How to avoid a locksmith scam: 9 red flags

A lockout puts you in a weak spot: you are stuck, often cold, sometimes late at night, and you need help fast. Scammers know that. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office has warned Minnesotans about out-of-state companies posing as local neighborhood locksmiths, and its consumer brochure describes people who were quoted one price on the phone and charged far more once the "locksmith" arrived.

Here is how the scam works, the red flags to watch for, and what an honest call looks like.

How the scam works

According to the Attorney General's Office, these outfits use internet ads and phone listings that look like local mom-and-pop shops, with local town names, local-looking phone numbers and addresses, and claims of being "part of the community" for decades. In reality, an out-of-state call center takes your call and forwards it to a contractor who shows up and sets the real price.

The brochure gives real Minnesota examples: one woman was quoted $95 for a car lockout and charged $260 after the technician insisted on making a new key, even though her key was in the car. A University of Minnesota student locked out on a cold night was quoted a small service fee plus $35, then told the price was $140 when the locksmith arrived.

9 red flags

1. The phone is answered "Locksmith" or "Locksmith services," not with a business name. The Attorney General's Office specifically warns about this.
2. No business name or location when you ask. Do not use them.
3. A tiny quote with no total: "$19 service call" and nothing about the actual work.
4. No estimate until they see the car or lock. For cars, a locksmith should be able to quote from the year, make and model.
5. Drilling or replacing first. Most locks can be opened without damage. Drilling should be a last resort.
6. An unmarked car and no ID from the technician, or a name that does not match the bill.
7. A blank work order to sign before the job.
8. Cash only, with pressure to pay right now.
9. Many "local" listings with different names that all reach the same voice.

What a fair estimate looks like

The Attorney General's brochure recommends a detailed price estimate:

• For cars: a quote based on the year, make and model, including the total cost of all work, extra fees and parts
• For homes: a quote based on your type of lock, including any security parts like reinforced strikes or long screws
• The full price, not a service fee, including any after-hours charge

At SOS Locksmith Solutions that is how every call works: you hear the price before anyone drives out. See how our pricing works.

Check a locksmith before you need one

The best time to choose a locksmith is before you are locked out:

• Look up the business. In Minnesota you can search the Secretary of State business database to see if a company is registered and where.
• Ask friends and neighbors for someone they have actually used.
• Save the number in your phone and somewhere outside it.

Minnesota has no state license or bond requirement for locksmiths, according to the Attorney General's Office, so a licensing claim does not tell you much. Our guide on whether Minnesota licenses locksmiths explains what to check instead.

When the locksmith arrives

• Ask for identification and check that the name matches the business you called.
• Confirm the price before work starts. If something changed, you decide.
• Expect an ownership check. A real locksmith asks you to prove you live there or own the car.
• Get an itemized receipt showing the service call, labor and any parts.

If you think you were scammed

The Attorney General's Office suggests reporting possible crimes, like criminal damage to property or financial fraud, to your local police department or county sheriff's office. You can also contact the Minnesota Attorney General's Office directly.

Need a locksmith now in the Twin Cities? Call 763-600-3529. We answer with our name, SOS Locksmith Solutions, and give you the price before we come.