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When you lock yourself out of your home, office, automobile, or any similar facility, an experienced locksmith can help you regain access. Unfortunately, you can’t expect the same from a locksmith scammer. There are chances you might end up approaching a fraudster who somehow gained access to internet listings and websites you visited for finding a locksmith.
Most people don’t doubt the credibility of a locksmith whose information they’ve found on a website but fabricating fake websites, numbers etc. is easy for such scammers. Door-to-door locksmith scammers commonly operate nowadays but after reading this article, you will surely be able to differentiate a credible locksmith from a scammer. If you are looking for credible locksmith services, you can approach Diamond Lock and Security, who provides, after-hours locksmith services. It is a trustworthy company and has helped several clients.
4 Effective Ways to Recognize Locksmith Scams
Below we have mapped out some of the most important red flags that you must not miss while hiring a locksmith:
Surprisingly Cheap Services
Many locksmith scammers will give you a quote far below the industry standard. It is because they are only baiting you into hiring them. Once you have assigned them a task, they will break your lock and tell you that work is harder than they expected. Before you can figure out what is happening, they will present you with a new quote that is considerably higher than the original one. If the initial quote is too low, consider it a warning sign.
Reluctance to Verify Identity
A real locksmith will come in the company’s car with having logo of the company name in addition to a photo ID issued by the government. On the other hand, fake locksmiths have no way of identifying themselves. Their vehicles are devoid of any branding and your request for photo ID will only be met with absurd excuses. If they somehow manage to come in a company-branded car, it will possibly have a temporary logo.
Volatile Pricing Negotiations
A reputable locksmith company will not make significant changes to its initial quotation. If the price changes, you won’t have to break the bank to pay according to new quote. On the flipside, fraudster locksmiths increase the cost of services by a huge margin and fabricate fake excuses to back their claims.
Inexperienced Individuals
Scammers who disguise themselves as locksmiths are habitual of digging locks. After a few minutes of working on the lock, which experienced locksmith claims that you have a high-security lock installation that cannot be fixed? They will confidently tell you that the only way to unlock it is to drill it. You’ll be safer if you don’t let them drill. Drilling will render your locks dysfunctional and you may even have to buy a new one. Even when the replacement is of poor quality, the scammer will charge you a hefty fee for installing locks.
Tips to Avoid Locksmith Scam
It is not enough to know how to recognize the locksmith scammers. You also need to know how to avoid being scammed. Here are some tips to follow if you don’t want a fraudster door to door locksmith rip you off your money:
- Request a written estimate that includes maximum and minimum charges.
- Never allow a locksmith to drill a hole in your lock.
- Don’t make hasty decisions and double-check verifiable information wherever possible.
- If you suspect any fraudulent activity, do not proceed with the transaction.
- Receive a receipt for each payment made.
- If you think you have been deceived, contact the appropriate regulatory body as soon as possible.
When you’ve locked yourself in or out of your home, office, or car, it’s normal to be nervous and anxious to get out. Locksmith scammers take advantage of this panic situation to manipulate you into buying their overpriced, useless services. You can avoid this from happening by staying composed in such an emergency situation.
