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Technical AssistanceForeign AuthoritiesCooperation AgreementsConsumer ProtectionCompetitionAbout Intl. AffairsFTC Consumer AlertPDF FormatEmailThe Keys to Hiring a Reputable Locksmith
If you’ve ever locked yourself out of your car or home, you know what a hassle it can be. Your first thought is to get someone to help you out of your situation. If a family member or friend can’t deliver a spare set of keys, your next call might be to a local locksmith. But before you make that call, consider this: According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, some locksmiths advertising in your local telephone book may not be local at all. They may not have professional training. What’s more, some of them may use intimidating tactics and overcharge you.

When “Local” Is Really Long-Distance
Consider this scenario: A company far away from your town chooses a name for its business that is very similar to the name used by a local locksmith. The company advertises in the phone book or on the Web using a local telephone number and local address. When you call the number, you’re actually connected to a call center in another city. What’s more, there’s no locksmith shop at the address listed.

You may be quoted a price on the phone, but when the locksmith arrives, often in an unmarked vehicle, he may want significantly more money. The locksmith also may accept only cash.

Some who claim to be “local locksmith” companies have multiple listings (sometimes 30 or more separate listings in a single phone book) with different names. But the calls to each of these numbers go back to the same central number in a distant city where operators dispatch untrained individuals to do the job.

Tips for Picking a Locksmith
What’s the best way to pick a reputable locksmith? Consider researching locksmiths before you need one, the same way you would a plumber, electrician, or other professional. That works well if you’re looking to have some security work done at your home, like installing deadbolts on the exterior doors of your house, or a safe in your bedroom.
But if you’re dealing with an emergency, like being locked out of your car, you really don’t have much time for thorough research.
Regardless of whether you are locked out of your car or home, you need new locks installed, or you require other security work, the FTC offers these tips to help you hire a legitimate, local locksmith.

In emergency situations:

If you’re locked out of your car and have a roadside assistance service, call them first. These services sometimes are included with the purchase of a car, or as an add-on through your insurance company. You also can buy this service separately. Roadside assistance plans often have a list of pre-approved companies to perform services like unlocking cars, jump-starting batteries, changing flat tires, delivering gasoline, and towing.
Call family or friends for recommendations.
If you find a locksmith in the phone book, on the Internet, or through directory assistance, and a business address is given, confirm that the address belongs to that locksmith. Some disreputable companies list street addresses to give the impression that they’re local. But the addresses may belong to other businesses or vacant lots, if they exist at all. You can verify addresses through websites that allow you to match phone numbers with street addresses. Some legitimate locksmith companies may not include a street address in their listing either because they operate a “mobile” business or they operate their business out of their home and may be reluctant to list that address. If you call a locksmith who doesn’t list an address, ask why. If the answer is that it's a “mobile” business, you will understand they have no storefront.
Write down the names of several businesses, their phone numbers, and addresses for future reference, in case you don’t want to go with the first locksmith you call.
If a company answers the phone with a generic phrase like “locksmith services, ” rather than a company-specific name, be wary. Ask for the legal name of the business. If the person refuses, call another locksmith.
Get an estimate for all work and replacement parts from the locksmith before work begins. In cases of “lock-outs” (being locked out of your car or home), most legitimate locksmiths will give you an estimate on the phone for the total cost of the work.
Ask about additional fees before you agree to have the locksmith perform the work. Companies may charge extra for responding to a call in the middle of the night. Ask if there is a charge for mileage, or a minimum fee for a service call.
If the price the locksmith provides when he arrives doesn’t jibe with the estimate you got on the telephone, do not allow the work to be done.
Never sign a blank form authorizing work.
Find out if the locksmith is insured. If your property is damaged during a repair, or if faulty work leads to loss or damage, it’s important for the locksmith to have insurance to cover your losses.
When the locksmith arrives, ask for identification, including a business card and, where applicable, a locksmith license. Nine states require locksmiths to be licensed: Alabama, California, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. In addition to a business card, check to see if the invoice includes the company’s name, and whether the locksmith’s vehicle has a name that matches the business card, invoice, and/or bill.
Expect the locksmith to ask you for identification, as well. A legitimate locksmith should confirm your identity and make sure you’re the property owner before doing any work.
Some locksmiths will work out of a car for quick or emergency jobs, but most will arrive in a service vehicle that is clearly marked with their company’s name.
In the case of a lock-out, be cautious if you’re told up front that the lock has to be drilled and replaced. An experienced legitimate locksmith has invested in the tools and education to provide quality service, and can unlock almost any door.
After the work is completed, get an itemized invoice that covers parts, labor, mileage, and the price of the service call.
In situations where you have more time, check out locksmiths with your state Attorney General (www.naag.org), local consumer protection agency (www.consumeraction.gov), and the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) to make sure there are no unresolved complaints on file. (You can get the phone numbers for these organizations in your phone book, through directory assistance, or through Web directories.) This is true whether you need a locksmith for a one-time job, or you want to hire someone to work for you on a continuing basis. You must be able to trust your locksmith. You don’t want to give access to the locks for your home, car, or place of business to just anyone.
In Case There’s a Next Time
Once you’ve found a reputable locksmith, keep the company’s name and contact information in your wallet and address book at home or at work. You also may want to program this information into your home and cell phones. This can save you time and trouble the next time you need these services.

For More Information
If you have a problem with a locksmith, try to resolve the dispute with the company first. Make sure you act quickly. Some companies may not accept responsibility if you fail to complain within a certain time. If you can’t get satisfaction, consider contacting your local consumer protection agency for information and assistance.

You also can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Although the FTC does not intervene in individual disputes, the information you provide may indicate a pattern of possible law violations requiring action by the Commission. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP [protected]); TTY: [protected]. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP [protected]); TTY: [protected]. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

February 2008

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HOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST LOCKSMITH SCAMS
Below are links to various news outlets, consumer protection agencies and state Attorney General offices addressing the issue of locksmith scams. The story is familiar in many states: an out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!

The Illinois Attorney General filed criminal charges against a New York locksmith operation for setting up phony storefronts with unlicensed individuals practicing locksmithing that lead consumers to believe they were dealing with local companies. The action was successful, and the company was ordered to pay thousands in restitution, to cease operations and to no longer do business in the state under a new name or any of the 25 different names the company had been using in local telephone directories!
ALOA encourages locksmiths who are facing this same situation to go to their state's Attorney General who can take the appropriate legal action against these fraudulent companies. ALOA recently sent a letter to all Attorneys General urging them to pursue this matter in their state.
For further assistance, contact ALOA Legislative Manager, Tim McMullen at [protected] x300 or tim@aloa.org

CHAMPION LOCKSMITH - LIBERTY LOCKSMITH
3 20 Astoria Blvd
New York New York 11370
United States of America

Submitted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I locked myself out of my apartment. I called Champion Locksmith and asked how much it would cost for them to let me back in. The price quoted over the phone was $50, and I was assured somebody would be there within thirty minutes.

Forty-five minutes later, somebody finally arrives. It takes him approximately five minutes to undo the lock. What he didn't tell me is that whatever he did also destroyed the lock, so I needed a new one. He then said that the cost was $350 to unlock, and $125 for the new lock-- the total cost was nearly ten times what I had been told over the phone. When I explained the quote I had received, he said, "Well, that's just the service charge." Apparently, you don't find out the real price until your lock has already been destroyed.

Then, he didn't want to take my Discover Card. I insisted, because their phonebook ad has the Discover logo on it. I signed the slip, with a note saying that the price didn't match what I was quoted. I acknowledge that I owe Champion a reasonable fee for the services legitimately provided, but lowballing the quote by a factor of seven is simply unacceptable, as is picking the lock without letting me know in advance that doing so would destroy it. If they don't resolve this on a consensual basis, I'll report them to the New York State and City Consumer Protection Agencies. I'll also dispute the charge on my credit card. Even if they succeed in ripping me off, I won't make it easy.

Don't use these guys under any circumstances.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST LOCKSMITH SCAMMERS
Below are links to various news outlets, consumer protection agencies and state Attorney General offices addressing the issue of locksmith scams. The story is familiar in many states: an out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!
The Illinois Attorney General filed criminal charges against a New York locksmith operation for setting up phony storefronts with unlicensed individuals practicing locksmithing that lead consumers to believe they were dealing with local companies. The action was successful, and the company was ordered to pay thousands in restitution, to cease operations and to no longer do business in the state under a new name or any of the 25 different names the company had been using in local telephone directories!
Associated Locksmiths of America, Inc. (ALOA) encourages locksmiths who are facing this same situation to go to their state's Attorney General who can take the appropriate legal action against these fraudulent companies. ALOA recently sent a letter to all Attorneys General urging them to pursue this matter in their state. To contact your state's Attorney General,
ALOA is also empowering you to take immediate action when these fraudulent operations show up in your city. Click Here for a Press Release that you may send to your local print and broadcast news media outlets. Make sure you put in the date and the name of your city in the highlighted areas.
For further assistance, contact ALOA Legislative Manager, Tim McMullen at [protected] x203 or tim@aloa.org

Home > Business News from The Birmingham News
Yelp reviews of Alabama locksmiths don't add up
Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 5:50 AM
By Stan Diel -- The Birmingham News The Birmingham News
Locksmiths can definitely help with your lock-and-key woes, but beware of online reviews. (The Birmingham News file)
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- There may be no better place on Earth than Alabama to get locked out of your car, if glowing reviews of area locksmiths posted on a consumer review website recently are to be believed.
A total of at least 84 positive reviews of Alabama locksmiths have been posted on Yelp.com in the past week. The Alabama reviews were posted in large, almost simultaneous batches. They seem to follow the same scripts and include the same misspellings and some idioms and syntax not rooted in American English. And many of the locksmith companies identified in the reviews don't seem to actually exist.
The Alabama phone numbers listed in the reviews ring through to a Michigan company called Run Local Locksmith. That company, mentioned by name in a handful of the reviews, takes phone calls nationwide and refers callers to local locksmiths.
A man who answered the phone at Run Local Locksmith said he was unaware of any Yelp campaign and said nobody was present who was familiar with the company's advertising or marketing. This flood of suspicious Alabama reviews comes about a week after The New York Times reported on Yelp's ongoing battle with overseas services that will, for a fee, write and post fake reviews. Many fraudulent reviews are posted by people working in India and making $2 to $3 an hour, the Times reported.
Run Local Locksmith has the Better Business Bureau's lowest rating, an "F, " because BBB attempts to reach the company to address complaints about its advertising were not successful.
This item was published in The Insider, a weekly column in The Birmingham News Business section.

Home > Business News from The Birmingham News
Yelp reviews of Alabama locksmiths don't add up
Published: Thursday, June 02, 2017, 5:50 AM
By Stan Diel -- The Birmingham News The Birmingham News
Locksmiths can definitely help with your lock-and-key woes, but beware of online reviews. (The Birmingham News file)
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- There may be no better place on Earth than Alabama to get locked out of your car, if glowing reviews of area locksmiths posted on a consumer review website recently are to be believed.
A total of at least 84 positive reviews of Alabama locksmiths have been posted on Yelp.com in the past week. The Alabama reviews were posted in large, almost simultaneous batches. They seem to follow the same scripts and include the same misspellings and some idioms and syntax not rooted in American English. And many of the locksmith companies identified in the reviews don't seem to actually exist.
The Alabama phone numbers listed in the reviews ring through to a Michigan company called Run Local Locksmith. That company, mentioned by name in a handful of the reviews, takes phone calls nationwide and refers callers to local locksmiths.
A man who answered the phone at Run Local Locksmith said he was unaware of any Yelp campaign and said nobody was present who was familiar with the company's advertising or marketing. This flood of suspicious Alabama reviews comes about a week after The New York Times reported on Yelp's ongoing battle with overseas services that will, for a fee, write and post fake reviews. Many fraudulent reviews are posted by people working in India and making $2 to $3 an hour, the Times reported.
Run Local Locksmith has the Better Business Bureau's lowest rating, an "F, " because BBB attempts to reach the company to address complaints about its advertising were not successful.
This item was published in The Insider, a weekly column in The Birmingham News Business section.

Home > Business News from The Birmingham News
Yelp reviews of Alabama locksmiths don't add up
Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 5:50 AM
By Stan Diel -- The Birmingham News The Birmingham News
Locksmiths can definitely help with your lock-and-key woes, but beware of online reviews. (The Birmingham News file)
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- There may be no better place on Earth than Alabama to get locked out of your car, if glowing reviews of area locksmiths posted on a consumer review website recently are to be believed.
A total of at least 84 positive reviews of Alabama locksmiths have been posted on Yelp.com in the past week. The Alabama reviews were posted in large, almost simultaneous batches. They seem to follow the same scripts and include the same misspellings and some idioms and syntax not rooted in American English. And many of the locksmith companies identified in the reviews don't seem to actually exist.
The Alabama phone numbers listed in the reviews ring through to a Michigan company called Run Local Locksmith. That company, mentioned by name in a handful of the reviews, takes phone calls nationwide and refers callers to local locksmiths.
A man who answered the phone at Run Local Locksmith said he was unaware of any Yelp campaign and said nobody was present who was familiar with the company's advertising or marketing. This flood of suspicious Alabama reviews comes about a week after The New York Times reported on Yelp's ongoing battle with overseas services that will, for a fee, write and post fake reviews. Many fraudulent reviews are posted by people working in India and making $2 to $3 an hour, the Times reported.
Run Local Locksmith has the Better Business Bureau's lowest rating, an "F, " because BBB attempts to reach the company to address complaints about its advertising were not successful.
This item was published in The Insider, a weekly column in The Birmingham News Business section.

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