BBB Alert: Locksmith Swindle On The Rise

CONSUMER ALERT

Locksmith Swindle on the Rise

· Untrustworthy locksmith companies are ripping off consumers in Memphis

· A local phone number doesn’t always mean a local locksmith

· TN enacted a locksmith licensing program in July 2008

April 9, 2009 – The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be wary of untrustworthy locksmiths operating in the Mid-South. Some “local” locksmith companies are not physically located in the area, but are simply distant call centers that farm the jobs out to unlicensed and unprofessional locksmiths who may end up doing more harm than good.

According to Kara Peifer, West TN Locksmith Association Secretary/Treasurer, a consumer who searches for a locksmith in a yellow pages directory or online may not end up with the local business they think they are contacting. “The local yellow pages directories list over 150 locksmiths in each book,” said Peifer, “and if you search online, you may end up with as many as 850 names of reputed locksmiths in the Memphis area. Many have no physical location here.”

Peifer says that the proliferation of unlicensed locksmiths is one reason that states are beginning to enact locksmith licensing laws. “Nine states have already passed these laws,” Peifer stated. “The TN Locksmith Licensing Program was enacted in July 2008.”

“Unlicensed locksmiths tend to move from state to state, leaving when the heat gets turned up in one location,” said Peifer. Pam Smith, Administrative Assistant with the TN Locksmith Licensing Program agreed.  “We’re seeing this problem all over the state,” Smith said. “It’s everywhere.”

The State of TN requires individual locksmiths to be licensed and locksmith companies to be registered with the state. Additionally, either the license or registration number must be printed on all business cards and advertising. The State of TN has both education and experience requirements for each level of licensing. And persons convicted of fraud or theft are not eligible.

“Because locksmiths are able to access secure areas and data, they could potentially be a Homeland Security threat,” Peifer said. She hopes that public awareness of the locksmith licensing requirements will help protect both consumers and her profession.

The Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South offers the following tips for hiring a reputable locksmith:

· Check out the company with the BBB, preferably before you need a locksmith’s services.

· Ask the locksmith who shows up for identification and his TN license or registration number.

· Find out if the locksmith is insured to cover any damage incurred during a repair.

· Expect the locksmith to ask you for identification. A legitimate locksmith will confirm your identity and make sure you are the property owner before doing any work.

· Be wary of locksmiths who answer the phone with generic sounding names like “locksmith services”. Always ask for the legal name of the business and its physical location.

· Be wary of locksmiths who arrive in unmarked vehicles. Most legitimate locksmith companies will have vehicles that are clearly marked with the company’s name.

· In case of a lock-out, be cautious if you are told up front that the lock has to be drilled and replaced. An experienced, legitimate locksmith has invested in the tools and education to be able to unlock almost any door.

· If you are a victim of an unscrupulous locksmith, file a complaint with the BBB at bbb.org. Complaints should also be filed with the State of TN Locksmith Licensing Program by calling Pam Smith at 615.532.9170 or online at www.tn.gov/commerce/boards.

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BBB ALERT warns you about scams that may cost your business or employees money. As soon as we learn about a scam, you’ll know about it. We may also send you other important information regarding your BBB Accreditation. We will not share your email address with third parties. If you would prefer not to receive these alerts, please reply to this email with the word “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.

Nancy Crawford | Director of Marketing & Communications

Tel: 901-757-8627

Cell: 901-827-6128

Fax: 901-757-2997

Email: ncrawford@bbbmidsouth.org

www.bbb.org | Start with Trust

BBB of the Mid-South

3693 Tyndale Drive

Memphis, TN 38125

I received this the other day, and wanted to pass on this very valuable info!

Watch out & be safe!

Sincerely,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood
Sherwood Locksmithing

http://www.personalsafetyebook.com

Identity Theft Prevention

In the course of a busy day, especially this time of the year, you may write a check at the grocery store, charge Bowl Game tickets, rent a car, mail your tax returns, change service providers for your cell phone, or apply for a credit card. In each transaction, you reveal bits of personal information, like your bank and credit card account numbers; your income, your social security number (SSN) or your name, address and phone numbers – a goldmine of information for an identity thief. Once a thief has that information, it can be used without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend lots of time and money cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. They may lose out on job opportunities, and loans for education, housing, or cars. The may even get arrested for crimes they did not commit.

Can you prevent an identity theft? As with any crime, you cannot completely control whether you will become a victim. But according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, you can minimize your risk by managing your personal information cautiously.

If someone has used your name or other personal information to commit a fraud, please visit http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft for information on how to proceed and how to file an identity theft complaint. The site has links to useful information from other federal agencies, states, and consumer organizations. The information in your complaint becomes part of a secure database that law enforcement officials across the nation use to help stop identity thieves.

If you know someone that needs this information and they do not  have access to the internet, they may call 1877-ID-THEFT, the FTC’s toll-free ID Theft Hotline.

Find Last Minute Holiday Travel Deals Online

The internet gives us access to just about anything we can imagine. This includes finding flights, trains, buses, hotel rooms, and rental cars that we can use to travel for the holidays. While most of these entities are more expensive when you travel over the holidays due the demand, you can still find some good deals if you take the time to look.

You will generally find that you can save the most money on holiday travel if you purchase a complete package deal. This is less expensive than buying each piece that you need individually. It also provides you with only one confirmation number that you need to keep track of instead of several different ones.

There are literally hundreds of sites online where you can look for holiday travel deals. You can search by your destination in a search engine or choose the various sites you have heard about. It is a good idea to keep a list of the sites you visit and the prices you are coming across. This way you can compare the prices and easily remember where you want to go back to.

Most of the time fares will be cheaper online than by contacting the place directly because it saves their business time of having to set up the travel arrangements for you. Make sure you carefully read all of the information though because some travel deals have hidden costs that you don’t want to be liable for. You also need to check into the cancellation policies and about rescheduling your trip.

Some online travel deals don’t offer any refunds at all so if a family member dies or you have an unexpected illness you won’t be able to get your money back. Even if you show up late for your flight because you got caught up at security they won’t honor your purchase. This can be extremely risky because there are too many variables that can affect holiday travel.

Make sure you also pay close attention to the amount of time that you will be in the process of getting to your destination. You may find a killer price but it isn’t going to be worth it if you have several connecting flights and layovers along the way. Look for direct methods to get to your destination whenever it is possible. There are simply too many delays during holiday travel to ensure you can get to those connections on time.

Many of the sites you visit online will allow you to sign up for special offers and promotions. You should take advantage of these offers so that you don’t have to continually return to their site to check for changes in prices. Some of them even allow you to enter a price so that you can be notified if the price of the trip you want drops to that price. For those that can only afford holiday travel if it fits a specific budget, this is a valuable feature.

During your search online for holiday travel, be flexible with your dates. You will be able to save hundreds of dollars just by being willing to leave a day earlier or leaving in the evening instead of the afternoon. Those that want a specific travel arrangement will find this ties them into more expensive offers. Even if you travel a day earlier and have to pay for a hotel room that extra night you could save hundreds of dollars.

It does take some initial planning of where you want to travel and how you are going to get there in order to find the best travel deals. Investing a few hours of your time in getting the best price though is well worth the savings you will get from it. Millions of people travel each year over the holidays but some of them pay more for the same trip because they didn’t look for holiday travel deals online.

Be Safe on your Travels.

Trapper

PS…Be safe with your Identity also, Discover how with our FREE report available at:
Personal Safety eBook

Protecting your Debit and Credit Cards

Protecting Your Debit and Credit Cards

The best protections against card fraud are to know where your cards are at
all times and to keep them secure. For protection of ATM and debit cards
that involve a Personal Identification Number (PIN), keep your PIN a secret.

Don’t use your address, birthdate, phone or Social Security number as the
PIN and do memorize the number.

The following suggestions may help you protect your credit card and your
ATM or debit card accounts.

For Credit and ATM or Debit Cards:

Be cautious about disclosing your account number over the phone unless
you know you’re dealing with a reputable company.

Never put your account number on the outside of an envelope or on a
postcard.

Draw a line through blank spaces on charge or debit slips above the total
so the amount cannot be changed.

Don’t sign a blank charge or debit slip.

Tear up carbons and save your receipts to check against your monthly
statements.

Cut up old cards — cutting through the account number — before disposing
of them.

Open monthly statements promptly and compare them with your receipts.
Report mistakes or discrepancies as soon as possible to the special
address listed on your statement for inquiries. Under the FCBA (credit cards)
and the EFTA (ATM or debit cards), the card issuer must investigate errors
reported to them within 60 days of the date your statement was mailed to you.

Keep a record — in a safe place separate from your cards — of your account
numbers, expiration dates, and the telephone numbers of each card issuer
so you can report a loss quickly.

Carry only those cards that you anticipate you’ll need.

For ATM or Debit Cards:

Don’t carry your PIN in your wallet or purse or write it on your ATM or debit
card.

Never write your PIN on the outside of a deposit slip, an envelope, or other
papers that could be easily lost or seen.

Carefully check ATM or debit card transactions before you enter the PIN or
before you sign the receipt; the funds for this item will be fairly quickly
transferred out of your checking or other deposit account.

Periodically check your account activity. This is particularly important if you
bank online. Compare the current balance and recent withdrawals or
transfers to those you’ve recorded, including your current ATM and debit
card withdrawals and purchases and your recent checks. If you notice
transactions you didn’t make, or if your balance has dropped suddenly
without activity by you, immediately report the problem to your card issuer.
Someone may have co-opted your account information to commit fraud.

So far, in the past three posts we have talked about lost or stolen credit
and debit cards, fraudulent charges and in this post how to protect your
cards. Join us in our next post as we wrap this up with buying a
Registration Service and all the contact numbers and info you may need.

Sincerely,

Trapper

PS…do you have your FREE ID Theft available at:

http://www.personalsafetyebook.com/PPP.html