LELAND IMM

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.

Keyword Search Site Web BEWARE OF LOCKSMITH SWINDLES

Monday, Oct 29, 2007 - 06:06 PM
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Mississippi has issued a consumer warning regarding untrustworthy locksmith companies operating nationwide. Victim complaints to the BBB reveal that several locksmith companies, all using similar methods, are significantly overcharging consumers, charging for unnecessary services, using intimidation tactics and failing to give refunds or respond to consumer complaints.

“Complaints about locksmith services to BBBs nationwide increased nearly 75% from 2005 to 2006 and have continued to be steady since that time,” reports Bill Moak, President/CEO of the BBB Mississippi. “These companies pose as being local and advertise in yellow pages using local phone numbers and fake local addresses.”

In most cases, consumers are quoted reasonable pricing on the phone. However, when the locksmith arrives – typically in an unmarked vehicle – there is a demand for significantly more money than originally quoted, and these payments are requested to be in cash or by check made payable to the individual locksmith performing the services.

“Always check with the BBB for a reliability report on any companies unknown to you before engaging their services” Moak said. “Also, file a complaint with us on any companies that you find are involved in deceptive or unethical business practices.” The BBB of Mississippi, serving consumers in 76 counties since 1964, can be contacted on their Automated Response Line [protected]) or at www.ms.bbb.org.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Clarion Ledger - MS iHigh - CNN - Miss 103 - Z106.7 - Q105 - 95.5 Hallelujah FM

WJTV Children's Programming Information
Copyright © 2007 - Media General
Terms and Conditions

Locksmith scam may have hit Tucson
Existing businesses hear of customers being ripped off
By Shelley Shelton
Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.30.2007
advertisement 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.
�? Star reporter Dale Quinn contributed to this report. �? Contact reporter Shelley Shelton at 434-4086 or sshelton@azstarnet.com.

10:41 PM EST on Tuesday, November 6, 2007

By ANNA CROWLEY / WCNC
E-mail Anna: ACrowley@WCNC.COM

Consumer Connection confronts illegal locksmiths CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Consumer Connection viewer Ronald Ritch got locked out of his car, he "went back into the house and started looking in the Yellow Pages and saw big ads from this company," Ritch explained.

He called Reliable Locksmith. The locksmith came, opened the car, then, "I was ready to pay him the amount of money they told me on the telephone that it would be, he comes out and he wants almost twice as much," said Ritch.

Stories like Ronald's and reports of damaged property are the main allegations against a group of locksmiths operating across the country and now here. Our investigation found two locksmiths with a string of complaints operating in Charlotte illegally.

First, my investigative producer and I took on Reliable Locksmith.

Their locksmith called to our lockout did not have a license. I confronted him about that. "Why don't you have a North Carolina license?"

His name is Eli Ivgy. This was his answer: "I just moved here from California as you can see.”

Anna: "You are required to have a license in North Carolina. Why don't you have one?”

Eli: “I don't have a license..I..I, my company have a license but I did not know that I have to have a license. But if I have to I will change it from Washington to North Carolina."

We checked with Washington State and California and Eli doesn't have a license there either, even though it's required in those states, too.

The company Eli works for, Reliable, does not have a locksmith license.

Not only is a company license required by state law, the license number should be visible in every ad -- that's the law.

The law also requires each individual working as a locksmith to take an exam and undergo a criminal background check looking for convictions that range from sex offense to kidnapping.

The North Carolina Locksmith Licensing board says they told Reliable's owner Reuven Gigi back in June that his company needs a license along with any employees doing locksmith work. According to the board, the owner asked to take the required test in a foreign language, a request they denied.

You have to take the test in English. The board made it clear to me that they believe Reuven Gigi and Reliable Locksmith are well aware that they are continuing to operate here illegally.

Tom Bartholomy of the Better Business Bureau says, "Just because someone has a big ad in the Yellow Pages doesn't mean they are a good business to do business with."

Reliable isn't the only one advertising without its license number. Another -- One Hour Emergency Locksmith, also known as Dependable -- has prompted a nationwide warning from the Better Business Bureau.

So we put Dependable to the test, too.

The locksmith tells our investigative producer his name is Stephan Ivanoff.

You guessed it -- he's not licensed and neither is Dependable.

"You are pretty much at their mercy and that's what they like to take advantage of," Bartholomy said.

The BBB calls Dependable particularly disreputable and says the company operates under a dozen different names.

As for Ronald - he's filed complaints with the state board and the attorney general's office.

"I wasn't the only one, not near the only one," Ritch said.

He says getting the word out is critical.

Neither Reliable nor Dependable returned our calls for comment.

Complaints against locksmiths shot up 75 percent between 2005 and 2006. So how can you avoid being the next person with a bad experience? Don't wait for an emergency to choose a locksmith.

Search for a locksmith now -- check their record with the BBB. Talk to them about prices and have their number on speed dial for when you have a lock out.

Locksmith Complaints Skyrocket

POSTED: 12:12 am EST November 21, 2007
UPDATED: 9:33 am EST November 21, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Central Floridians may be unknowingly handing keys to their home or car to criminals when calling a locksmith, a Local 6 investigation found.

The state of Florida does not regulate the locksmith industry. There are no background checks, no licensing and no system of security for consumers, Local 6's Donald Forbes reported. Mary Baertlein of Winter Park recently called a locksmith and was shocked. "This is someone who clearly doesn't know his business -- if he even has a legitimate business," Baertlein said. "He shouldn't be allowed to be out there and it needs to be regulated." The Local 6 investigation found hundreds of Central Florida locksmith listings in the Yellow Pages and thousands online. However, at least one "Central Florida" locksmith company was located in New York. During the investigation, a Local 6 employee purposely locked herself out of a car and then called a company listed at Express Locksmith.

A trace of the company's phone number led to other listings like A 24-Hour Locksmith, AAA Locksmith, Locksmith of North Orlando, 123 Locksmith and nine different other names. Several of the addresses listed for the company were bogus, Forbes reported. Legitimate locksmith Jason Gage of Abra-Key-Dabra Locksmith in Apopka said there needs to be some kind of state regulation to help protect the consumer. "If you ask me, a hairstylist has to have a license to cut hair," Gage said. "A locksmith should have a license to work on your house locks."

The Better Business Bureau said complaints of unscrupulous locksmiths who overcharge or are inept have skyrocketed this year -- up 75 percent, Forbes reported. The key to finding a legitimate locksmith is to locate a storefront operation or trusted mobile locksmith before you need them, the report said.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. All rights reserved.

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

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.

Locksmith scam artists keying in on local residents

11:01 PM PST on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

By ERIC WILKINSON / KING 5 News

Some shady locksmiths keep you locked out SEATTLE – Some shady locksmiths have keyed in on the Puget Sound Area, overcharging unsuspecting customers – sometimes by hundreds of dollars.

Karin Lee's 8-year-old son had managed to lock the door to his bedroom, locking himself in and his mother out. They key was nowhere to be found.

Desperate and at the end of a long day, Lee consulted her phone book and found an ad for a locksmith, which stated it was local and reliable.

The company quoted her a rate of $55 over the phone, but when the locksmith arrived, the price had tripled.

Related Content
BBB warning about nationwide locksmith scam
"I looked at him and kinda got that sinking feeling that I was about to get shafted," said Lee.

The Better Business Bureau says it’s a common scam that's happening nationwide. The companies with local phone numbers route calls through other states where they dispatch their disreputable workers.

"As soon as they're getting caught by police or caught by another organization in Seattle, they'll all of a sudden just fly-by-night and just move to another city and start another company in another city and start swindling customers in that city," said Marcella Kallman of the Better Business Bureau.

Shady locksmiths depend on you being unprepared and vulnerable, so it's important for you to know what to do if you feel you're being taken advantage of.

First of all, ask the person on the phone if there will be an additional charge when the locksmith arrives.

Next, make sure to get a quote for the original price in writing before any work is done.

And, if the locksmith tries to charge you more, don't be afraid to tell him 'no thanks' and call somebody else.

"You also want to make you sure never pay up front. Make sure they are performing the service you want them to do. Once they have done that, and done that successfully, then you can pay them," said Kallman.

The Better Business Bureau has received numerous complaints about a company called "All Metro Area Locksmiths", as well as a New York outfit named "Dependable Locks" that does business as "Seattle Locksmiths," "24 hour Locksmiths," "24/7 Locksmiths," "A Emergency Locksmiths," and " Always Ready Locksmiths."

USA Locksmith's "promise" is "that the job will be done by professional Locksmiths, expediently and at a very competitively affordable low rate."

I'm calling out USA Locksmith on a broken promise on all fronts!

Like a common dumb ###, I locked my keys in my car yesterday morning. AAA gave me the phone numbers of 3 nearby locksmiths and, in a rush, I called the first locksmith on the list and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, that number was for USA Locksmith. A few minutes later the locksmith called me back and said he'd be on the scene in 20 minutes. FORTY-FIVE minutes later, this dude shows up and begins - no lie - prying my door open so he can stick a glorified coat hanger in to jimmy open the door handle - not the method I would expect a "professional" to use.

As I am giving the locksmith my information, he starts being a grade A creep saying I look too young to have a kid (mind your own business!), commenting on my looks (ewww!), and even going so far as looking at my address and saying things about my neighborhood!

The final blow was when he handed me the invoice. I've only locked my keys in my car once before; that locksmith was on the scene in 10 minutes, used a very non-invasive method, and charged me $40 - a price I think fair for such a service. But this creepy dude who essentially pried open my door after 45 minutes of waiting charged me $150! Maybe I am naive to the typical cost of locksmith work, but that seemed exorbitant. Furthermore, he told me that my car insurance would reimburse me, which sounded fishy, and turned out to be false.

No surprise, as a result of the shoddy work of USA Locksmith my drivers side door now has a draft and noise that it did not have before.

Terrible, terrible work by unprofessional locksmiths and at unfair price.

Monday, December 3, 2007
How Illegal Locksmiths Hurt the Public
Illegal locksmiths caused annoyances in New York and several other states by placing hard-to-remove stickers on private property. They further insulted residents and business owners by using fake addresses and phone number to avoid getting caught. This is a popular scam tactic for locksmiths who are in the business for the wrong reasons.

There are an unbelievable number of illegal locksmiths across the United States who operated many different businesses under many different names while being licensed under only one name. Many illegal locksmiths place ads in yellow pages with phone numbers that connect to national call centers. The addresses they use in their ads either don't exist or belong to abandoned buildings. Operating under a business name other than the one under which the locksmith is licensed makes it impossible to verify their license for any state level recourse of action for recovery when there has been a scam.

It is recommended that any locksmith's state license be verified before you hire him/her. Taking the locksmith's word for verification only makes your family security vulnerable. The scam artists have access to your home, your personal belongings, private information, keys, codes, and safe combinations. If your instinct tells you there is something vague about their answers to your questions, it may be best to follow your instincts. The locksmiths who are doing business legally and who are trustworthy should not mind satisfying your curiosity about their legitimacy.

Fake locksmiths get away with their illegal scams because they catch people in a jam, in a hurry, too upset to take the proper precautions, and either too lazy to take the time to check credentials. They also get past the legal system because of the cracks in the system. Sometimes the very laws we make to protect us are the laws that can also harm us when misused.

One way to tell if a locksmith is honest is to check the advertising for their locksmith license number. It should be posted on all ads, invoices, and business cards. The locksmith should also carry an embossed pocket version of the locksmith license. He/she should be willing to give you the license number when you contact him/her.

There are some other problems with illegal lock pickers. Code grabbers are illegal in the United States, so an individual who refuses to show proper credentials and possesses one is obviously not a certified, registered locksmith. Although there are tools that a burglar uses that are legal for a person to have in possession, such as lock picks, these are not legal in all states. In New York, Illinois, and the District of Columbia lock picks are illegal. In some places, potential burglar tools are only incriminating if you've been suspected of committing a crime or are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

How could it be feasible to carry lock picks and other locksmith tools and be at the wrong place at the wrong time? There are lock picking games and events that allow for a lock picker to have possession of these items. There are people who are interested in such a past time solely for the entertainment value. So, not everyone who might carry the tools is an illegal locksmith or a criminal.

Locksmiths Guide
Locksmiths Articles

Monday, December 3, 2007
How Illegal Locksmiths Hurt the Public
Illegal locksmiths caused annoyances in New York and several other states by placing hard-to-remove stickers on private property. They further insulted residents and business owners by using fake addresses and phone number to avoid getting caught. This is a popular scam tactic for locksmiths who are in the business for the wrong reasons.

There are an unbelievable number of illegal locksmiths across the United States who operated many different businesses under many different names while being licensed under only one name. Many illegal locksmiths place ads in yellow pages with phone numbers that connect to national call centers. The addresses they use in their ads either don't exist or belong to abandoned buildings. Operating under a business name other than the one under which the locksmith is licensed makes it impossible to verify their license for any state level recourse of action for recovery when there has been a scam.

It is recommended that any locksmith's state license be verified before you hire him/her. Taking the locksmith's word for verification only makes your family security vulnerable. The scam artists have access to your home, your personal belongings, private information, keys, codes, and safe combinations. If your instinct tells you there is something vague about their answers to your questions, it may be best to follow your instincts. The locksmiths who are doing business legally and who are trustworthy should not mind satisfying your curiosity about their legitimacy.

Fake locksmiths get away with their illegal scams because they catch people in a jam, in a hurry, too upset to take the proper precautions, and either too lazy to take the time to check credentials. They also get past the legal system because of the cracks in the system. Sometimes the very laws we make to protect us are the laws that can also harm us when misused.

One way to tell if a locksmith is honest is to check the advertising for their locksmith license number. It should be posted on all ads, invoices, and business cards. The locksmith should also carry an embossed pocket version of the locksmith license. He/she should be willing to give you the license number when you contact him/her.

There are some other problems with illegal lock pickers. Code grabbers are illegal in the United States, so an individual who refuses to show proper credentials and possesses one is obviously not a certified, registered locksmith. Although there are tools that a burglar uses that are legal for a person to have in possession, such as lock picks, these are not legal in all states. In New York, Illinois, and the District of Columbia lock picks are illegal. In some places, potential burglar tools are only incriminating if you've been suspected of committing a crime or are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

How could it be feasible to carry lock picks and other locksmith tools and be at the wrong place at the wrong time? There are lock picking games and events that allow for a lock picker to have possession of these items. There are people who are interested in such a past time solely for the entertainment value. So, not everyone who might carry the tools is an illegal locksmith or a criminal.

Usa Fastest Locksmith, A Locksmith
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
2526 Mt. Vernin Rd.#304 Dunwoody. Ga 30338
Atlanta, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Georgia, 30338
U.S.A.

Submitted: 12/21/2007 10:38:44 PM
Modified: 12/21/2007 10:39:00 PM
Tonygambino
lighthouse point, Florida

My wife and I needed our locks changed. We called in the yellow pages A Locksmith. come to find out there main office is in Atlanta, we life in Pompano Beach FL area. On the phone they said customer satisfaction is top notch and there prices are very competitive.

A young man showed up at the house ( I wsnt home from work yet) told my wife the price would be around 150-200 bucks. She says 'no problem, let me call another locksmith in the area to make sure this is around the same amount they charge so to protect us from getting ripped off. He became upset and told her 'trust me I'll treat youy right' 'but if you decide not to use me, I'm going to charge you $50 for the show up cost. When my wife called the other locksmith, he told her $150. and my wife relayed the info to the locksmith. He says'no prob Ill do it for the same amount.

Well, when he was done I drove into the situation and my wife was upset, saying to the locksmith 'you told me $150'? He was getting loud and I jumped in and asked what was going on, my wife explained the issue. I then jumped on the phone and called anothere locksmith and again was told $150 by this other company. The bill that 'A locksmith' gave us? $349.17. Of course I went nutts.

I told him Im not signing this and called the police, they came, we told them what happend and after 1 hour the service man told us $200. after this big big issue. We call the credit card company and guess what? they put the $349.17 through. I was pissed. We told the card company what had accured. Then I called 'A Locksmith' and told them what happend they said the locksmith didnt' say anything to them and wouldn't help us. They were nasty on the phone aswell. About 5 min later the same tech that was at our house called and denied the $200 and said he has a signed sig of my wife at the $349.

Heres what they did. before the left they gave me 2 invoices one for 200 and one for 349, the invoice for $200?was invoice # 1040 and the one for $349? was invoice 1041. after the cops left he made a new invoice which was carbon copy (the original one), that was not signed lol (###) and claimed he had a yellow copy of this. So not only did they 'high gross' us, they put a fraudulant unauthorized charge threw, and forged our signature.

I then called the police again, and told them what happend. They were floored that they did this. So they siad they will 100% back the story up with the police report.
For all you reading this we are going to take legal action for the credit card fraud and forger.

DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY! YOUVE BEEN WARNED.
Thank God for this web-site. I will continue to tellyou the out come.

Tony
lighthouse point, Florida
U.S.A.

Usa Fastest Locksmith, A Locksmith
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
2526 Mt. Vernin Rd.#304 Dunwoody. Ga 30338
Atlanta, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Georgia, 30338
U.S.A.

Submitted: 12/21/2007 10:38:44 PM
Modified: 12/21/2007 10:39:00 PM
Tonygambino
lighthouse point, Florida

My wife and I needed our locks changed. We called in the yellow pages A Locksmith. come to find out there main office is in Atlanta, we life in Pompano Beach FL area. On the phone they said customer satisfaction is top notch and there prices are very competitive.
A young man showed up at the house ( I wsnt home from work yet) told my wife the price would be around 150-200 bucks. She says 'no problem, let me call another locksmith in the area to make sure this is around the same amount they charge so to protect us from getting ripped off. He became upset and told her 'trust me I'll treat youy right' 'but if you decide not to use me, I'm going to charge you $50 for the show up cost. When my wife called the other locksmith, he told her $150. and my wife relayed the info to the locksmith. He says'no prob Ill do it for the same amount.
Well, when he was done I drove into the situation and my wife was upset, saying to the locksmith 'you told me $150'? He was getting loud and I jumped in and asked what was going on, my wife explained the issue. I then jumped on the phone and called anothere locksmith and again was told $150 by this other company. The bill that 'A locksmith' gave us? $349.17. Of course I went nutts.
I told him Im not signing this and called the police, they came, we told them what happend and after 1 hour the service man told us $200. after this big big issue. We call the credit card company and guess what? they put the $349.17 through. I was pissed. We told the card company what had accured. Then I called 'A Locksmith' and told them what happend they said the locksmith didnt' say anything to them and wouldn't help us. They were nasty on the phone aswell. About 5 min later the same tech that was at our house called and denied the $200 and said he has a signed sig of my wife at the $349.
Heres what they did. before the left they gave me 2 invoices one for 200 and one for 349, the invoice for $200?was invoice # 1040 and the one for $349? was invoice 1041. after the cops left he made a new invoice which was carbon copy (the original one), that was not signed lol (###) and claimed he had a yellow copy of this. So not only did they 'high gross' us, they put a fraudulant unauthorized charge threw, and forged our signature.
I then called the police again, and told them what happend. They were floored that they did this. So they siad they will 100% back the story up with the police report.
For all you reading this we are going to take legal action for the credit card fraud and forger.y
DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY! YOUVE BEEN WARNED.
Thank God for this web-site. I will continue to tellyou the out come.

Tony
lighthouse point, Florida
U.S.A.

A Locksmith. Usa Fastest Locksmith, Will tell you one price then hit you with higher figures after the work is done, forgery creditcard fraud Atlanta, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach Georgia , Florida

Usa Fastest Locksmith, A Locksmith
Phone: [protected]
Fax:
2526 Mt. Vernin Rd.#304 Dunwoody. Ga 30338
Atlanta, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Georgia, 30338
U.S.A.

Submitted: 12/21/2007 10:38:44 PM

Tonygambino
lighthouse point, Florida

My wife and I needed our locks changed. We called in the yellow pages A Locksmith. come to find out there main office is in Atlanta, we life in Pompano Beach FL area. On the phone they said customer satisfaction is top notch and there prices are very competitive.
A young man showed up at the house ( I wsnt home from work yet) told my wife the price would be around 150-200 bucks. She says 'no problem, let me call another locksmith in the area to make sure this is around the same amount they charge so to protect us from getting ripped off. He became upset and told her 'trust me I'll treat youy right' 'but if you decide not to use me, I'm going to charge you $50 for the show up cost. When my wife called the other locksmith, he told her $150. and my wife relayed the info to the locksmith. He says'no prob Ill do it for the same amount.
Well, when he was done I drove into the situation and my wife was upset, saying to the locksmith 'you told me $150'? He was getting loud and I jumped in and asked what was going on, my wife explained the issue. I then jumped on the phone and called anothere locksmith and again was told $150 by this other company. The bill that 'A locksmith' gave us? $349.17. Of course I went nutts.
I told him Im not signing this and called the police, they came, we told them what happend and after 1 hour the service man told us $200. after this big big issue. We call the credit card company and guess what? they put the $349.17 through. I was pissed. We told the card company what had accured. Then I called 'A Locksmith' and told them what happend they said the locksmith didnt' say anything to them and wouldn't help us. They were nasty on the phone aswell. About 5 min later the same tech that was at our house called and denied the $200 and said he has a signed sig of my wife at the $349.
Heres what they did. before the left they gave me 2 invoices one for 200 and one for 349, the invoice for $200?was invoice # 1040 and the one for $349? was invoice 1041. after the cops left he made a new invoice which was carbon copy (the original one), that was not signed lol (###) and claimed he had a yellow copy of this. So not only did they 'high gross' us, they put a fraudulant unauthorized charge threw, and forged our signature.
I then called the police again, and told them what happend. They were floored that they did this. So they siad they will 100% back the story up with the police report.
For all you reading this we are going to take legal action for the credit card fraud and forger.y
DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY! YOUVE BEEN WARNED.
Thank God for this web-site. I will continue to tellyou the out come.

Tony
lighthouse point, Florida
U.S.A.

Good Morning America| World News| 20/20| Primetime| Nightline| This Week| ABC News Now| i-Caught Wednesday, January 02, 2008 Register | Sign In Home| News Brief| World| U.S.| Investigative| Politics| Money| Health| Entertainment| ESPN Sports| SciTech| Law| Travel| More Search
Home > GMA
Nationwide 'Locksmith Swindle,' Says Better Business Bureau
Consumer Complaints Are on the RiseFont Size

E-mail
Print
Share One of the companies was called Priceline. It's the same company whose locksmith reportedly victimized Miller. Court papers list the president of Priceline as Gillad Gill. The Better Business Bureau lists Gill as the owner of Dependable.

Related Stories
Locksmith 'Mafia' & Can't-Refuse EstimatesTop GMA stories
Huckabee Attack Ad All Over Internet, CableKids on the Campaign TrailAvalanche Fears Loom Over the West
When ABC News reached Gill on his cell phone in Israel, he told us he no longer is in the business. And when ABC News asked him how much he made in the business, he said, "Well, you're surely not welcome to know that kind of information. But I wish I would have made some money."

Dependable's Response

In a statement, an attorney who represents Dependable told ABC News, Dependable is a separate company with no connections to the operation Gill ran. He added, Dependable tries to run a clean business, with written estimates, written approvals and no fictitious addresses.

Dependable is moving its main call center to Florida, and its attorney said the company has set up a special consumer complaint department there. Still, the Better Business Bureau blasted Dependable's "unsatisfactory" business record at the close of 2007. The Better Business Bureau said Dependable has 51 pending complaints and 87 others to which the company never responded.

"We believe that the number of complaints we've received are just a small sliver of the larger problem," Preszler said.

How to Tell Whether You're Dealing With a Scammer

There are several ways to protect yourself and your money from dishonest locksmiths.

Warning signs include:

They answer the phone by just saying locksmith.
They won't tell you their exact address.
They're evasive when you ask questions.

You can protect yourself by finding a professional locksmith near you before you ever need one. Program the number into your phone. Also, get a written estimate before the locksmith does any work.

Nationwide 'Locksmith Swindle,' Says Better Business Bureau - Continued
Previous123
| Read All 8 Comments and Post Your Own
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING 8 Comments
It burns me up to know that people do thin...
lockedinnc 11:43 PM
People like this is why we have the right ...
NeoPoliticus 9:29 PM
Before I paid someone 1700.00 because I lo...
bestfr1303 6:54 PM

Connect with Newsmakers
Capture video of a news event? Upload it now.
Discuss this topic with the ABC News CommunityRead All
Join the Conversation at 'GMA' Audience FavoritesView All
Learn How to Flatten Your Belly Cops Deny Slingshots Provoked Tiger Attack9/11 Video Game Sparks OutrageNew Year's Bridge JumpersH'wood's Hot Winter RomancesCelebrity New Year's Eve Parties
ADVERTISER LINK
The New York Times
Save 50% on Home Delivery of The New York Times. As low as $3.25 per week.
www.nytimes.com

Feedback| Wireless| E-mails & News Alerts| Message Boards| RSS Headlines| Podcasts| ABC News Store
Contact Us| ABC.com| Site Map| Advertising Info| Terms of Use| Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights
External links are provided for reference purposes. ABC News is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Copyright © 2007 ABCNews Internet Ventures

Janury 3,2008 Two locksmiths have agreed to change their advertising practices after the state Department of Consumer Protection said they were misleading consumers into thinking they operated from numerous business locations in Connecticut when they did not.

Liberty Locksmith, of Orange, and Champion Locksmith, of Jackson Heights, N.Y., had placed ads in Connecticut telephone directories listing several business locations, including places such as Stamford, Middletown and West Hartford.

Neither company was in any of those places, a violation of the state's unfair trade practice laws, Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. said Thursday.

Although the companies did not admit any violations of law, they agreed under an agreement reached with the state that all of their advertising and solicitation must clearly identify the addresses where their businesses are located.

The companies are also prohibited from misrepresenting their business locations in any telephone book.

Each company also paid a $500 fine.

From staff reports

More articles

Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant

Locksmith firms agree to correct addresses
MARIAN GAIL BROWN mgbrown@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 01/03/2008 11:26:46 PM EST

Advertising by two locksmith companies operating in Connecticut will have to list the address where they do business, state Department of Consumer Protection officials said Thursday, following nearly a yearlong investigation that revealed the locksmiths' telephone directory ads listed them as being in places they were not.

Under the voluntary compliance agreement the companies entered with the DCP, neither Champion Locksmith of Jackson Heights in New York nor Liberty Locksmith LLC in Orange admitted to any violation of law. The agreement with DCP settles the department's charge that the two locksmith companies misled consumers into believing they ran their businesses out of various locations in Connecticut.

From 2005 forward, print ads that appeared in local telephone directories listed Champion as being in Stamford, Middletown, West Hartford, Rocky Hill, New London, Mystic and Norwich. During that same period, Liberty Locksmith LLC's ads identified the business having presence in those same towns when it fact, neither business was situated there.

"Using deceptive advertising to sell services to consumers constitutes an unfair trade practice that may be prosecuted under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act," state DCP Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. said. "If the companies were found guilty of these unfair deeds, stringent administrative sanctions were at our disposal. Wisely, both companies came forth immediately to meet with our attorneys and forged an agreement
that immediately halts their questionable activity and continues to hold them accountable."
Both businesses will pay the state DCP a $500 penalty.

Locksmiths in Connecticut are not required to be licensed or registered by the state. Only Illinois requires them to be licensed. The General Assembly considered similar legislation several years ago, but that bill failed.

"We received a complaint that these locksmiths weren't really where their ads claimed they were based," Richard Maloney, director of DCP's Trade Practices Division, said. "When we sent our people out to investigate the addresses that were in the ads, we found variety shops and other businesses that had no knowledge that their addresses appeared in these ads."

By including a local address, the locksmiths gave consumers the impression that they were in the neighborhood, Maloney said, which may increase the likelihood that consumers would call them if they were locked out of a building and in need of urgent service.

No consumers filed any complaints about either of the locksmith companies, Maloney said, adding that there was never any allegation of shoddy workmanship or overcharging.

Both businesses are owned by Bradley Steitz, and the general manager of the businesses is Paul Mantini, according to DCP records. Mantini said the addresses reflected in the ads were old addresses for the business, where it once dispatched locksmiths from. "We don't do that anymore," he said. "I used to have locksmiths in certain areas. I've never had any complaints against my business. There's a locksmith who worked for me once — and I know who he is and where he is — who is trying to put me out of business. I'm just a small person trying to make a living. We have warranties on all our locks. I give senior citizens discounts. I give crime victims discounts, too. "

From now on, Mantini said, all of the firms' ads will reflect their current addresses. It was a mistake, he said, not to have updated that in the locksmiths' former advertising. "And now I've got it corrected. There are no problems with our ads," he said.

MariAn Gail Brown, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6288.

January 17,2008

| Print 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.

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.

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.

Nationwide 'Locksmith Swindle,' Says Better Business Bureau
Consumer Complaints Are on the Rise
Some locksmiths have been accused of overcharging customers. (ABCNews Photo Illustration) Jan. 2, 2008
Share About 250,000 Americans make emergency calls to locksmiths daily, according to Associated Locksmiths of America.
The panicky feeling they get once they realize they've locked themselves out of their homes or cars may soon be replaced by anger, though, because according to authorities, several companies prey on locked-out consumers.
Related Stories
Locksmith 'Mafia' & Can't-Refuse EstimatesTop GMA stories
Complaints about locksmiths have increased and include accusations of overcharging, shoddy workmanship, lowball telephone quotes and unnecessary work. The Council of Better Business Bureaus said twice as many locksmiths complaints exist as did two years ago. In 2005 there were about 250 complaints, while 2007 is expected to top 500, according to the Better Business Bureau.
The problem has become so troublesome that the Better Business Bureau has called it a "nationwide locksmith swindle."
An undercover investigation by San Francisco affiliate KGO revealed how unscrupulous locksmiths can prey on people who are locked out. For example during an investigation a locksmith the affiliate called to unlock a storefront door said he couldn't pick the lock and would have to drill it. By the time he was finished drilling and replacing the lock, the bill came to $890.
The problem has become so troublesome that the Better Business Bureau has called it a "nationwide locksmith swindle." It turned out that locksmith had been dispatched by a New York-based locksmith company.
Meanwhile, legitimate local locksmith Sam Napier said he could have picked the lock in less than one minute and the cost would have been about $80 to $100.
Not all the rip-offs are huge and can be $25 or $50 extra. Overall, these charges could add up to millions across the nation.
Among the cities where these types of schemes have been caught on tape by investigative reporters include Seattle, New York, Orlando, Fla., and Colorado Springs, Colo., and San Francisco. Suburban Chicago resident Ray Miller paid the price when he locked his keys in his house. A locksmith charged him nearly $1,700 to unlock it. "He came here to do his job and get his bill. He works on commission," Miller said.

Undercover Locksmith Investigation

Last Update: 2/07 10:53 am

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.

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

LELAND IMM’s comments