Lock it up with a legit locksmith

Legitimately legal locksmiths, how can you tell the difference from a fake local business and the real McCoy?

The 22News I-Team flipped through the Yellow Pages only to find one company posing as local when they have no offices in western Massachusetts.

Need someone to pick your locks and not your wallet? More and more locksmith listings are popping up in your local phone book, but are they really just down the street?

Mark Sienkiewicz, owner of Florence Lock and Key says one of his customers almost paid big bucks for a simple service.

Mark Sienkiewicz said, “In talking with the customer, she first called another number from the phonebook that said that it would take three hours to get there and they were going to charge her 275 dollars. On a weekend I charge time and half and I was charging ninety."

The price isn't the problem. It's that 24 hour locksmith claims to be a local company on 142 Main Street in Easthampton, but we could not find that address.

Coincidentally, there office in Longmeadow is a field and in Springfield it's a residential building.

Locksmiths should get licensed by taking an extensive test, but Massachusetts doesn't require it and there's no agency that regulates them.

The owner of www.leglocksmith.com is advocating for states to require a licensing process in all 50 states.

The I-Team contacted 24 hour locksmith. The dispatcher told the I-Team 24 hour locksmith doesn't have any offices in Massachusetts, but could not explain the bogus addresses.

So how much liability falls on the phone book?
Yellow Pages' Lisa Vilfordi says they have implemented a process to filter out questionable locksmith listings, but if you want a legit locksmith you can use their SuperGuarantee program where they will back the business.
If you have an I-team you want investigated e-mail u iteam@wwlp.com