LOCKSMITH SCAMS AND SCAMMERS

By: Jake Jakubuwski

Many folks in this country might seldom ever have the need of a locksmith’s services.

So it’s no wonder that when someone is unlucky enough to lock their keys in their car, or get locked out of their home they can easily find themselves the victim of a rapidly growing number of scammers.

Scammers are people who pose as bona-fide, legitimate locksmiths.

Often they have huge ads in the local Yellow Pages and frequently bear names like Locksmiths, USA, Anywhere Locksmith, 24/7Locksmiths, Emergency Locksmith  and more. If you use your iPhone to find a locksmith on the Internet, their ads often read  “ ———- Locksmith. Serving the ——— area” The name(s) they use is unimportant. Knowing that they are out there waiting for another unsuspecting person to fall prey to their tactics is very, very important.

The tactics they use to fleece you, your neighbors and friends are what make them a menace to the public and give legitimate locksmiths a bad name. 

Often, they use phony local addresses. The addresses they use are often real — those are  just addresses that actually belong to churches, schools, chiropractors, vacant buildings and individuals in order for the scammers to appear to be a well-established, local company.

Think about that. If a scammer told you they’re address was “915 Main Street”, you might know where Main Street is, but would you know if the building at that address was occupied by a locksmith, a luncheonette or a lawyer?

There was one incident recently, in North Carolina, where the scammers actually used the company name AND address of a local, well-established and reputable locksmith company. The scammers literally hijacked that company’s business persona, and customers with their online ad.

One of their favorite ploys is to quote a low service fee for opening a locked auto, home or business. Then when they get to the job site; the price increases tenfold or more. Another ploy, to justify their higher price, is to claim the car or the lock on the front door of a home cannot be picked or manipulated and they’ll have to use a special tool or drill the lock!

Then, if you’re really lucky, they might have a lock to replace the one they drilled. It was a car “opening” probably not. If it was a residential or business door opening, they’ll have a cheap import lock that they’ll swear is “High Security” and sell it to you for $400.00! I use “lucky” in this sense to indicate that you can at least lock your door after the scammer has left.

They might show up in a plain, ordinary and unremarkable automobile rather then a well-lettered and highly visible van. They seldom wear any sort of uniform and are reluctant to produce any type of identification. Too often, you are frustrated and only interested in solving your problem. As a consequence, you may not be as alert to the possibility of a scam as you should be and too late,  find yourself a victim.

They frequently travel in pairs. If you question them, they often become belligerent and threatening. At 2 A.M. or high noon, such behavior can be intimidating and cause you to cave into their outrageous demands. 

What can you do to keep from getting into a situation where you’re at risk of being the victim of a locksmith scam?

Obviously spare keys that are either accessible or that a friend, a neighbor or a family member can bring to you is a very good idea.

Locating and checking out (through the BBB if necessary, or the City Licensing Board) a bona-fide locksmith in your area and putting their number in your cell phone’s speed dial is a good idea. Or you can check out ALOA.org (The Associated Locksmith of America) and find one of their members in your area.

There are usually state locksmith associations that you can contact to find the name and telephone number of one of their members in your area.

Is this a lot of work and preparation for something that might never happen? Sure it is. But how much is your safety and peace of mind worth? 

If you’re out of town — my best suggestion would be to contact the local PD and ask them if they can assist you — or suggest someone who can help you.

If you do happen to call a locksmith and some guy shows up that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck — pay attention to you instincts — and call the cops. It would be better to find out from the local police that the guy/gal was legit then it would be to be a victim of a scam locksmith or worse.

If you still wind up the victim of a locksmith scam, contact your  State Attorney’s Office – Consumers Affairs — and report the incident to them.

To give you an idea of how prevalent this problem is in this country; follow this link, courtesy of:

 The Associated Locksmiths of America

http://www.aloa.org/pdf/pressroom.pdf

PLEASE NOTE: This is information that everyone should have. Please copy the PURE JAKE link, in the location bar at the top of the page and forward this to all your friends and acquaintances. Or, paste and copy the entire article. Which ever is easiest for you. Remember: This could well be information that will save someone, you care for, from a problem that they don’t need. So, pass it on…PLEASE!