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Locksmith David Haun warns that the promise of paying less may cost customers dearly if they call someone who is not a real locksmith.

A nationwide locksmith scam that’s lasted two years has at least one local locksmith concerned.

“They’re not locksmiths,” said David Haun, owner of St. Joe Locksmiths. “They’re giving all locksmiths a bad name.”

Dependable Locks, a Florida-based company, was doing business all over the country, even in Northwest Missouri.

According to the Better Business Bureau and the Missouri attorney general’s office, Dependable Locks was duping its customers.

Both agencies reported receiving hundreds of complaints against the self-proclaimed locksmith.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sued Dependable Locks in April, claiming it defrauded customers, and asked that it make restitution. A trial date is set for Jan. 10, 2011.

“This locksmith company clearly deceived Missourians, tricking them into using their business and then overcharging them,” Mr. Koster said.

The investigation began a couple of years ago after several complaints were filed in the Kansas City area. Dependable Locks had 17 other names it was using to do business in the area.

Besides its local alternate business names, Superb Solutions, Locksmith 24 Hour Inc., USA Total Security, Priceline Locksmith and S.O.S. Locksmith were other aliases it used in other parts of the country.

On its Web site, the Associated Locksmiths of America state that these companies purposely manipulated phone book and Internet listings with multiple false addresses and phone numbers to make it seem like a neighborhood business. In actuality, consumers were calling out-of-state operations that are not locksmith companies, it said.

The attorney general’s office said addresses listed for the different businesses’ names were bogus — leading to vacant lots and even homes of individuals not associated with the company. The company also was not listed with the Missouri secretary of state.

Since there are only four locksmiths in town, Mr. Haun said St. Joseph residents don’t have too much to worry about. But if you’re traveling out of the area, drivers should be aware.

“It’s happening nationwide,” he said. “I just think people should know about it.”

Dependable Locks, authorities say, was charging consumers two to three times more than the price originally quoted to them.

Jennifer Hall can be reached at jennhall@npgco.com.