Each industry has its share of shady characters, the locksmith industry is no exception; as the following video illustrates:
There are a number of things that you can do however, to protect yourself from these Locksmith “scammers”. Firstly, never let them know that you are desperate. The more desperate you sound and appear, the more they will charge. Secondly, always get your locksmith to agree to a firm price for unlocking your door before he turns up. If he says that he cannot give you one, then he is trying to scam you. (In the event that he does try to increase his price after showing up, offer to pay his service call, which is usually advertised as being $15, and tell him that you are going to call another company to do the job. If you do this, he will more than likely lower his price – he does not want to lose the sale.) Finally, do your homework. Do not hire the first locksmith company you see on Google. No one will open your door for $15. The true cost for opening your door will be between $40 and $80 depending on your location, day of the week, and time of the day.
