Extortion, what's the FBI doing, it crosses State line.

I've seen an operation like this in action before. I locked my keys in my car out near a motocross track. The phone book had several listings and I began calling them. Spoke to the first one, the operator told me a guy would be on his way in a little while. Called the second listing. Different number, different address. THE SAME WOMAN ANSWERED THE PHONE THAT I HAD JUST SPOKEN TO!!! I tried another listing. again, different number, different address. SAME WOMAN ANSWERED AGAIN!!!!!

How is this newsworthy?

Typical ABC reported nonsense.

I'm a locksmith in southern Arizona & I find this article very depressing! 99% of Locksmiths take great pride in their work and often we open cars, homes and offices for free. You're there to help someone out of a jam and often times when you do it for free or half price folks will call you up later for other work. All good Locksmiths NEVER charge to open a car with a pet or child locked in, it's part of the code. Most of us charge a "trip charge" (most times under $40) to show up and figure out what the cost will be to complete the service. If someone doesn't like the price at that point we smile and wave the trip charge. Bottom line, speak with your locksmith on the phone to get an understanding of the fees we charge...most times we'll be happy to come out and give a quote for free. I hope the 1% of bad apples don't sour the rest of us. Thanks :)

hey jeffery... this article **sticks up** for you and your fellow "proud" locksmiths, and it **separates** you from the "bad apples" ... its doin you a favor. you serious?

Dear NYC-er,

With all due respect, you couldn't be more wrong. This is one nationwide scam that definitely deserves attention. I learned one basic thing from this article: if I get locked out of my car, I'm calling someone I trust--not these hooligans.

Dear nyc-er. I would like to say that this is a very news worthy story. I would bet that you are probably involved with one of these companies.

Thank you Mike Mitchell for a well done story. I hope you do followups on this one. It is much more sinister than most people know.

67 year old Ray Miller of streamwood IL was physically pushed and forced to pay 1710.00 to have his lock drilled open when he was locked out from a dependable locksmith employee. He was arressted and pled guilty.

These people are mostly Israeli nationals here on tourist visas and are not even supposed to be working. They have shown much disregard for the laws and authoritys her in Illinois.

Matt, You haven't got a clue or at Mike said, you are one of them. These people rip-off hundreds, if not thousands of people and ruin locks to open them. They then charge many times the retail price for a junk lock to replace the ones they ruin. If you are not one of them, I hope you don't become one of their victims.

As for the fines they are charged when they are caught, they are a joke. One of their rip-off jobs will pay any fine.

These people are not LOCKSMITHS.. QUIT calling them locksmiths. They are imposters. If and when you see a man impersonating a police officer do you call him a cop. NO!!! So QUIT calling this scam artist locksmiths

I agree with Autolockman. These guys sure are as hell not locksmiths. Around my area, we refer to them as "drillsmiths". I'm a locksmith myself, and people like this are an embarassment to us all. If a "locksmith" shows up to a job in a car, then he's not a locksmith. If a "locksmith" shows up to a job with no equipment in his van, then he's not a locksmith. I can blame comsumers for these guys too. If the consumer refuses to pay these outrageous "fees", and call the authorities when these so called "locksmiths" try to extort them, they might already be out of business. If it's an emrtgency, contact the authorties. They will point you in the direction of a reliable locksmith.

Shaolin912,

I agree with you that a locksmith should show up with necessary tools and equipment, but how does the body style of his vehicle determine whether or not he is a locksmith? Please explain.

I agree, how does what he drives determine if he is a locksmith or a ripoff-mith? We used to use a pickup in our mobil business,it got totalled in an accident, so we were forced to work out of our car temporarally. Npw we use an suv. n our state and we are required to be licensed and have insurance. i dont see how the arizona locksmith can stay in business not charging a trip charge to come out. especially with gas prices. we don't charge to unlock vehicles, just to come out except when they are locked in the trunk with no release button. houses we charge a minimum labor of 15 minutes and our trip charge. we are also members of the bbb. unfortunately for us, our company name is used by these fakes which i can for see as hurting our business more in the future. i hope no one uses the name of the company as thier sole reason to call or not call. these imposters are never local. customers need to make sure thier locksmith is local regardless of the amount of numbers. we have several that ring to one main #, but there is a reason. however, they are all local numbers. without repeat business and word of mouth we probably wouldn't stay in business. hopefully consumers will be better educated after this. i personally think its the telephone companys who can stop these people. if they arent allowed to have a phone #, then they can't rip off people. the phone companies ask for a name and a tax id#, thats it. they should require stricter documentation. especially when it comes to the publics security. my business is suffering and so are many, many other locksmiths. these imposters make so much money ripping off people, they buy multiple telephone numbers and flood the community with them so that those in emergency situations will end up with thier #. this is very news worthy. i am excited to see it in the news. the news is a big step to public awareness. thank you abc news

Having been a locksmith and owned some shops ... I can state categorically that 99% of locksmiths see themselves as public servants and expert tradesmen and are proud to be able to help others, ethically and with civility, honor, and integrity.

I concur with the fella who noted that most locksmiths are in it for the long haul, are reputable and caring members of their communities, and work hard to cultivate good citizenship and business in their communities, often giving or discounting their services where it would be a real hardship for someone to pay the fair and going rate.

Most never note these contributions but simply do them quietly as "what they think is right".

I have seen them answer calls that were critical life and safety without charge (including extricating a child from a safe) and go out at night to remote and risky areas to help people.

These skam artists are just crooks, pure and simple, and we should not dignify their frauds by calling them locksmiths ...

Is more regulation needed ... no ... what is needed is just to prosecute these frauds and get them banned from business in each city and state.

Simple ...

I didn't mention anything about SUV or pickups. I used to locksmith out of an SUV. I've never seen anyone locksmithing out of a car. If you call a locksmith & he shows up in a Toyota Corolla, I would start looking through the yellow poages again. That wa my point.

Actually, if they are in a car or a fully lettered van is not really the issue.

The Issue is: Is the guy who showed up a real locksmith or is he one of the phony locksmiths that have an estimated # of phone lines exceding 100,000 with a phony address attached to them or one of the thousands of professional looking websites, or full page yellow book ads.

The phonys are actually Israeli organized crime rings that are impersonating locksmiths thru advertising and send a well trained Israeli gypse out to Rip you off.

They bait and switch consumers on the price. Hit and run.

If you find yourself in a situation with one of these phony locksmiths. Tell them to hit the road and what ever you do do not pay them

The entire country should mandate liciencing of all locksmiths.
Follow up and report all crimes with your congressman.
Only then will this trade become safe again.
Licienced locksmiths are there for your safety.
How much is your security and piece of mind worth to you !!!!!!!!

One of the major reasons these scam artists are surviving, even with the intense investigations of state officials, is because State's cannot force telephone companies to turn off fraudulently used telephones. The telephone industry is federally regulated. Once local authorities get the power, after proper investigations and fault finding, to get local telephone companies to turn off the telephones to these creeps, then they will disappear overnight

Something needs to be done! When are shop receives a call for pricing we give the customer the price and if the custom says that is alot more than the other locksmith qouted , we ask who the co. is and if is one of the many DRILLSMITHS in are local yellow pages we ask them to proceed with some caution & ck for I.D. & beware of the bait and switch.
If the co. is LEGAL & LOCAL we tell the customer that! WE don't expect to be the cheapest Co. so if they got a better price from another locksmith not a DRILLSMITH than good for them!
I believe it is are duty to inform the public as much as possible, so if they call are shop we ask questions!If it seems to be a DRILLSMITH CO. we tell them.

the best way to find out if you're calling a local locksmith...start asking about addresses. play a little geography. "you from chicago? what number is Western Ave?" everyone who lives in the city knows that or "name 2 towns that boarder ____". if they hem and haw and/or have no idea, you're not calling a local.

is it the real deal?