BEWARE OF LOCKSMITH SCAMS

 You don’t always need the services of a Locksmith, but when you do it is usually an urgent need like:

  • You have accidentally locked yourself out of your house.
  • Your lock or key to your home has been damaged.
  • You have just moved in to a new home and need the locks changed.
  • You were the victim of a burglary and need the locks changed.


While most Locksmiths are legitimate, reputable contractors, there are those individuals that will try to pull a scam offering “emergency locksmith services.” These fraudulent locksmiths are not licensed or bonded and often have little experience in how to perform the services required of a locksmith.
Consider this incident reported to us by one of our customers( name changed to protect identity):
Mrs. Jones is an elderly widow that locked herself out of her home and could not get in that evening. She went to a neighbor’s home and they both looked through the yellow pages for a local locksmith. She saw a big ad for a “local locksmith offering 24 hour locksmith service at low service call rates” and called them and received what she felt was reasonable estimate. 25 minutes later, a man pulled up in a Ford Escape and introduced himself, handing her a business card. He looked at the lock and told her he would have to drill the lock to get her back into her home and it would cost her 3X what he quoted her on the phone. She got very nervous and offered to pay just the service call fee of $20.00 and then called us because she had seen our sign on her way to the grocery store.

How Can You Know if a Locksmith is Legitimate?


  • Most legitimate locksmiths will arrive in a clearly marked vehicle and/or in clothing that carries the company logo. At a minimum, the locksmith should have some sort of company identification.
  • When the locksmith arrives, ask for identification, including a locksmith license where applicable.
  • If the locksmith's on-site price doesn't match the phone estimate, don't allow work to be performed. Fraudulent locksmiths often inflate the final bill and insist the customer pay in cash.
  • If you're locked out, be cautious of companies that recommend or insist on drilling or replacing the lock up front. Most experienced locksmiths have the skills and tools to unlock almost any door.
  • Don’t rely only on the phone book or the internet to find a Locksmith when you need one. Check some legitimate contractor referral services like Angie’s list that have reviews from customers. Check the Better Business Bureau site for reviews and ratings of the business before hiring.
  • Ask for proof of licensing, insurance and bonding. A legitimate locksmith will have all of these for your review.
  • When you ask for an estimate, including emergency services, also ask about additional fees, service call minimums and whether you can pay by credit card before you agree to any work.


Once you find a 24 hour Locksmith in Bradenton that you are comfortable with, store their contact information in your wallet or cell phone so that the next time you need a Locksmith-you will know exactly who to call.