Be On the Lookout for These Common Locksmith Scams: Tips from a Trustworthy Locksmith in Toledo, OH

If you find yourself locked out of your home or vehicle, you are going to need to call a locksmith in Toledo, OH for assistance. However, while you may wish to get the job over with as quickly as possible and get on with your day, choosing the first locksmith you come across in the phone book or on a Google search may not turn out to be the best strategy.

There have been quite a few online scams in the locksmith industry over the years. One of the most common one is to pay for ads on the top of Google searches for locksmith companies for a supposedly inexpensive “service call” that ends up costing you hundreds of dollars for what should be a simple and cheap job.

Unfortunately, this type of scheme has been happening for years. In many cases, the company has a very generic name and advertises cheap services for people who call in. However, once the customer places the call, they are actually speaking to a dispatcher in a totally different state. In many cases, you will not even get an accurate quote for the job until a locksmith arrives to your location, at which point you are locked into the cost.

The figures you do receive are typically just “starting prices,” which are unrealistically low. Instead, the company will tell you that the final price you pay depends on the lock’s “security level,” which is typically code for you needing to spend several hundred dollars.

The truth behind the scam

The scam largely works because most people who call in for lockout services are in a hurry and do not have the time to do a whole lot of research on locksmiths in their area. These people also tend to not know what it should really cost to change a lock, make a new key or get entry into a home when locked out.

The truth is, most home locks are simple dead bolts you can buy at any hardware or home improvement store in your area for less than $20. If the locksmith begins talking about “high-security” locks, it is likely a type of lock you have never seen. Most locksmiths charge between $100 and $150 to come out to your home and get you inside, and a legitimate locksmith will give you a good estimate for how much their services will cost before even coming out to you.

If you find yourself in a lockout scenario, take the extra 10 or 15 minutes to look up a few locksmith companies in your area. Look for ones that have good reviews on Google, Yelp or the Better Business Bureau. If you place a call to one of these companies and something seems sketchy, just move on to another business. Keep in mind that you can also check with people you know and trust, who may have also experienced lockout situations in the recent past. They may have some recommendations they can offer you.

For more tips and information about how to avoid locksmith scams, contact a skilled and reliable locksmith in Toledo, OH.

Categorised in: Locksmith Services

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