Dependable Lock review: Overcharge for unlock of car! 40

Dependable lock places full page ads and represents itself as a local locksmith. DO NOT CALL THESE SCAMMERS. A recent vacation to Broomfield CO, I was driving a rental Ford Expedition. My keys were lost and my rental company, Alamo/National, called this company on my behalf.

The quote from the sales person at Dependable Lock was for $150 to make a new key for my rental vehicle. When the driver of the "unmarked" van arrived a foreign man with a heavy accent said it woul cost $299 to make the key. I told him the salesperson at Dependable Lock was informed about the make model of the vehicle and that my quote was $150. He said he was just an independent locksmith called by Dependable Lock and he has set pricing; and he had no idea why they said $150. I told Alamo/National rental agency to immediately fire this vendor for "Bait and Switch" scam techniques.

Within 30 minutes I started receiving threatening, harrassing phone calls from a New York number. The number is [protected].
Do not answer this phone number, they will call and call all hours of the night. Come to find out Dependable Lock is on the national watchlist according to the Consumer Protection Agency for this very scam. A great tip...Call AAA and ask them for a referral to a legitimate locksmith, you don't have to be a member. There is also a very insightful news piece CNBC did on this company for the very scam I described above...

SCAM REPORTS ON DEPENDABLE LOCK
local investigative Fox affiliate http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1060955050168791694#
and on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19714358/ns/business-consumer_news/
another report http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=309&sid=6329531&comments=true

there are other documented investigations on this company.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Good luck.

2-6-13 Tues. @ 7PMI ended up at the T/A BP gas station on Baker Rd., I-94 Dexter exit to gas up, and when I got out of my car, I accidentally hit the lock button on the door and was locked out. I went inside the BP station and asked the staff if I could use their phone to get assistance after I'd told them what happened to me. 1st called 911 and was told by the local washtenaw sheriff they couldn't assist because they didn't have tools and didn't offer any suggestions when I asked. Inside, I asked the sales person if I could make another call and if I could use a yellow page book. I found a 24/7 locksmith 1/3 page ad with 3 phone numbers and the person who answered and took my info stated someone would be by in 15-20min and I asked if the charge would be as they advertised 29.95 & if it included the service to which he mumbled yes. Then had to call back because he didn't ask for my license number. He said didn't need it. When the young man came out, he didn't have a uniform, nor company vehicle, no business card, just handed me a quote on scratch pad that said 29.00 service call +120.00 unlock cost. Company name on quote pad said MNY LOCKSMITH LLC PHONE 1.877.657.LOCK(5625) no address. By then, because I was suspicious, I didn't want to give credit card and wrote a check and heard from a friend that Fox News indicated companies like these are scams and practice deceptively through YP ads nationally. If it sounds to good to be true, buyer beware, it is. I'd experienced keys locked in car before and paid between 55-$80.00. Since I was out in the country alone, w/all of my keys inside car w/ my ID, credit cards, 2nd set of keys, cell phone etc, I felt no choice than to pay these scammers, unlock thieves. by Judi, Michigan

OMG! I feel like I was raped! talked to customer service regading the breakdown of the charge and apparently it is at
the "locksmiths" discretion. $170! the car the immigrant drove in wasn't even worth half that! yeah, It was a trap as the company came
up with local number and address. when the number [protected] came up It should have alerted me! TOTAL SCAM!

Called 24 Locksmith [protected] claiming to be Kansas City, MO. They quoted $39 service charge, sent someone out. He arrived in 30 minutes, said it would be $110 to unlock it, then couldn't pick it (never even asked if I lived there). He drilled out the lock, then told me $55 for a new door handle and $25 to re-key it to match my key. Then tax. He said he would take a check, so I wrote a check, then called my bank to stop payment after I found this posting. The receipt said "Dependable Locksmiths" in Florida. Later I got three phone calls with no voice message left from a Florida number. I'm calling the attorney general on Monday and the Better Business Bureau to report this company. Beware the companies you find on the internet - especially if they aren't listed in your local phone book! I should have known better when he called to verify the address from a "restricted" phone number.

PS - If the company reads this, I will give you a check for a legitimate rate - $55, at the Gladstone, MO police station where I work. You know who I am - just check your receipt.

Dependable Locks
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
Louisville, ky
Louisville, Kentucky, 40214
U.S.A.
Submitted: 10/24/2008 4:07:22 PM
Modified: 10/24/2008 4:07:00 PM
Roxanne
louisville, Kentucky
I dont have a key to my car trunk and due to a power short in the car the button in the glove box does not work. so I thought I would try a lock smith in the phone book. called them up. guy on the other end said it would be 39 sevice charge plus 15 and up for them to unlock the trunk and also said that they take debit, charge or cash. so a little iraning looking guy shows up about 45 min. later. had the papers already filled out wanting $95 dollars plus $35 and wanting me to sign it. I asked him what he was going to do at first he was going to open the car door and pop the butten in the glove box and charge me for it. I told him it did not work and that I was not going pay for that kind of service. then he told me he would try to pick the lock or drill it out but if that didnt would I would still have to pay him. if I wanted the locked drilled I would of already done that! and that I was not going to pay
95 for his services which I thought was to much. fine the man said but u still have to pay the service charge. I threw a fit handed him my card. and at that point the man told me that he only took cash. on the phone I go call the main people telling them that this was BS and that they lied to me in the first place about the price. they told me over phone the first time I called that they took debit credit and cash. mam! our machine is down. I blew up YOU TOLD ME U TOOK DEBIT! I told them that I was being ripped of because now I had to pay $40 for him To tell me it would take $95 in order to get my trunk open. I called [protected] and they told me they would not have been able to do that kind of work.
Roxanne
louisville, Kentucky
U.S.A.

Cindy Bevington
BBB offers its latest consumer ‘watch’ list
(Created: Sunday, October 12, 2008 9:39 AM EDT) | Text Size | print | e-mail
The Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana has released its latest consumer tips list. As you read through it, the BBB reminds readers to consider the importance of the practice in question and the total performance of the company. For complete information, visit bbb.org.

1. Vonage advertises “Get unlimited local and long distance calling for only $24.99 a month.” The BBB strongly suggests that consumers read the very lengthy terms and conditions before signing up. Of the 8, 920 complaints that have been filed against this company, 1, 763 were regarding service issues and 2, 233 were from consumers requesting refunds.

2. Epic Financial Management is advertising its debt negotiation services on Indiana TV. The company states, “… our financial advisers have been helping people rid themselves of debt for over 10 years.” The BBB could find no evidence of this company operating for more than three years. Complaints to the BBB generally are that Epic failed to perform as agreed, and that creditors continued to call. This California company has the BBB’s lowest rating.

3. The Gaia Movement is one of over 20 names used by this charity. The organization is putting out large, green containers in Indianapolis and Anderson that resemble trash recycling bins. Signs on the bins indicate that the resale of the clothing is used to educate and finance environmental projects around the world. According to Gaia’s 2006 IRS 990, 28% of the revenue generated from the resold clothing is spent on programs. The BBB recommends at least 65%.

4. Cosco/Dorel Juvenile Group manufactures children’s car seats, strollers, toys, etc. Recent complaints concern their battery-operated riding toy vehicles breaking down, not holding a charge and inability to repair in a timely fashion. So far 67 complaints have been filed. They have the BBB’s lowest rating.

5. Dependable Locksmith, 24-Hour Emergency Locksmith, Millennium Locksmith, Speedway Locksmith, and USA Total Security are just a few of the 17 names used by this New York-based company. In 2006 the Ohio Attorney General sued them for false advertising, unauthorized repairs and other business practices that violated consumer protection laws and rules. They want you to think they are a locally based company when they aren’t. So far 310 complaints have been filed against this company. They have the BBB’s lowest rating.

6. Greatest Kept Secrets, “an exclusive organization, ” is sending letters that say, “We’ve discovered something special about you.” This “secret society” is made up of “some of the world’s most famous and powerful people.” The secrets include how to lose weight, win at gambling, become a millionaire, be successful in business, eliminate all addictions, have the power to cure and know what others are thinking. It’s free now, but what you will end up paying later?

7. Foreclosure Assistance is contacting Hoosiers, claiming the company can keep them out of foreclosure. Consumers have complained about service issues and not receiving requested refunds. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office filed suit against this company in 2007. So far 265 complaints have been filed against this Florida company. They have the BBB’s lowest rating.

8. Business Alert-US Local Business Association is sending Indiana businesses an e-mail announcing that the recipient is “… a 2008 Best of Avon Award winner, ” or “Best of Indianapolis award winner.” “Winners” are asked to buy a plaque commemorating the award. The Pennsylvania Avenue address is a known mail drop. The BBB advises caution.

TIP OF THE WEEK: Sweepstakes, Sweepstakes! Prize Research Intelligence Agency, PSS World Clearing House, The Aussie Lotto, The Atlantic Lottery, Corporate Claim Services, “Farm Bureau” of Consumer Protection Affairs, and ElGordo are all hitting Indiana. If you have to send money, don’t do it, even if there is a check enclosed to cover the up-front fee. The check is counterfeit.
| Home | Contact Us| Reader Services | Advertising| Subscribe | Email Alerts| e-Editions| Archives |
| Photo Reprints | kpcyellowpages | eTopJobs | eTopAutos |eTopHomes | Coupons |

Copyright © 2008 KPC Media Group, Inc.
Contact KPC at 102 North Main Street, Kendallville, IN 46755
[protected] • webmaster@kpcnews.net

7 On Your SideCracking down on unlicensed locksmithsFriday, October 03, 2008 | 1:34 PMStory Media Top Stories
7 On Your SideOAKLAND, CA (KGO) -- The Governor signed a bill cracking down on unlicensed locksmiths gouging vulnerable residents locked out of their home or cars. Supporters of the measure credit a 7 On Your Side investigation with inspiring the bill.
Most of us would feel threatened if our house or car keys got into the wrong hands. That's what happens every time someone hires an unlicensed locksmith.
Christopher Chew knows how vulnerable you can become when you get locked out of your house.
Story continues belowAdvertisement
The Emeryville man claims 24 Hour Locksmith told him the bill would be no more than $200. the final bill was $613.
The locksmith demanded immediate payment in cash and drove him to an ATM to withdraw it.
"It was a very implied threat. He said I know exactly where you live. My bosses are going to get their money some way or another. We obviously have access to your place, " said Chew.
We attempted to reach 24 hour locksmith for comment, but their phone is disconnected.
This summer, the state legislature passed AB 2592 by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma with the support of the California Locksmith Association.
"The consumer in the new law will have the ability for restitution upon prosecution. They can actually get their money back from the individual that did the wrong against them, " said John Brueggeman, President of the California Locksmith Association.
The bill increases the fine for unlicensed locksmith activity tenfold to $10, 000.
"This is a public safety issue, it is also a huge underground economy issue and it's also helping the legitimate small businesses, " said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D) San Francisco.
7 On Your Side researchers last year found only two percent of the 2, 300 locksmiths listed in www.yellowpages.com had legitimate licenses.
Our investigation also found that at least 75 percent of those locksmiths don't have permits to collect taxes. Those uncollected taxes are believed to be costing the state untold millions every year.
But Ma says this is primarily a safety issue.
"Nobody knows who these people are and what they're doing with copies of your keys to your home and car. I believe if the governor signs a bill, people will feel more secure about calling a locksmith, " said Ma.
Co-owner Randall Reed from Reed Brothers Security is so frustrated by unlicensed activity, he conducted his own sting. Reed lured a suspected unlicensed locksmith to his shop, and held him until police arrived.
Oakland Police cited him for unlicensed business activity and driving with a suspended license.
"The cops, they cuffed him, put him back of the car. They verified he didn't have a license, " said Reed.
Most locksmiths agree the key is enforcement.
"Some of the people like the DA who would say they can't spend the money on it. Now if they raise the fine to $10, 000 per event, maybe they'll be able to go after them, " said Steve Hess from All City Locksmith.
Hess is cautious with his support of the bill. Others are more enthusiastic.
"KGO7 has been at the forefront in the state of California of bringing this to the attention of the consuming public, " said Brueggeman.
"I just thank KGO for bringing this to our attention. I think this is a very important consumer safety issue, " said Ma.
A bill signed by the Governor this week will crack down on unlicensed locksmiths gouging vulnerable residents locked out of their home or cars. Supporters of the measure credit a 7 On Your Side investigation with inspiring the bill.
Related stories:

Similar to above in Seattle area for keys locked in car. they wouldn't quote anything over the phone... only the $39 service fee + "labor based on difficulty of job"... they do it (my poor teenager was stranded) and proceed to charge $140 for labor. all they did was stick a balloon thing in the door and less than 2 minutes later they had it unlocked. It's highway robbery. Doctors, lawyers and other "highly specialized" fields don't even charge that much for a 5 minute job.

I locked my keys in my car. The locksmith quoted me 39 for service fee and 110 dollars for car unlocked. I was told over the phone that they accept credit cards. When he quoted the price I wanted to cry. I was stranded so I told him to just unlock the car already. It took him less than a minute. I tried to give him my credit card and he proceeded to tell me that his machine was broke. He asked to follow me to an atm and collected my drivers license and copied my tag number. I feel like an idiot as I have never been charged this much before.

Dependable Locks, Inc
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
295 W. 231st Street
Bronx, New York, 10463
U.S.A.

Submitted: 8/18/2008 8:34:25 PM
Modified: 8/18/2008 8:34:00 PM
Anonymous
Eagan, Minnesota

We lost our house keys around the same time we sold our home. I immediately opened up the phone book and saw the add of this particular company. Since they garaunteed the lowest price, i called. A young man pulled up in our driveway at the time i set the appointment. I asked him how much this will cost. He said $275 dollars. I said, 'What! For two measely locks?' He then said, 'Ok - $250'. Since I needed to get the new keys into the hands of the owner, I said ok. He said each lock is 80 dollars for the cheapest, so i took the cheapest locks. I asked him who i needed to make the check out to and he said to himself. He will cash the check and send the money to his company. This all seemed to fishy for me. I called first thing in the morning to report my situation and haven't heard back...Here's a breakdown of my bill. Service call - $40, change in new lock $160, Re-Key Fee $10.00 and labor - $40...

Anonymous
Eagan, Minnesota
U.S.A.

Recently, I locked myself out of the house. I did happen to have my cell on me, so I called '411' for a locksmith. Operator gave me a number for a 24 hour locksmith, in Hermitage TN. I was told there was a service call charge of $39, plus $15 & up, depending on the severity of the lockout.

When the tech got to the house (fairly soon - 20 minutes or so), and upon asking me which lock was locked and inspecting it, he told me it would be an additional $55. Since I have been unemployed for over a month, my funds were getting VERY low, and I asked why so much more than $15? He stated it was for possible drilling and such (which he never used a drill, at all). He tried picking the lock, then used what looked like blood pressure sleeves with pumps (but without the meters), and placed about 3 in the door jam, then it opened right up...all of about 10 mintues, max. I feel I was overcharged for the little work the guy did. I was told $39, plus $15 and up, depending on the job. So, with $55 being added on, for the 10 minutes he worked on it, this means he should make about $330/hr (not including the $39 service call), right? WOW! Maybe *I* should get a drill, some tools and some blood pressure sleeves and go into the locksmith business, too? What a rip-off! I guess preying on others' unfortunate circumstances, makes them feel they can charge whatever they want, because they KNOW we need this service, to get on with our day. How sad!

He, too, was in an unmarked car, which seemed normal to me, it being a Sunday and all. He could have been 'on call' right? Well, 5 days later, I get this missed call from an odd number, [protected]. When I tried calling it back, all I get is a busy signal. So, I got online and 'googled' it up; turns out, it is listed under some locksmith complaints.

Anyone else get these types of calls?

Barb G
Hermitage, TN

Lockbusters
Phone:
Fax:
24037 Research Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Farmington Hills, Michigan,
U.S.A.

Submitted: 7/12/2008 3:02:30 PM
Modified: 7/12/2008 3:03:00 PM
Squandered
Madison Heights, Michigan
Was refferred to another locksmith by lockbusters, they quoted me a price of $75.00 a key on my 2007 Taurus. I told him that the last time I had it done it cost $60.00 for 2. He said he would match the price. I drove 35 miles to have the keys made on a Saturday for my mother. He started making teh keys and came out of his truck stating that he wanted more money for the job. Said he charges $100.00 a key. I told him he agreed to charge me $60.00 the same price I was charged last time I had to have 2 keys made. I was about to leave and he again agreed to make the keys.
When I returned home I found, Frances Katz from Lockbusters, Inc had called my house and was very abusive, swearing and using offensive language to my wife. They not only attempted to rip me off, they were ABUSIVE to this EX-CUSTOMER!

Squandered
Madison Heights, Michigan
U.S.A.

Usa Locksmith Charged over $700 for 2 simple locks! Atlanta Georgia
Usa Locksmith
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
usalocksmiths.com
Atlanta, Georgia,
U.S.A.
Submitted: 5/28/2008 3:34:58 PM
Modified: 5/28/2008 3:35:00 PM
Mary
Alpharetta, Georgia
I called to replace a regular lock with a turn-button on the knob. When the locksmiths arrived, they said their names were 'Johnny' and 'Tom', but had no ID or last names.
They advised me to put in a deadbolt, and I asked the charge, but they were evasive. I went ahead with a regular lock and a deadbolt, continuing to ask the cost. I also told them I wanted normal locks that wouldn't add to the cost, and they agreed to that. When the work was done (keying locks also to match present keys--I think the charge for that was huge) they presented me with a bill for $700 and ran my VISA through their system. The invoice had no name or address on it. I wanted them out of the house because there were 3 of them and only my daughter and I at home, so I let them go. When I called the company I got the royal run-around. After 4 different calls, I got no response. Someone named Richard Lawson was supposed to call back, but of course never did.
Mary
Alpharetta, Georgia
U.S.A.

Dependable Locksmith; Dependable Lock & Service;24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Aka USA Total Security DEPENDABLE LOCKSMITH SENDING PHONY OVER CHARGING LOCKSMITH, SCAM! 39 plus labor but won't say how much, UNMARKED CAR, NO NAMETAG Bronx New York is home office but sent scammer to me in GA
Dependable Locksmith; Dependable Lock & Service;24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Aka USA Total Securi
Phone: [protected]
Fax: [protected]
295 West 231st Street
Bronx, New York, 10463
U.S.A.
Submitted: 5/23/2008 7:37:34 PM
Modified: 5/23/2008 7:38:00 PM
Holly
Kennesaw, Georgia
This is the letter I sent to them to explain it...
5/23/2008
Attention Mr Gil or Manager of Dependable Locksmith aka Dependable Lock & Service along with multiple other names,
[protected]
I am disputing the outrageous charges I was charged when I called to get a local Kennesaw Ga locksmith on 5/21/2008. I was given your number and I called and was quoted a $39.00 service fee and labor.
They would not give me any more info on charges. I was told someone would call me back in 5 minutes, 15 minutes later I still had not gotten a call so I called again only to be told they couldn't seem to find the order and had to give all the info again. Then I was told someone would be there in 20 to 30 minutes.
A couple of calls later and an HOUR and 15 MINUTES LATER a white van pulls up with no markings on the outside to show who the people were and a guy asked if I called for a locksmith. I said yes and he got out along with some guy he had with him, the one guy had his pants so low you could see his rear and his friend has his so you could see his boxer shorts. I didn't know what to say or who they were. No business card was given, he didn't have a name tag on or anything to show he was a locksmith.
He said it would be $80.00 and did I want the door opened, I said yes at this point I had waited so long already and it was getting late. I wasn't about to start over and I had no idea it was not based in Kennesaw which is what I asked for.
The car is a 98 Saturn and it took the man less than 30 seconds to wedge a balloon like thing in the window, pumped it a couple of times and popped the lock. I argued with him about the charge but he wouldn't change it. At that time I felt I had no choice but sign the paper after he got it open. Total charge was $120.00
My mom called and asked to get a quote if they came out then for an address right beside the other business where I was and was told around $85 for the call. She kept pushing for exact answers and a maximum total and was told that $110 was the max that could ever be charged. She had to keep on and on asking to get any info at all
An honest and above board business would have no problem giving a quote which is what she got from several other local locksmiths she called. Their quotes were half of what I was charged! We talked to Licia at ext 497 I think she said because she wouldn't repeat it and her attitude was very rude just as soon as the word supervisor was mentioned. Her and the other lady I talked to did a lot of double talk and did not resolve anything.
Please refund at least half of what you charged($120.00 so please refund $60.00). I did not get the time frame nor the professional locksmith I was promised.
The invoice I was given has the number 7 or 1 followed by 32988, the first # was too messed up to read. However the lady I talked with today said to refer to # 940273.
Thank you
Holly M.
cc: BBB.org;
Office of the Attorney General Fax: [protected];
[redacted].com
Holly
Kennesaw, Georgia
U.S.A.

I HAD A SMALL SENTRY SAFE THAT NEEDED TO BE OPEN AND THE LOCKSMITH CAME AND SPENT TEN MINTUES DRILING THREE HOLES INTO THE LOCK AND OPEN THE SAFE, AND CHARGE ME 149.00 DOLLARS. I THINK THAT ITS A RIPOFF

Dependable Locks Inc. Installed new cylinders in existing locksets UPSIDE DOWN! Dented steel door and removed existing paint Bronx New York
Dependable Locks Inc.
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
295 W. 231 St.
Bronx, New York, 10463
U.S.A.

Submitted: 5/3/2008 10:12:01 PM
Modified: 5/3/2008 10:12:00 PM
Alfonzo
Chesterfield, Missouri
I've been ripped off!
I called this company and asked for someone to provide the free estimate for changing the locks on my house. I received a phone call from someone I couldn't understand as I don't speak Russian, he stated in broken English that he would be late in arriving, late by a half hour. When he arrived one and a half hours later he didn't understand what I wanted when I told him that I wanted the locks changed and I wanted everything keyed alike. He had six lock cylinders to change so that they would accept new keys and keyed them alike for the price of $244.00. He indicated that the job was done and asked for payment. When I went to get my checkbook he stopped me and said, 'We dunt taka da chics.' and proceeded to ask for my credit card whereupon he took out his pencil and rubbed the sales slip over the embosed numbers with the side of the graphite pencil. He also asked be to sign the waiver of the 3 day right to cancel the sale. Should have been my Red Flag!
I asked for a key to each lock (6) and he responded by saying I only get 2. If I want more they are $5.00 each. As it was late, nearly 10pm! I said, 'I'll get some made myself.' he left. I was never asked to inspect his work or check the locks. Upon leaving for work the next day I noticed the damage to the door, the paint and the fact that one of the lower cylinders was mounted upside down, an inconvienence when you have an arm full of groceries. So, I called them back. They scheduled the installer to return but he never showed. I suggest you never call Dependable Lock Inc. btw: I believe they are only a broker and hire at will whomever they can get to go to the calling customer.
Alfonzo
Chesterfield, Missouri
U.S.A.

Dependable Lock And Hundreds Of Other Names Phony Locksmiths rip off scam over billing fake addresses in Virginia New York New York
Dependable Lock
Phone:
Fax:

New York, New York,
U.S.A.

Submitted: 4/3/2008 8:28:48 PM
Modified: 4/3/2008 8:29:00 PM
Gary ford virginia locksmith
Lorton, Virginia
If you need a Locksmith, when you call them ask them where they are located. If they say they are a moblie service, this is a RED flag. Do not tell them what City or State you are in, if they are a real company they will know at least the local area you are calling from. HANG UP. Call another company. If you are using the phone book, most of the large ads are real. Look for a DCJS Virginia License number. If you have the internet you can confirm the number at DCJS web site.http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/ps/directory/businessSearch.cfm
The Virginia Locksmith License Bill passed and was signed into law by the Governor of Virginia. Anyone advertising in Springfield Lorton Fairfax Annandale Centreville Alexandria Arlington Kingstowne Sterling Woodbridge Ashburn Chantilly Leesburg Tysons Corner Mclean Richmond Norfolk Tidewater Virgina Beach and the rest of Virginia will now have to include a License number in their ads. If you call out a locksmith that does not present a license, you do not have to pay him, call the police if they hassle you.

It continues hundreds of fake addresses listed in the phone books, Verizon, Yellow Book, their (responce we don't care) The internet is worse, full of them. It's is a joke that in a small area like Springfield Virginia the internet shows 20 locksmith companies, when there is only ONE, same thing for Lorton, Fairfax and most of the other area's listed above.

This company does not have a county license to do business in Northern Virginia or any where else in Virginia. Be careful Good Luck

Gary Ford a Real Virginia locksmith
Lorton, Virginia
U.S.A.

Undercover Locksmith Investigation
Reported by: John Matarese

It's happened to almost all of us: You lock yourself out of your home, car, or apartment. Your only hope: A locksmith.

But the Better Business Bureau has a warning about an emergency locksmith company that it says could cost you a lot more than you bargained for.

The Common Complaint

You know the feeling: You lock your car door...Then realize your your keys are inside. That's exactly what happened to Heather Slavey.

But this mom had to do something...So she grabbed the Yellow Pages, and called a locksmith with a big ad and local number called "Always Ready."

It promised 15 minute service, 24 hours a day, at a good price.

The Escalating $39 Charge

"They quoted me over the phone 39 dollars," she explains.

But Heather's receipt tells another story. She says "when they got there, they had an additional charge of $110."

The total charge, which she had to pay on the spot: $149...a far cry from $39.

She was furious, telling me "I feel like they were misleading and deceptive!"

In addition, her receipt shows that "Always Ready" was really a company called "Dependable Locksmith" out of the Bronx, New York!

What the BBB Files Say

The Better Business Bureau says Heather's experience is common. It's issued a warning about what it calls a -- quote -- "Nationwide locksmith swindle" involving "Dependable Locksmith."

The BBB says"Dependable" --which it says uses more than a dozen names -- has an "unsatisfactory" record with 217 recent complaints.

But was Heather's inflated bill a fluke? We decided to test them.

We go Undercover

We asked a newsroom producer --Suzanne -- to call "Always Ready"... after we locked her out of a Chevy Blazer in a public parking lot.

The phone rep quoted her $39: Sound familiar?

As we rolled our hidden camera...a man in an unmarked SUV soon pulled up. But he had some bad news : It would cost her another 110 dollars.

At this point, however, who's going to call another locksmith? So Suzanne allowed him to grab his tools, at which point he popped the door, and gave Suzanne a "high five."

But she wasn't high fiving. As the receipt showed, he billed her $149 dollars...not the $39 originally quoted.

What did he say when we confronted him with our camera? He jumped in his SUV and peeled out of the parking lot.

Back in the newsroom, I called "Dependable" for their side of the story. I left two messages with phone reps. Neither was returned...Nor is an e-mail I sent to their website.

What You Can Do

So don't let this happen to you:

When calling a locksmith, look for an ad with a local address.
Ask where their office is located.
Finally, ask if there may be extra charges...so you don't end up with a bill you can't afford.
The Latest

Meantime, the arm of the law is starting to notice.

The state of Illinois has pulled "Dependable's" license to practice in that state.

And former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro filed suit against a Cleveland area locksmith called "Superb Solutions' ...that the BBB report says was just another name for "Dependable Locksmith" out of New York. That case is still pending.
So ask questions and Don't Waste your Money. I'm John Matarese.

Locked Out And Ripped Off?
Amanda Pavlik
It's a warning everyone needs to know about before you find yourself in an emergency situation, locked out of your car or home. It's happened to many of us at one time or another.

While there's no doubt most locksmiths are reputable and provide you the rescue you need, the Better Business Bureau says it's receiving a growing number of complaints about companies that have customers paying a lot more than they bargained for. It leaves folks saying they're being swindled and in some cases robbed by locksmiths.

The BBB says they've received more than a thousand complaints, most over the past year or so, about companies that have legitimate sounding names and use local phone numbers with fake addresses. But when you dial the number, you're transferred to a call center that could be thousands of miles away.

They're not forthcoming about where they're located. They quote you a price and dispatch one of their representatives in your area.

“They’re very unprofessional. He demands two, three, even four times the amount quoted over the phone and he’s not going to let you into your house or car until he gets it," says Alison Preszler, Better Business Bureau.

She says the scammers know how to take advantage of the vulnerable situation of folks who are locked out of their houses or cars.

The locksmith industry is aware of these questionable companies and is warning that people aren't just being overcharged.

"They may tell the consumer that they need new locks and that they’re prepared to put in some high security locks in for them and they turn around and put in substandard locks," says Tim McMullen, Associated Locksmiths of America.

Locksmith Jason Gage is outraged these companies are giving his business a bad name.

"It’s an epidemic. Out of all industries, the locksmith industry should be the one that a consumer knows that they can call and they’re going to have somebody that’s going to be honest, trustworthy," says Gage.

So how can you make sure the locksmith you're hiring is trustworthy? The BBB says be weary of servicemen in unmarked cars, who don't wear uniforms or present identification.

"The Better Business Bureau recommends that you do your research ahead of time and find a reputable locksmith before you find yourself in an emergency," says Preszler.

If you're looking for a locksmith, the Association of Locksmiths of America says it can make recommendations for a reputable company in your neighborhood.
Story Created: Feb 18, 2008 at 5:28 PM EST

I locked myself out of my car this morning (it was running btw), so I looked up a local locksmith here in Redford, MI and I found A a a 24 Hour Locksmith in Detroit. They appeared to be local so I gave them a call. The number I called was [protected], and at first the rep who answered was extremely nice and pleasant. She told me 20 minutes and it was cost $39 plus another $15. She even said she would try to put me ahead of the other jobs since my car was running. I thought, wow this is great service.

Well, about 45 minutes later, the "locksmith" finally calls says he's on his way and it will be another 20 minutes. He sounded foreign and his number showed up as private on the caller ID. What's weird is that only 5 minutes prior to him calling, we got a call from DEPENDABLE LOCKSMITH [protected] telling us he would be here in no time. We waited ANOTHER 45 minutes later, I finally called the rep back (the "local" number) and said I called over an hour and a half ago and was quoted 20 minutes and he still isn't here yet! The rep transferred me to a Vicki (who took forever answering and put me on hold), and she was apologetic and put me on hold to get ahold of the locksmith to see where he was at. Then she comes back and says, he was given wrong info about my car? WTH? I said, what? She just kept saying she didn't know but she was very sorry and he would be at my house within 5 minutes. I said 5 minutes? Are you sure? She said yes, 5 minutes, he'll be here. I was in the middle of telling her that if he didn't arrive at my house in 5 minutes, I would cancel and call someone else. She had already hung up on me.

Well he didn't get to my house in 5 minutes as she had promised so we called another locksmith. Just as I was calling back these people to cancel, the "locksmith" had FINALLY gotten to my house another 20 minutes later (NOT 5 minutes), so that's almost TWO HOURS folks. When he arrived, he sat in front of our house talking on his cell phone. My husband went out and knocked on his door and he finally came out. He looked at my car and said it would cost $39 plus ANOTHER $51 to unlock. That's $90, another $36 than what I was originally quoted. We promptly told him to leave. There is no way I'm paying that after waiting 2 hours, besides, I was quoted $54 in the beginning!

Then a woman calls me (believe her name is Sarah) and says she received a call from her "tech" about us cancelling and asks me what the problem was. I told her it was beyond ridiculous that it took close to 2 hours for him to get to my house when I was quoted 20 minutes, she said in a VERY snide way that I was not the only person with keys locked in my car and that there is NO possible way they could tell me how long it was going to take the locksmith to come out. Ok, so why did she quote me 20 mintues then? She kept arguing with me, saying there is no way they can tell me how long each job takes. I said ok, they should have called me to let me know they were going to be awhile. I told her I could have called someone else if they would have been honest with me. I then told her I was done talking and then she still asks me "so you are cancelling? ok goodbye." then hangs up on me. What a joke this place is!

I will be contacting our state's attorney general. These people need to be shut down! I am so glad we didn't let that ### touch our car, who knows what he could have done and then charged us afterwards! I'm fortunate we didn't lose any money to these creeps, but I feel bad for other victims that have fell into their hands. HOw do these people sleep at night?!

Undercover Locksmith Investigation

Last Update: 8:05 pm

Reported by: John Matarese

It's happened to almost all of us: You lock yourself out of your home, car, or apartment. Your only hope: A locksmith.

But the Better Business Bureau has a warning about an emergency locksmith company that it says could cost you a lot more than you bargained for.

The Common Complaint

You know the feeling: You lock your car door...Then realize your your keys are inside. That's exactly what happened to Heather Slavey of Florence, Ky.

But this mom had to do something...So she grabbed the Yellow Pages, and called a locksmith with a big ad and local number called "Always Ready."

It promised 15 minute service, 24 hours a day, at a good price.

The Escalating $39 Charge

"They quoted me over the phone 39 dollars," she explains.

But Heather's receipt tells another story. She says "when they got there, they had an additional charge of $110."

The total charge, which she had to pay on the spot: $149...a far cry from $39.

She was furious, telling me "I feel like they were misleading and deceptive!"
In addition, her receipt shows that "Always Ready" was really a company called "Dependable Locksmith" out of the Bronx, New York!

What the BBB Files Say

The Better Business Bureau says Heather's experience is common. It's issued a warning about what it calls a -- quote -- "Nationwide locksmith swindle" involving "Dependable Locksmith."

The BBB says"Dependable" --which it says uses more than a dozen names -- has an "unsatisfactory" record with 217 recent complaints.

But was Heather's inflated bill a fluke? We decided to test them.
We go Undercover

We asked a newsroom producer --Suzanne -- to call "Always Ready"... after we locked her out of a Chevy Blazer in a public parking lot.

The phone rep quoted her $39: Sound familiar?
As we rolled our hidden camera...a man in an unmarked SUV soon pulled up. But he had some bad news : It would cost her another 110 dollars.

At this point, however, who's going to call another locksmith? So Suzanne allowed him to grab his tools, at which point he popped the door, and gave Suzanne a "high five."

But she wasn't high fiving. As the receipt showed, he billed her $149 dollars...not the $39 originally quoted.

What did he say when we confronted him with our camera? He jumped in his SUV and peeled out of the parking lot.

Back in the newsroom, I called "Dependable" for their side of the story. I left two messages with phone reps. Neither was returned...Nor is an e-mail I sent to their website.

What You Can Do

So don't let this happen to you:
When calling a locksmith, look for an ad with a local address.
Ask where their office is located.
Finally, ask if there may be extra charges...so you don't end up with a bill you can't afford.
The Latest

Meantime, the arm of the law is starting to notice.

The state of Illinois has pulled "Dependable's" license to practice in that state.
And former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro filed suit against a Cleveland area locksmith called "Superb Solutions' ...that the BBB report says was just another name for "Dependable Locksmith" out of New York. That case is still pending.

So ask questions and Don't Waste your Money. I'm John Matarese.

January 17,2008
Avoiding A Locksmith Rip-Off
Reporting
Susan Barnett PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Have you ever locked yourself out of your home or car? You might call a locksmith to help, but it could cost you a lot more than you expect. As CBS 3's Susan Barnett reports, there's a common scam that's on the rise.

Getting locked out is not only nerve-wracking, it can be expensive.

Carol Pintar knows. She got locked out of her car while it was running. A locksmith quoted her a fee of $55, but that didn't get her back behind the wheel.

"He said, 'Oh, no. That 55 dollars is just for me coming here. You owe me another 95 dollars,'" said Pintar.

Carol only had forty extra dollars, which he took.

"We're hearing from consumers across the country who have been swindled by unethical locksmiths," said Alison Preszler of the Better Business Bureau.

Some locksmiths sound legit and use local numbers and addresses.

But the Better Business Bureau says, when you dial, you're transferred to a call center that could be thousands of miles away.

"They're not forthcoming at all about where they're located," said Preszler.

We checked on the addresses of five locksmiths in our area listed in the Yellow Pages. We found all of the addresses, but none of the locksmiths. One location turned out to be an Olive Garden in Cherry Hill.

We called a Pennsauken locksmith with an odd name: A 1 2 3 24 Hour A Locks and Lock. An operator quoted us a $39 service fee and $15 to get back into a locked car. But when the locksmith arrived, he quoted our undercover producer something else.

"Ok, for this car, it's $39, another $110 to get back in the car," said the locksmith.

Then he reduced it to a flat $100.

"Usually only cash," said the locksmith.

"Only cash?" our producer asked. "What if I don't have a hundred bucks on me?"

When he saw our camera, he told us to call the office. We asked to see his locksmith license.

"Okay, I don't know anything about this, I only work in the office, okay," he said.

He's really with Dependable Locks, based in New York City. Dependable has a history of complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

So what can you do? Do your research and find a reputable, local locksmith before an emergency.

And Andy Good of the Philadelphia BBB said, "If it's a locksmith and it has the word 'solutions' in its name, 'A 1 24 Hour Service,' some derivative of that, give the BBB a call. Find out if there's a local experience with that locksmith."

We called Dependable Locks, but no one returned our calls.

The BBB also says be wary of servicemen in unmarked cars, without uniforms or ID. New Jersey requires locksmiths to have a license, so ask to see it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONSUMER ALERT: San Diego Hit by Locksmith Scam

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego has become the
latest city targeted by renegade locksmiths according to Glenn Younger of
Grah Safe and Lock. The San Diego Police Department has investigated at
least one case where a downtown resident had property stolen. In that case
the locksmith changed the locks on a high-rise downtown condo then went
back the next day and burglarized the same place.

The scam works like this: Hundreds of phone numbers are acquired by
out-of-state companies using false addresses. Those numbers are then listed
in the local Yellow pages and online for consumers. The problem is a vast
majority of these locksmiths don't have:

-- The required California State Locksmith Licenses
-- The required California State Contractors License
-- A local business license
-- A State of California tax ID number

Although there are only 25 or so licensed and registered locksmiths in
San Diego County, there are over 800 listed in the Yellow and White pages
or on the internet.

Sheryl Bilbrey of the San Diego BBB says "Of course these companies
operate under names like 'Dependable Locksmith' in order to exploit the
vulnerable situation for consumers who are locked out of their house or
car." Bilbrey went on to say "We've found that some locksmiths have made
taking advantage of people's misfortune part of their business model."

Glenn Younger of Grah Safe and Lock says "We believe that this poses a
real threat to consumer and business security by sending unlicensed,
unregistered, and often unqualified locksmiths with unknown criminal pasts
to work on the primary access control of homes and businesses in our
community."

For tips on how to find a reputable locksmith and what questions
consumers should ask a locksmith before hiring one, the media can contact
Glenn Younger of Grah Safe and Lock at [protected]. The company has been
helping San Diegans be safe and secure and successful since 1914.

If you have specific questions directly relating to the investigation
by the San Diego Police Department, please contact them at [protected].

SOURCE Grah Safe and Lock

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to this page:

back to top

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Issuers of news releases and not PR Newswire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Terms and conditions, including restrictions on redistribution, apply.
Copyright © [protected] PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights Reserved.
A United Business Media company.

Saturday morning my 78 year old dad was experiencing severe pain in his back and called paramedics. they took him to the V.A. emergency room, locking the door as they left. Dad was in his pajamas and had no house key. He is a 100% disabled vet and the V.A. took care of him. I met him at the emergency room and we took a cab back out to his house. I called a locksmith from the V.A. Yellow Pages at random. It was Dependable Locks, northwest Tucson, Arizona.

The guy kept us waiting at the house over an hour, though the ad said 15 minutes. when he tried to open the simple lock on the door he couldn't do it. He spoke English poorly and when he said $39 to show up and $90 to open the door, i said 90$? I was calling off the whole thing when he said "no $19" i made sure of what he said, "19 dollars?" he said yes, 19. I figured 60 bucks wasn't too bad and we certainly didn't feel like waiting for another locksmith. He got my senile dad to sign a receipt saying 90 rather than 19. I should have looked but he was a nice, clean cut Israeli kid in his 20s. America as a whole trusts Israel for security, who am I to do less?

Long story short, the bill came to $175. Could not get in touch with the company by phone, no answer. A little after 5pm. had to wait till Monday morning to make any calls. the sheriff and police don't care about anything but drugs I guess, that's where THEIR money is. Finally, I found a group of local locksmiths who are bringing a case with the Attorney General against these scam locksmiths. They go by Dependable Locks or they may steal some legitimate companies name. This stuff has been going on here in Tucson for well over a year. The "authorities" will do nothing. I'm doing what I can to help in the case being taken to the state Attorney General.

We paid the guy and that money is gone. I hope alert others to this situation.

By Shelley Shelton, Arizona Daily Star
Azstarnet.com
09.30.2007

Tucson, AZ - A national trend in shady locksmithing has hit home, leaving Tucson's legitimate locksmiths looking for ways to combat the problem and stay in business. The trend hits consumers in a particularly vulnerable spot — the locks that help keep them and their valuables safe.

The new Dex phone book contains several locksmith listings for companies with different names that each have 24 different phone numbers and 10 different addresses. The phone numbers and addresses for each of the businesses are exact duplicates of those listed for the other businesses.

There is no building at the sites of at least four of the 10 addresses listed for A O A Locksmith, which also goes by the names A 01 Locksmith, Absolute Locksmith and several others scattered throughout the white business pages of the phone book.

"It's a very bad business practice. It's giving a lot of us a bad name," said Justin Ashler, an employee of Al's Locksmith and Security Hardware Inc. Ashler has been working to organize longtime Tucson locksmiths, who met last week to discuss the newcomers. Al's is getting daily reports of people being ripped off, he said.

Such reports include people being overcharged for small jobs and people who pay a 400 percent to 700 percent markup for parts, he said. Shady locksmiths have also been showing up at jobs for which they weren't hired and pretending to be the company that was hired, again overcharging in the process, Ashler said.

Meanwhile, "my phone has pretty much stopped ringing for any weekday calls," so they're definitely hurting business, he said.

The phenomenon apparently is not limited to Tucson. The September issue of Keynotes, a monthly magazine published by the Associated Locksmiths of America, has a two-page article about it.

"In 2007, we are faced with an epidemic that our industry has not seen before," writes author Jason Gage. "It is the epidemic of the locksmith scammers, aka Locksmith mafia, aka Locksmith Gypsies, aka Fraud smiths, or whatever else your state may categorize them under."

The scammers purchase hundreds of phone numbers in a single local area, often buying the numbers from the main local phone provider through the scammer's own phone companies, Gage writes.

"When these numbers are advertised, it is not uncommon to find a false address and a false business name attached to them. This is done to give the customer a nice warm feeling that they are calling a local company that may be close to them," he writes. No business licenses.

A O A Locksmith, A 01 Locksmith and Absolute Locksmith do not have city of Tucson business licenses. These three companies share addresses and telephone numbers with each other and with several other companies listed in the new phone book.

The companies would definitely need licenses to do business within the city limits, said Beverly Moe, financial services supervisor in the city licensing section. Even if they provide only a service and don't sell anything for which they would collect sales tax, they would still need a non-tax license, she said.
By contrast, Al's Locksmith, AAA Lock and Key and A&Z Safe Lock and Key — three of Tucson's established locksmiths with names found in the same part of the phone listings — all have business licenses.

A O A, A 01 and Absolute are all registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission as "doing business as" names for an organization called Complete Services LLC, based in Tempe. Daniel Montalvo, who is listed as the company's statutory agent on commission paperwork filed in January 2006, said he's an accountant who set up the corporation and did one year's tax returns for it, but he said he hasn't done anything since then for the company.

A phone book listing yielded a phone number that is not in service for Yigal Lampert, who is listed on corporate paperwork as a corporation member and whose address is the same as the corporate address. Calls Friday to two phone numbers listed for the Complete Services companies themselves routed into the same call center. One operator said the company management doesn't like to talk to reporters, and the second operator said the managers would be gone all day.

That operator also was unsure what phone number he had answered because the company has many numbers, he said. Neither person gave his name, each saying he just answers the phone. Wouldn't give full name.

Later Friday a man who said he is a manager for Complete Services called but would not give his full name. He said it has nothing to do with the company and that for personal privacy reasons he does not want his name in the paper.

He said the company is based in Phoenix and began servicing the Tucson area about a month ago. When questioned about the nonexistent addresses, he said the addresses are listed only to show callers that the company provides service in those areas and it is not intended for customers to go to the company locations.

He said the company now has one contractor who does the locksmith work and that there were problems with a previous contractor until about two weeks ago, when that person was replaced. But that story doesn't jibe with what local locksmiths are seeing and hearing. Jon L. Hoyt, owner of AAA Lock and Key, is feeling particularly victimized because so many of the phone book listings are similar in name to his own company, he said.

And every day, Hoyt said, he gets calls from people who are upset with locksmiths supposedly from his company, but once he gets a vehicle description or license plate number, he finds that it wasn't one of his people after all. He's seen a "drastic dip" in service calls in the time since the new phone book was issued, he said.

"There's no scruples and there's no integrity," he said.

The locksmiths who met last week are gathering again this week and hope to arm themselves with enough information to get the Arizona attorney general to investigate, Ashler said.

"All we can do is make as much noise as possible," he said.

I got locked out and only had my cell phone to ask directory assistance for a locksmith in my area -- they gave me Dependable Lock with a phone number of [protected]. I waited 1/2 hour even though the person told me he would be there in 20 minutes. He never gave me his name. I had a bad feeling about his voice so after waiting for almost an hour I told him I would have to cancel his call and call another locksmith. He said he was around the corner - which he was. Then, in the nick of time a Sanders Lock and Key came around the corner for another condo two doors down from me. So I told Sanders to give me a quote. For two locks he quoted me only $77.00 to which I agreed.

Dependable Lock - and the guy NEVER presented me with a business card -- turned my door knob and said "$39.95 for the call, and $55 for each lock,,,I said, no way,,,I'll have Sanders to it.

He got angry and said -- You need to pay for my service call - I SAID TO HELL I WILL -- yOU ARE only giving me a quote -- I never gave you the go-ahead to start service. He says -- I'm calling the Sheriff's dept.! I said, go ahead, they won't do anything but get aggravated because you called them out for nothing. Even the Sanders guy agreed with me.

He got angrier and stayed behind my garage in his UNMARKED VAN with no company name or logo. I had the SANDERS man call the police because he would not leave. After 5 minutes the Dependable guy (Arab) had some other party call me on my cell phone with a Florida number of [protected], which I did not answer.

The police came and told the guy he has to leave. WELL,,,,I felt this guy was out of control and would somehow retaliate -- YES< HE DID,,,

the very next day I had white graffiti all over my carport with Arab symbols,,,,I am now filing a police report and printing an entire report of this case against Dependable.

Thank God I did not let this man into my house. Thank God for Sanders Lock and Key. They came to the rescue. And Thank God for my instincts and gut feelings -- Always go with your gut feelings !

Some Locksmiths Cost Customers More Than They Bargained ForProblems Reported By Consumers Across the Country
By Ric Romero
Sept. 20, 2007 (KABC-TV) - The Better Business Bureau has received over a thousand complaints about unscrupulous locksmiths that have customers paying a lot more than they bargained for.

Related Links
LINK: Recommended Locksmiths (www.findalocksmith.com)
It's happened to many of us at one time or another, getting locked out of your car or home. While there's no doubt most locksmiths are reputable and provide the rescue you need, there are several companies that really only want your money.

When you're locked out of your car or house, you rush to hire a locksmith, and the majority of time you will get a reputable worker at your door, but that's not always the case.

"We're hearing from consumers across the country who have been swindled by unethical locksmiths," Alison Preszler, of the Better Business Bureau, said.

The Better Business Bureau says they've received more than a thousand complaints, most over the past year or so, about companies that have legitimate sounding names but use local phone numbers with fake addresses. And when you dial, you're transferred to a call center that could be thousands of miles away.

"They're not forthcoming at all about where they're located," Preszler said.

So they quote you a price and dispatch one of their representatives in your area.

"They're very unprofessional. He demands two, three, even four times the amount quoted over the phone and he's not going to let you into your house or car until he gets it," Preszler said.

"That's what made me angry," Carol Pintar said.

Pintar got locked out of her car while it was running. She was quoted $55 but that didn't get her back behind the wheel.

"He said, 'Oh, no. That $55 is just for me coming here. You owe me another $95,'" Pintar said.

But she only had $40 extra, which he took.

"He opened my door in about two seconds. I knew I was taken to the cleaners. And I thought, 'Oh, man. If they're doing this to me, they're doing this all over,'" Pintar said.

The locksmith industry is aware of these questionable companies and says people being overcharged isn't the only problem.

"They may tell the consumer that they need new locks and that they're prepared to put in some high security locks in for them and they turn around and put in substandard locks," Tim McMullen, of Locksmiths of America, said.

"It's an epidemic. Out of all industries, the locksmith industry should be the one that a consumer knows that they can call and they're going to have somebody that's going to be honest, trustworthy," Jason Gage, a locksmith, said.

So, how can you make sure the locksmith you're hiring is trustworthy? The Better Business Bureau says be wary of servicemen in unmarked cars, who don't wear uniforms or present identification.

"The Better Business Bureau recommends that you do your research ahead of time and find a reputable locksmith before you find yourself in an emergency," Preszler said.

If you're looking for a locksmith, the Associated Locksmiths of America says it can make recommendations for a reputable company in your neighborhood.

Copyright © 2007 KABC-TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

September 13, 2007- Pasco, WashingtonNews
Bogus Locksmiths: What to Know Before an Emergency

YouNewsTV™
Related Content
Locksmith scam makes a bad day even worse
Read more of KATU's 2 On Your Side stories
Story Published: Sep 11, 2007 at 2:16 PM PDT
By Shellie Bailey-Shah and KATU Web Staff
Video PORTLAND, Ore. - When most of us need a locksmith we open the phone book or look one up on the Internet and dial, but when you do that, are you opening yourself up to being scammed?

For Claudine Werner, it seemed simple enough to go to the Internet and find a local locksmith to change the locks on her new condo.

"I called the number and asked 'are you in Tigard?' and she said yes," Werner said.

Only later would she find out the locksmith was not actually local. She had actually called a dispatcher, possibly located in Arizona, who sent out a technician here in Portland.

When the locksmith arrived, Werner was suspicious. His vehicle was not marked, he did not have a uniform and when it came time to pay, he wanted the check made out to him - $165, much more than she had expected to pay.

It was not until she tried to get her key duplicated that she realized the locksmith had put her home at risk.

Brent Hansen, a reputable locksmith showed KATU News what Werner could not see - not only had she not been given the two original keys for the lock, the lock itself had been set to accept a master key.

"A stranger could have a key to my home," she said.

When KATU News tried to get in contact with the locksmith Werner had hired, Aviram Adi, we were told the man never worked for the company, Complete Locksmith. A week later, we tried again and were told this time that the man was on a long vacation.

The more questions we asked, the more the story changed. Eventually, we talk to a manager, who refused to give his full name, but said the man must have made a mistake.

"This is something that's been widespread across the U.S.," said Les Harvey with Pacific Locksmith Association. "It's really dangerous because you don't know who you're giving your key to or who is working on your safe."

This is what you need to know if you are hiring a locksmith:

Do not rely on the phone book or the Internet to find a local company - physically verify that the store really exists.
Check the locksmith's license number with the Oregon Construction Contractor's Board. Any locksmith who is doing work on your house is required to have one.
Keep the name and phone number of a reputable locksmith in your wallet in case you lock your keys in your car. That way, you are not relying on directory assistance to find a locksmith in an emergency.

Locks myth
Not all locksmiths are on the up and up. Before you pick a person to help you in a pinch, read this.
BY DEBRA O'CONNOR
Pioneer Press
TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated:08/20/2007 12:07:56 PM CDT

When Kelly Wilhelm's daughter locked the keys in her car, Wilhelm scanned the phone directory and called 24 Hour A Locksmith, which listed an address of 2120 Williams Drive in Burnsville. An hour and a half later, a man in a beat-up car arrived and poked at the lock with a wire that Wilhelm says looked like a coat hanger. After he got the door opened, he charged her $160 - the going rate for this service is about one-third of that - and said he wanted it in cash. She didn't have that much on hand, so he told her to drive to an ATM and that he'd follow her.

"He just looked like a shady character, and I was by myself," she told the Watchdog. "That's why he ended up ripping me off, because I was afraid."

The name on the handwritten invoice was "Ocean," different than the name she'd called, and the phone number was from Florida. That local address? It didn't exist - so the complaint letter the Better Business Bureau sent came right back. When the Watchdog called the Florida number, which identified itself as 24-7 Locksmiths, the customer service manager said: "I'm not going to provide any information to anyone representing herself as a reporter."

The Better Business Bureau recently issued a nationwide warning after several people complained about being overcharged and intimidated by unscrupulous locksmith companies. These outfits take advantage of people locked out of their cars and homes, a situation in which they're vulnerable and likely unfamiliar with the names listed in the phone book.

In 2005, the BBB received 247 complaints about locksmiths; last year, there were 427. In Minnesota, there were three complaints in 2005, eight in 2006, and 17 so far this year.

The complaints include deliberately ruining locks, or deeming them unpickable, then charging customers to put in new ones. And there's the fear that the locksmiths may keep an extra key when locks are installed.

One company with a bad reputation is Dependable Locksmith, which is headquartered in the Bronx but has several outposts in the Twin Cities, including All Ready, 24 Hour A1 Locksmiths, 24 Hour Locksmiths and AAA Emergency System. Customers may think they're choosing from among competing companies, but all those different local phone numbers go directly to the same New York operator. Dependable was sued by the Ohio attorney general for false advertising, unauthorized repairs and consumer protection law violations, and fined in Chicago for operating and advertising under 17 business names with false addresses.

Is what they do against the law?

"If you're misrepresenting your actual geographic location, that's wrong, and that's illegal," said Lisa Jemtrud, trade practices manager at the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota.

Brian Busch at first was told over the phone by Always Ready (a company supposedly located in Minne-apolis but linked to Dependable, it has two full-page ads in one phone book) the charge would be $55 maximum. After the car was unlocked within a few minutes, Busch was asked for $141. When he objected, it was lowered to $104.

Busch said he later called a toll-free customer-service number to complain, but they gave him "a song and dance." A call to Dependable by the Watchdog was not returned.

"It was covered by insurance, but the thing is, it's a rip-off," Busch said. "I think it's just highway robbery." Editor's note: Feel like an underdog because of a problem with a business, government agency or school? Maybe the Pioneer Press Watchdog can help. Call [protected] or send an e-mail.

THE KEYS TO A RELIABLE LOCKSMITH.

Here are the keys to picking a reliable locksmith instead of an unscrupulous one, according to the Better Business Bureau:

Listen to how your phone call is answered. If, instead of the name in the phone book, it's something vague, like "locksmith services," that may mean the company's not really local, even with a local address and phone number. The company may be operating under a variety of names.

Get a very specific estimate over the phone. For example, ask how much it will cost if the locksmith is able to get into your car or house within 10 minutes. Ask for the additional cost of a "worst-case scenario." And ask what forms of payment the company takes.

Check with the Better Business Bureau for a report on the company. It takes only a few minutes at [protected] or www.mnd.bbb.org. That will tell you if there have been unresolved complaints. In addition, you can ask for locksmiths that are BBB members, which means they've passed standards set by the BBB.

The following locksmiths are BBB members: A-1 Lock Service by Kee-Wee, St. Paul; All City Lock & Key, Minneapolis; Blaine Lock & Safe, Blaine; Blaine Security Locksmith, Blaine; CK Locksmith, St. Paul; Dale Lock & Safe, Minneapolis; Dale Schaar's Lock & Safe Service Co., Minneapolis; Dale's Lock & Safe Service Co., Minneapolis; Lockguard Inc., Minnetonka; Moseng Locksmith Co., Hastings; Registered Locksmiths, Minneapolis; Speedy Keys, Minneapolis.

When the locksmith comes, confirm the pricing and the payment method before the lock is worked on.

Ask for proof the locksmith is insured and bonded. Some states require locksmiths to be licensed, but Minnesota and Wisconsin do not.

Be skeptical if the locksmith immediately tells you he has to drill and replace the lock; in reality, that's a rarity.

Get an itemized invoice.

BBB Warns About Locksmith Scams. Kay RobinsonYou may have been a victim and not even known it. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to beware of untrustworthy locksmith companies that are ripping off consumers across the country.

Victim complaints to the BBB reveal that several locksmith companies, all using similar methods, are significantly overcharging consumers, charging consumers for unnecessary services, using intimidation tactics and failing to give refunds or respond to consumer complaints.

Ironically, these companies operate under names such as "Dependable Lock-smith" but in reality they exploit the vulnerable situation of consumers who are locked out of their house or car. We've found that some locksmiths have made taking advantage of consumers' misfortune part of their business model.

Complaints about locksmith services to the 114 BBBs serving the United States increased almost 75 percent from 2005 to 2006, and have continued to come in steadily during the first half of this year.

The BBB has identified Dependable Locksmith - which operates under more than a dozen different names - - as a particularly disreputable locksmith. This company poses as a local locksmith in cities across the country and advertises in the yellow pages using local phone numbers and fake local addresses. Consumers might think they're dealing with a local locksmith, but their phone call is actually connected to a call center located in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Consumers are quoted a reasonable price over the phone but when the locksmith arrives - typically in an unmarked vehicle - he demands significantly more money than originally quoted, often only accepting cash.

A complaint about Dependable Locksmith, which was operating under the name "Superb Solutions," alleges the company quoted fees of $39 and $84 for separate jobs, but the bill ended up at $471. It included add-on fees, such as a $65 breaking-in fee and a $58 fee to uninstall old locks.

Another complainant reported that the locksmith sent to let her into her car demanded she pay twice the price quoted over the phone. The locksmith offered to drive her to an ATM to get cash. The victim, feeling unsafe, refused.

The victim was ultimately forced to write a check made out personally to the locksmith as he would not let her into her car until she did so. She canceled payment on the check the next morning, but eventually filed a police report after the locksmith harassed her with continuous phone calls about payment.

The BBB has also heard many complaints from victims who say they were charged for unnecessary services. For example, complainants suspect locksmiths sent over by Dependable Locksmiths of pretending they couldn't simply pick the lock so that they could charge more and install all new locks in homes.

Some of Dependable Locksmith's aliases include Superb Solutions, Locksmith 24 Hour, Inc., USA Total Security, Priceline Locksmith and S.O.S. Locksmith.

Two other locksmith contractors fleecing consumers are Basad Inc. - which operates under more than 50 names nationwide, such as A-1 Locksmith Service, A-1 24 Hour Locksmith, A-1 Lock & Key Locksmith and AAA Locksmith 24 Hour - and Liberty Locksmith.

Similar to Dependable Locksmith, they pose as local locksmiths and run full-page Yellow Pages ads with multiple phone and address listings. The phone numbers appear to be local, but connect to national call centers such as Liberty's in New York City, while the addresses end up belonging to other established businesses in the local area, or are simply non-existent.

Like others, Liberty Locksmith and Basad Inc. use common cons such as quoting one price over the phone but charging significantly more at the site.

These companies are very good at posing as trustworthy locksmiths. Before you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being locked out of your car or house, do your research and find a truly dependable locksmith in your area. Ask around and always check with the BBB first to find reputable businesses.

If you feel you've been taken advantage of by Dependable Locksmith, Liberty Locksmith, Basad Inc. or others, please contact the BBB to file a complaint, or do so online at www.bbb.org.

Kay Robinson is president of the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas, serving 19 East Texas counties. To contact the BBB in Tyler, call [protected], and in Longview, call [protected] or [protected], or visit the Web site at www.easttexas.bbb.org. The organization can be e-mailed at info@tyler.bbb.org.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST "PHONY LOCKSMITHS"

Below are links to various news outlets, consumer protection agencies and state Attorney General offices addressing the issue of "phony locksmiths". The story is familiar in many states: an out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!

The Illinois Attorney General filed criminal charges against a New York locksmith operation for setting up phony storefronts with unlicensed individuals practicing locksmithing that lead consumers to believe they were dealing with local companies. The action was successful, and the company was ordered to pay thousands in restitution, to cease operations and to no longer do business in the state under a new name or any of the 25 different names the company had been using in local telephone directories!

ALOA encourages locksmiths who are facing this same situation to go to their state's Attorney General who can take the appropriate legal action against these fraudulent companies. ALOA recently sent a letter to all Attorneys General urging them to pursue this matter in their state. For a copy of that letter, Click Here . To contact your state's Attorney General, go to Click Here .

ALOA is also empowering you to take immediate action when these fraudulent operations show up in your city. Click Here for a Press Release that you may send to your local print and broadcast news media outlets. Make sure you put in the date and the name of your city in the highlighted areas.

For further assistance, contact ALOA Legislative Manager, Tim McMullen at [protected] x300 or tim@aloa.org

Scam Artists Pose As Locksmiths

Joel Thomas
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) NORTH TEXAS "I saw the 'anytime, anywhere' and I needed them now," said Annette Bell of Haltom City as she looked at the torn page from the phone book.

It read: 24-hour locksmith. Available within 15 minutes. And it seemed legitimate enough.

Annette Bell needed someone in a hurry to replace the locks on a storage area someone had broken into. What she didn't need was a scam artist.

Their ad looks legit, but investigators say its part of a large scam run out of New York.

The person who responded to Bell's call was mangling her door handle as he told her his rates would be three times higher than he quoted.

When Bell refused to pay he tried to barge his way inside the storage area where Bell stood.

"I had my foot right here trying to keep him out or me in or something," said Bell as she placed her foot at the door's sill. "When he wouldn't leave after the third time I said, 'That's it. You're leaving.' And my heart was starting to race then. That's when I got mean back. I had to protect me."

He finally left when she started dialing 9-1-1.

In Dallas there was a very similar add but different phone numbers. This time the homeowners got a few improperly changed doorknobs and a bill for three-thousand dollars.

The Department of Public Safety arrested one man apparantly running a similar scam. Like others in the larger operation, he has ties to the Middle East, in this case Israel.

But investigators say the operation is so widespread as soon as one operative is taken off the streets another takes his place.

"I've been in contact with approximately seven or eight other states who've been in contact with this same group of individuals," said Kent Paluga with the Texas D.P.S.

Bell says other victims may not escape like she did.

"They're going to get hurt or taken advantage of and that cannot happen. I'm not real big on people taking advantage of elderly people."

HOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST "PHONY LOCKSMITHS"

Below are links to various news outlets, consumer protection agencies and state Attorney General offices addressing the issue of "phony locksmiths". The story is familiar in many states: an out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!

The Illinois Attorney General filed criminal charges against a New York locksmith operation for setting up phony storefronts with unlicensed individuals practicing locksmithing that lead consumers to believe they were dealing with local companies. The action was successful, and the company was ordered to pay thousands in restitution, to cease operations and to no longer do business in the state under a new name or any of the 25 different names the company had been using in local telephone directories!

ALOA encourages locksmiths who are facing this same situation to go to their state's Attorney General who can take the appropriate legal action against these fraudulent companies. ALOA recently sent a letter to all Attorneys General urging them to pursue this matter in their state. For a copy of that letter, Click Here . To contact your state's Attorney General, go to Click Here .

ALOA is also empowering you to take immediate action when these fraudulent operations show up in your city. Click Here for a Press Release that you may send to your local print and broadcast news media outlets. Make sure you put in the date and the name of your city in the highlighted areas.

For further assistance, contact ALOA Legislative Manager, Tim McMullen at [protected] x300 or tim@aloa.org

Drift Reality > Boston > USA Locksmith

This letter describes an extremely negative experience a friend had with USA Locksmith:

On Wednesday February 14, 2007 I locked myself out of my apartment in Boston, MA. After being locked out, I borrowed a friend’s phone and called the USA Locksmith Boston office to help me with my situation. When asked how much it would cost, the representative told me they were unable to provide me with a total estimate, but did state that there would be a minimum fee of $39.95, and that an additional fee for labor would be assessed. I was then told that a representative would be dispatched shortly.

About 40 minutes later, the representative arrived at my apartment. After a brief inspection, the locksmith quoted me a price of $145.00, which would be assessed on top of the $39.95 base fee. As a single female with no personal contacts in the direct area, and with the work day almost completed, I felt compelled to agree to the fee. The locksmith promptly placed some sort of key into the keyhole on the door and tapped on it about ten times or so. After a few moments, he turned the key and opened the door.

Shortly thereafter, the locksmith insisted that I pay him the full amount in cash. As a single female student living alone, I do not make it a practice of carrying very much cash with me at any given time. I asked if I could pay with a credit card or a check and was promptly told that I could only pay with cash. The locksmith asked to see my license. Upon turning my license over, the locksmith told me that he would hold onto it until I paid him the full amount he was owed in cash. I desperately searched for an ATM in the direct vicinity, withdrew the cash and gave it to him.

I am writing this letter of complaint for the following three reasons:

I feel that the refusal on the part of USA Locksmith to provide a cost estimate is a violation of my rights as a consumer. Additionally, the practice of providing a base fee of $39.95 and then an additional fee of $145.00 upon ‘inspection’, to a desperate consumer, is an unethical practice. Particularly when the total time require to open the lock was only a few minutes.

Forcing a consumer to pay $185.00 in cash seems to be an unfair business practice. Particularly because later, when I called USA Locksmith, I was told that it was their policy to allow customers to pay with a credit card.

Finally, The locksmith had absolutely no right to confiscate my drivers license and hold it hostage until I paid him $185 in cash. This was an act of intimidation, as well as illegal. When considering the fact that I am a relatively small single female (5’4), it is clear that this was his way of intimidating me into paying him in cash.

I have suffered loss of money as well as psychological harm as a result of the acts of USA Locksmith and the contractor they dispatched to my residence. I fully intend to file a report with the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, as well as the Boston Attorney’s General Office; as well as pursue legal action.

I would hope that others might learn from this experience and avoid doing business with USA Locksmith in the future.

You need to contact tim mcmullen at aloa. He can help. His email address is tim@aloa.org he is in charge of the phony locksmith reports. Please do not wait.

Their phone number I used to get the lock smith is now out of order but their car thief locksmith's number still works, here it is: [protected]. Feel free to call him and express your rage. He works for dependable locks.

I was scammed by the same locksmith company in Maryland. Over the phone they said charges would be 50.00 then when the "locksmith" arrives who is a shady looking mexican in a bmw he says 150.00. I searched their corporate address on google:

Dependable Locks, Inc.
295 W. 231st.
Bronx, NY 10463, and found a name and life insurance company:

Hernandez Richard
295 W 231ST St
Bronx, NY [protected] along with a phone number [protected], that is not in service. I don't believe their corporate office is real and I think these guys are scam artist that used to steal cars and probably still do that do this gig on the side. These people disgust me and need to be put out of business.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

December 4 , 2006

Consumers Warned of Phony Locksmith Scam

DALLAS, TX - Consumers in the (city) area are warned to beware of individuals posing as locksmith who perform unnecessary work or charge exorbitant un-locking fees. The Associated Locksmiths of America, Inc. (ALOA), an international association of locksmith and physical security professionals, recently issued an official warning for the (city) area.

"This scheme entices locked-out consumers with large Yellow Pages ads that give the impression you are calling a local business," says ALOA's Executive Director, Charles W. Gibson, Jr., "These companies manipulate listings with multiple false addresses and phone numbers to make them seem like a neighborhood businesses. In actuality, the victims frequentlyy are calling out-of-state operations that are not locksmith companies at all. The consumer is quoted a reasonable price over the phone, but when a person posing as a locksmith finishes the job, the victim is charged a considerable amount more for unnecessary and sub-standard work."

ALOA has created a checklist for detecting a company that may be engaging in this scheme. "Many of the items in this checklist are legal by themselves," adds Gibson. "However, if several are used together, you may be dealing with a con artist."

1. Not Familiar with Your Area To make sure the company is local, make sure that they are familiar with your area of town.

2. "Locksmith Service." Unscrupulous individuals often operate under many business names/aliases. Thus, they must answer the phone with a generic phrase like, "locksmith service." If the call is answered this way, ask, "What is the legal name of your business"

3. ALOA Logo. Does the Yellow Pages ad contain a logo that makes them appear to belong to ALOA? While many locksmiths do belong to the Association, some unscrupulous individuals trick the consumer by falsely using the ALOA logo.You can always check to see if in fact these businesses are members by [protected] or www.findalocksmith.com

4. Unclear Business Name. Look closely at the ad(s). Is the specific name of the business clearly identified? Does it appear that the dealer actually operates under several names? If a Web address is listed, does the name on the Web site match the name on the ad?

5. "Under Same Ownership." This confusing statement, often found in small print at the bottom of a full-page ad in the Yellow Pages, is often legally required to prevent a business from deceiving the public. The statement itself may be a warning sign that the company operates under several aliases.

6. Service Vehicle. Some legitimate locksmiths will work out of a car or unmarked van for quick jobs, but most will arrive in a service vehicle � a van or truck that is clearly marked.

7. Identity. A legitimate locksmith should ask for identity and some form of proof that you have the authority to allow the unlocking to be done. You have the right to ask for the locksmith's identification as well. Does he have a business card? Does he have an invoice or bill with the company name printed on it? Does it match the name on the service vehicle?

8. Estimate. Find out what the work will cost before you authorize it. Never sign a blank form authorizing work.

9. Invoice. Insist on an itemized invoice. You can't dispute a charge without proof of how much you paid and what the payment was for .

10. Refuse. If you are not comfortable with the service provider, you can, and should, refuse to work with the locksmith.

If you feel that you have been the victim a scheme as described above, ALOA recommends that you contact the office of the Attorney General in your state. Most Attorneys General have a division that specializes in fraudulent or deceptive business practices.You may find out how to contact your Attorney General at www.naag.org.

Check for a valid state license number . The states that have licensing for locksmith services ( AL,CA, IL, LA, NJ, NC, OK, TN and TX ) may require the licensed locksmith company to include a state license number on their vehicles, advertising, and all paperwork. If your state requires licensing, then the technician must show you his/her identity card, which is a good indicator of legitimacy. These licensed locksmiths and their companies have been investigated by the state and found free of criminal activity in their past, and are required to have current valid liability insurance policies in force. States with a licensing law typically have a consumer protection hotline number to call and a mailing address for complaints to be sent to. Do not pay anyone that will not provide you with this information. If your state does not have a licensing law to protect you, ask your legislator for that protection. The Associated Locksmiths Of America (ALOA) supports state licensing for the purpose of protecting the consumer and can assist your legislator in drafting laws to protect consumers from phony locksmith scams.

###

The Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) is the world's largest organization for locksmiths and other physical security professionals. ALOA is dedicated to being the consumer's first line of defense in physical security by increasing the effectiveness and productivity of locksmiths through educational programs and materials that address broad security interests. ALOA's activities include the ALOA Continuing Education (ACE) program, the ALOA Annual Convention & Security Expo and the ALOA Training Center, which is based in Dallas, Texas. ALOA leads the way for advanced and improved security performance by providing members and the security community with access to a full range of educational programs and services.

Story Updated: Feb 20, 2007
I-Team: Deceptive Locksmiths
John Mercure
Shady locksmiths continue to cheat desperate Milwaukee consumers. The I-Team tracks these guys down to their home base outside Wisconsin.

The company claims to be local, but we discovered they operate out of New York. We traced the trail of deception and ripoffs a thousand miles from home.

Complaints and lawsuits in several states tell the tale. People locked out of their homes and cars call for help. They're quoted one price over the phone, but after the work is done, they discover it costs much more than the quote. One customer was told the cost would be $55. When the guy showed up, she was hit up for $140.

We decided to check it out. We locked ourselves out of a Milwaukee home and then called a "Local" locksmith-- Dependable Locks-- for help.

Dependable showed up, took two minutes to open our door, and charged us more than we were quoted. Then they refused to answer our questions.

"I'm an employee. The managers... You should talk to them," one guy told us.

There was something else disturbing. Our locksmith never even bothered to make sure we lived in the house he just opened for us. In fact, we had permission to use a house. But it didn't belong to ANYONE there that day. We just borrowed it for the investigation.

"This isn't even his house. You allowed one stranger to get in another stranger's house," we pointed out.

The response? "Sometimes the guy moved in an apartment... I'm sorry. I have no comment for you. If you have something, go to the company."

We did go the company. But this 'local' operation is nowhere near Milwaukee.

"Our search brought us to New York... America's financial and cultural center. Its also the headquarters for Dependable Locks... A company ripping off people in Wisconsin and across America."

Not far from midtown Manhattan... In the shadow of the Statue of Liberty... Dependable Locks does it's dirty business from this Bronx office building. We decided to pay the owners a visit.

We were told to knock on a specfic door to talk to a manager.

But no one ever answered. They then asked us to wait ouside. We did.

No one ever came.

But former employee Mekesia Brown says she was told to elude customers' questions. "They're making so much money and it seems they just don't care about what they do or how they do it," Brown told us. She used to work in the Bronx call center.

We asked her, "Is it fair to say that there were policies in place for you guys to not be 100% honest... To be kind of vague... Kind of not on the level?"

"Yes," she told us. "And it was joked about by the staff and the supervisors."

Speaking of supervisors, affter 15 minutes we thought one had finally come out to talk to us.

"I'm going to ask you to wait outside the parking lot," the man said. He refused to talk to us. He then told us yet another place to wait. We waited. For a long time. But managers at Bronx headquarters never came back to chat.

Mekesia Brown remembers how her bosses told her to deal with Wisconsinites. "Some would be crying. Some would be really angry, agitated, and still, and get that information from them as fast as possible and not give them any information as much as we could," she recalls.

And what about those fake Wisconsin addresses used by Dependable Locks? The address of a Waukesha gelato shop was listed in one ad.

Brown explains how that worked. "If there was a really angry customer who wanted to know where our location was, we would pull up our GPS system," she admits. "We would give them a random address for a Taco Bell... or a parking lot."

A shady business. A trail of lies and lawsuits. A former employee who wouldnt even call her old company for help...

"If I was ever in a situation where i needed a locksmith... I would think twice. I would make sure to find out where that locksmith was. Because I hope to never deal with that company myself," Brown says.

Dependable Locks has operations in several states. They are being investigated in almost all those... Including here in Wisconsin.

The state of Illinois is suing them... And their license there has been suspended.

The problem here: we license hairdressers...auctioneers... even bait shop owners. But not locksmiths.
On Demand TMJ4 Text Alerts Read more »
My Personal 4 Cast Mobile Read more »
Weather Plus Video RSS Feeds Read more »
Desktop Weather
Copyright © 2007
© 2007, Journal Broadcast Group, a Journal Communications Inc. company
EEO Privacy Policy NBC
Powered by Broadcast Interactive Media.

CONTACT Tim@aola.org HE WILL HELP YOU HERE IS A PRESS RELEASE. HOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST "PHONY LOCKSMITHS"
Below are links to various news outlets, consumer protection agencies and state Attorney General offices addressing the issue of "phony locksmiths". The story is familiar in many states: an out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!

The Illinois Attorney General filed criminal charges against a New York locksmith operation for setting up phony storefronts with unlicensed individuals practicing locksmithing that lead consumers to believe they were dealing with local companies. The action was successful, and the company was ordered to pay thousands in restitution, to cease operations and to no longer do business in the state under a new name or any of the 25 different names the company had been using in local telephone directories!

ALOA encourages locksmiths who are facing this same situation to go to their state's Attorney General who can take the appropriate legal action against these fraudulent companies. ALOA recently sent a letter to all Attorneys General urging them to pursue this matter in their state. For a copy of that letter, Click Here . To contact your state's Attorney General, go to Click Here .

ALOA is also empowering you to take immediate action when these fraudulent operations show up in your city. Click Here for a Press Release that you may send to your local print and broadcast news media outlets. Make sure you put in the date and the name of your city in the highlighted areas.

For further assistance, contact ALOA Legislative Manager, Tim McMullen at [protected] x300 or tim@aloa.org