The Professional Locksmiths Association of Alberta (PLAA) has been watching with growing concern, developments in the USA concerning "scams" in which an established Locksmith firm's identity is actually stolen. It's been going on for several years now and just as we anticipated,it has arrived in Western Canada.

Recent CTV news stories from BC's lower mainland tell the familiar story that we've been hearing from the states: a customer accidentally locks him/herself out of a residence, hurriedly finds a Locksmith in the yellow pages and calls for service. An vague estimate is given and accepted, considering the circumstances, and a "Locksmith" is dispatched.

Four CTV news videos can be seen here, (these links will take you to CTV's web site)

The customer feels confident in the choice of Locksmith he/she made, as the ad in the yellow pages makes the firm seem local: uses a local telephone number and even quotes a street address that the customer knows exists from his/her knowledge of the area. The name of the Locksmith firm is also one that is familiar to the customer - or at least similar to one that's familiar.

Upon arrival, the "Locksmith" spends a short time attempting to pick the lock and eventually tells the client that the lock cannot be picked, but rather it will have to be opened in a more damaging fashion (by drilling) and then replaced. The final bill for services and products, is often twice what a legitimate Locksmith would charge, even if the extreme circumstances were real. The stories from the States tell of elderly people taken for as much as $300.00 in such a scenario.