Blagojevich did do something right

Ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich apparently did something right in 2006 when his administration suspended the locksmith license of Dependable Locks and its owner, David Peer for giving a fraudulent address on its license application, for failing to provide a list of its licensed staff and for failing to cooperate with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) in its investigation. The company was then based out of New York, but has since relocated to Florida.

The Department also suspended Price Line, based out of New York as well. Both companies listed their businesses with Illinois addresses, advertised their businesses in phone directories and used local phone exchanges and business names in their ads.

Consumers called a local number not realizing the companies had set up Remote Call Forwarding (RCF) numbers with the local phone company that forwarded their calls to call centers in New York.

The call centers then dispatched a sub-contractor to do the work. Illinois law prohibits unlicensed sub-contractors to work as locksmiths. Locksmiths must carry their locksmith license and the agency must also be licensed. Both companies complied with getting a license for their businesses but not for their employees. Not only must the employee pass a background check, they are also required to pass an exam to prove competency as a locksmith. I guess it was too much of an investment for the companies.