Unfortunately locksmith scams have rapidly increased worldwide. Believe it or not, these scams have become one of the biggest and most common frauds due to the necessity of the service. If you are looking for a reliable locksmith in Philadelphia, you must call Kingston locksmith. We are reliable, affordable and trustworthy locksmith in the area. It would be great if every locksmith would have the same thoughts about service, as we all know some locksmith companies take advantage of people who were locked out of their house or vehicle and they just see this as an opportunity to make fast money.
There are some things you can do to avoid being scammed by these people. Of course paying attention, planning ahead and being cautious sometimes is not enough, that’s why we would like to help you avoid locksmith scams sharing these valuable tips:
HAVE A LOCKSMITH IN MIND
You should always search for a locksmith in advance. Preferably if it’s one in your area. Being prepared is the first step, you should have their phone number, call them to have some initial information and save the number for an emergency. But not focus on the phone number, check their address and make sure it actually exists as it is advertised.
GET AN ESTIMATE
It is important that before hiring the service, you get an estimate. Ask for all the necessary information about different costs such as service fees, emergency costs, labor costs etc. Never allow anyone to start the job without knowing how much the service will actually cost.
ASK FOR ID
Always ask the technician to show his ID. Sometimes it is necessary to be suspicious especially if he will be opening your car or house. Ask for an ID to make sure they are who they say they are. Checking his ID will make you feel safer.
CHECK THE VEHICLE FOR IDENTIFICATION
Every single technician who works for a locksmith company, should arrive in a marked vehicle. If the person doesn’t, don’t allow him to start the work. If he really works for a legitimate company, he will not only arrive in a marked vehicle but he will also wear a uniform with a logo.
GET AN ESTIMATE
Getting an estimate especially if it is a written estimate, will cover you from hidden fees. If they don’t want to give you a written one, something is wrong. Dishonest locksmiths will probably change their estimate as soon as they arrive adding extra fees sometimes even before they start working.
PHONE ESTIMATE VS ONSITE ESTIMATE
Both estimates should match, if they give you an estimate over the phone but this changes by the time the technician arrives, this means they are including hidden fees that will sometimes double or triple the real price of the service.
DON’T BELIEVE ON LOW QUOTES
If a locksmith has a fee of $15-$25, you can know that this price will be much higher by the time they arrive. Just knock them off the list and look for a real and reliable locksmith.
REAL LOCKSMITH NAMES
If you call and they don’t answer providing the real name but instead use phrases such as “locksmith services” or “Locksmith at your service” you can identify that it is not a legitimate company.
DRILLING AND REPLACEMENT
Experienced locksmith technicians never drill a lock. They are highly trained to open it without causing any damage. If someone offers to drill or replace it, is because they just can’t do the job.
PAYING METHOD
Most fake locksmith companies will ask you to pay cash. If they don’t have any other paying method, this means they are not a legitimate company. Nowadays most legitimate companies accept checks, credit and debit cards and cash.
We hope these tips can prevent you from being scammed. If you need a real, professional and outstanding locksmith, call Kingstone Locksmith or visit us at https://kingstonelocksmith.com to know about all our guaranteed services.
Kingstone Locksmith
5343 Chestnut St Unit 1
Philadelphia, PA 19139
267-498-9600
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