Locked out of your car? Beware locksmith scams

There are few services as wonderful as those provided by a good locksmith. This time-honored craft is often problem-solving at its very best. Having a master key system designed for a multi-unit apartment building to avoid carrying five pounds of brass, that is one key versus 10, is one of the wonders of the modern world. The ability to open the old office safe that no one has had the combination for in 30 years is another, not so minor, miracle.

Perhaps for many Mainers, the chief reason to find a locksmith is that you are locked out of your vehicle, often late at night. There are few things more frustrating or that give such a feeling of total helplessness as being unable to access your metal steed. Seeing the friendly locksmith van pull up to your dark, remote location is similar to seeing the cavalry come over the hill in an old Western movie. Sadly, not all locksmiths have the customer’s interests in mind. Some are interested only in fleecing their mark (you).

Most locksmiths, and especially those in our neck of the woods, are knowledgeable, honest, quick to respond to a customer in need, and charge a fair fee for services provided. In other parts of the country, especially large metropolitan areas, the problem begins in the telephone book. People needing to get access to their car will call what they think is a local locksmith company with a local address. The reality is that their call is rerouted to a national clearinghouse, which then dispatches someone less than scrupulous to your vehicle.

Most often, the bad guys arrive in unmarked cars and vans, and while they may have quoted a small cost, once on the scene, the rates change quickly, and so do the tactics. The customer is vulnerable and often feels there is no recourse except to pay.

“Lady, I can break the window and charge only $100 or I can jimmy the door, which will cost $200, the choice is yours.” Often the $35 fee quoted on the phone becomes $95 or more. If you pay by check there might be an exorbitant check-cashing fee. Provide a credit or debit card or cash and the roadside thief quickly rides off into the night, leaving the customer feeling fleeced. Checking the company’s address in the telephone book the next day, with the plan of complaining to management, often results in finding that the address given is bogus.

What can be done to prevent this crime? First, don’t get locked out of your vehicle in the first place. Consider placing a safety key in a magnetic box designed for this purpose and place it discretely on the vehicle. Remember that bad guys might be able to find the key, causing even bigger problems.

Additionally, given the status of Maine roads, many times these magnet key boxes are jarred off the vehicle unbeknownst the owner. Later, another surprise is in the offing, when the backup key is not there. Have a second key at home and with each driving family member.

Also, how important is it to have the vehicle locked in the first place? Maine’s governor likes to tell the story that there are only two reasons why Mainers lock their car. First, they are from away, or second, they have something to hide. While times have certainly changed, each owner must make his own safety assessment.

Let’s go back to our highway robbers. If they arrive in an unmarked vehicle, write down the plate number. Ask to see identification. If you can’t later find the business, notify the local chamber of commerce and law enforcement. If you pay by credit card, notify the credit card company and complain loudly. They might be willing to remove the charge or investigate the issue more directly. If your car is a rental, call the rental company first and have the people there recommend or send a locksmith to your location.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast CONTACT, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. Individual membership costs $25; business rates start at $125 (0-10 employees). Write Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.