Do This To Avoid Being Scammed By A Bogus Locksmith

More often than not, you are much too busy to pay attention so some apparently small details such as where you lost the keys to your car or home, and this can easily lead to lockout accidents. Repetitive use of old locks can also lead to jamming issues, and bent, lost, or stolen keys could also force us to look for an emergency locksmith service. If you need an emergency home lockout service right now for your home, office space, or car, give is a call and we will immediately dispatch a mobile team to your location.  If you are looking forward to learning how to make sure you will not fall into the trap of a con-artist pretending to be a trustworthy locksmith, keep reading. Everything you will learn today should help you any time in the future, so make sure you note some mental notes or don't hesitate to write down some of the following tips to avoid locksmith scams.

Don't Be Too Shy To Askavoid locksmith scams

Curious how the lock picking procedure will unfold, once the emergency locksmith will arrive at your address? Want to know whether they will come carrying replacement locks in case you decide to have the old lock set removed and replaced with a new one? Want to know what kind of fees they will charge for a simple key removal from stuck ignition job? What about if you would like to have your standard lock system on your car replaced with a more advanced model?  Also, inquire about their experience, the type of services they specialize in, whether they offer any discounts, what are their working business hours, whether they work in the weekends or during national holidays and so on. Whatever can help you learn more about their service and line of work, while building your trust in them is helpful and should be asked.

Know How Their Price Estimates Work

Find out if the locksmith rates on display on their website are comprehensive and transparent enough for you. Do not hesitate to ask about any extra charges such as mileage, road tolls, additional gas for reaching your address in case you live out of the city, any extra maintenance or small repairs they might need to perform on sight, and the list goes on.  See if they work with written estimates handed out to clients on scene and any other details concerning payment. Will they expect you to pay in cash? Will they accept credit cards, for a more expensive job? Get all the questions to these answers and thank yourself later. Also, make sure you know not to fall into the trap of an alluring price quote that sounds too good to be true only to be finally charges double or triple the amount in person. While some minor price differences might come up occasionally, a good locksmith should immediately let you know about them and have the extra services explained to you in detail, if necessary.  Remember to not be afraid to ask for all their price estimates in hard copy so you can enjoy more clarity and also ensure that you will be charged a fixed price and get the rest of the details in writing.

Check Their Credentials

Make sure you check their license number and ID in case you live in a state where locksmiths are officially required to get a license in order to be allowed to perform their work. Also, make sure to ask for any other additional and helpful proof of identity, certification, and authenticity. It is in your best interest to know that you can rely on the expertise and skills of true professionals who have undergone studies and specialized preparation. 

Only Pay When You Are 100% Happy With The Work

This is extremely important, especially if you feel like you have come across some locksmiths that are less skilled than they originally advertised, and they are unable to tackle the problems in a timely and efficient manner. Make sure to only pay once you are fully satisfied with their work and check if the locks they have repaired, replaced, or installed for you are fully functional. Also, check that you have been given all the necessary copy keys and that all of them work with the new locks.

Keep A Close Eye On Their Shop's Location

The great majority of locksmith scammers function as call centers that are out of the area, and they cannot and will usually not be able to provide you with a true address of their physical stores or headquarters. Many of them will give out the address of a completely different business in hopes that you will never actually drop by and visit them.  Always make sure that when you need to find a slocksmith that you get in touch with friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family members and ask for their recommendations regarding any recent locksmiths they might have worked with. All types of reviews, both positive and negative should come in handy and help you determine which service is worth your money and attention and which ones to avoid hiring.  Finally, make sure you pay attention to the rest of the useful articles you can find on our site that will provide you with more knowledge and better reparation on how to avoid locksmith scams and frauds. For any additional questions concerning the work of a locksmith, feel free to get in touch with us. If you are looking for urgent lock or repair repair and replacement services, give us a call and let us show you why we are the most trustworthy locksmith in town!

What Customers Say About Us

Jannie W.
W. 29th street
 

Dave is great! He was punctual and professional. And after installing the new locks on all of our doors, he cleaned up after himself! The same cannot be said for the last service I hired… would definitely recommend and use again!

Adrian Stanton
S Kenton Ave
 

We live not too far from Chicago and I spend about a hour and a half to get to my office. Mornings are always in a hurry for me and a broken door would be the worst I could expect. However, this was exactly what happened. I had no time to lose and so I called 247 Ontime Locksmiths. The expert guy from Locksmiths could fix the problem and I could go to work.

Tim Lewis
E Van Buren St
 

My car door didn’t open at all. Just a phone call to 24/7 Local Locksmiths and in less than 15 minutes I could drive my car again! Good job!