Avoid an Online Locksmith Scam

If you have to rely on the services of a local locksmith, you should know about a locksmith scam that is taking place all over the United States. It is not a new thing for people to disguise themselves as service providers, gain your trust and then rob you blind. If you do not want this to happen to you, listen up. There are unscrupulous people who pose as locksmiths who do shoddy work to collect money from unsuspecting victims. Don’t become one of them. Here is how the scam operates.

There are hundreds of websites created that mimic authorized and legit locksmith services. The website looks just like any other service provider on the Internet. It is hard to determine whether or not they are authorized locksmith services with the qualifications to handle your lock and key needs simply by looking at their website. Once the website is listed on Google, they begin to write their own reviews that place them in a favorable position so that you will want to rely on their services and not their competitors.

These scammers go as far as opening up call centers outside of the country to answer your service request inquiries. Once they gather your information, they then route your request to a sub-contractor in the area. They do not actually have their own locksmith company. When you are given a quote, it is usually a low estimate. This is how they draw in the unsuspecting victim. When a locksmith arrives to perform the job you have for them, you may or may not have a real locksmith show up.

They might call themselves fixing the problem but in actuality what they are really doing is creating a bigger problem that will cost you more in the end. They actually damage the lock further instead of make the necessary repairs. They claim the job was more difficult than they first suspected and this is how they are able to get more money out of you. They sometimes get more than triple the amount that you were quoted. While the customer is upset, they generally will not dispute the charges. 

Lookout for Locksmith Scams

When you are in a hurry or simply need a resolution quickly, you may not consider what you need to lookout for but if you can keep only one or two of these signs in mind, you can then look elsewhere for the help you need. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

• When contacting the locksmith, if you are being routed to a fake service provider, the dispatcher will not answer with the exact name of the company. If you ask them what locksmith service you have reached, they will not be able to tell you because they probably work for hundreds of fake locksmith companies.
• When they quote you a fee for the job that needs to be performed it will usually be an extremely low rate. This is alarm enough, especially if you are getting much higher quotes elsewhere. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Instead of the low cost of the service that you have been quoted, you may end up spending hundreds of dollars.
• They may promise to respond to your service requests in 15-minute or less. In actuality it may take them up to 2 hours or longer. This is because the service provider has not been contacted yet. Remember, you are not dealing directly with the actual locksmith service and therefore it may take time to find the closest one to you. The closest locksmith may be more than an hour from where you are, despite what Google Maps indicates.
• If you are being scammed, the locksmith will likely arrive in an unmarked vehicle. In some cases, they may have a magnetic sign on their car or truck that they can simply take off. Most reputable locksmith companies advertise their company with permanent advertising, clearly marked on their vehicles. They may also have out-of-state license plates if they are not legitimate.
• They will not have a uniform on and will not be able to show you and ID.
• They will claim that you have high security locks or commercial grade locks and begin drilling into the door, enabling them to destroy the lock itself. At this point, they will usually replace your good lock for a cheap one but still charge you more claiming that it took them longer to pick the lock because they had to drill a lock.
• When you need an automotive locksmith, the locksmith that shows up may claim that since the car is older, it will cost more or if it’s newer they might claim that job will cost more because its newer.
• A fake locksmith will ask for cash payment. Fake locksmiths do not want to accept credit card payments. In most instances, they are not authorized to do so. Credit cards make it possible for them to be discovered.
• They cover their tracks. It’s not possible for you to locate them once they have already scammed you. If you make contact with the actual locksmith, they will say that you have to speak to dispatch. When you contact dispatch, they direct you to another number. When you call that other number, either it doesn’t exists or the phone just rings and no one every answers. Finally, if you do make contact with someone, they will say the locksmith no longer works for them but they will not offer to give you any money back or fix the problem.

Always be aware of scammers when you are trying to find a service provider. There are plenty of decent Downtown Miami, Florida locksmiths, like Reliable Locksmith & Safe, who are eager to assist you with your lock and key needs. You don’t have to become a victim if you just stay calm and think about what it is that you are looking for and be aware of the tactics of locksmith scammers.