28/10/2026
🚨 LOCKSMITH SCAM ALERT — PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU CALL A LOCKSMITH! 🔑
As a locksmith, I feel it's important to warn the public about a business model operating in our industry that can leave customers paying hundreds, sometimes thousands, of rands more than they expected.
Here's how it works. 👇
🔎 1. They get your attention with clever advertising.
You search Google for a locksmith, and the adverts look professional. Words like CHEAP, QUICK, AFFORDABLE and PRICES STARTING FROM R650 catch your eye.
You're locked out of your car or home. You're stressed, you need help, and that advertised price sounds reasonable.
📞 2. You contact what you believe is a locksmith.
Instead, you may be speaking to a call centre. The person on the other end takes your details and promises to send someone to assist.
They advertise that they cover almost every area, creating the impression that they have locksmiths readily available wherever you are.
But here's the important question:
WHO exactly are they sending to your property?
🔧 3. The actual locksmith only enters the picture once you're already committed.
In some referral-based operations, the person you contacted isn't the locksmith doing the work. They pass your details to an independent technician, often for a referral fee.
You might have no direct contact with that technician until they arrive at your property.
By this stage, you're locked out, the technician is standing in front of you, and you feel pressured to get the problem sorted.
💰 4. Then comes the price shock.
You saw an advert saying CALL-OUTS FROM R650.
You assumed that was roughly what it would cost to open your car.
But a starting price is not a complete quotation.
Additional charges for labour, after-hours attendance, the type of lock, or the work required can push the final bill far beyond what you expected.
Some customers only discover the true cost when the work has been completed — and that's when the pressure to pay can begin.
⚠️ HERE'S THE PROBLEM.
There is nothing inherently wrong with a call centre referring work to an independent locksmith. Referral services can operate legitimately.
The problem arises when advertising is misleading, the pricing is unclear, the person doing the work is not properly qualified, or the customer cannot establish the real cost before the job begins.
A vague WhatsApp message telling you to send your location is not a quotation.
An advert saying "from R650" does not mean the entire job will cost R650.
And a promise to send a locksmith does not tell you who is arriving, what their qualifications are, or what they will charge.
🔑 PROTECT YOURSELF BEFORE AGREEING TO ANY WORK:
✅ Ask for the full call-out fee, including any after-hours surcharge.
✅ Ask what the advertised starting price actually covers.
✅ Request the technician's name, business name and contact details before they arrive.
✅ Confirm whether the technician is qualified and appropriately registered for the work.
✅ Ask for an estimate of the total cost, including labour, parts and any additional charges.
✅ Get the price agreed upon in writing via WhatsApp before work begins.
✅ If the price changes, ask why and agree to the revised amount before authorising additional work.
✅ Never allow yourself to be bullied or intimidated into paying an amount you did not agree to.
A FINAL WORD FROM A FELLOW LOCKSMITH. 🔐
When you're locked out, you're vulnerable. You're stressed, you need help, and you want someone to arrive quickly.
That is exactly when you need clear information and honest pricing the most.
A reputable locksmith should be willing to explain the charges, identify themselves, and give you an opportunity to understand the cost before starting work.
At Key-Fix, I believe our industry should be built on trust, skill and transparency — not on taking advantage of someone else's emergency.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST.
The next person searching Google for a locksmith could be your mother, your father, your child, or someone who simply doesn't know what questions to ask.
Let's help people make informed decisions before they find themselves in a difficult situation.
🔑 Key-Fix | Swellendam & Beyond
