Fraudulent Locksmiths Illegally using Logos to Confuse Unknowing Consumers

We all have experienced it, you arrive home to find the latest edition of the local phone book has been delivered, sometimes wrapped in a plastic bag, sometimes just thrown in the general vicinity of your house. As the owner of a reliable, trustworthy local mesa locksmith business, I open it, fearing the worse; that the fraudulent locksmiths have again multiplied in number and/or increased their ad sizes to try and further suffocate local, reliable locksmiths out of our own market. And there it is - several more fraudulent locksmiths trying to look like local businesses. What makes them fraudulent? See below for the very concerning, very long list of reasons.

I'll leave the name of the business that prints this particular phone book that I just received out of this post as we are still in discussions with them about their blatant lack of policing who they allow in their book, even allowing these scam artists to claim to be part of their guaranteed business programs indicating to a consumer that that particular business has been verified as trustworthy. I would laugh if it wasn't so absolutely ludicrous at how many scammers are "verified" in this particular book.
On top of the increased amount of fraudulent listings and that the amount of full page ads for the fraudulent locksmiths now far outweighs the large ads for real local locksmith companies, these fraudulent scammers have now sunk to an all new low - they are illegally using logos in their ads to look more trustworthy to unsuspecting consumers. Why? They are counting on consumers not being in a position to be able to cross check all the different websites required to ensure that what a company claims is actually the truth.
One such fraudulent locksmith ad is using the ALOA logo, which is an organization of verified American Locksmiths that are doing business legally, that pay to be members and take an oath to abide by the organizations by laws, upholding the locksmith industry's good reputation. Cross checking the company's name on the ALOA's business listing website, http://www.findalocksmith.com/search.aspx confirms it, they are NOT ALOA members. Sadly enough, ALOA has a contracted advertisement contract with this book to ensure only verified, legal locksmith companies are associated with their logo and name. Unfortunately, that did not stop the phone book company from not checking the authenticity of the company claiming they were members. ALOA told me that they have filed a cease and desist with the fraudulent companies and are contacting the book publisher for legal recourse.
Among the fraudulent locksmith company ads are fake business names where they claim to be corporations and limited liability companies but the names are not registered with the state. The most shocking of the new ads is that these so called locksmiths are actually using the local chamber of commerce logos as well as the Better Business Bureau logos in their ads leading consumers to believe that they are members. Of course, when cross checked - none of the companies were actual members of those organizations.

How are you supposed to know who to trust when these illegal tactics are being used so frequently? See our website for consumer tips on avoiding being taken by one of these price gouging scam artists, http://www.americankeyandsafe.com/FAQs.html, but the MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO - is find a LOCAL, RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY locksmith TODAY - go to their location and make sure they are who they say they are! Then you can program their info into your phone now to use when you need them. Put some of their business cards in your car, your wallet, your desk, at work and on your fridge. If you use Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Linked In or any of the multitudes of social media sites, link to the company now, then accessing their info is as easy as logging in at work, home or on your cell. It's a lot easier to think clearly now and plan ahead than it is to make an informed decision when you're locked out of your car, in a dark parking lot in the middle of the night.

Peace and blessings!



They're fraudulent because they are guilty of one, but usually all, of the issues that make them unreliable, untrustworthy, price gouging wanna be locksmiths. They are more accurately classified as scammers.

-They advertise under business names that are not legally paid for or registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission or the Arizona Secretary of State offices. They even use names that are almost identical to reliable local companies, but because they don't register them and phone book companies don't always enforce policing business names, it slides by. Then one book sells their printed list to the next book and the number of fraudulent locksmith listings has just been multiplied many many times over!

-They are almost ALWAYS out of town, by this I mean that they have a local phone number, and sometimes even a local address. If you Google map this address you'll find it's either a fake address, a residence or a different business that is in no way affiliated with the business using it. You call but their "local" phone number rings to an out of state call center where they dispatch a local so called locksmith to you.

-Usually this person they call an employee has no real training, is not actually employed as a locksmith or by a real locksmith company (they are subcontractors), and has not been professionally trained in any locksmith techniques. He has been trained on how to price gouge, take advantage of innocent consumers and then given the chance to buy lockout tools through them along with the "right" to say they work for them.

-This "locksmith", I use the term loosely, arrives usually in their personal vehicle, not a company supplied vehicle clearly marked with the company's name on it. They usually are in normal attire, not a company supplied uniform. -They attempt to help you, but it most cases, they are forced to drill out your lock or do so much damage while trying to open your lock that replacing your lock is the only option, as they do not have the proper tools or posses the proper training to know what they're doing.

-The one thing they are trained on and know how to do, is defraud consumers. Their ads say $35 plus labor, or they quote you a similarly low amount "plus the opening" or "plus a service call". They get you into your car or home, either by damaging your lock or drilling it out all together, and then you are handed a bill for usually HUNDREDS of dollars more than you were quoted. Now, there's nothing you can do. If they did the work, it's illegal to not pay them. This is what they build their businesses on! More people are willing to empty their wallets than report this fraudulent activity, as they are fearful of the embarrassment and lack of anyone doing anything about it.

These companies have one call center, out of state usually, but saturate phone books in every state with fake business names, fakes addresses but phone numbers that link to the one call center. Low overhead = HIGH PROFIT, but at your expense! These unscrupulous individuals even have the audacity to use actual local locksmith company names, again adding in a fake address and their rolling phone number. We have been victimized by this in almost every phone book in the state at one time or another. We, at one point, even had one of our websites stolen by one of these companies. They eventually went under but by then the damage had been done.

Customer's should "know" better according to YELP! Representative - CONSUMER WARNING!

ANOTHER DAY FIGHTING THE FRAUDULENT LOCKSMITH LISTINGS THAT SATURATE ONLINE LISTINGS:
******** CONSUMERS BEWARE************
Interesting meeting today with a YELP! representative about their website. She directed me around their site for a while when I realized that as of page 38 (there were MANY more pages but at this point I was physically sick to my stomach of their blatant lack of providing reputable listings) of locksmith listings in Mesa, AZ, with 10 locksmith listings per page, that there were only 4 locksmith companies that I knew for a fact were local reputable companies. 4 out of 380! The rest I had recognized, because they were on the list of fraudulent locksmiths put out by the BBB. Among those I found 5 listings for a well known local locksmith, using his legal company name but a fake address and a phone number other than the legitimate company's phone number in every listing! I pointed it out to her and she told me that that locksmith must have someone putting those listings on there, and seemed shocked when I pointed out that the 5 fraudulent listings had different addresses (not one Arizona locksmith company has more than one location) and the phone numbers went in a sequential order. I then directed her to that company's website telling her to see for herself their real address and phone number. She seemed appalled and told me she was going to her boss and they were going to have to do something about this!
After several hours of proving to them that a few simple online steps proves that MAJORITY of the locksmiths listing on their local site were fraudulent, she met with her boss to present the extremely easy steps I showed her to weed out the hundreds of fraudulent locksmiths listed, at least on a legal first step basis. I even provided her with the list of known fraudulent locksmiths that the BBB posts on the internet. I thought FINALLY, a company that can actually say that they are the first online resource for fraudulent free listings!
Their response: that it would be a "waste of their time" to remove them and that their customers should know better than choose to do business with one of the many fraudulent locksmiths listed. I asked her how in the world someone that's searching those listings is possibly supposed to be able to find the 4 legitimate locksmiths among the hundreds of fraudulent ones??? She said, by basing their decision on the number of reviews the company has and that their listing says they're members of ALOA. A side note, she had spent 15 minutes earlier in our conversation explaining to me that their site is not based on reviews as their customers are smart enough to know that any more than 20 5 star reviews is proof that the company is writing it's own reviews. That their customers pick companies with 4 star reviews or less.
I pointed out to her that between the 4 legitimate locksmiths on the site, that I could find, they had a total of 3 reviews! The locksmith with the most reviews on their site:
A) Does not have their business name legally registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission or the Arizona Secretary of State's office for trade names
B) According to Google Maps street view the address is an empty building and a search for a locksmith within that map's vicinity does not produce any results C) According to ALOA's locksmith member list that company is NOT a member.

So here I sit, wondering how a company that claims to be promoting trustworthy, reputable local businesses can turn their cheek to the fact that they are doing their customers' a huge disservice by leaving them to fend for themselves, allowing them to be fed to the price gouging wolves by willingly listing and promoting known fraudulent locksmiths?

How are we supposed to increase local revenue and help Arizona's economy recover if people are unwillingly using locksmiths based in other states?

CONSUMERS BEWARE!

For further information and a complete list of tips on choosing a reliable, local locksmith, please see our website, http://www.americankeyandsafe.com/ or feel free to visit our retail shop at 6055 E. Southern Avenue Suite #103, West of Power Road on the South side of Southern in the WalMart shopping center! We'd love to see you!

Fraudulent Locksmith fined $75,000 and kicked out of the state

It took nearly two years, but finally justice has been served for many consumers taken by another fraudulent locksmith company! A judge in Tennessee fined Dependable Locks $75,000 for practicing business with no regard for the Tennessee laws regarding locksmiths and demanded that they stop doing business in the state. The state said it took longer to prosecute because they did business under a variety of names and were based out of state.

http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=12267478

Owners of Fraudulent Locksmith company arrested

The owners of Dependable Locks were arrested by Federal Agents at the company's Florida headquarters. They are being charged with instructing their employees to overcharge and deceive customers as well as wire and mail fraud laundering, and money laundering.

NY Fraudulent Locksmith Sued In Wisconsin

NY based Locksmiths Inc. has been sued in Wisconsin for doing business under 113 different business names, listing a different, fake address for each business name and a different phone number for each listing, all which rang through to the one company.

Majority of customers wouldn't do business with a company that uses misleading and false advertising techniques, but most of them aren't aware that it's even happening. Arizona has been inundated with fraudulent locksmiths using these same practices. Our local phone books and internet listings are riddled with hundreds, if not thousands, of business names that list false addresses and whose phone numbers ring to an out of state call center. Finding the reliable, local locksmiths among these fraudulent listings is a time consuming and almost impossible task for a consumer, many of which are in an emergency lock-out situation and don't have the time or resources to figure it out. They believe that the printer of the phone book or the host of the internet listing site has "policed" their listings, which majority of the time is not the case. Many of the phone books and internet sites purchase their listings from another source, where the fraudulent listings are already posted, spreading their poison even further and causing more harm to the local locksmiths that are being robbed of revenue.

The article states, "The single company in New York gave the illusion of being many local companies by advertising in telephone directories and internet listings, a practice that has come under scrutiny of consumer investigators across the country".

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/article_4e39500a-cb2c-11de-bde2-001cc4c03286.html

FREE LOCK OUT SERVICE on your birthday!

Birthdays are for family, friends and fun. Nothing would ruin the celebration quicker than locking yourself out of your car or home - but we are here with your best birthday present!

We are the only Arizona Locksmith that offers free lock out service on your birthday!

Call us at 480-668-7233 for immediate auto or home lock out service!

*ID proving proof of actual birthdate and proof of auto ownership or home ownership/residence required

Find your local Locksmith Shop NOW just to be safe!

Check out our past posts or our website for consumer tips on making sure you are choosing a local locksmith! Feel free to call us or even come by our local Mesa Locksmith shop to share your story if you've been a victim of these wannabe locksmiths.

Channel 3 KTVK Gary Harper 3 On Your Side - Locksmith Undercover Investigation

Gary Harper is back at it, catching the phony locksmiths at the only thing they know how to do, rip off unsuspecting Arizona residents! Unfortunately for all of us good guys, they are really good at it.
Here's an excerpt from the article, full story is at the bottom...

3 On Your Side has a consumer warning just in case you decide to call a locksmith.
Let me say right off the bat that there are a lot of good, reputable locksmiths out there.
But, by the same token, there are just as many unscrupulous locksmiths and, given the chance, they will take you for a ride.
Ulinger is in the health care industry and pretty much works out of her car.
"Somehow I managed to lock my keys in my trunk," she said.
So Ulinger did what most people might do and called a locksmith.
"They quoted me $35 for the trip out here and $15 to get into my car," she said.
Ulinger says after hours of waiting, the locksmith did show up.
"He looks at me and says, 'OK, it's gonna be $125,'" Ulinger said. "I'm like, 'Excuse me? It's been three hours, you're late and you gave me a quote of $50.'"
Ulinger's issue has been an ongoing complaint in the locksmith industry.
In fact, two years ago 3 On Your Side confronted a locksmith after quoting our undercover producer over the telephone one price to unlock her car but had a much higher price when he actually showed up to the scene.
Since that report aired, 3 On Your Side decided to see if the locksmith industry has changed its ways.
Our same producer called several locksmiths saying her keys were locked in her car, but she always received the same standard answer: "You're looking at a $35 service call to get the technician out there and a minimum of $15 to open the vehicle, depending on the locking mechanism and how the technician opens the vehicle."
But chances are it will be more -- a lot more. Locksmiths cover themselves by saying a minimum $15 labor charge. But when they arrive, that minimum charge is frequently jacked up and in most cases, consumers are in no mood to negotiate.
By the way, just because you call a locksmith with a local area code, don't be fooled. Many local numbers are transferred out of state and then they'll dispatch some fly-by-night locksmith here in Phoenix to your rescue.
For tips on how not to be ripped off, visit www.ftc.gov.

You can find our list of Consumer Tips to hiring a safe and reputable locksmith on our website and on previous posts here. If you've been taken by one of these criminals please feel free to share your story with us so that we can educate others of the real danger out there. You're welcome to stay anonymous!


The full story: http://www.azfamily.com/ontv/teased/stories/phoenix-3oys-news-071609-locksmiths.490b138b.html

Lock Bumping - 90% of America's Home ARE AT RISK!

We are an authorized Mul-T-Lock dealer! Mul-T-Lock is a patented secured keyway offering you an affordable high security option to protect your family or business, that is truly bump proof / resistant!

Following information is courtesy of http://www.lockbumping.org/:

-Lock bumping can open 90+% of American homes which use an old style cylinder lock which is vulnerable to lock bumping key.

-Your home's door lock can even be bumped by a 10 year old child.

-Anyone can make bump keys in 5 minutes or less.

-When a lock bumping key is used to break into your house then there is no signs of forced entry or damage to the lock. This makes the insurance companies very weary in paying for the claim.

-You could loose everything and not get compensated because of a lock bumping key.

-With the digital underworld abuzz about this new home security threat, safety experts say it's time to protect yourself against lock bumping and bump keys.

*Our Company's 5 Point 5 Star Mission*

1) Guaranteed Superior Service
- want every customer to feel they received 5 star service
- 100% customer satisfaction money back guarantee
- goal is to exceed customer expectations every time


2) All Inclusive Estimates and Fair Prices
- the estimate you receive is the price you pay
- the estimate you get for that job is the price you pay for that job
- fair & competitive prices

3) Legitimate Local Company
- local family owned and operated locksmith shop
- convenient location fully stocked to meet all the customers needs

4) Right to feel secure with the company you’re entrusting your needs to
- all technicians are background checked to ensure the top level of customer safety
- all technicians agree to an anytime drug testing policy
- offer an option of an unmarked company van to keep your business your business

5) Keep On Top of the Leading Edge in our Industry
- keep current on all recent technological advances in our industry
- become informed and trained on all new advances so that we are able to offer the latest services to every customer at anytime

Fraudulent Locksmiths - Complaints Board "USA Locksmith Complaints - Price Scam"

Looks like people are getting the leg up on these losers, this is the second report directly stating the name of the fraudulent locksmiths!



http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/usa-locksmith-c85266.html

Fraudulent Locksmiths - Rip Off Report "Dependable Phony Scam Locksmith"

Another very interesting link on the these idiots....

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/321/RipOff0321544.htm

Fraudulent Locksmiths - FTC Consumer Alert "The Keys to Hiring a Reputable Locksmith"

Valuable information brought to you by the FTC...

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt032.pdf

Fraudulent Locksmiths - MSNBC "BBB urges consumers to protect themselves from 'nationwide swindle'"

For additional information and further reading on the hot topic of fraudulent locksmiths please see the following link...

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/321/RipOff0321544.htm org/AGMap/AG.htm

Fraud in AZ - 3 On Your Side, Gary Harper "Valley Woman Locks Horns with Locksmith Company"

Right here in the valley, unsuspecting citizens are being victimized by these unscrupulous thieves. Here is an excerpt from an article where Gary Harper, of 3 On Your Side from Channel 3 KTVK here in Phoenix, Arizona did an undercover sting on a so called locksmith....

Remember Lisa Mendez? She was prepared to pay $55 plus labor for a locksmith to unlock her front door. She wound up paying $300.
So, 3 On Your Side went undercover and called the same locksmith.
Locksmith rep: "Locksmith. How can I help you?"
Producer: "Yes, I locked my keys in my car. How much would it cost to unlock, say, our car door?
Locksmith rep: "It's a $55 service charge."
Producer: "Fifty-five dollars, that's it?"
Locksmith rep: "That's the service charge for the technician to come out."
Producer: "OK, are there any additional charges?"
Locksmith rep: "To open up the lock, it could be $20 to $50 more.
So, according to the verbal quote, we're prepared to pay up to $105. That includes the service call.
Within 20 minutes our locksmith pulls up in a brand-new unmarked Honda and before he ever pulls out a tool, he talks money.
Locksmith technician: "It's a $189 credit or debit or $175 cash."
Harper: "One hundred eighty-nine dollars?"
Turns out he says he's not even with the company we called. We called Lock and Key, but he claims he's with a company called 24/7.
Regardless, he stands firm on the $189.
Locksmith technician: "Every car is different. Some cars are more expensive than that. But we go by what it costs to break a window. To break a window on any car can be twice as expensive."
I never had him unlock our car door, but I did go ahead and pay the $55 service charge for coming out. You could call it a $55 lesson.
As for Mendez, she wants you to learn from her mistake
"This has got to stop because this is a rip-off," she said.
By the way, I called the company numerous times looking for comment on my report. They never called me back. I even went to their address, the one listed in the Yellow Pages, but the address doesn't exist.

State to state, city to city - this is same story time and time again, only thing that changes is the amount you're overcharged and their so called justification for doing so!

We here at AMERICAN KEY & SAFE offer ALL INCLUSIVE pricing, meaning the price we quote you is the price you'll pay, there are no hidden fees or charges! Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed!!!!





http://www.azfamily.com/news/3oys/stories/KTVK3OYS20060821_locksmith.21b44d9b.html

American Key & Safe Leads the Crusade to Protect Arizona against Fraudulent Locksmiths - We were the 1st Az Locksmith to offer ALL INCLUSIVE PRICING!

What exactly does Fraudulent Locksmith mean?

Across our great nation and even right here in your own city, there are unscrupulous individuals that call themselves locksmiths but are actually scam artists. They quote unsuspecting callers a lower than normal price to get them “in” then give them a bill that is usually two, three or even four times the quoted amount when they are done on the job. They have “taken” countless people in the valley and the numbers continue to grow – so we at AMERICAN KEY & SAFE are here to give you some tips on helping you protect yourself.

CONSUMER TIPS: When calling there are a few easy steps to ensure you are hiring a reputable local Phoenix, Arizona Locksmith.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do is be prepared!
Do your research now before you need a locksmith! A referral from family/friends is always a good place to start. After locating a reputable local locksmith shop, program their number in your cell phones. If you have any questions call them or even feel free to visit their location. This confirms they are a legitimate business and gives you the opportunity to “interview” them to get a feel for who you’ll be doing business with. While there, grab some business cards for your family as well as colleagues and friends before you or anyone you know is stuck in an emergency situation and have to rely on the phone book. The larger the ad size doesn’t necessarily mean the bigger or better company. Majority of the fraudulent locksmiths have the largest two or three page spread ads in the largest valley books. Make sure the company’s name is CLEARLY stated in the ad and is not a generic alias name such as some of the ones they are using; such as AAA Locksmith, A-1 Locksmith, 24 Hour Locksmith and 24/7 Locksmith. The BBB sites two companies as the basis for most of the problems. See their reports at http://central-northern-western-arizona.bbb.org/article/bbb-warns-public-about-locksmith-1085. Between these two firms there are literally hundreds of fictitious business names that they flood the alphabetical listings in the phone books and internet listings with. They even go as far as using names and trade names that are legally owned and registered to locally owned locksmiths but place their own local phone number in the listing, but as always, this number is routed to a call center in another part of the country. This is not only stealing business away from the company that legally owns that name but is making the customer they just defrauded believe it’s linked to the actual reputable local company, doing more damage to the reputations of the legitimate company and the locksmith industry than is imaginable. These deceitful firms and their less than qualified local subcontractors that they dispatch valley jobs to are damaging the trust that we, at AMERICAN KEY & SAFE as well as other reputable local locksmiths, have worked very hard to earn!

Remember toll free could mean lots of fees!
A good indicator of a phony locksmith is an 800, 888 or 866 toll free number. These are almost always numbers to a call center in another state. In the alphabetical name listings of locksmiths these dishonest companies have learned that using local 480 or 602 numbers gives the consumer the impression they are local, so when calling a business with only a “one line” listing and no other display ads, please take extreme caution.

Where is your shop located and what are your business hours?
If they don’t have an actual retail shop within the valley, then beware! There are very few reliable local mobile based locksmith companies, so unless you’ve received their information directly from a trustworthy source than caution should be used. The phony locksmiths have saturated the internet (Google, Yellow Pages, etc.) as well as local telephone directories, such as Dex and Yellow Book, with their numerous fictitious names, all with different addresses and different phone numbers that all ring to one call center usually located outside of Arizona. All of these locations are vacant lots, residences or even are non existent addresses but when mapped out, they cover all the major Phoenix Metropolitan city mile grids so they look like they are within a few miles or your location. We are NOT just a mobile locksmith. Our shop is conveniently located in Mesa on the South side of Southern Avenue, just West of Superstition Springs Mall. We welcome you to come in and meet our friendly family of technicians and get to know us before you need us so you feel comfortable knowing who you are entrusting your security to!

Are you a member of Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA)?
We are proud members of ALOA. You can confirm this by visiting their search page on their website.

What is the final price? American Key & Safe was the 1st Arizona locksmith to offer an "ALL INCLUSIVE" price!
Make sure to get an estimate on the work you are calling them to do BEFORE you authorize them to come out and do it. Price gouging and over charging is their game. They hook you by quoting you a much lower price than what you would have received when calling around to legitimate local locksmith shops, only to add additional fees at the job, claiming the amount they quoted you was just for the service call. If they give you a quote that includes a price “plus labor” or “plus a service call” then be wary! A legitimate locksmith should be able to explain all of their charges included in the job you are asking them to quote, and if for some reason the job might end up requiring more work than you’re requesting then they should explain that to you up front. We at AMERICAN KEY & SAFE provide our callers with an “all inclusive” price, ensuring you will not receive any additional charges at the time of the job. In some instances the so called technician these phony locksmiths have sent out to you asks you to sign the invoice up front, sometimes stating that you’re giving him permission to do the work or touch your property. NEVER sign a blank invoice!

Are you who you say you are?
Legitimate locksmiths should ask you to verify who you are so be prepared to show the technician ID or proof that you have the legal right to gain access to the property you are asking them to unlock or make keys for. If for ANY reason you feel that something isn’t right, you also have the right to ask questions. Ask to see a business card or invoice to prove they are who they say they are. All of our technicians wear company shirts as well as carry invoices with our information clearly printed on them. If you get an uncomfortable feeling about the technician sent to do the work, you do have the right to ask them to leave and tell them you do not want them to do the work. It’s not uncommon for these so called locksmiths to start the job using actual locksmith tools but many times have ended up drilling out the lock unnecessarily or breaking into the car with more crude items such as a coat hanger or more common household tools. You have the right to ask them if anything their doing is going to end up costing you any more money. If you feel your property is going to be left damaged and they have not yet gotten the lock open, feel free to stop them and ask them to leave. We at AMERICAN KEY & SAFE will make sure to explain any additional efforts that will be made and the costs associated with such measures, if any.

We have a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee!


If you feel that you are a victim of such phony locksmith practices, please contact the Arizona Attorney General’s Office at 602-542-5025 or http://www.azag.gov/contact.html and file a complaint immediately.

Lock Bumping - How Safe Are Your Locks??

What exactly is LOCK BUMPING and am I at risk?
How Safe Are Your Locks? By Rene' Roberts
Do thieves have access to your home, mailbox or even your business?

We guard our house, car, and mailbox keys with the same vigilance as our wallets. But what if anyone, even a child, could gain access to your locks without your keys?

Lock bumping, which takes its name from how an altered key can actually undo a lock, has been known in Europe and among local thieves for years. The only people in the dark are the consumers who rely on locks to ensure their safety and privacy.

A large majority of locks that open with a key, called pin tumbler locks, have structural weaknesses built into them that can be exploited by people with little or no understanding of how locks work. In fact, most locks can be bumped open with any key that fits that lock, but does not open it. For example, if you open your mailbox with a key, your key will probably fit into other mailboxes in your area —even though postal locks are protected under federal law. Unfortunately majority of valley homes have these most basic level of security locks on them. This can be attributed to home builders buying these locks in bulk from home improvement stores which also sell these same locks to homeowners when they are replacing their own locks. Unfortunately for homeowners these are the easiest type of lock to bump, and with bumping tools for sale on the internet for about $4, homeowners should be extremely worried and taking immediate action.

Bumping is easier to master than picking locks, and in many cases can leave very little evidence behind if any. The lack of evidence of forced entry is leaving many victims helpless and holding the bill when insurance companies deny their theft claims as there’s no real proof of a break in. Some insurance companies now offer discounts for it’s clients that take measures to increase the security of the their homes. Call your agent to see what discounts they offer, many times these discounts can end up covering the cost to the consumer for increasing their security.

“I always recommend ‘high-security’ locks,” says local Phoenix locksmith, Jody Howard, owner of American Key & Safe. “With the right tool, even my wife and six-year-old son were able to bump a lock open.” Howard points out, “The first step to take in raising the security level on your home is to call a reputable locksmith and have them swap your entry level locks with higher security models. While the high security locks do cost more up front, their cost is washed out by the much higher level of protection they provide to the homeowner’s property each and every day, making the homeowner extremely unlikely of ever becoming a victim of theft by lock bumping. There are also many other advantages to upgrading to high security locks. Such as knowing your keyway is protected and can only be duplicated by the locksmith that holds the rights to that keyway, leaving the homeowner with a secure feeling that when they receive their key back from lending it out, that copies weren’t made.” Manufacturers such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Schlage make locks that are reported to be bump-resistant, all of which Howard highly recommends and sells at his Mesa shop or via his mobile fleet of technicians that will come directly to your home or business and even install them for you!


“I would say ninety percent of valley homes and businesses are vulnerable,” says Howard, whose shop is conveniently located on Southern Avenue West of the Superstition Springs Mall in Mesa. “It’s scary what the underworld knows that most people don’t.”


I have received this viral video a dozen or more times in the past few days, so obviously this is a hot topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr23tpWX8lM