avoid scammer locksmiths

How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off by Scammers Posing as Locksmiths

Nothing’s worse than realizing you’ve been locked out of your home or that your business doors aren’t properly secured. Having a locksmith you trust in your contacts list is vital. Today scams are common and it’s easy to feel vulnerable when these situations occur.

Here’s how to avoid getting ripped off by scammers posing as reputable locksmiths.

Do Your Research

Unfortunately, thieves are getting smarter today and leveraging technology as a way to fool innocent consumers. They can do things like caller ID spoofing and phone number forwarding so you think you’re calling a local company but the call is rerouted out of state or to a call center in another country. Many are now also creating imposter company names similar to legit businesses in the area in an attempt to trick someone who is in a panicked rush to find a locksmith.

Be sure to check the BBB for credibility and have a company you trust lined up in advance of an issue occurring with your locks. That established relationship will be important to keeping you safe and protecting your wallet from being overcharged.

Be Careful of Low Price Baiting

You may also find yourself questioning if you’ve been had if you choose a locksmith who shows up to do an emergency lock job and hands you an astronomical bill at the end of the service for something that should have been a quick, easy fix. This is another tactic that non-reputable locksmiths are using to prey on those vulnerable and looking to regain access to their home and belongings.

To trap consumers they bait them in with a service listed on their site as being $19 (and up) and then show up to the job and begin up charging and naming fees and services needed for extra security and other false claims ultimately ending in a bill almost 4x the original quote.

Reputable Locksmiths Have Value-Adds

A reputable locksmith such as All American Locksmiths will offer more accurate pricing and quotes for customers. One option that can easily help get a better quote (and that All American Locksmith’s offers) is emailing photos of the actual lock along with a description of the problem they are having.

Companies that plan to use up charging tactics won’t offer this so they can leave room for technicians to give a higher price once they arrive on the scene. With this communication, there’s less room for surprises and you can feel confident in selecting a reputable locksmith company.

We offer prompt lockout services, new locks, and more throughout Connecticut & Westchester County. Get in touch today!

high security safe

How a Commercial Locksmith Can Help Protect Your Customers

As a business, you likely understand just how important your customers are. They are ultimately the reason your doors are open. Regardless of how big your business is, you need the customers to be loyal, trusting and continue to do business with you.

In today’s society, with financial security threats on the rise, one of the best things you can do as a business is help your customers feel confident that their information is safe with you.

Whether you’re a nail salon or bank, having high-security safes is one way to protect physical documents and paperwork with sensitive data.

Commercial locksmiths aren’t just available to help with access control on doors, you can also work with a locksmith for maintaining high-security safes on premises.

Storing all documents with sensitive financial data in a safe is the only way to protect the information from thieves.

With high-security locks you’re getting a safe that’s harder to break into. The lock’s cylinder is more complex internally so it can’t be easily “picked” open by a burglar and you may even go a step further and add a keypad to the lock requiring a special code to open the safe.

In today’s highly competitive market filled with security threats, it’s important to pay attention to the ways you can improve safety while also keeping your customers happy and coming back to make future purchases.

All American Locksmiths serves Connecticut and Westchester County, NY with safes that help protect your valuable business files, money and more! If you have questions about which safe will best suit your needs, our expert team of licensed locksmiths can help you choose the right safe for you.

Get in touch today!

car key fob lock

Lock Security: Should You Get a New Fob?

Keeping your car locked and safe from intruders seem like a pretty easy task nowadays. Just remember to push the lock button before exiting the vehicle or hit the alarm key fob as you walk away.

While this method won’t keep a criminal from smashing the window and trying to take the car, it’s certainly the first defense in keeping unauthorized people from entering your car.

Just as with residential locks on your front door and windows this closed access will deter theft and help you keep the peace of mind when you’re not present to monitor the premises.

The great thing about technology and advancements is that it’s now much easier to keep track of our cars location (GPS), keep it ready and comfortable when you get inside of it (remote start) and for some more futuristic types, even drive without us doing any of the work (self-driving cars).

Beware though. There are still risks even with these advancements that hackers are discovering and exploiting daily. One recent news report comments on the latest warning from a security expert and points to the hacking of key fobs where criminals are intercepting the signal given out by the fob when a user tries to lock the car with it from a distance. Once they gain the codes needed they can open and steal the car.

As a solution, some people are wrapping the fobs in tin foil to try and block the hackers from grabbing the code. This works only to a limited degree and this news has spurred discussions around the security of key fobs altogether since some manufacturers have reused codes. Instead of tinfoil, some consumers are heading to the dealers to get new fobs altogether.

Another option for keeping your car secure if you’re unsure who has a spare copy of the key would be to have the ignition rekeyed by a locksmith. With this process, you’ll end up with a new key that works to start the car and open the doors and that you know for sure only you have possession of.

Locksmiths are an important investment in your security and should be considered for all of your residential and commercial lock needs. All American Locksmiths is proud to serve customers in Connecticut and Westchester County, NY.

Having trouble with your locks? Contact us today!