Let’s clarify what’s happening behind the scenes. When you call the number, you’re reaching a call center, not a real locksmith shop. It’s a mass operation, and chances are you’re speaking to someone far away, maybe even in a different state.

The person on the line earns a commission to book jobs or appointments. They have tricks to make everything seem professional, but I can assure you, they are not truly professional at all.

Some methods they employ involve a series of well-coordinated steps. First, they gather your address information and then utilize the internet to look up your specific address. This process enables them to identify various landmarks in your area that can aid in their service delivery. After thorough analysis, they inform you that you are in luck because they currently have a service technician stationed nearby, who is available and can arrive at your location within just a few minutes to assist you promptly. This efficient approach not only saves time but also ensures that your needs are addressed without unnecessary delays.

So far, you are quite impressed with their level of professionalism, and you are more than happy to have them come out and assist you with your needs. However, the problem is that you have only just begun to scratch the surface of the nightmare that is soon to await you. Initially, they provide you with a low-ball price for the service call, but what they conveniently fail to inform you is that this appealing price only covers the initial visit. You discover this unsettling truth only after the service technician arrives at your location to help you. At that point, you realize that the costs associated with the actual work needed may escalate far beyond the original quote, leaving you feeling trapped and frustrated.

The next thing they do is inform you that a service technician will be calling you back shortly. This is primarily because they need to first locate a locksmith from their extensive database to assign the job to. This entire process can take a considerable amount of time. As a result, they keep reaching out to you, all the while you remain under the impression that someone is on their way to assist you with your needs. Unfortunately, the reality is that they are merely trying to find a locksmith that is more akin to a scam artist to send your way, rather than a qualified professional who can genuinely help you.

After waiting for an hour or two, someone finally arrives to help you. They usually come in an unmarked car and can be rude and aggressive. They then inform you that the cost is much higher than what you were quoted over the phone—around $200 instead of the $25 or $35 you expected. Feeling stuck after such a long wait, you agree to let them unlock your car in just a few minutes.

If you are locked out of your house, it can be very stressful because some people like to fool you. The biggest lie they tell is that you have a special high-security lock and the only way to open it is by drilling it out. This is not true for several reasons. First, these people are not real locksmiths; they lack any training or certification. Second, once they drill out your locks, they have to sell you new ones. They often carry low-quality locks in their vehicles and charge you around $100 for each lock. Plus, they add other charges to your bill. Before you know it, you could end up paying $400 to $600 just to get back into your house.

Stories like this keep happening: people getting locked out of their homes or cars become targets for certain services.  Let me explain what’s happening behind the scenes. They run a multi-state call center scam, using big internet search companies. They spend a lot of money monthly on these advertisers to generate leads. There’s actually a science to the online marketing industry. They use various tricks to ensure their phone number appears on your phone when you’re looking for a locksmith. This scam is so clever that no matter where you live, you’ll see results claiming they operate nearby, with a local number showing up. You might think you’re calling a local business with a shop close by, but that’s far from the truth. In reality, you’re calling a national center, and all the local numbers connect to one central call center, typically located in Florida or New Jersey.

After you give them your phone number and location, they enter it into their system. It’s important to realize they are focused on getting jobs, not being professional locksmiths. They know you probably won’t call them again, so their main goal is to make a quick profit. However, they need to appear legitimate on the surface. They spend a lot of money to create professional-looking websites, making it seem like they are a large locksmith company in your area. In reality, they are part of a large business that is hidden from the public. They run a multi-million dollar locksmith scam.

You might be wondering how this is possible and why they aren’t shut down. Great questions! First, yes, it is legal. Only a few states require locksmiths to be licensed. For example, in Georgia, a convicted felon can be a locksmith. The only need is a business license, which costs around $100 a year. Anyone can obtain this license as a locksmith since it isn’t classified as a professional title. Interestingly, in all 50 states, hairdressers must have a state-issued license, pass a background check, and prove their skills with a practical test. In contrast, only about 14 states require locksmiths to have a state-issued license.

Scammers are clever and understand the laws. They don’t operate in states that require locksmith licenses, and we often feel powerless against them. But is there a way to fight back?

That’s where AA Lock & Key comes in. We’ve been a family-owned locksmith for over 37 years. We don’t use ads and we don’t play games. All our customers come from referrals or repeat business. We’ve found a method to stop the scammers in their tracks before they even realize it. I hope your interest is piqued. Keep reading for our latest insights, and together we can outsmart them.

Here’s how you can protect yourself and your family from SCAMMERS. First, educate yourself about SCAMS, just like you’re doing by reading this article. Next, find a local locksmith before you actually need one. This gives you time to check their reputation and ensure they are trustworthy. Once you identify a reliable company, save their name and phone number in your phone.

The first step to protect yourself from locksmith scams is important, but there’s another crucial step. Real locksmiths aren’t always available when you need them. Most trustworthy locksmiths work from Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. While some offer after-hours service, they can be hard to find. This next step is essential to making the process work.

With the locksmith you’ve saved in your phone, have them make spare keys for everything you own. Get spare house keys and spare car keys for each vehicle. This is very important. Today’s cars have computers, and the keys are part of an anti-theft system that requires professional skills to create. The days of simply getting a key cut at the hardware store are gone.

Make sure you have at least two working keys that start each car you own.

The same goes for your house keys. Ensure you have spare keys for your home. Keep one spare key hidden in a secret spot outside your home that only you and your family know about.

Now you’re fully protected from scams.

For your spare key, you can use a car hider box outside the car. However, many people don’t want to leave an expensive key fob outside. Instead, ask the locksmith to make a simple metal door key. Hide the spare key fob inside the car. This way, if you get locked out or lose your everyday key, you’ll have the metal key to get inside. Then, you can retrieve the hidden fob from inside, and you’ll be back on the road in seconds—no need to call a locksmith because you planned ahead.

This is the final step to ensure everything works properly. It’s crucial not to overlook it. If you ever need to use your spare key, remember to put it back in its safe spot for the next time. If you lose your main key and rely on the spare, contact your locksmith to get a new spare made. Skipping this step could lead to trouble, and you might end up having to call a SCAMMER, which is what you want to avoid.

It’s important to always have two working keys for your vehicle. Having duplicate keys is much easier and cheaper than making a new key from scratch if all keys are lost. Typically, getting a spare key made costs around $150, but if you need a brand new key when both keys are gone, it can cost between $400 and $600, depending on the vehicle. In some cases, it can even reach $2,000, especially if the vehicle needs to be towed to the dealership. Many people don’t realize the high-tech systems found in modern keys. These systems are expensive to install in vehicles today, making it costly to get a replacement key. Additionally, you should be cautious of scammers. They can damage your vehicle, leading to costly repairs. The best way to protect yourself is to educate yourself about this widespread issue.

Hopefully you have found this article both informative and educational. We sincerely encourage you to follow the advice and insights shared in this posting. Our main focus here on this website is to help the general public stay informed and empowered with accurate and valuable information. We want to assure you that we don’t engage in advertising, and our primary goal is not to sell you anything. If you live within our service area and would like to make an appointment with us, we wholeheartedly welcome your calls or comments, as we value open communication with our community. However, we want to emphasize that we will never employ high-pressure sales tactics or attempt to sell you anything during our interactions.

AA Lock And Key