Credit card and cheque fraud has risen by 55% since 1999, costing the country around £400 million each year.
However, the new 'Thumbprint' initiative in the town's Kingdom Shopping Centre has reduced fraud of this type by 85 per cent - with more shops expected to follow suit.
Fife Community Safety Panels, in partnership with Fife Police, town centre managers and retailers across Fife, have supported and sponsored the initiative which has already produced results in the fight against fraud.
The 'Thumbprint' signature programme has been introduced at outlets in all of Fife's main shopping areas.
It is a scheme which targets customers intending to pay for their products by cheque or credit card.
Customers are then asked to provide a thumbprint on the back of the cheque or store copy of the transaction slip.
If the customer declines, the store can ask for another form of identification.
As well as providing retailers with added security, the process creates a permanent record of the person's identity without leaving an ink mark on the user's thumb.
It is also thought that the 'Thumbprint' scheme acts as a deterrent to potential offenders.
Fife Police community safety officer, PC Colin Steer, said that following the pilot scheme, other companies would be offered the chance to participate.
"After a successful trial period within the Kingdom Shopping Centre, all businesses within the Glenrothes area now have the opportunity to take part," he revealed.
"Over the next few weeks, during the new Safer Scotland campaign, our community constables will be visiting all business premises with a view to training staff in the use of Thumbprint and distributing a free starter pack."
PC Steer highlighted that the 'Thumbprint' scheme is voluntary and complies fully with the European Convention of Human Rights.
The initiative is simply designed to prevent crime and give customers greater peace of mind when they are out shopping.
He continued: "While a signature can be copied and used for other unlawful purposes, no-one can copy a thumb print.
"As with a signature, the receipt remains with the shop until all transactions have been completed and it is destroyed.
"The only time the Police will receive any thumb print is when a crime has been committed."
Throughout the trial period, only five complaints were received by Glenrothes Police Station.
However, these were because of a lack of understanding of the project and none objected once it had been fully explained.
Anyone with any queries should contact the Mid Fife Crime Panel at Glenrothes on 418645.