In recent months, there has been an increase in locksmith scammers who are trying to take advantage of vulnerable people. If you aren’t careful when looking for a locksmith online, you can end up on a scammer’s website as they are good at creating fake websites to make themselves look legitimate.
To avoid any unwanted situations with a locksmith who is trying to scam you, look out for these signs to ensure you hire a reputable person.
Check Their Location and Contact Details
When searching for a locksmith on Google, make sure you enter your city as well. This allows Google to search the most prominent companies that are close to you, rather than a list of companies that could be from a different province or country.
When you find a local locksmith, check out their address on Google Maps, or drive to their location if it’s convenient, to verify that it has a proper storefront with work vans in the parking lot. Also check their phone number to see if they use a local area code or if they use a “1-800” number. If they do use a foreign number that you don’t recognize, it could be a sign of a scam.
Ask for a Quote
This may seem standard, but you can learn a lot when you ask for a quote. If you happen to call a scammer locksmith, they will undersell their quoted price by a lot. For example, they could quote for $20 but when they “finish the job” they will say it was actually more work than expected and will charge you a lot more money. A reputable locksmith will always be honest with their pricing upfront, so make sure the quote makes sense and doesn’t sound too good to be true.
Another thing to look out for when you ask for a quote is if they don’t give a quote at all. If a locksmith refuses to give you a quote, just move on to the next one as you need to know what services you are expecting to pay for.
Compare Online Prices With The Quote
After you receive a quote from the locksmith, check their website to see if the prices listed on the site align with the quote. This step might not be applicable to all locksmiths as a few of them don’t list their prices online because even their most common jobs can fluctuate in price, depending on the severity of the problem.
Before Hiring a Locksmith, Ask a Few Questions
Before you hire the locksmith, make sure they can honestly answer a few questions that will confirm they are a reputable company or if they are trying to scam you. Ask a few or all of the questions below:
Where is your business located and what areas do you service?
What process needs to be done to fix my problem? (Note, if they mention that they will need to drill your lock and that you need to replace it, this is an indication of a scam as 99% of jobs will not require your lock to be drilled)
What is the name of the locksmith who will be fixing my lock?
How do you accept payment?
If you are in the Durham region and looking for a reputable locksmith, call Ajax Locksmith. We are a family-owned and operated locksmith company that has been working since 1983! We provide residential and commercial services to ensure you are always safe. Contact us today to set up an appointment.
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