Dont Be A Victim of National Phony Locksmith Scam

All Hour Locksmith 708-259-9956 Locksmith License # 191-000217

Dont be a victim of a phony locksmith swindle read this it is very important

Click links below to view news storys and read what this is all about.

Phony Locksmith Webpage.

I hope this page is informative for you. Feel free to post a message on this page regarding locksmith impersonators if you have any info,suggestions,or have been a victim.
Mike

1:44 am cst Comments

2010.02.01

Good Morning America story on phony locksmiths

Learn how these scammers operate !!!

NPR News Radio Broadcast About phony locksmiths

Could this happen to you ?

Scroll down to second page for video and story

Legal locksmiths.com Looking out for you

See the collection of news storys compiled by retired homicide detective Larry Friberg

Larry yellons shows you some amazing addresses the phony locksmiths are using

File a complaint using email with The Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation

Channel 2 Chicago news report Phony Locksmiths

The complete sting Non edited

Watch this series of undercover news videos from NC. These companys are working the Chicago area.

Have you been victimized by this scam?

File A complaint with Attorney General Lisa Madigan

This story will shock you and as the story says this is not isolated incidents.

What is a phony locksmith ?

A phony locksmith is not an individual but a network of what appears to be an Israeli organized crime organization.

This is a plague that has spread all across this nation and exists in just about every major US city. Six years ago I received my new yellow page phone book and when I opened it to the locksmith section to check out the new ads that were published I soon noticed listings for a locksmith called 24 hour locksmith inc. I then noticed that the addresses that were listed for this company didn't seem right so I drove out to them only to find other businesses at the location and not a locksmith. Thats right this company was advertising their ad with someone else's physical address listed. It turned out this company was actually located in the Bronx New York. This company would also give a low price for a home lockout or car lockout but after doing the job they would present the customer with an inflated bill. The worst known case here in Illinois was 1709.00 to drill a lock on a house door of an elderly man from Streamwood. Most home openings were given a low price and the locksmith impersonator they sent out would tell the customer that the lock could not be picked and they have to drill it. The purpose for this was to use the fact they were drilling it to up-charge the customer. This would result in destroying the customers lock and setting up another opportunity to rip the victim off some more. They would then replace the lock with a very cheap replacement lock that sells for about 5.00 dollars. They would charge the customer 100 to 200 dollars for this lock and ad it to an already inflated bill. I have seen many receipts from victims where they paid 400-500-800 dollars for a job that should have cost about 100 give or take from a real locksmith that would pick the lock. All locks are pickable by a real locksmith except High security locks which are pick resistant such as schlage primus, medeco, Bi-Lock and a few others.

The only time a lock is drilled if it is broken, or sometimes to save time if it wont pick easily, and high security locks. Drilling a lock by a locksmith to save time should not be upcharged. Many locksmiths that drill a lock usually replace the core at no extra charge or if anything charge apx 15.00 to 20.00 more. When a scammer puts on a show for you and puts picks in a lock for 5 minutes and then tells you it has to be drilled and then upcharges you 100.00 just for drilling alone ( not including all their other charges ) is just plain robbery. I have seen reciepts from these companys that are charging sales tax on service or amounts that are way over. I seen one that had a 50.00 charge for sales tax for drilling open a lock. I seen another that charged 15.00 sales tax for a car opening. DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE INTIMIDATE YOU !!! CALL THE POLICE, they will run as fast as they can. In California there was an incident where two of these scamming locksmiths actually took off on foot leaving there vehicle behind because the customer was calling the police. If you watch many of the undercover news stings they always get in there vehicle right away and take off without even getting paid. They rarely even ask for id to enter a home by drilling out your lock.

These scammers drill just about everything.

These company's also use thousands of different names on the Internet and in the phone-books. Always lock down what the complete price is when pricing a lockout or rekey. Always ask for their State of Illinois Locksmith License.

A state license always starts with the #s 191. Also if they present a Perc. card they must show a picture company ID with the name and address of the company. A perc card allows an individual to work for a locksmith agency that is properly licensed as an agency but does not have an actual license themselves. A perc card can be obtain by anyone thru the state for many other occupations and by itself it means nothing.

It is also Part of the locksmith Law that every locksmith have the actual license # on all forms of advertisement and must be told to any customer who asks even by phone. The phony company's will not give you a license # and always say their technician has it.

When calling a locksmith ALWAYS ASK WHAT IS THEIR LICENSE #. If They will not tell you the # on the phone do not use them hang up. When someone who claims they are a locksmith shows up, ask them to see their locksmith license. IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ONE THEN TELL THEM TO LEAVE and if they give you a problem CALL THE POLICE AS THEY CAN ARREST ANYONE CLAIMING TO BE A LOCKSMITH THAT DOES NOT HAVE A VALID LICENSE.

From story's I have heard, once you mention calling the police they usually take off right away. This is because many of them are here on a tourist visa from Israel and do not have a work visa, they are working illegally and can be arrested. Some of these phonys will threaten you with calling the police if you dont pay them a service call, if they are not licensed you dont have to pay them anything. If they threaten you like this tell them you will call the police for them.

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