Thousands of phony listings for locksmiths have been placed all over the internet and in local phone books. Victims usually call what they think is a local locksmith, at a very low price, only to find out they've been scammed! These phony locksmiths advertise at local addresses when they are dispatched from call centers usually out of state. What can you do to make sure you don't get scammed?

  1. When you call a locksmith, ask them where THEY are located before you tell them where you are. (There are some locksmiths that do not have a storefront and are mobile only, but they can still give you their home address, or an address they can be found in event there is a problem with the service)
  2. Make sure they have a physical address on their business cards and invoices before you allow them to perform the work.
  3. Request a business certificate or tax certificate to make sure they are a legal business.
  4. Write down all information from the locksmiths drivers license and license plate before you allow them to perform any work.
  5. Make sure they answer the phone by the business name you call from the ad, NOT a generic greeting such as "Locksmith"
  6. The more questions you can ask to confirm the locksmith you call is reputable and they can be found in the event there is a problem, the better!

In the event you have been scammed in Massachusetts please contact the Attorney General Martha Coakley's office at (617) 727-2200 to file a report.

We would also request you forward any and all info on the scammers to MA-Investigations@hotmail.com For a reputable locksmith in the Massachusetts area go to www.masslocksmiths.org

To view some of the many stories on these scammers check out the following links: