We were talking about reputation the other day and it reminded us how many folks still get burned by those “locksmith near me” ads. If you have ever searched while stressed and locked out, you know the drill. You click an ad. A call center picks up. You get a teaser price that “starts at” some tiny number. Then the tech shows up, says your lock is “high security,” drills it, and you end up staring at a six hundred dollar bill.
That pattern is not an accident. There are big lead sellers behind a lot of those ads. They route calls to whoever bought the lead. The person who shows up might not be local. They might be trained to push drilling and replacements because it is fast and it pays. You never got a firm price in writing. Now you feel stuck.
We do not want that for anyone. Here is what to watch for and how to protect yourself.
Red flags to spot fast
- “It starts at 29 or 69.” No real total given before dispatch.
- “It is a high security lock. We have to drill.” That is not always true. Picking and non destructive entry should be the first option.
- No local address. No real business name on the truck or invoice.
- Cash only. Pressure to decide right now.
- Reviews that look copy pasted across multiple “companies.”
A quick checklist before you say yes
- Ask for the company’s full legal name and the local address. Look it up on a map.
- Ask for a real price range in writing before they roll. Service fee, labor, parts, after hours. Everything.
- Ask how they plan to open the lock. “Pick first. Drill only if needed” is the right mindset.
- Ask whether they can rekey or repair instead of replace.
- Confirm you will get a written invoice with the company name, phone, and warranty.
- Pay with a card if you can. You get a record and protections.
- If anything feels off, pause. You are allowed to say no.
How we do it at Dan’s Lock and Key
We are local to Levittown. We show up when we say we will. We tell you the numbers before we move. We try non destructive entry first. We repair and rekey when it makes sense. We replace when it truly needs it. Simple. Fair. Done the right way.
If you need help now or you want a second opinion, start here
