Once in a while, as humans, we misread the character of a person. It happens more often than not when we meet someone in their professional role. Perhaps because of their self-proclaimed popularity or patronage or, based on how prestigious and lovable they seem to be, we forget to ask the right questions. Essentially, all professionals we meet are hired for their expertise in an effort to improve something in our lives, perhaps even our own safety. Locksmith services, in addition to Real Estate Brokers, are among the most commonly required when purchasing a home. This may come as a surprise to some, but locksmiths play a significant role in our overall sense of safety in our homes.
The locksmith profession is a sensitive profession that can easily be prone to criminal activity on the basis of the privilege of access to valuables and other properties of clients. The profession is therefore one that requires the involvement of honest and disciplined professionals only. There are many important factors to consider before hiring a locksmith to ensure that you hire a professional rather than a burglar.
We asked the owner of Get-Locksmith to summarize the most important advice collected throughout the years by their Locksmiths. With local branches across the nation they have seen the result of the damage the unskilled Locksmith can do, and even worse, when the Locksmith has turned out to be a disguised criminal. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself, and the Locksmith, you want to hire to avoid being scammed;
You Must Be Wary Of Prices That Seem Too Good To Be True
This is simple and straightforward advice. It is a natural tendency for the average person to be attracted to low prices and this is understandable but the issue is that scammers understand this fact and may thus seek to exploit that medium to exploit innocent and unsuspecting members of the public are just seeking to find a good deal. It is safe to say that you avoid clicking on prices within the range of $39 – $59. If you are too greedy then you could be a natural fit for scammers to exploit.
False Claims
A criminal will want to appeal to your emotional sensibilities by offering bogus claims of memberships of various associations. You should go a step further by ensuring that the company the locksmith belongs to is a full Master Locksmiths approved company.
Third-party Verification
Claiming to be vetted by a third party is a worthless claim that means nothing. The so-called third party may just be part of a criminal syndicate. Although; the third party may be genuine nonetheless, it is best to go a step further by asking the locksmith to provide verifiable evidence of the third-party verification.
Locksmiths Claiming To Have Worked With The Police Before
Think about it for a second, if I think you would suspect that I am a criminal, informing you that I have worked with the police before is capable of calming your nerves and confirming my genuineness to you. Do not be immediately impressed by such bogus claims because the police force is unlikely to recommend a locksmith company. A locksmith that has worked with the police before is not likely to use the police logo in providing evidence of work experience. The police force is a government agency and even if they were well served by a locksmith is unlikely to recommend them because an average scammer is unlikely to scam the police but this may not be so with members of the public.
Two Final Tips To Keep You Safe
1. Check for Credentials
If they offer any certifications, do not ignore, check and verify. You must verify if that organization is recognized and licensed by the government to operate the services they are operating. You should also reach out to the organization and ascertain if they know that individual.
2. Patronize a Professional Locksmith Service
Since many states are still without proper regulations of the activities of locksmiths, your best bet is to patronize a reputable agency. In your attempt to avoid scams, there is no gainsaying in recommending that you patronize locksmiths that are members of a verifiable and reputable agency; by doing this, you will be outsourcing the duty of background checks to the association. The agency must recruit skilled, competent, and trustworthy individuals. You can go a long way to avoid the heartache and the stress that comes with conducting background checks on locksmiths when you sign up with a well established brand. If at all there’s any major issue or complaint then the company can handle it until you are satisfied with the quality of the service rendered.
It is important to note that many states dont have locksmith regulations and as a result, there isn’t much guarantee that the locksmith you are negotiating with isn’t a criminal or burglar. It is also a natural thing to rely on recommendations of others but remember it doesnt guarantee professionalism so make sure the locksmith recommended to you is associated with a brand that has been around for a long time. All of these tips will help prevent you from falling prey to unscrupulous individuals who may want to fleece you of your resources.
