Scammers Resource

Illegitimate or ‘scam’ locksmith businesses have become a serious problem nationwide over the past decade. We at South Side Lock & Key took notice of it back in 2007 when several operations began advertising via full or half-page spreads in the local phone directories and/or flooding the internet search engines with generic names and vague, ‘promise you everything’ website content. In general, a ‘scam’ operation uses a common and completely legitimate business model but corrupts it by injecting dishonest and sub-standard service. Typically, those operations which have done ‘well’ using this model have set up a ‘call center’ on the east coast or the mid-west or the deep south and then proceeded to ‘set up shop’ in a given city or town by establishing a PO Box, saturating the local advertising media and then hiring some less- than-qualified ‘sub contractors’ to act as a ‘locksmiths’. When a prospective customer from a local market---often in desperate need of an emergency service---would call these remote centers, the ‘locksmith’ on the other end would be nothing more than a dispatcher whose only job was to farm out the service call to a local contractor and then collect a commission when the (sub standard) job was complete. Pricing, needless to say, is often of the ‘bait and switch’ variety, arrival time estimates are usually greatly exaggerated, and typically, no warranty—or even a receipt---is provided.

Are you concerned about such ‘scam’ operations moving from larger markets into cities such as Cincinnati and Dayton? Are you wanting some assurance that South Side Lock & Key is indeed local, legitimate, and honest?

To best address your concerns please allow us to first note that South Side is an A-rated member of the local BBB and is a certified member of the Associated Locksmiths of America.  Both of these bodies are very concerned with honesty and integrity on the part of their members and ALOA especially requires that all members follow a strict code of ethics available for all to review on their website, ALOA.org.  ALOA has, additionally, taken steps to combat such 'scam' locksmiths by working with local attorneys general in various states to educate the public and expose the deceptive and often fraudulent practices that are giving the trade a less than favorable reputation it surely does not deserve.  Finally, we would advise you to ask the following questions of any locksmith before contracting for any service, commercial or residential.

• Are you a member of the LOCAL Better Business Bureau?  Can we verify that on their website?
• Where are you located?  Is your operation based in Dayton or am I speaking with a dispatch center in another city/state?
• Do you use sub-contractors?  Are they ALOA certified?
• Does your phone quote represent the total cost or merely the service charge?  Will your tech stand by your quote?
• Will you provide a detailed receipt for services rendered?  What about warranties?

South Side has been contacted on at least one occasion by an operation fitting this bill. We quickly and firmly said no to a proposed ‘deal’ in which we would become the ‘sub contractor’ in question. Ask the questions we did. Before anyone steps foot on your property, you should have satisfactory answers to all of the above.  Let us take the quiz....you won't be disappointed!  CALL TODAY!

Links associated with ALOA: http://www.findalocksmith.com/ Check out ALOA’s resource for locating legitimate and trustworthy certified locksmiths. http://www.aloa.org/legislation/ For updates on ALOA’s efforts and links to news stories about the problem. Also has a link to report a local problem to your attorney general.

Related Links

• Our Promise
• Scammers Resource