(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a lawsuit against a Portland-area locksmith operation accused of misleading Ohio consumers and using bait-and-switch tactics.
The lawsuit charges Add Source LLC, AdSource LLC, 24/7 Locksmith Advertising LLC, and the businesses’ owner, Yossi Assaraf, with violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act.
“This is a classic bait and switch,” Attorney General DeWine. “Consumers are lured in by a low initial price but then are charged much higher rates. They also think they are working with a local company when that is not the case. These kinds of operations take advantage of consumers and unfairly undercut local, honest locksmith businesses.”
According to the lawsuit, Assaraf and his companies create and operate numerous websites advertising locksmith services. Some of the websites include: 247-locksmithcolumbus.com; 247-locksmithcincinnati.com; 247-locksmithcleveland.com; dublin-locksmith.com; ketteringlocksmith.org; daytonlocksmith.org; fivestarclevelandlocksmith.com; and worthingtonlocksmith.org. The companies also advertise on Internet search engines, such as Google, and appear when consumers search for a locksmith in their city.
Although the companies appear to be local, consumers who call the businesses are directed to an out-of-state call center that takes calls from throughout the country. The call center then sends a referral to a contracted individual locksmith or locksmith company where the consumer is located.
Consumers often are told the cost of picking the lock will be $19, but when the locksmith shows up, the actual price is much higher.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, charges the business with violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act, including advertising that the companies were located in the consumer’s city when they were not, misrepresenting a price advantage, and securing the first contact with consumers through deception. In the lawsuit, the Attorney General seeks consumer restitution, an injunction to stop further violations, and civil penalties.
Attorney General DeWine offers consumers the following tips for finding a locksmith:
- Find a reputable locksmith before you need one. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Check for any complaints with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau.
- Be cautious of online ads for locksmiths. Research multiple businesses rather than selecting the first service you find online.
- Be wary of businesses that operate under multiple business names. They could be using multiple names to hide unsatisfactory business practices from consumers.
- When a locksmith arrives at your home or vehicle, check the representative’s identification. Be wary if the locksmith arrives in an unmarked car or has no official identification.
- Be skeptical if a locksmith says the only way to open the lock is to break it. Most skilled locksmiths can open locks without destroying them. Plus, breaking the lock could damage your property and result in much higher costs.
Consumers who suspect an unfair or deceptive business practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
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Documents
Lawsuit (PDF)
Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Kate Hanson: 614-466-3840