Locksmith scams: 'I was shut out with my baby and charged £2,200 to get back in'
16 hours ago
- #consumer-fraud
- #online-safety
- #locksmith-scams
- Sarah, home alone with her baby, was scammed by a locksmith who charged her £2,209 after she found him via a sponsored Google search.
- The author also fell victim to a locksmith scam over a bank holiday, paying £145 after being quoted a lower price, only to be left with a door without a lock.
- Locksmith scams, known as '49-ers', involve bait-and-switch tactics where low initial quotes escalate to hundreds or thousands of pounds after service.
- Reported locksmith scams in the UK surged by 147% from January to March 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, part of a broader increase in complaints.
- The unregulated industry allows anyone to pose as a locksmith, with scammers often using Google Ads to appear legitimate and top search results.
- Victims like Pat Gilks's son were charged £3,300 for unnecessary work, with costs inflated dramatically compared to legitimate locksmith prices.
- Google has policies against scam ads and removed 602 million in 2025, but rogue locksmiths still exploit the platform, paying for visibility.
- There is little recourse for victims, as scammers often use dead websites and evade complaints, with criminal prosecutions being rare.
- Legitimate locksmiths, like Kumas Naroei, advise customers to verify IDs and company details, and face conflicts with scammers who undermine the trade.
- Solutions include potential advertising bans or verification requirements on Google, as seen in other countries, and UK government scrutiny of online fraud measures.