Avoid this type of locksmith double-scam

Did you read the blog post of the woman who got locked out and called a locksmith who scammed her? Actually, she was scammed twice and didn’t even know it. The original quote was a $45 service fee and $39 for the cheapest lock (very reasonable). After arriving the “locksmith” said it would cost $185 to drill out the high-security Arrow lock. (Not sure from the story if it was $185 additional or included with the service fee and lock price.)

UH-OH!

SCAM #1 So which do you think is harder to do? Drill out a lock or pick it open? Anyone with a drill can drill out a lock. Picking locks takes skill, knowledge, time and specialized tools. Picking locks is not like it is shown on television. Since the locksmith told her the price would be $89 ($45 + $39) for the call, why would it cost another $96 to drill out a lock?

SCAM #2 Well, okay, so there is no way this woman would have known this, but Arrow Lock Company does NOT make high-security locks for residential purposes. It’s something any legitimate locksmith would know. So if that was the locksmith’s excuse for the high drill fee, he was being dishonest about his exorbitant fee.

The original blog was located at: http://asmor.livejournal.com/552384.html but when I rechecked it recently, it was not available.

Anyway, it should be noted that many times it is necessary to drill out a lock – especially if it has been damaged, corroded, is bump or pick-proof or is just not pickable. Since residential locks are made of cheaper material, corrosion is a common event in humid climates such as Florida especially in coastal areas where moisture, salt and sand all combine. About 35% of the locks we attempt to pick open have to be drilled out.