Avoid Scams by Finding a Reputable Professional Locksmith

You will surely be needing the services of a locksmith, either for your home, your business or even to unlock your car if ever your forget your automotive keys inside. Because a locksmith works on your security set up, it is important for you to find a reputable professional locksmith.

You depend on a professional locksmith for lock installation and lock repair. This is to ensure access control in your properties. Usually, high security locks are used with master key systems and restricted keys from highly regarded brands like Medeco. This may likewise involve padlocks and deadbolts. Sometimes, high tech systems feature keyless entry, using biometrics instead, such as fingerprint scanning. Aside from entry control, exit devices may also be installed, as well as surveillance cameras.

Even in July 2007, the Better Business Bureau had already warned consumers that unscrupulous locksmith companies had been victimizing people across the United States. In all 114 Better Business Bureaus keeping watch throughout the country, complaints against deceitful locksmiths have increased by about 75 percent in the previous year, from 2005 to 2006. Complaints also continued to rise in the early part of 2007.

Based on the complaints received by the Better Business Bureau, various crooked locksmith companies all over the US are using similar methods of deceit. They overcharge their customers significantly, the charge customers for services that are unnecessary, the harass customers with intimidation tactics, they do not give refunds for bad service and they do not respond to customer complaints.

One specific locksmith company has been identified by the Better Business Bureau as responsible for widespread scams. This is Dependable Locksmith. It operates under many different names in many cities, among them, S.O.S. Locksmith, Priceline Locksmith, USA Total Security, Locksmith 24 Hour, Inc. and Superb Solutions. Using these fake company names, it even has itself featured in local yellow pages. Of course, the local addresses and local phone numbers are all fake. When consumers call the numbers, the call is rerouted to a call center in the Bronx in New York City. The consumer, in the meantime, continues to believe that he or she is dealing with a local locksmith company.

When the customer discloses the problem over the phone, a price quotation is given which would seem reasonable. The locksmith company then sends its locksmith to the customer’s location, usually in an unmarked vehicle. After the work is done, the locksmith demands more money than what was quoted earlier and will settle only for payment in cash. In a certain case in Cleveland, Ohio, the original quote for two procedures was $39 and $84 but the locksmith demanded a total of $471 in the end after tacking on additional fees that were not previously agreed upon. There was an additional “breaking in fee” and another fee to “uninstall old locks.”

In other complaints filed at the Better Business Bureau against Dependable Locksmiths, the customers were charged for services that were not necessary in the first place. In many cases when the customers were locked out of their premises, the customers said the locksmith claimed that he could not pick the lock and therefore had to remove the existing lock and install new ones.

Another unscrupulous locksmith identified by the Better Business Bureau is Liberty Locksmith. It did exactly as Dependable Locksmiths. Liberty Locksmith, however, was a member of the Better Business Bureau in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a time. During the member validation process, though, the BBB discovered the false information supplied by the company and promptly terminated its membership.

Avoid disreputable locksmiths and find yourself a trustworthy professional locksmith for your safety. Avoid being scammed or swindled by checking out your possible choices of professional locksmiths with your local Better Business Bureau.