Being locked out is a horrible experience. During the day, it’s not too bad. The sun is out and there are people around or it’s rainy and no one in their right mind would be outside. Middle of the night though, it’s a scary moment especially if you are female, alone, and live in a shady part of Chicago.
So what do you do? Well, you take out your phone, look for locksmiths in the Chicago area, and call the first one that comes up. You don’t want to wait in the dark. Ah, but is that the smart thing to do?
There are a lot of shoddy locksmiths out there. They get business by flooding the internet and making sure they are the first names you see. They claim they are a local company and that they charge low rates when the opposite is true. They count on their clients to be scared and desperate, thus willing to pay the price for their inferior work. So what do you do to make sure you’re not getting scammed?
Find Your Own Locksmith
This is a preventative measure. On a day when you’re not busy, check out the locksmith listings around town. There are many that list false addresses on their sites because clients hardly visit their location. Find one that actually exists and go in to meet the people who might end up working on your lock in the middle of the night. Keep their number on your phone. That way, if there is ever an emergency, you know you’ll be getting professional service.
Credentials
In the state of Illinois you must be licensed in order to be a real locksmith. If you’re searching on your phone for a locksmith in the middle of the night, do a quick check to make sure they are licensed. You don’t want an amateur trying to break into your door. They might break the lock or the door which equates to damages out of your pocket on top of the emergency service cost.
Picking
A true professional will always try to pick your lock first (unless it’s some sort of electronic or access control lock). Most front door locks are not exceedingly complicated. Give the locksmith a couple of minutes and you should be back into your home with no damage. Of course, if you have more complicated locks guarding your home, locksmiths have a variety of tools available for them to use such as drills and airbag pumps. However, if your locksmith breaks out these tools before attempting to pick your lock, it is a sign of their incompetence.
Quotes
A true locksmith will quote you a price as close as possible to what they will eventually change you and it will never exceed $100. The fakes not only end up damaging your door, but they will inevitable double, or even triple, the original price. Forgetting you’re keys has just become a third of your monthly paycheck.
Chicago Locksmith
At Chicago Locksmith, we provide 24/7 emergency locksmith services and we guarantee we are the real deal. You can call us or come down to our location to check us out. We promise we are a legitimate business that treats you, the customer, fairly. Ask us about our license and our experience. Whatever you want to know, we will answer and ease your worries. That way, the next time you have an emergency lockout, you know exactly who to call.
Don’t fall in the hands of locksmith scam artist see video
