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Nov 27, 2008 
There is a problem in the locksmith industry that started around 2005 in some areas of the US and from there went nationwide. In the industry they are called scammers. This is how they operate.
They seem to follow a list of rules like these;
- They take out yellow pages advertisements and place advertisements on the web for/in a town or city that looks like they have been in business there for a long time.
- They don’t take out just one advertisement and don’t just use one locksmith name, instead they use many. In some geographic areas as many as 35 or more.
- They use phony addresses in conjunction with the advertisements, for example vacant lots, drugstores, Laundromats, even legitimate locksmiths real addresses.
- They have all the local phone number calls forwarded to their office which typically is in another city around 1,000 miles away.
- They have their phone people quote car or house openings as a $35 to $55 service call. They don’t tell people that the service call just gets the person on-site, it costs extra to open the door/car, etc. and the price of the service call is doubled or more.
- They have the “Locksmith” fake picking the lock and when it doesn’t open advise the customer that it must be drilled for an additional charge, another $30 to $50.
- They have the locksmith offer to replace the drilled lock with a new one. Typically a $20 lock is used but sold anywhere from $100 to $500.
- They specify cash only, that way there can’t be a charge back on a credit card or a stop payment on a check when the customer realizes they have been scammed.
- They don’t tell the customer that the “Locksmith” sent out is usually an illegal alien from Europe or the Middle East who has only had about a weeks worth of training.
Yes, they have it down to a science. About now you are asking:
How Do I Protect Myself From Them?
Do THIS, BEFORE you really need a locksmith.
Find a real locksmith who is a local business. You can do that a couple of ways. You can call and ask if you can bring a lock to their shop for repair. If they say no and had an address in the phone book or on the web find out why.
Even if they say yes, drive by there some time and verify a locksmith business is located there and even verify the telephone number because the scammers will sometimes use their own phone number with a local locksmith’s address.
Was the address phony? Then you might have found a scammer.
There are mobile only local locksmiths who are legitimate but usually they won’t list an address in an advertisement. If mobile only, find someone who does have an actual shop and ask if they know the mobile only guy. Odds are if they know him he is legitimate.
Mobile only locksmiths typically do not want the overhead associated with a permanent shop that must be manned all day. Many times there just aren’t enough customers who would walk into a shop during the day to let a shop break even. The mobile only locksmith is also more likely in many cases to be willing to make after hours or emergency service calls.
Legitimate locksmiths will typically be able to give a firm price for complete service if you can give them enough information about your lock. One important thing they need to know is the brand of the cylinder if you are locked out of your house
Many states in the US have recently passed legislation that requires locksmiths to be licensed and they must take classes to earn continuing education credits before they can renew a license. If you live in one of those states, always ask for the license number. Typically it can be checked online via a government web site.
