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Saved a man from the “$29.00″ locksmiths yesterday. He was quoted $29.00 to come out and the tech would tell him how much to open his car when he arrived. When pressed they told him that the fee would be $15.00 & up! People only hear $29 & 15 or worse only 29. Let me tell you now that NOONE pays $15 to open their car.  This is only the bait!! The “up” side can be as much as $150.00(plus $29.00)! Happens everyday. Beware of the $29.00 locksmiths!! Press your Georgia legislator to pass the locksmith license bill.  This will give consumers some measure of protection and provide a means of taking action against these companies. Also use Master Locksmith Company Inc for your locksmith needs. We are honest, hard working, and just plain good at what we do.

smith complaints are on the rise
Locksmith complaints are on the rise

Published on April 26, 2010

by Emily Udell

Locksmiths are required to be licensed in 14 states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Imagine your front door lock has been working improperly and you finally decide to get it repaired. You scan the phone book and find a company that appears local.

They give you a reasonable estimate, but after completing the job, the two technicians who arrived in an unmarked car present you with a bill for many times the quoted price and demand cash payment.

It may sound outrageous, but that’s exactly what Laura Gold of West Newton, Mass., says happened to her.
Related Story
Undercover reporting sting stages a lockout >>

It’s similar to scams that have befallen consumers across the nation, according to numerous lawsuits, news reports and warnings published by government agencies and trade associations.

Gold says she was duped by a company called Dependable Locks after deciding to hire a locksmith to fix a malfunctioning lock on the front door of her home. She called what appeared to be a local listing in her phone book and received a $150 estimate.
Dependable Locks
Dependable Locks owners Moshe Aharoni (left) and David Peer are the subject of a federal case.
Photos courtesy of Pinellas County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Department

What Gold didn’t know was she had been routed to the call center of Clearwater, Fla.-based Dependable, which is now the subject of a federal case as well as multiple complaints filed by state attorneys general.

Gold says she was shocked when the two technicians who made the call presented her with a bill for $580.

“They said, ‘we need cash’ and of course all these bells are going off in my head,’” she says, but she felt like she had no choice but to drive to an ATM with her teenage daughter and fork over the money.

“I felt mostly a little embarrassed because I’d fallen for it,” Gold says.
Throughout the U.S.
Car door | Locksmiths
The business of legitimate locksmiths is hurt by scammers who take advantage of consumers in emergency lockout situations, industry experts say.
Photo by Jay Madden

In November 2009, two owners of Dependable were charged with allegedly using coercive and intimidating tactics to strong-arm customers into paying exorbitant fees for locksmith services from its network of technicians around the country.

Moshe Aharoni, 29, and David Peer, 32, were arrested after authorities raided their Clearwater call center.

The two were charged with mail and wire fraud, engaging in financial activities to promote unlawful activities and conspiracy to recruit and employ foreign nationals not authorized to work in the U.S., charges that each carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. They are out on bail.

An affidavit supporting the complaint alleges Dependable managed a national network of more than 100 locksmith technicians and that many of them were non-immigrant Israeli citizens whose visas did not permit them to do this kind of work.

“This reaches throughout the United States,” said Doug Smith with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at the time of the raid.

The federal complaint alleges that customers calling for locksmith services were routed to the Florida center, where they’d receive a price quote and get a local technician dispatched. Responding locksmiths allegedly would charge a much higher rate and were instructed to use various tactics with customers who balked at the price.

“Technicians use techniques such as accusing the consumer who objects to the overcharge of ‘theft of services,’ threatening to call the police, withholding the customer’s keys or driver’s license or following the customer to an ATM machine to ensure payment,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Eastern Missouri, where the case is being prosecuted.

Representatives from the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the pending case. As of press time, no trial date had been set.

This year, Dependable made the ranks of Angie’s List’s top 10 worst contractors of the year. Attorneys general in Arizona, Massachusetts and Missouri have filed suit against the company, and complaints filed in the last year against other locksmith companies in Colorado, North Carolina and Wisconsin suggest the problem is widespread and ongoing.

An Angie’s List investigation of suits against Dependable, BBB and our own records uncovered more than 500 consumer complaints against the company or its aliases in at least a dozen cities.

Several other people besides Aharoni and Peer were named as part of the suits against the company. Dependable rates a D on Angie’s List based on reports in seven cities, including one filed by member John Brogan.

John and his wife Patricia hired a locksmith they found on the Internet to fix a lever-style exterior door lock on their Minneapolis home. He says Patricia was immediately concerned about whether the locksmith knew what he was doing.

“He didn’t seem to have the right tools, and he didn’t seem to know what was going on,” says Brogan, who joined Angie’s List after the experience. “He gave my wife a totally skeevy vibe.”

They were surprised to find the company printed on the $120 receipt was Dependable Locks of Florida. “We thought that was weird because we had called a local number,” Brogan says. Three days later, the lock mechanism fell off and the couple had to replace it.
Shoddy work
Chicago locksmith
Dependable Locks filed a lawsuit against Chicago-area locksmith Mike Bronzell after he publicly criticized their business practices, but the charges against him were later dismissed.
Photo by Jay Madden

Mike Bronzell, an Oak Lawn, Ill.-based locksmith, says shoddy work is a trademark of scammers.

“They will book every job, whether they can handle it or not, and string people along with stories,” says Bronzell, who runs a mobile service called All Hour Locksmith in the Chicago area and was once a subject of a lawsuit by Dependable for speaking out against the company’s practices. Claims against Bronzell were later dismissed from the lawsuit.

“They’re destroying our reputations and they’re not even locksmiths,” he adds. Messages left for Dependable’s attorney were not returned.

Attorneys general with locksmith complaints pending declined to talk about their cases, but Colorado Attorney General John Suthers reached a settlement with a company called Basad Inc. in June 2009.

In January 2009, Suthers filed a lawsuit against the Englewood, Colo.-based Basad, alleging it misrepresented the price of their service charges, failed to honor their advertised “20-minute response time” and led customers to believe they had local offices when they only had one address.

The complaint says Basad registered 73 trade names and advertised in several states, though all calls were routed through a center in Englewood.

They also claimed to be licensed, though locksmiths were not required to be licensed in the states they operated in, according to the complaint.

Suthers reached a $100,000 settlement with Basad that will be used to reimburse consumers who filed complaints.

The settlement also requires the company to disclose during the initial sales call that there will be additional charges and record those calls for a year. Basad did not admit any liability as part of the settlement.

A person who answered Basad’s phone declined to comment and a message was not returned.

Mike Saccone, a spokesman for Suthers, says the number of locksmith complaints his office receives has declined since the settlement was reached.

“We have the occasional, sporadic complaint, but not in the volume we had with Basad,” Saccone says.
‘Robbed twice’
Homeowner overcharged by locksmith
David Rossi was charged more than $1,000 to change three locks on his Woodbridge, Va., home after a break-in. Rossi says he’d been given a $250 estimate for the job.
Photo by Katherine Klegin

Complaints may be down in Colorado, but locksmiths and others who track the scams say the cases against Basad and Dependable are only the tip of the iceberg and consumers across the country are still encountering the same scams.

Firefighter David Rossi found a locksmith online to replace three locks when his Woodbridge, Va., home was burglarized. He says the dispatcher at Dale City Emergency Locksmith led him to believe the cost would be around $250, so he was shocked when he was presented with a bill for more than $1,000.

“After looking into it, that’s not a normal price for changing locks, even in the middle of the night in an emergency,” Rossi says. “It felt like I’d been robbed twice.”

Rossi says he found a restaurant at the address where he believed the locksmith was located and was given the runaround when he called and tried to file a complaint with Dale City Emergency Locksmith, whose number was routed to a company called USA Locksmith.

Representatives at USA Locksmith referred calls from Angie’s List Magazine to a general manager who was not available by phone and provided an e-mail address that was not in service. Messages were not returned.

There are F reports on Angie’s List for companies called USA Locksmith and USA Locksmiths in five states. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which licenses locksmiths, has filed a complaint against USA Locksmith alleging they employ unlicensed technicians, use false addresses and overcharge consumers.
Misleading listings

Many locksmiths interviewed for this story say Internet search engines and phone books are part of the problem because scammers create misleading listings that make it appear like they are local businesses.

“If you happen to pick the wrong name and the wrong number, you’re in trouble,” says Roland Malone, owner of highly rated Scottsdale Lock in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Malone says scammers have created online listings using the name of his 35-year-old business with a number for an out-of-state call center. His company has had to respond to dissatisfied customers who called that number, thinking it was him.

Malone says he wishes law enforcement and Internet search companies would crack down on these scammers. “They’re mean, ugly and ruthless and will sell their mother for a nickel and want change,” he says.

Elaine Filadelfo, a spokeswoman for Google, acknowledges that some bogus listings wind up in local search results, but she encourages users to report faulty listings.

Tim McMullen, the legislative manager of the national trade group Associated Locksmiths of America, says his organization also has been working with Internet search companies like Google and phone book firms to ensure scammers are weeded out and legitimate locksmiths are easier to identify.
Protect yourself

There are a lot of ways consumers can protect themselves from shady operators. Don’t wait until an emergency arises to pick a locksmith.

“If you’re stuck in a rainstorm in the parking lot of Walmart at three in the morning, you’re going to Google or call 411,” says Larry Friberg, a retired police officer who runs a website that tracks scams called Legallocksmiths.com. “You’re going to get a scammer.”

Joe Weiss of the A-rated Larry the Locksmith in Bronx, N.Y., recommends calling several local companies. “If they’re all in the same price range, it’s probably pretty accurate,” says Weiss, who is a registered locksmith with New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs.

He says customers should expect to pay more if they need service in the middle of the night, but legitimate locksmiths will detail their costs up front. “If we go out and something is different from what we told them on the phone, we tell them the price before we do the work,” he says.

Be leery of any locksmith who shows up in an unmarked vehicle, acts cagey when questioned about the company or immediately recommends drilling out a lock.

If you live in a state where locksmiths are required to be licensed, you should check their credentials with the appropriate agency.

McMullen of the locksmith’s association says his organization has pushed lawmakers in states without licensure to introduce legislation that would more closely regulate the industry, such as a Florida bill introduced in March that would require locksmiths to be licensed by the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

But McMullen says legislation and enforcement are only part of the way to stop scammers. “The real solution to the problem is consumer awareness,” he says.

Visit our facebook page and see lots of photos of our family, friends, and jobs we have done. Join our friends list and leave updates about your job, life, and the things that concern you. Also feel free to send us questions about safes, locks, and other security concerns that you have.

Over the past few years several state’s attorney generals have sued the illegal locksmith companies and AT&T. At least in those states the citizens can rest a little easier and the honest locksmiths can continue to work and provide for their families. But I beg to ask…Why hasn’t the attorney general of Georgia done anything? Are we more interested in bass fishing here in Georgia instead of shutting down illegal crime syndicates? I like to fish but not that much.
Many Georgia residents have been victimized by these illegal locksmith companies. I am sure that at least a few have complained to the attorney general or to the governors office. We have had legislation pending for a few years now that would regulate the locksmith industry and require locksmiths to be licenced. Passing this law would be a good first step in combatting these thieves but our legislators will not act on it. Maybe they are spending too much time at the lake catching bass?
In the mean time, If you need a locksmith, feel free to call us. We live and work here. Our company and its subsidiaries have been in business for over 30 years. We have a Texas Locksmith licence(#B15724) and a Georgia Low Voltage Licence(#LVG105098) That is the closest that Georgia has to a “security” license.
Whether you need an automotive locksmith, commercial locksmith, or a residential locksmith, you can trust that our locksmith service will be the best, most detailed, and the most professional.

Missouri Attorney General Files Locksmith Lawsuit
Mo. AG Targets Phony Locksmiths, AT&T Yellow Pages After KCTV5 Investigation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Another KCTV5 News investigation got real results. The Missouri attorney general has launched a campaign to stop fraud by phony locksmiths after KCTV5 exposed a scam.

KCTV5 exposed a network of so-called locksmiths who are flooding a Kansas City phone book with fake addresses.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster filed a lawsuit to try to stop the fraud and get locked-out victims their money back.

On Thursday, three days after the KCTV5 News investigation aired, Koster announced what is believed to be the first legal action of its kind in the country, going after locksmith fraud and the Yellow Pages, as well.

“Clearly the Yellow Pages has made lots of money off of this,” said Koster.

The state is suing Dependable Locks Inc., out of Florida, a company accused of flooding the phone book with dozens of company aliases and hundreds of phone numbers.

And the attorney general’s office has given the AT&T Yellow Pages five business days to shut off hundreds of phone numbers linked to the fraudulent companies.

“We view that as the most practical solution to the problem. We’ll check back in five days and see,” said Koster.

Sammye Guenther called one of those phone numbers when she locked her keys in the car, but the number that looked local in the phone book wasn’t local at all. She ended up paying more than originally quoted to a technician who said he had to use an expensive device to open her door.

Because of the special device, the technician charged Guenther $176, three times the going rate for local locksmiths.

Koster said his office moved quickly after the KCTV5 News investigation aired. He said AT&T is making money off the fake listings, leaving locked-out customers to pay the price.

“KCTV5 talked extensively about it. The story raised awareness, and now our office is following up to get money back — and more importantly, to shut down the practice,” said Koster.

The lawsuit lists 20 company aliases pointed out in the KCTV5 News investigation and demands the parent company and all of its aliases stop doing business in the state of Missouri.

Koster’s office also demanded AT&T hand over billing records connected to the locksmith network so that his office can get a better idea of how the tangled network of so-called locksmiths set up shop in the first place.

The attorney general’s own investigator went undercover. She said Thursday that she was quoted a price of about $55 and ended up paying $109.

KCTV5’s Dana Wright called AT&T again Thursday for a comment about the attorney general’s actions but got no reply.

The attorney general wants money back for some of the Kansas City customers who have been overcharged. Anyone who believes he or she has been a victim of Dependable Locks Inc. is asked to contact the attorney general’s consumer hot line at 800-392-8222.

Previous Stories:

* March 31, 2009: KCTV5 NEWS INVESTIGATION: Beware Locksmith Listings

Copyright 2009 by KCTV5.com. All rights reserved.
The Attorney General’s listing of related companies had a familiar ring to it and many are still present in Google’s index. “The following are the alternate business names used by Dependable Locks, Inc.”:

–A#1 24 Hour Locksmith
–A 24 Hour Locksmith
–AAA 24 & 7 Day Locksmith
–A Always Available 24 Hour Locksmith
–A Emergency A Locksmith
–A Locksmith Always 24 Hour
–A Locksmith A 1-24 Hour
–A Locksmith 00 24 Hour
–A Locksmith O Always 24 Hour
–A Locksmith Service 24 Hour
–A Locksmith 24 Hour Emergency
These are only a few of the names used by this and other illegal companies. Conusmers need to beware when shopping for a locksmith in Georgia. As other states crack down, these crooks are flooding our state.

New York locksmith faces $25,000 judgment in Wisconsin

State Journal staff | Posted: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 5:53 pm
Related Stories

* Related: State sues N.Y. locksmith company with multiple Wisconsin identities
* Related: Locksmiths battle new competitor; some claim unfair tactics
* Related: Choosing a locksmith: Authorities offer advice for consumers

The New York locksmith company that created illusory phone listings for phantom businesses in southeastern Wisconsin has been ordered to stay out of the state and to pay $25,000.

The Department of Justice got the default judgment last week against Locksmiths Inc., and owner Gabriel Munteoreanu, of Brooklyn, N.Y., in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

The state filed a civil lawsuit against Locksmiths Inc. last November, accusing the company of establishing numerous telephone numbers, bogus business names and phony addresses to deceive consumers in need of locksmith services. The addresses were to fool consumers into believing they were contacting a local business, but all calls went to the company’s out-of-state call center, which dispatched a contract locksmith. Such a business template using multiple identities, in this instance, violates the state’s deceptive advertising laws, the complaint charged.

The practice, especially as set in place by a web of locksmiths, has come to the attention of consumer fraud investigators across the country.

In Wisconsin, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has received a handful of complaints from lockout victims angry about overcharging and deceptive marketing, and companies distressed at what they feel is unfair competition.

Tennessee cracks down on illegal locksmiths from Israel. Georgia continues to do nothing. Citizens beware of corrupt locksmith practices. Dependable operates here in Atlanta under several different names.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates: Consumer Alert
Judge Orders Locksmith Company Out Of Tennessee
Posted: Apr 06, 2010 10:49 PM EDT
Video Gallery
Judge Orders Locksmith Company Out Of Tennessee
2:35

By Jennifer Kraus
Consumer Investigator

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A judge ordered a locksmith company out of Tennessee and ordered it to pay a hefty fine for repeatedly breaking the law on Tuesday. NewsChannel 5 Investigates exposed the questionable business practices of Dependable Locks and its employees.

Consumer investigator Jennifer Kraus showed us how the company responded to the charges against it.

Dependable Locks was accused of repeatedly violating the law.

“Dependable Locks did business in Tennessee with complete disregard for the Tennessee laws governing locksmiths,” said State attorney Laura Betty to the judge.

No one from the locksmith company bothered to show up for the hearing to answer the charges.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates first exposed the company last summer after we went undercover and showed how Dependable Locks quoted one price for services and then tried to charge customers significantly more.

Unlicensed Locksmiths Take Advantage Of Consumers

Nashville resident Kevin Rittenberry testified during the hearing how the same thing happened to him. He said he first was told opening his locked car door would be $39.

“He [the Dependable Locks employee who got his car open] turned around and said, ‘$125.’ I’m like, ‘No, no, no. That’s not right,’” said Rittenberry.

The state also said neither Dependable Locks nor its employees are registered as licensed locksmiths with the state. Other violations included locksmiths driving unmarked cars and employees failing to carry any sort of company identification or license, just like we found in our investigation.

Administrative law judge Steve Darnell presided over the hearing.

“It appears that Dependable Locks is engaging not just in Tennessee but across the nation a series of fraudulent acts, and I believe the maximum fine of $5,000 per violation is appropriate,” said Darnell.

With 15 violations, the judge fined Dependable Locks $75,000 and ordered the company to stop doing business in Tennessee.

“I wanted somebody to stop these people because they’re out there gouging people all across the nation. It’s something that needs to be done,” said Rittenberry.

The hearing came nearly two years after Rittenberry’s run-in with Dependable Locks. The state said the case took longer to prosecute because the company is based out-of-state.

Why Isn’t State Doing More About Locksmiths?

Tennessee investigators could not find some of the company’s associates, and because Dependable Locks operated in the mid-state under a variety of different names.

Back in November, the two owners of Dependable Locks were arrested at the Florida headquarters of the company by federal agents. The two are awaiting trial on money laundering, wire and mail fraud charges. They’re also accused of instructing employees to overcharge and deceive customers.

E-mail: jkraus@newschannel5.com

Here is another article on Florida’s attempt to crack down on the illegal locksmiths plagueing America.

Here is an article which describes what can happen when a home owner does not heed the advice to install proper locks. I inform homeowners all the time that the locks on their homes are inadequate and should be replaced. Some heed me warning, some, at their peril, ignore our advise and suffer the consequences.

“Master Locksmith and Security” IS NOT US! We are Master Locksmith Co. and Abbot Safe and Lock.
The other company is copying our name and is purposefully trying to mislead you. They are in fact one of the Israeli companies fleecing consumers. Do not confuse “Master Locksmith and Security” with the real Master Locksmith Co.