Re: James Bond Credit Card Lock Picks

["alarman" <alarman2000@xxxxxxxxx>]

"R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Dpotf.6977$l87.886635@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> IMO, they are not quite the same situations ! In one case, you have
someone
> selling restricted tools of the trade which could be used in a wholesale
> fashion to bypass with only a little practice most common locks sold for
> residential use. The merchant doesn't know who he is selling these too,
and
> likely doesn't care. It's simply a means to an end - to make money, in
spite
> of the fact that a lot of harm could potentially be done. Lock picks IMO
are
> restricted tools which should remain that way ! A lot of state governments
> also agree, and have limited their ownership and use to people in the
trade.
> Simply unlocking a piece of used alarm hardware that is commonly
available,
> and that can just as easily be replaced for a few bucks can't be construed
> as doing public harm in the same way as selling a product who's
unregulated
> use can. Locks are designed to be opened only by people with the correct
key
> ! Lockpicks are used to get around that situation !  It doesn't take a
> genius to wonder why someone would want to do that who is not in the
> trade....
>
> Unlocking an individual board that belongs to a client, who has approached
> me directly, doesn't guarantee in the same sort of  wholesale way, that
the
> board will be unlocked in all cases. I or the few others that do it can
> always refuse to do it if something is not quite right about the deal. In
> the vast majority of individual cases, it's pretty easy to tell what's
going
> on though when a client buys a new home with a locked board, and the
> previous company simply refuses to unlock it because the client won't sign
a
> long term contract, or when he's bought a new home with a brand new alarm,
> and the board is locked to prevent him from going elsewhere for his
> monitoring services !!  And when I receive a large quantity of boards from
> an alarm company for unlocking, I am not receiving something where there
is
> no control over their condition. The previous company that removed the
board
> at some point made a valid judgment about this board, replaced it with
> another of their own, and has now simply decided to have it unlocked to
save
> a few bucks. To some degree, I do have to trust their word on this, but
> since most are repeat customers that I have come to know, I don't have a
> problem with it..
>
> Strictly speaking, as you say though, you don't always know the exact
> "circumstances" of any given situation. But you can exercise some control,
> and at some point, you make a judgment call as you do in all other aspects
> of business. However, in keeping with your point,  there IS one company in
> Toronto that I will not do any unlocking business with, due to very
credible
> rumours of shifty operating by way of stealing other companies accounts !
I
> wouldn't put it past this company to have stolen some of their boards. So,
> like any other businessman, I have the right to refuse to do business with
> them if I so choose for strictly business related reasons (and I do...)
>
> But yeah, it isn't "black and white" in all cases; most, but not all !!
But
> what ever is....

Then there would be a distinction made based on the reason the board was
locked, and whether or not that reason was legitimate in your judgment.
Also, you are taking the word of the dealer or other end user requesting the
unlocking service. How does your judgment of these circumstances differ from
the judgment of the merchant selling picks? The intent however, is the same
in the case of one who unlocks a board for a fee, as it is for a merchant
selling lock picks for a profit. You can argue that  unless the merchant is
checking credentials, the sale is dubious.. The problem with unlocking
boards is that even if you only do it for dealers, there is no way to be
sure you are not assisting someone to subvert a legitimate contract by doing
so.

I don't necessarily have trouble with someone who performs the unlocking
service, but I do find your condemnation of the sale of lock picks, coupled
with your rationalization for unlocking boards ironic.
js