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Clearwater, FL - FBI Raids Israeli Locksmith Ring |
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News Source: WTSP TV
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"This reaches throughout the United States," said Doug Smith with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the agency to raid the office. "Clearwater...is where a lot of the employees were working, basically in a call center-type scenario."
Despite hundreds of complaints to dozens of different state agencies, it took a collective effort from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri Attorney General, and Clearwater Police to bring the company down because locksmiths are unregulated in 36 states, including Florida.
Investigators arrested one of the owners of "Dependable Locks," Moshe Aharoni, charging him with federal mail fraud. An affidavit accuses Aharoni, 28, and fellow owner David Peer, 31, of laundering money from over a hundred locksmiths across the county through Postal Service money orders. A federal warrant is out for Peer's arrest.
The affidavit also accuses the owners of instructing their more than 100 employees - many of whom were Israeli nationals in the U.S. without work visas - how to overcharge and deceive customers. Customers needing to have cars unlocked were quoted a price of $54 by telephone dispatchers, but the actual charge turned out to be $179. The Better Business Bureau gave the company an "F" rating because of hundreds of complaints received over the past two years.
The bust was months in the making, and more arrests are expected. A St. Louis man - Eliyahu Barhanun, 29 - was arrested in a simultaneous sting in Missouri.
"More complaints will come in," Smith continued, "and you've got to remember, these are allegations, so there's more investigating to do."
To protect yourself in the future, look around for a reputable locksmith now. It will help prevent you from being taken advantage of in case of emergency.
The Associated Locksmiths of America provides a list of member locksmiths at www.findalocksmith.com.
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Read Comments (13) — Post Yours »
1
Nov 05, 2009 at 03:00 PM Anonymous Says:
Scary that these people also have keys to get into your homes.
2
Nov 05, 2009 at 03:44 PM Liepa Says:
Use CHAVERIM or AAA.
3
Nov 05, 2009 at 04:10 PM Anonymous Says:
This is really getting absurd my husband is a reputable locksmith and will never overcharge anyone if anything he undercharges. This messes up people's reputation and the reputations of jewish locksmith's. What ever happened to honest good work?
4
Nov 05, 2009 at 03:23 PM Aharon Says:
The fox watching the henhouse
5
Nov 05, 2009 at 06:15 PM Anonymous Says:
Israelis are replacing the Russians in terms of corrupt business practices. They want fast and easy money and they will go at any length to cheat you out of your money.
6
Nov 05, 2009 at 07:06 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Israelis are replacing the Russians in terms of corrupt business practices. They want fast and easy money and they will go at any length to cheat you out of your money. ”
Its not "Israelis", its some rotten apples.
7
Nov 05, 2009 at 08:39 PM Anonymous Says:
You can call the yellow cab as well.They charge $25r $35.
8
Nov 05, 2009 at 08:32 PM Barry Says:
“ Its not "Israelis", its some rotten apples. ”
They were Israelis and the shooter today was a muslim. Stop kidding yourself! Of course they were nutjobs but its a sad fact that israeli's rip u off on every turn and muslims shoot on every turn.
9
Nov 06, 2009 at 02:44 AM me Says:
“ They were Israelis and the shooter today was a muslim. Stop kidding yourself! Of course they were nutjobs but its a sad fact that israeli's rip u off on every turn and muslims shoot on every turn. ”
Would you rather be ripped off or shot, Genius?
10
Nov 06, 2009 at 09:57 AM PMO Says:
“ They were Israelis and the shooter today was a muslim. Stop kidding yourself! Of course they were nutjobs but its a sad fact that israeli's rip u off on every turn and muslims shoot on every turn. ”
Disgusting. What are the next lines of your little song? Black men are crack dealers? Chareidim beat women bloody in the street for showing their ankles? Never trust a Jew because he always lies and cheats in business?
There are bad people everywhere, in every group, in every country.
11
Nov 07, 2009 at 05:29 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Israelis are replacing the Russians in terms of corrupt business practices. They want fast and easy money and they will go at any length to cheat you out of your money. ”
funny how you put it. The non Jewish world sees the Russians (jews), Israelis (jews), Wall St (jews) all the same. Simply put, corrupt business practices of Jews. When will we learn
12
Nov 06, 2009 at 09:54 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Disgusting. What are the next lines of your little song? Black men are crack dealers? Chareidim beat women bloody in the street for showing their ankles? Never trust a Jew because he always lies and cheats in business?
There are bad people everywhere, in every group, in every country. ”
the dispatchers said 39 dollar service fee and fifteen and up for a lock out. if the consumer didnt want to pay , why did they ? 39 ,15 and up was an estimate.
13
Nov 11, 2009 at 07:09 AM inside source Says:
“ the dispatchers said 39 dollar service fee and fifteen and up for a lock out. if the consumer didnt want to pay , why did they ? 39 ,15 and up was an estimate. ”
the reason being, they are locked out, it raining, they have kids with them. when the locksmith got there, they unlock the car. they tell the consumer sign here, before unlocking car house or whatever, covering up the price and people sign. Then they keep the key until they come up with the money. tell them if they don't pay, the company will call the cops on them for theif. people have given them jewerly to hold until they come up with the balance, or the locksmith keeps their drivers license or something of value, and come back to do the exchange when the customer has the cash. If you call a locksmith, lock down the exact price or call another one. I worked with these people, mean and greedy.