How to spot a locksmith scam

How it works

The pattern has been described the same way for years. The FTC warned in 2008 that some locksmiths listed in local directories "may not be local." The BBB says scammers copy a real locksmith's name, answer the phone with a generic greeting, quote as little as $15, then add fees on site, often insisting on drilling and selling an expensive replacement lock. In 2014 the Ohio Attorney General sued a locksmith advertising network whose callers were often told picking a lock would cost $19.

Search listings are part of the problem. Google has sued a locksmith operator over fake Maps listings and reported removing 10,000 fraudulent listings, mostly service businesses such as locksmiths and towing, according to Locksmith Ledger. Google also requires locksmith advertisers in the US to pass Advanced Verification before running ads.

It happens here too. BBB Midwest Plains, which covers Nebraska, recorded 28 in 2021, 25 in 2022, 40 in 2023 and 48 in 2024 locksmith scam complaints, according to InvestigateTV.

What Omaha residents have posted

Threads on the r/Omaha forum over the last few years describe the same pattern in local terms. We have left out names, because these are one side of each story.

• A resident quoted about $1,000 for a job that another locksmith priced at about $150.
• A late-night lockout at a house-sit: the first listing that came up sent someone in a personal car who quoted $200, asked nothing about who owned the house, had no working lock pick, and spent more than an hour forcing the door before giving up. A locksmith called the next morning opened it.
• Keys stolen along with a driver's license showing the home address, followed by a car stolen from outside the house. That is the case for rekeying the house and having the stolen key erased from the car the same day.

The common thread: the first result at 10 PM is not a vetting process. Five minutes on the phone asking for a name, a total and how they will get in would have caught most of these.

Before you call

• Save a locksmith's number now, before you need it. The FTC's own advice.
• Be wary of a listing with no street address, or one that shares an address with another business.
• When they answer, ask for the business's legal name. "Locksmith services" is not a name.
• Ask for one total that covers everything, trip included. Write it down.

When they arrive

• The vehicle should be marked with the same business name. ALOA says to look for a logo that can't be peeled off.
• Expect them to ask for your ID and proof you live there. Be more worried if they don't.
• If the price is now higher, you can say no. The BBB says to find someone else.
• If they want to drill a standard lock right away, ask why. ALOA: "If they immediately go to drilling, this is often a sign of a scammer."
• Don't sign a blank form.

After the job

• Get an itemized invoice with the business name and address.
• Pay by card, not cash, so you can dispute it.
• If something was wrong, dispute the charge with your bank and file a complaint with the Attorney General's consumer protection office.

Why there is no license to check

Nebraska repealed its locksmith registration law in 2021, and Iowa does not license locksmiths. You can't look up a state license, so the business name, the Secretary of State's business search, a marked vehicle and a written invoice are your checks. Licensing in Nebraska and Iowa.

What we ask of the locksmiths we refer

Omaha Key Pros is a referral service. We ask every locksmith we pass a request to for a real business name, the total price before work starts, an ID check, and non-destructive entry first. If a locksmith we sent falls short, call us at (402) 607-8511.