Do you know that Texas is a state where locksmiths are not required to be licensed in order to operate and conduct their business? Thanks to this, scammer locksmiths show up online across the state, and certainly around an urban area like Houston. In order to protect yourself from a scamming locksmith, it’s critical that you ensure and verify they are members of the Associated Locksmiths of America or ALOA.

The Common Scammer Locksmith Operation

If you want the best way to avoid an imitation locksmith that might scam you, then you need to know how they operate.

Step 1. Ways To Find the Right Locksmith

You lock your keys in your home or car but have your phone, so you Google “locksmith near me”, possibly seeing ads that say they can unlock you for just $25. That sounds great under the circumstances. What you might not know is that you’re not really calling someone local. Instead, you called a call center, probably in another time zone.

There are some reputable companies, and what they usually do is flood the Internet search engines and phone book ad sections with addresses, websites, and even businesses that are all phony. It happens at astounding ratios, like 50 to 1, meaning that with every legitimate locksmith company you might find, there’s 50 that are made up. That’s all done to boost the odds of you calling a phony.

Step 2. They Confuse You With A Vague Business Name

When you actually do call, the locksmith that answers isn’t going to use the company name you think you’re calling. Rather, they’ll use a generic name since they have calls coming in from multiple phony names. You will get asked where you are at though, and they’ll send a fellow scammer to you.

Step 3. They’ll Claim Your Lock Can’t Be Picked

Any legitimate locksmith knows that picking a lock is the cheapest way to open any door. It’s also the easiest, simplest, and quickest way.

Scammers know that too, but they’ll tell you they can’t pick a lock for various reasons. The lock is too new. A pin is broken or stuck. The lock is too old. It’s all bait and switch. The $25 quote you got over the phone just turned into several hundred bucks. They might take out their drill right away, and then charge you labor for that!

Step 4. They Destroy Your Lock To Boost Their Profit

They’ll drill a hole in your lock, because that’s the way they say they’ll open your door, by destroying the lock. Except the problem is they just ruined it. Now you need a replacement, so you have to spend more money on fresh hardware. Not only will you have to spend money on solving the problem, but now a new lock, a new installation…where does it end?

Step 5. They Only Take Cash So There’s No Possibility Of Return Of Funds

Locksmith scammers almost never take credit cards, because those charges are reversible. They almost always insist on cash, and they might accept debit cards since those funds are not reversible. There are also quite a few states that don’t require locksmiths to be licensed or registered, and those states are where scammer locksmiths tend to operate.

Can You Do Anything For Protection From A Locksmith Scammer?

You should find a local and reputable locksmith you can trust just as soon as you settle into a new home. If you’re not entirely sure how to do this, we can help you. Open up your phone directory and put this locksmith’s phone number in there. You have no idea when it might prove handy. If you’re still not sure where you can find legitimate locksmiths or how you can verify them, then visit ALOA.org.

The ALOA Security Professionals Association is not the only association in the locksmith industry, but it’s certainly the world’s most reputable and trusted. It’s not just present in the United States but also has international chapters around the world. Robust background checks are necessary for any locksmith that wants to join this esteemed organization as a member.

We are proud to be a member of ALOA. Call or contact us right away to learn more about the services and products we offer, of if you have any questions about possibly finding a locksmith professional in your area. We’re waiting to hear from you today!