return fraud

Return fraud is the act of  defrauding a retail store via the return process. There are various ways in which this crime is committed. For example, the offender may return stolen merchandise to secure cash, or steal receipts and/or receipt tape to enable a falsified return. Return abuse is a form of “friendly fraud” where someone purchases products without intending to keep them. Perhaps the most well-known form of this abuse is “wardrobing” or “free renting” – in which the person makes a purchase, uses the product(s), and then returns the merchandise.