I’m writing this article because I’ve noticed that many people are looking for “Cheap Locksmith” services. What they don’t fully understand is why sometimes it could be a terrible idea!
Searching for a cheap lead will get you scammed.
Do you know how to choose a great locksmith?
When searching any business on Google, you may find tons of results, and if you are not an expert, it isn’t very clear. Non-Local locksmiths play for your attention by offering extremely low prices or even FREE services! But keep in mind that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
They may give you great discounts and promises when you call them, so you feel they are very reliable. However, when they show up, the price will bump up to 5x or even 20x of what they promised.
If you tell them that you weren’t expecting this much, they will play for your emotions and make you feel bad for not knowing. They might lie about their scam locksmith services stated in the Terms & Conditions (illegal).
How do scammers throw a bite on Google so easily?
If I tell you a secret on how scammers are building their businesses, will you keep it between us? Okay. I’ll let you know the secret.
Buying a catchy domain – ~$15 per year
The first move would be to purchase a domain. We need something that people like to click on. Such as www.cheaplocksmithforsuckers.com, bayareacheaplocksmith.com, or 5minlocksmith.com.
Why buying domains like these considered a scam? Because no honored service business owner wants their business to be known as “cheap.” This is bad for business.
Build a landing page and host it – ~$150 of Fiverr + ~$84 for Siteground
After purchasing the desired domain, the scammer will find a place to host the website. Siteground, for example, charges around $84 per year for hosting. After that, you can hire a cheap freelancer from Nowherestan to design a landing page, including logo, video, stock images, banners, and (copied, but who cares) content for ~$150.
Next step, virtual lines and to sign up for advertising plan
Once everything is set up, the scammer will buy many virtual numbers to put on Google, Facebook, Yelp, Thumbtack, or any other advertising platform.
Wait a minute! No one is hiring an unknown company.
You are so clever – Thank God we have you! Do you think that locksmith scamming started in 2021? Well… NO.
Professional scammers (Yes, they have a diploma from Scamvard University) are buying their reputation. ~$15 per review. Now, let’s say they need 100 five reviews on Google. This will cost them ~$1500.
The scam locksmith factory is starting to get leads – now what?
Don’t think that the pro scammers are also pro locksmiths. Oh no, they are brokers. Their job is to tell you what you want to hear just to get your contact details.
Then, they will refer your contact details to an unknown locksmith for 50%-70% of the profit. The poor locksmith who doesn’t know how to get leads by himself is forced to rip you off to see some cash from this job.
And this is when things start to go wrong.
The bad
Locksmith services are not cheap and not Free! If you are not a pro, you’ll think that the Ford remote that the guy is showing you is the original OEM. However, it’s a cheap $15 made in China wannabe a Ford remote device. It might look the same – but it’s not! And you have paid $299 for this uncertified device.
The day after, the next week or month, this remote will stop working partially or totally. Now what? You cannot go back and ask for a refund. There is no legal or personal behind those “Cheap” advertisements.
The nasty art of upselling
Unknown locksmiths that earn so little because they need to split their profits with the so-called Big Brother will be more enthusiastic about getting an upsell. They will break something without you noticing that. After that, they will offer an alternative or an offer to “help you” and fix the issue for extra money.
The Ugly
Obviously, stealing your money is nasty, especially when you have no choice and the scammer locksmith is standing at your home in front of you. But if all the above is not enough, wait to read about the ugly side of the locksmith scammers.
When hiring an unknown locksmith company to perform a job at your house or business, you trust an anonymous person by giving him your top-secret asset – the correct key blade and cuttings of your home or business keys. That’s insane!
These people can break into your premises without leaving a sign of harm to your door or window. It can take a week or a month, but it will happen. The damage in such cases is far more worst than to be ripped off by a locksmith.
How to avoid locksmith scammers?
First of all, don’t look for cheap locksmith services. They exist in a parallel universe where Snow-white and Green Hulk walk on the shore together toward the sunset.
Don’t be attempted to be fooled by the “Cheapest locksmiths in town” or “$19.99 24-hour locksmith service”.
You understand that when they say low prices, it means fraud.
Ask your friends and relatives about a reliable locksmith service in your area.
Check the locksmith license with a professional organization in your state. This is a must!
Remember, you get what you pay for. Don’t try to save money at the price of your safety and security.
Lock change in the two-year-old house – Alison D.
“I was in the middle of my divorce, and I forgot to change my locks at my old two-year-old house. I was looking on google for a locksmith near me. I tried to call a few companies from the ADs search results, and they all sound like scammers. I got a warm recommendation from a friend about Buddy’s Locksmith, and they had a lot of great reviews, so I decided to give them a call. They came out the next day and changed all my locks, plus they did some other things that made me feel safe too.”
Scammer locksmiths just ripped me off! – Eduardo B.
“Yes, I know this is a long title. But it says everything about my experience that I spent with locksmith scammers yesterday. It was late, and my car key broke down, and I needed help right away. So, I called one of the “cheap locksmiths near me,” as always. He said $15 to come out and $20 hourly after that. Then he finished the job in 10 minutes and left. I was pleased with this locksmith service until the next day when I found out that he just programmed my new key stopped working!!!
I canceled all my credit cards right away. I asked a few friends about a reliable residential locksmith service near me and found Buddy’s Locksmith. They came out, fixed the problem, and my key is now working again! I am so happy with this locksmith company.”
