Attorney General Gansler Issues Cease and Desist Against Maryland Locksmith Company

Around the Clock Locksmith Allegedly Overcharged Consumers

BALTIMORE, MD (April 7, 2010) -- Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a Cease and Desist Order against a Maryland locksmith, ATCL-MD, Inc., T/A Around the Clock Locksmith and its owner Joseph M. Horton. The Consumer Protection Division has charged Around the Clock Locksmith and Horton with billing consumers exorbitant fees, such as more than $4,300 to replace a lock and deadbolt, and fees as high as $1,400 simply to respond to a consumer's request for locksmith services. According to the Division's Statement of Charges, Around the Clock Locksmith refuses to give consumers an estimate of its fees or provides extremely low estimates. When consumers balked at paying the undisclosed fees, the company allegedly charged the consumers' credit card without prior authorization.

In addition to overcharging consumers, Around The Clock Locksmith and the company's owner, Joseph Horton, are accused of falsely using a competitor's name to steal the competitor's customers and misrepresenting that the company is a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. The Consumer Protection Division ordered the company and Horton to immediately cease and desist from engaging in these and other unfair or deceptive trade practices. A hearing is scheduled for June 28, 2010, after which the Division will determine the amount of any restitution, penalties and costs that Around the Clock Locksmith and its owner must pay.

"You can't provide a low estimate to get your foot in the door and then charge multiples of that estimate to perform the service," said Attorney General Gansler. "The Order requires the company to provide realistic estimates and to stick by them."

Consumers should always ask for price estimates before requesting any service and be wary of companies that will not provide estimates. Consumers may contact the Consumer Protection Division to find out if there have been complaints filed against a business by other consumers. For more information, consumers may call the Consumer Protection hotline at (410) 528-8662 or 1 (888) 743-0023 toll-free.

Maryland Locksmiths Act

Baldinos Lock and Key has provided outstanding locksmith services for more than 40 years. As a member of your community, Baldinos is making a public service announcement regarding licensing of locksmiths in Maryland. It is important that citizens know that a locksmith should be licensed by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation by July 2010. Any company advertising as a locksmith company must be licensed, as well as the individual dispatched to your home or business, by that date. Please be advised that disreputable companies have been harming consumers by exploiting Google maps and appearing as the closest locksmith shop when you may have need for locksmith services. The Google maps are exploited by creating thousands of phony locksmith listings with addresses blanketing the entire nation, and especially Maryland. If you live in Baltimore, Maryland, for example, there is a very high probability that the results from a query for "locksmith baltimore md" will return 90% phony locksmiths IN THE GOOGLE MAPS with no legitimate address and the call forwarded to a call center either in Florida, Georgia, or New York. This nefarious exploit leads you into thinking they are right around the block from you, no matter where you are. If you need locksmith service anywhere in Maryland, and especially Baltimore, Maryland, you can rest assured that the professionals at Baldinos Lock and Key will give you service second to none, and remain your locksmith company indefinitely. Please read the Maryland Locksmiths Act for an explanation of the law that has been passed and licensing requirements of locksmiths in Maryland. While you may feel that you will never need a locksmith, we receive hundreds of messages from people who have been harmed by illegal locksmith companies in violation of existing laws, specifically the use of a fake address, and it is important to select a locksmith company carefully. Let your friends know to be aware of this problem which persists with the Google maps and Local Business Center listings. Thank you