From cleptogirls in physical retail, to the abuse of returns in e-commerce: normalized bad faith that generates losses

Since last year the normalization of thefts in physical stores has taken over the Interneton social networks, hashtags such as #mirtilar #cleptogirls or #cleptotwt point to content based on thefts of the most varied, which Internet users publish with pride. The idea of transgressing the system with petty theft and still posting on the web generated an uncomfortable romanticization of a criminal practice.

And if this trend has gained ground on the internet, it would be a mistake to think that e-commerce would be free of similar practices. It is not today that consumers are taking advantage of online retail through the abuse of store commercial policies.However, according to Signifyd, a global anti-fraud technology company in e-commerce, consumer abuses have been growing. 

A frequent example of consumer abuse happens in returns. This type of abuse consists of taking advantage of product return policies, a fair convenience, created by e-commerce channels with great investment in logistics and automation to facilitate the shopping experience. 

There is a fine line between return abuse and return fraud, but both hurt e-commerce as consumers and fraudsters exploit loopholes to get products for free or recover money improperly

• Wardrobing: common in the fashion industry, the customer buys a product, uses it and then returns it as if it were new.
• Bracketing: the customer buys several versions of the same product, proves and returns the ones he does not want, leaving the shopkeeper with the shipping and processing costs. 
• Fraudulent exchange: return a counterfeit or damaged item in place of the original.
• Return chargeback: the customer requests the refund of the payment claiming that he returned the product, but the shopkeeper does not receive the item.
• Empty return: sending a box without the product or containing an irrelevant object, such as a brick or a potato, to circumvent the refund system.

“Online retailers invest in technology and logistics to solve return problems and thus retain customers with better shopping experiences. According to a survey by Signifyd, in 2025, 7 out of 10 Brazilians have already had to return a product. This is a movement that is part of e-commerce. However, this operation, which is already expensive for e-commerce, becomes a serious problem when consumers take advantage of abuse, without imagining the size of the damage that has been accumulating”, analyzes Lais Lima, marketing director Latam Signifyd. 

The impact on retail is significant: in 2023, global retailers have borne return costs of approximately US$700 billion; in the US alone, the loss was US$103 billion. The global forecast is that this number will increase to US$1 trillion by 2030, according to estimates by the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail, which analyze the financial impact of returns on e-commerce. 

Not every return is malicious and can sometimes come from habits considered lawful by consumers, as already mentioned bracketing.“It is difficult for online stores to track return abuse as they come from legitimate” customers, explains Lais. 

According to research Signifyd in Brazil, 9% of Brazilians have already bought a product even knowing they would return it, and 89% of them find this movement normal. 

“It is difficult for online stores to track return abuse because they come from legitimate customers”, explains Lais. “In addition, e-commerce must still deal with fraudsters who look like legitimate buyers by the sophisticated methods they use, the lack of unified data and intelligence of systems, and the fear of harming the customer experience.A sum of factors that makes it very complex to avoid losses with online returns”, he adds.   

These trends point to a new challenge for brands selling online: to decompress margins and improve growth opportunities, they need to balance innovation and fraud protection without harming the experience of good customers, who expect fast, paperless exchanges and returns.

Practices such as: clear and structured return policy; authentication of returns; and refueling fees for high-value products can help reduce scams. However, only a monitoring of return patterns that identifies consumers with a suspected history of abusive or fraudulent returns makes e-commerce able to detect anomalous patterns and prevent abuse.

This monitoring is possible through solutions based on AI and data technology, which deliver intelligence on returns and proactive loss prevention actions.“An efficient return policy does not only mean accepting returns without criteria. The use of technology is today the greatest ally in this great challenge that is to differentiate legitimate consumers from fraudsters and ensure the protection of e-commerce without harming the customer experience, not only during the purchase, but also in the post-purchase”, reinforces Lais.