**BEWARE** of Salt Lake Locksmith Scams

Jul 8
07:09

2010

Johnny Locksmith

Johnny Locksmith

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We're not quite sure what draws so many locksmith scams here to Utah, maybe it's the fresh air or the friendly, trusting people. Whatever it is that draws scammers here, there's no doubt that over the past few years Salt Lake City, Utah has become a feeding ground for scammers posing as reputable locksmith companies. Their goal is usually always the same, take as much money as possible from stranded victims.

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We're not quite sure what draws so many locksmith scams here to Utah,**BEWARE** of Salt Lake Locksmith Scams Articles maybe it's the fresh air or the friendly, trusting people.  Whatever it is that draws scammers here, there's no doubt that over the past few years Salt Lake City, Utah has become a feeding ground for scammers posing as reputable locksmith companies.  Their goal is usually always the same, take as much money as possible from stranded victims.  They don't seem to care who the victims are either, young mothers, the elderly, and in one case even a man that was on his way to the hospital for surgery! 

Like a Praying Mantis they blend in with their surroundings by offering the same services as reputable Salt Lake Locksmiths such as 24 hour service, 30 minute dispatch and other emergency services and then when the opportune time comes, they move in for the kill.  They usually employ the same techniques: quoting one price over the phone and then charging a drastically different price after the work is done, charging outrageous fees such as "Break In Fees" or "Uninstalling Old Locks Fees", taking payment before actually doing any work and last but certainly not least, rushing you to sign their waiver (this is typically where the fine print is that says they can do all of these things to you).  This victim from Murray Utah has a story that illustrates almost all of their techniques perfectly;

"So yesterday I am on my way to surgery, yeah thats right surgery, we get to the baby sitters house and we lock our keys inside the car, so we are in a huge hurry and we call this company in the phone book, Dependable Locks Inc. that says they are "fast" so the technition gets to the place where we are at and he says to me here sign this, so I sign the paper, no I did not read it because I am already late for my surgery, he gets done takes less then a minute, and my wife gives him the credit card and we take off in a hurry, after all is said and done we get home, and looking at the receipt for the lock out, he charged $39.00 service fee and a $98.00 lock out fee that is $137.00 I just about died right there, so we call there customer service office and we ask them how much it is for a lock out they say $39.00 service fee and $15.00 for the lock out, so we ask for a "manager" because we feel we have been ripped off bad, and nobody will help us out at all, they just say, you signed the waiver and thats that, won't even try to make us happy, I urge you never use this company!!!"

Now, we understand that businesses aren't charities and they need to be paid for their services we get that, but companies like this that prey on victims that are in an emergency situation knowing that they are usually so frazzled that they won't bother reading through what they are signing has got to stop!

Luckily there is hope, local news station KSL recently ran a report on this company and other would be Salt Lake Locksmiths and had this to say;

"The BBB has singled out Dependable Locksmith – which operates under more than a dozen different names – for harsh criticism, calling it “particularly disreputable.”  The group says the company poses as a local locksmith in cities across the country and advertises in the yellow pages using local phone numbers and fake local addresses. A consumer might think they’re dealing with a local locksmith but their phone call is actually connected to a call center located in the Bronx borough of New York City.  Consumers are quoted a reasonable price over the phone but when the locksmith arrives – typically in an unmarked vehicle – he demands significantly more money than originally quoted, often only accepting cash.  A complaint from Cleveland, OH, where Dependable Locksmith was operating under the name “Superb Solutions,” alleges the company quoted fees of $39 and $84 for separate jobs, but the bill ended up at $471, which included add-on fees such as a $65 breaking in fee and a $58 fee to uninstall old locks.  Another complainant reported that the locksmith sent to let her into her car demanded she pay twice the price quoted over the phone. The locksmith offered to drive her to an ATM to get cash. Feeling unsafe the victim refused."