How to Avoid a Locksmith Scam

How to Avoid a Locksmith Scam

Most of the time, locksmiths have been the last people you call when you are completely locked out in the dark and cold. A locksmith contact was only reserved for an emergency. However, the market is not what it used to be back then, locksmith scams are now emerging, and if you are not careful, you may fall a victim to their tricks. Nowadays it is difficult to differentiate a legit locksmith and a scam; one has to be very cautious before hiring one. This is because they have imitated everything and learned how the market operates. Here are a few tips:

  1. Check identification
    A legitimate locksmith must have an identification document with the company name to verify that he/she works for a trusted company. An identity card proves that you can trust the person to unlock your locks with no worries and in the case of anything going wrong, the company can be held accountable. Additionally, a professional locksmith should ask for your identification documents to prove that you are the rightful owner of the particular house or car he/she is unlocking. Most importantly, when the locksmith presents the credentials, all of them should match and have the same company name.
  2. Find their location
    Searching for a local locksmith online is not tough; however, you must carry out some you research before hiring one. Therefore, when searching for a locksmith ensures you have all the details about their location and be sure you can trace them back even when you are not online. Knowing their location helps you to plan your time and how long you will wait after giving them a call. Finding where they are based will also tell about their legitimacy. Another significant benefit of finding the geographical location of a locksmith company is that you will be able to say whether you are hiring the wrong person using another company’s name. Additionally, ensure to take a keen eye on the telephone number that the locksmith calls you with. This way, it will be easy to note if the locksmith is local or from other area’s.
  3. Fluctuating bids
    Don’t just by-pass anything you speak about with your locksmith. When the fee mentioned does not match with the actual information that you received in the first place, don’t even bother to debate with that person, chances are this is a scam and you should effuse the fee. A trusted company has an estimated cost that they will always provide and it has to be the same whether they give it on the phone or you search for it online. All their details are clean and straight forward. However, a scam company will always change the prices without your knowledge, and they may not even be able to break the cost down to details.
    If you find the locksmith you are about to hire does not meet the particular requirements you may be looking for, don’t hire them. Ensure that the company or the locksmith is reliable and he/she is readily available.

 

Chris Hinchly
An SEO technician with a love for creativity and copywriting. Born and raised in the audio-visual trade, Chris is a huge enthusiast of all things Technological and loves writing about it, especially Digital Gadgets,Internet Marketing, Social Media and The Internet of Things. Chris loves writing about home improvement, home security and business security.