external theft rising sharply even as in-store shoplifting declines for the first time in years, signaling criminals are shifting to remote and social-engineering attacks.
WHY IT MATTERS
Retailers are deploying AI loss-prevention in-store but leaving call centers and payment channels exposed; BFSI vendors must now layer voice/call-center AI to catch spoofing and account-takeover fraud upstream.
Source: PYMNTS · 2026-08-03