Avoid Scams
How the newest scam works
Most locksmith listings in the yellow pages are probably scam companies. You call, the phone rings in New York, and the person on the phone tells you the locksmith will call you. The locksmith calls and tells you the service price starts at $19.95 or $30. You say, "Woo-Hoo!" It is a known fact that these people are trained to mislead you. After the job is done, your house or car opening is $200 to $300. You are shocked! So you refuse to pay the bill. In minutes, you will get a call from the scam company in New York. They threaten to sue you. You panic, then pay the bill. Remember, if you did not sign a document beforehand, refuse to pay the bill. Call the police.
Here is a real scam occurrence
What follows is a real LOCKSMITH SCAM that occurred in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in 2008. I was called after the event took place and advised the client about how to avoid scams in the future. Do know that SCAMS are alive and well in Middle Tennessee and are as close to you as your phone book!
The customer needed to have his front glass door rekeyed. The door had two cylinders and the customer wanted four keys. (Normally, this job would be $79.95). The customer opened the phone book to the yellow pages and found a 1-800 number. A call was placed for service, no price was discussed. A man arrived, changed the locks, and presented the customer with a bill for $375. The bill listed a service call, a rekey charge, a lock replacement charge, labor, and keys. The customer was shocked, yet paid the bill. The customer later called the 1-800 number and complained. Nothing was done.
Questions you need to ask before you hire any locksmith
2. "Are you a contractor for an out-of-state locksmith company?" If so, ask for the name of the company and the state where it is located. Watch out for liars! Check it out with the Better Business Bureau in Nashville, TN. Unless you live near the border of another state, you should be dealing with a locksmith that is based in Tennessee. If you see a 1-800 number, be suspicious and call the BBB. However, some local Tennessee locksmiths do use these numbers in rural areas by necessity. Some out-of-state locksmith contractors also have local numbers that are remote call-forwarded to other states. Out-of-state companies may hire people they have never met and send them to your home or business. Most bona fide, quality locksmiths will not subcontract for these companies.
3. "How long have you been a locksmith?" If the locksmith is new to the trade, do not be afraid. Be sure to ask where the locksmith was educated and ask for reliable references. If he cannot provide schooling certificates or references that can be verified, you may need to look for another locksmith.
4. "When you arrive, can I see your certificate of insurance?" Ask the locksmith the name of the company that insures his service. Demand it, or you may live to regret it! If the locksmith cannot provide this, proceed with caution. You may need to call the insurance company to verify coverage. If the locksmith does not have insurance, he may be in violation of Tennessee law.
5. "Can you make my key copies on site?" Sounds funny, but some scamsters have been known to have only one key for your rekey job! I have seen this, personally.
6. "What is the price for the service?" Believe it or not, many people do not ask for the price. Ask for the bill before the work begins. If the locksmith adds services that you did not authorize and tries to collect, DO NOT PAY. Any good locksmith will alert you to needed add-ons before proceeding. Don't let the locksmith intimidate you into paying more than you agreed to pay. (Scamsters quote you $45 and then tell you that that amount was just the service call. They then tell you the labor was $95, for a total of $140.) Get the bill UPFRONT before work begins.
7. "What are your LOCAL references?" Your locksmith should have some great references in Middle Tennessee; and you'll recognize them. You'll even know people who work for them! If no references can be made that satisfy you, call around. ALWAYS ASK FOR REFERENCES! THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION!
8. "Do you split the payment for my job with someone else?" If a locksmith is working as a subcontractor for an out-of-state company, he may be working for half of what your lock job nets. This is why a $75 job ends up being $150 to $350. No locksmith can afford to show up and complete your job for $37.50!
9. "Are you the owner of the business or are you an employee?" Most locksmiths in the Middle Tennessee area are owners of their own company and they are the only employee. Owner/employees are perfectionists and will always take more pride in their work than an employee will. Would you rather have an employee working on your locks or the owner of the lock company?
10. "Is your price for lock service the lowest in the area?" Yes, you want to save money. If a locksmith gives you a low bid, ask him to provide you with some quality references. If the references satisfy you, proceed with the service. As a homeowner, I will say that the lowest bids I have received have also been from the lowest quality providers of service. Take a low only when you get great references.
11. "Will you file down my lock cylinders and, if I can prove you have done so, will you be willing to replace my door locks?" I am shocked at a number of locksmiths in the Middle Tennessee area who ruin locks by filing down the lock plugs. Some of these companies have done this for over 20 years. This makes locks easier to bump and pick. It also increases the chance that your neighbor's key will work your lock as well! Trouble is, you don't know about it. If you ask this question, the incompetent locksmith will turn your job down. Why? Because he has no clue on how to key up your locks to factory specification and he knows he is incompetent. There are some big names in this business who are doing this. It will shock you.
12. "Do you wear a uniform and is your appearance neat?" Ask it, or you may be surprised what appears on your doorstep. My wife would never let an unshaven, poorly dressed, sloppy serviceman into her house. Neither should you. If he doesn't care about how he looks, he won't care about much else either.
I would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service in the industry.
Although I operate all over Tennessee, I am a resident of Normandy, TN. (My phone number, however, is a Nashville/Murfreesboro local number so you won't have to pay long distance charges.)
