3 tips to avoid locksmith scams

3 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Locksmith

There are some situations in life where you cannot avoid having to call the locksmith. Most of you have probably locked yourself out of the house, office, or car before. Whatever precaution you have taken, let’s face it: you will most likely face this moment at least once in your lifetime.

Calling a Random Locksmith is Risky

You have tried all the tips and tricks that you have learned to break or open the lock. But if they all end up failing, what would you do? The logical next step would most definitely be to call your friend or a colleague to recommend a trustworthy locksmith. However, let’s say your friend is not available. What would you do then? Call a random locksmith from a quick Google search or Yelp? Sounds risky, right?

Don’t let Anyone Enter Your Home Without Permission

Make sure to get inside your house as fast as possible or try reaching your destination by driving your car. Because some locksmiths will try to take advantage of you during this vulnerable time. Some technicians will even overcharge you by performing services that were not initially requested over the phone. They will then insist that you pay them what they ask. Avoid these clowns; do your research ahead of time and hire professional locksmiths from a certified company.

3 Ways to Avoid Locksmith Scams

In general, catching a scammer is easy if you keep a cool head and stay in control of the conversation. You’ll have to ask him a few questions first which will help you to find out whether he is scamming you or not. Following are a few of these questions and some follow-up questions that you can have ready in your purse back pocket in the event of an actual lockout without much time for research on the fly.

1.      Remember to ask him to show his license

Whether you are hiring a plumber, electrician or any other technician, everyone has their identity card and work license. When the locksmith reaches your location, you’ll first want to ask for his identity card. Do not forget or fall for his excuse that he just happened to leave it at home.

Just remember one thing: at the time of this writing, only in 15 states, are you required to show your license at the time of work (Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, Oklahoma, North California, Nevada, New Jersey, Nebraska, Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, Connecticut, California, Alabama.) If you live in the above mentioned states, and he says he does not have a license, then that means he is most likely a scammer. RED ALERT. So if you do reside in one of these states, you’ll definitely want to ask the guy to show permission or a company work permit that he is representing.

2.      Ask for an Up-front Quotation for Services

The most common trick Locksmiths use to scam the customer is the bait and switch tactic. When you call the company to ask them for a quotation of their locksmith services, keep in mind that if they offer services below $60, it means that they will most likely charge more for ‘additional security measures’ once they arrive on-site. As a matter of fact, the typical locksmith job is quoted at just $60.

Therefore, when you call a company for these services, make sure to ask them “what is the price breakdown?” What usually happens is that the company will avoid these questions or answer back with another question that is unrelated to yours. When this happens, don’t worry- you will quickly realize that you are in the right here! The companies who are gold diggers will then try to cover up this situation.

More often than not, along with the locksmith service charges, you would also have had to pay for the travel fee, equipment, products if you bought any, and much more. Ask them to tell you the exact amount, or send a printed recipe along with the locksmith to avoid any scam you might be suspecting.

3.      Quiz him about the local region

When you search for a local locksmith on Google, the sad truth is that Google gives the ability for anyone to show up in your search results as local. The inconvenient truth, then, is that “Google is not always right.” Therefore, make sure to do your own research before trusting any local listing you see on Google.

Back to the locksmith scams, when your locksmith claims that he is local, ask him or her a few questions about the city that only a local would know. Test them on some landmarks in your area or ask him about his home town. If he is a professional, he won’t mind answering your question or he’ll answer them with ease. He always wants to make sure their business is respectable — so we advise you to always do your due diligence and hire a trusted and certified locksmith.

Speedy Locksmith is a family-operated business proudly delivering services to the residents of Glendora, CA over ten years. It is a reliable business that has grown into one of the best locksmith companies in Glendora, CA via hard work, devotion, and commitment. Speedy Locksmith can handle any locksmith services on the market including automotive, residential and commercial.

Call Speedy Locksmith for professional and certified technicians to avoid locksmith scams.