Locksmith Scams

Beware of Scam Locksmiths

The following information was collected by ALOA (Associated Locksmiths of America) and is published for the benefit of all consumers

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

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

Below are links to news articles from all over the U.S:

• Investigators Open Up Alleged Locksmith Scam ( WCAU-TV Philadelphia 01/10/07))

• Locksmith overcharged her, woman alleges (Boston Townonline 12/28/06)

• Lock Crock – Hank Phillippi Ryan Investigates (WHDH-TV Boston 11/06/06)

• Price Line Locksmith License Suspended (Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 08/31/06)

• Locksmith Consumer Alert (KGO TV Channel 7 – San Francisco 08/12/06)

• Scammer Locksmith Alert (KPNX Channel 12 – Phoenix, AZ)