In Buffalo and Elsewhere
Within the last couple years, countless national and local scam locksmith companies have sprouted all over the US. By exploiting their customer's stressful situations and innocence they are able to charge ridiculous amounts of money, in extreme cases even more than 10 times the market price. Of course it's not an ideal situation that as a security services customer you need to watch out for the provider of such services. The good news is that to a knowledgeable person, avoiding these scammers shouldn't be hard. Following both examples of foul practices and tips to avoid them.
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1. Don't be fooled by full and double page ads in the phonebook, or professional looking websites. These companies rely on IMAGE and professional image is very easily bought through advertisement. The phonebook company is happy for the business, they don't do a single credibility check, and professional looking web pages are made by web designers, not locksmiths. No matter how professional and established a company seems, do not let your guard down.
2. ALWAYS FOR A QUOTE. "30$ plus labor" is not an acceptable answer - this "labor" most likely will turn into hundreds of dollars. If given a price range, you can safely assume you'll be charged the maximum amount quoted. Replacing car keys, rekeying locks and opening houses and cars are all routine tasks for a locksmith and an exact price should be quoted.
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