Scammer Locksmith In My Town

[mseifert]

The BBB is first & foremost a advertising agency. We get yearly official sounding calls that go like this "Why yes hello this is Mr./Mrs. so-so with the BBB Id like to take a moment and speak with the owner about something"
Owner hesitantly "Hello" *while thinking, dang homeboy did get pissed enough to call the BBB cause I wouldn't cut him that high security key"
Then they bounce off into the spiel "What I'd like to talk to you about today (still kinda ominous, then it changes to happy voice with) Great news, your company hasn't had any complaints and as a result you have been selected to be a member of our little <ad agency> exclusive club because your excellence of service, it will only be $300 a year BUT don't forget having our symbol of trust ensures future business"

so yep, that's the BBB

I was referring to like here in Texas .. The Department of Public Safety that issues Locksmith Licenses.. But BBB works also

[Jacob Morgan]

There was an article in the National Locksmith a few months ago about a state attorney general up north (Wisconsin? Minnesota?) that took down a scammer ring. The funny, or sad, thing is that that particular state did not have a locksmith license law. It seems to me, given the states I have looked into, that the license laws were more about restraining new, but legitimate, competition. Not sure that scammers were much of an issue when the licensing laws got started. Without a brick-and-mortar shop to deliver legal papers to I am not sure that the licensing agencies of some states would have a clue as to what to do. Those laws need to be heavily amended or something, maybe make practicing without a licensee a criminal, not civil, offense. That way local police could go after them, instead of administrators at the state capital trying to start civil proceedings agaisnst shell companies without a real address. Put a fine on it and the police would love it: instead of ticketing tax payers for speeding they would get to run scammers out of town--no chief of police will ever lose a vote that way. The hook would be to prove before a judge that they were not a locksmith--see if they could pass one of the tests that go along with the Foley-Belsaw course, from the back of Phillip's book, or something like that. Or have some real fun and have them demonstrate how to change the combination for a S&G three wheel lock, or have them explain how they would open a safe deposit box if the bank called them.

[billdeserthills]

I understand that the scammers don't mind putting up the money to get a locksmith license, in places where the business is required to have one

[billdeserthills]

The BBB is first & foremost a advertising agency. We get yearly official sounding calls that go like this "Why yes hello this is Mr./Mrs. so-so with the BBB Id like to take a moment and speak with the owner about something"
Owner hesitantly "Hello" *while thinking, dang homeboy did get pissed enough to call the BBB cause I wouldn't cut him that high security key"
Then they bounce off into the spiel "What I'd like to talk to you about today (still kinda ominous, then it changes to happy voice with) Great news, your company hasn't had any complaints and as a result you have been selected to be a member of our little <ad agency> exclusive club because your excellence of service, it will only be $300 a year BUT don't forget having our symbol of trust ensures future business"

so yep, that's the BBB

The worst thing the BBB can do to a business is send them a letter, inquiring why the client with a complaint is having trouble getting their problem resolved,
as long as the business addresses the BBB letter, the problem is dropped. I used to be a BBB client, until I discovered that inside of a year they had not helped
my business obtain even one job. When they wanted more money the next year I told them why they were not getting any more from me--Their response was
to demand I return the little BBB oak plaque the had charged me $35 for, I told them if they wanted to return the $35 they could have it back, they decided I
could keep it, but I would be opening myself up to legal action if I continued to display it, as I was no longer a member--I actually did better with my local chamber
of commerce, but two jobs in one year does not a subscription make...

[Squelchtone]

Bill: sounds like BBB is no different than and a predecessor of Angie's List where one bad review from a nitpicky housewife can ruin business for years.

Growing up I assumed a BBB listing or sign meant something prestigious, didnt realize it was a fee based endorsemenr/extorsion racket.

Squelchtone

[billdeserthills]

Bill: sounds like BBB is no different than and a predecessor of Angie's List where one bad review from a nitpicky housewife can ruin business for years.

Growing up I assumed a BBB listing or sign meant something prestigious, didnt realize it was a fee based endorsemenr/extorsion racket.

Squelchtone

In a way they are special--They helped originate the scam

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I understand that the scammers don't mind putting up the money to get a locksmith license, in places where the business is required to have one

Not only do they not mind putting up the money, they'll send designated test takers multiple times. In one case, a state accepted the CRL designation in lieu of experience for licensing. A designated test taker was sent, failed multiple times, eventually passed, and they were granted a license.

It's a massive rabbit hole. I tried to help up until last year when I realized that, by and large, the locksmith community cared far more about their own personal image than that of the community. Case and point was Mark Baldinos case against Google. Many, myself included, rallied behind his cause because he was actually doing something. When he lost his appeal in 2015? One particular "association" immediately posted the news along with wording that esteemed of "told you it wouldn't work!"

It's all so petty that I just stopped bothering. My current companies business model avoids it all together. Works for me.

[tjohn]

Yep, that pretty much nails it :/

We get threatened by people all the time with "I'm calling my lawyer AND the BBB" when we wont do something for them (almost always in regards to cutting a restricted key. Now we just laugh and say go right ahead. I've spoken with our state BBB before (they are one of our customers actually) and they have assured us they completely understand the difference in a "whaaaa I didn't get my way" vs a real issue that should be addressed.

still haven't bought that plaque

Another thing about scammers is they will use the BBB logo as well as other official sounding logos of locksmith associations that don't really exist on their websites.

I just noticed we have a new one that has forked out a bunch of money to Google Adwords recently, pretty sure it's the "reps" that call us or come in trying to solicit us to do their work. Last lady (girl actually) that came in all haughty with a clipboard informed us they had just come into our area and we're just gonna take all our business when we told her no. We were like, ok bye now

[billdeserthills]

Just to update this, I sent a letter to the locksmith magazine with the scammer's name and the magazine called me the other day,
to let me know they had checked out the evidence I sent and were now canceling the scammers subscription!

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Good deal. One step at a time.

[billdeserthills]

Just to update this, I sent a letter to the locksmith magazine with the scammer's name and the magazine called me the other day,
to let me know they had checked out the evidence I sent and were now canceling the scammers subscription!

Interestingly enough today I received another magazine from Locksmith Ledger and a second of the same October issue came to my mailbox today--
Strange because Last month the Locksmith Ledger people told me they cancelled the scammer's subscription???

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Just to update this, I sent a letter to the locksmith magazine with the scammer's name and the magazine called me the other day,
to let me know they had checked out the evidence I sent and were now canceling the scammers subscription!

Interestingly enough today I received another magazine from Locksmith Ledger and a second of the same October issue came to my mailbox today--
Strange because Last month the Locksmith Ledger people told me they cancelled the scammer's subscription???

Did you speak with the writing staff at the Ledger or the publisher (I believe Cygnus)? Reach out to Gale Johnson (editor) if you already haven't and explain the story. He knows about scammers first hand.

[billdeserthills]

I sent a letter to Cygnus Publishing in care of The Locksmith Ledger and a couple weeks later a woman named Claire, I believe it was, called me and told me that they were cancelling the scammer's subscription--Now I kinda feel like cancelling my subscription, but I don't wanna go off half-cocked

[billdeserthills]

Got a call yesterday from a realtor, she says she called my phone # and a scammer came out. She says when she saw the scammer she said "You aren't Bill" and the scammer told her that he works with my company, so she let him charge her over double to replace a hotel card lock with a kwikset handleset for $799. I went and looked at the work, the guy did a crummy job and didn't cover up all the holes he made in the door, the client is mad and this seems like a sue-able offense to me...

[Silverado]

I would check up on the laws or speak with an attorney on that. At the very least you, the business owner, could file a civil suit for libel...or would it be slander?...At any rate he's posing as an employee of your business and giving it a bad name.