Don’t look for cheap when searching for a reputable locksmith

In this day and age it seems like everyone is looking for a deal. We all want to get services as cheaply as possible but when it comes to choosing a locksmith you really want to get someone that you can trust. For that reason, choosing a locksmith should be about more than price alone.

When searching online for a locksmith in Berkeley, you’re likely to come across twenty or thirty different businesses but there are only about four legitimate locksmith shops in Berkeley.

There are two or three fraudulent locksmiths in Berkeley operating under ten or so different names each at ten or so fake addresses. They even go so far as to pirate the address of a local locksmith and put their own name and number on the listing. These people reason that no matter who you think you’re calling, you will end up reaching them. The odds are excellent that you will actually be contacting a fake locksmith even when you think you have found a legitimate company.

An excellent way to tell if you have a fake is to always ask if you can stop by their shop during normal business hours to get a duplicate key. Anyone who says no is not a legitimate locksmith in Berkeley.

Anyone like this is completely untrustworthy. Someone desperate enough to post an erroneous address or to steal someone else’s is very bad news. They also have minimal training and are probably not licensed. It is illegal to operate as a locksmith in  the state of California without  one.

Here at Rex Key & Security, this is very bad news for us. Not only are these fraudulent locksmiths basically poaching our customers, but even though we’ve been in business for a hundred years, we’re concerned about being painted with the same brush as those unscrupulous companies.

We’ve responded to many complaints from customers that need us to come and fix their locks after they got locked out and have had fake locksmiths damage their locks. The fakes often get the jobs by quoting super low prices but they will raise the price when they get to the location and they rarely do the job they were hired for.

A consumer only makes that mistake once.

One of my competitors, a fellow locksmith, has done two sting operations. He calls out one of the fakes to unlock a car and after the fake opens the car he has his employees box in that car with a couple of other cars and then makes a citizen’s arrest. The police arrive and arrest the fake. The last guy caught is still in jail for immigration problems as it turns out he was here from Israel and has an expired visitors pass.

These people don’t care about you or your security needs. They just want to make a buck at your expense. We call them hit and run artists.

Please take your time when choosing a locksmith in Berkeley. Hiring one of these fraudulent companies will not result in a good situation for you and you will likely end up calling us anyway. Program our number in your phone and call on us when you find yourself locked out: 1-800-739-5397