Online retailers use algorithms to fight parcel thieves
Online retailers are suffering from an increasing number of package thefts. To reduce them, they are relying not only on the police but also on algorithms.
Fraud attempts have increased in recent years. Both Mediamarkt and Digitec Galaxus have confirmed this to the Switzerland at the weekend. For example, goods are ordered to a different address and the parcel is stolen from the letterbox on arrival. Or empty letterboxes are covered with a fictitious name tag and the goods delivered there.
The scams cause a lot of effort. Not only for the online retailers, but also for the real owners of the mailbox that was used for the theft. Although they do not have to pay anything, they do have to report the incident to the police and contact the online retailer's customer service.
While the thefts are particularly painful for smaller online retailers with fewer financial resources, the big players are arming themselves. A spokesperson for the Swiss Mail Order Association won't say exactly how - it's a "cat-and-mouse game" with the fraudsters. Zalando and Brack.ch are also unwilling to reveal what they are doing to track down fraudsters.
Market leader Digitec Galaxus is a little more specific. As the company told the Switzerland at the weekend explains, a specialized fraud department has been launched that uses specially programmed algorithms to identify patterns at an early stage and raise the alarm in the event of suspicious transactions. This has already made it possible to prevent many cases - even if there is no absolute certainty. Mediamarkt also operates a similar system.
Both companies also work closely with the police - so they are always informed about which scams are currently in vogue, according to the Digitec Galaxus spokeswoman.
Online retailers are faced with a kind of dilemma: business is booming, not least because it is now possible to order conveniently and risk-free on account almost everywhere. At the same time, the customer-friendly payment options make the various scams possible in the first place. (hae)
