June 3, 2026 4 min readBy Tim, Open Sesame Lock & Key
Lockout scams work because you're stressed and in a hurry. The pattern is consistent enough that a few questions on the phone will screen out almost every bad actor.
The warning signs
- A rock-bottom flat rate advertised online that becomes something else entirely once someone is at your door.
- A generic phone greeting — 'locksmith service' — instead of a business name.
- An unmarked vehicle and no company ID.
- Reaching for the drill immediately on a standard residential deadbolt, then selling you replacement hardware they happen to carry.
- Cash only, and no written invoice.
Four questions to ask on the phone
- What's the total price range, including any trip charge, for this exact job?
- What's the legal business name and address?
- Will the person who arrives be the person I'm speaking to?
- Do you take card, and will I get an itemized invoice?
What normal looks like
- You get a price range on the phone, and the final bill matches it unless the job turns out to be different from what was described — in which case you're told before the work continues.
- Your ID gets checked. That's a good sign, not an insult.
- Damage-free entry is attempted first, and drilling is discussed with you before it happens.
- You get an invoice with a real business name on it.