10/06/2024
This is a must read! Be careful of the scammers, and some of the Google ads are for places like Walmart to just make keys. The aren’t locksmiths they just duplicate some keys.
⚠️ PSA ⚠️
This post is for my non-locksmith followers to hopefully save you time, money and aggravation should you ever need the services of a locksmith. 👇
This is a photo of a scammer's receipt a coworker took. This scammer destroyed the customers expensive locks just to gain entry from an accidental lockout. The scammer could not replace the locks he destroyed, he absurdly over charged the customer and left them unsecure. The customer had to call us to replace the locks and repair damage.
My coworker, Taylor (yes, El Evasor del Almuerzo), was able to replace the locks and repair some damage the first so called "locksmith" caused. The first guy was not a locksmith, he was a con artist, scammer, googlesmith, aka "mocksmith".
I'll list a few 🚩red flags🚩 to watch for:
First off, there are no legitimate locksmiths with a $29 service call, this is a gimmick to reel you in. The national average service call/trip charge prices around the country range usually between $70 and $125 (weekday, daylight hours)... $19, $29, $39, ect... Most likely a scam.
Be very careful about choosing a locksmith that appears in the top of Google searches. Most are scammers that pay stupid money to be in the first five or so listings.
When you call ask a lot of questions like prices, if they say they will give you a price when they arrive- cancel the call and hang up. You're probably talking to a scam call center in NYC or Florida..
Most locksmiths will ask you several questions about your locks, keys and your situation. They'll give you a firm number or a tight ballpark price.
Ask if they are licensed, insured, bonded. Many states and/or municipalities require licencing.
Ask what the locksmith will be driving/wearing when he shows up. Most legit locksmiths will arrive in a clearly noticable work van or truck. Most are marked with company name or logo, some are plain white for various reasons, my own service van is unmarked white, but it's clearly a service van and I wear a logo work shirt with my name on it. If a guy shows up in a Honda Accord, you probably made a mistake- send him on his way.
Most legit locksmiths wear some type of work uniform or shirt that identifies them as a locksmith with company name or logo (there are a few exceptions to this, but be vigilant)
Visit their website and look at reviews. 🚩 There are many scam companies overseas that sell fake reviews to scam locksmiths. Many times the fake reviews are obviously very fake, read them for a good laugh.
Always read the bad reviews too, no matter how many good ones they have. The bad ones can't all be deleted and they tell a story.
Double check prices quoted over the phone with the locksmith that shows up.
Sadly, I need to explain what I've seen / heard and I hate to "profile" any group of people, but this is first hand information I've experienced. If the locksmith is younger with an Israeli accent the chances of him being a scammer is higher. I've been told by an ex scammer how it works. This guy worked as a googlesmith for 6 months before realizing what was happening. He got away from them and is now a legitimate locksmith.
The story goes like this, when many young men in Israel complete their two years of mandatory obligations to the military for their country some are approached about an opportunity to come to the US and make a lot of money. They are recruited thinking it's a legitimate offer. An organization brings them here with a work visa and promises of good money. They are shown how to open car and drill and replace some locks and the art of price gouging (note: this same practice is happening with the plumbing and electrical industries as well). And as a side note, these scammers also hire people born and raised here. They post employment ads promising a lot of quick, easy money working as a locksmith
I'm not against Israel or the Israeli people that immigrate here, but I am against the greedy fake googlesmith empire that is doing this. And they aren't just doing it in the US either, Australia, UK and many European countries are seeing the same thing with locksmithing, plumbing and other trades.
Many of these young men don't even know they are scamming, but many do know... The good ones get away from that business and really try hard to be a legitimate productive security professional.
Find a good "for real" locksmith company and save their number in your phone for any emergency needs in the future.
Most times a scammer strikes in a situation where you're under some type of duress such as locked out of a house or vehicle or need your locks rekeyed quickly.
Jump on Reddit, go to the Locksmith sub and read the horror stories that usually begin with "was I scammed?"...
I'm a commercial locksmith, I haven't done residential or automotive lock work in years. I clean up after scammers a few times a month. I can only imagine how much money our residential and automotive locksmiths are making cleaning up these botched jobs left behind by the "Mocksmiths"
This is just a post to remind everyone to be vigilant and ask questions before services are renderd. Locksmiths aren't usually cheap, but a legitimate locksmith won't bait you and switch prices either.
The receipt pictured below 👇 is ridiculous.
Had a legitimate locksmith gone to open the house the bill would have been way under $200. No new locks required & no damage would have been done.
EDIT: FOR THOSE ASKING IF THEY CAN SHARE OR REPOST THIS... YES! 👍
