Locksmith scams to avoid: fake local listings, lowball quotes and forced drilling

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What is the most common locksmith scam?

A price that changes after the locksmith arrives. Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection, which issued an alert about locksmith scams in July 2026, calls it a bait-and-switch: you are offered a low price to unlock a door, and when the "locksmith" gets there the job is suddenly "more complicated than anticipated" and the price goes up. The Better Business Bureau describes phone quotes as low as $15, after which victims often end up paying hundreds more than they were told. Washington's Attorney General says it gets complaints every month about so-called local locksmiths charging double or more the quoted fee. Ohio's Attorney General sued an operation whose customers, it said, were told an opening would cost $19 and regularly paid much more.

The low number is the bait. A lockout quoted far below every published price range is not a bargain; the cost guide shows what those ranges are.

How do fake "local" locksmiths work?

Through search results and phone numbers that look local. The agencies' accounts fit together.

• The listing. Washington's office says most consumers who complained to it had searched for "locksmith" and clicked a top-ranked result. Connecticut says fraudulent businesses pay for strong search keywords so they appear first.
• The phone number. Connecticut says phony locksmith businesses run multiple numbers into a single call center, often out of state or out of the country. In the Ohio case, calls to numbers on local-sounding websites were transferred to an out-of-state call center, which then sent a contracted locksmith from the consumer's area.
• The names. The BBB says scammers often borrow the name and logo of a reputable locksmith, and may answer the phone with a generic "Hello, locksmith services". Ohio's office warns about businesses that use several names to hide a poor record.

ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, describes the same operators from inside the trade as often part of a nationwide network that invests heavily in search advertising while claiming local service. That is ALOA's account.

The method is not confined to locksmiths. In May 2026 the Federal Trade Commission and the State of Illinois sued a company they allege built thousands of fake listings for home repair businesses that did not exist, with addresses that were made up or belonged to unrelated people, and routed callers to representatives elsewhere. The complaint's examples are electrical, plumbing, heating and garage door repair; it does not mention locksmiths.

Are the reviews real?

Not always. Connecticut says locksmith scammers pay for fake reviews to look highly rated, and suggests treating a cluster of reviews posted in a short time, reviewers with a single review, and five-star reviews with no detail as warning signs. The FTC complaint above alleges fabricated five-star reviews were used to drown out real one-star ones.

Why would a locksmith insist on drilling?

In the scam the BBB describes, to sell you a new lock. It says scammers may claim your door cannot be opened and insist on drilling out the old lock and fitting a new, expensive one, and calls that most likely a deception, since a skilled locksmith can open just about any lock. Ohio's office says to be skeptical of a locksmith who says the only way in is to break the lock. ALOA says that going straight to drilling is often a sign of a scammer.

The BBB adds a second layer: scammers like to sell "extra-secure" locks that are actually cheap. If you are told you need a high-security replacement, ask for the product name and price in writing before it goes in.

What other signs do agencies list?

• Cash only. Connecticut says scammers often demand cash. ALOA says a cash-only demand is meant to stop you from disputing the charge on your card.
• High pressure. Connecticut names high-pressure tactics alongside an extremely low price and missing identification as the signs that something is off.
• No identification. Connecticut says scammers often arrive in unmarked vehicles, without uniforms and without ID. Washington's office says they may damage doors trying to open them and still demand more money.
• No straight answer on the phone. Connecticut says to hang up if the person cannot give an exact address.

The BBB makes one more point that is easy to miss: a scam locksmith now knows where you live and how to get back in.

What about door-to-door security sales?

Different rules apply when a seller comes to you. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives you three days to cancel many sales made at your home, and the seller must tell you about that right and give you two copies of a cancellation form. The rule has exceptions that matter here: it does not cover sales needed to meet an emergency, or work you invited someone in to do as a repair, though anything sold beyond that request is covered. Pennsylvania's home improvement law separately gives a three-day right to cancel contracts over $500, and the Attorney General says locksmiths doing home installations must register under that law. What Pennsylvania requires of locksmiths explains both.

What should you do if it happened to you?

• Write it down while it is fresh. ALOA suggests recording the company name, the technician's name, the date, time and place, the business address and phone number, and a description of what happened, with photos of the paperwork and the vehicle.
• Dispute a card payment. The BBB says an itemized invoice is the proof you need to dispute a charge, and recommends paying by credit card for that reason.
• Report it. Complaints in Pennsylvania go to the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, which takes them online or by mail. The BBB also collects reports through its Scam Tracker.

The best defense is to choose before you are locked out. How to choose a locksmith sets out the checks, and businesses are listed on the locksmiths directory page.

Sources

1. Consumer Alert: Locked Out? Be Wary of Scammers Posing as Locksmith Technicians, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
2. Keys to avoiding locksmith fraud, Washington State Office of the Attorney General
3. Beware: Searching for Local Locksmiths May Lead to Faraway Call Centers, Ohio Attorney General
4. BBB Scam Alert: Locked out? Don't fall for a locksmith scam, Better Business Bureau
5. How to Spot a Scammer Locksmith, ALOA Security Professionals Association
6. FTC and Illinois Take Action to Stop Deceptive Conduct by Company that Created Thousands of Business Listings of Fake Local Home Repair Businesses, Federal Trade Commission
7. Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help, Federal Trade Commission
8. Submit a Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
9. Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General