What are the red flags of this scam?

A Google or website ad advertises 24/7 emergency locksmith services at very low prices — $29 to $120 — but refuses to give a firm total price quote before arriving • The technician arrives in an unmarked van, with no uniform, business card, or verifiable local address • After arriving, the price suddenly increases dramatically — you are told the lock must be replaced, extra tools were needed, or urgency fees apply • The invoice includes vague line items like 'heavy duty tools', 'urgency of service', or EFTPOS surcharges that add up to hundreds of dollars • The lock is damaged or replaced unnecessarily — sometimes the lock is drilled out when a simpler technique would have worked • The technician refuses to leave your property or blocks access to your door until you pay the inflated bill • The business phone number on the receipt or website leads to an overseas call centre, not a local tradesperson

What should I do if this happened to me?

Ask for a firm, all-inclusive written quote before any work begins — a legitimate locksmith will always provide one before starting • Check the locksmith's ABN and verify it on the ABN Lookup website at https://www.abn.business.gov.au — ensure it is active and the business name matches • Call the Master Locksmiths Association of Australia at 1800 MLAA AU (1800 652 228) or check masterlocksmiths.com.au to find a verified member near you • Do not pay cash without getting a written receipt that includes the full business name, ABN, and itemised work • If you feel unsafe or threatened, call police on 000 — you do not have to pay an inflated invoice under intimidation • Report suspected overcharging or misleading conduct to your state fair trading agency (Fair Trading NSW, Consumer Affairs Victoria, CBS SA, etc.) and to Scamwatch • Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

MEDIUM other Last reported: 8 Oct 2026 Share

A cheap locksmith quote online turns into a $1,000+ bill after they damage your lock

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Cheap locksmith ad ($29–$120 call-out) ends with a $500–$2,000 invoice after the technician damages your lock and won't leave until you pay. Fake ads use overseas call centres and unmarked vans.

Cheap locksmith ad ($29–$120 call-out) ends with a $500–$2,000 invoice after the technician damages your lock and won't leave until you pay. Fake ads use overseas call centres and unmarked vans.

Also known as: fake locksmith scam Australia, rogue locksmith overcharge, emergency locksmith overcharging scam, dodgy locksmith scam Australia, bogus locksmith Australia

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Ask for a firm, all-inclusive written quote before any work begins — a legitimate locksmith will always provide one before starting
2 Check the locksmith's ABN and verify it on the ABN Lookup website at https://www.abn.business.gov.au — ensure it is active and the business name matches
3 Call the Master Locksmiths Association of Australia at 1800 MLAA AU (1800 652 228) or check masterlocksmiths.com.au to find a verified member near you
4 Do not pay cash without getting a written receipt that includes the full business name, ABN, and itemised work
5 If you feel unsafe or threatened, call police on 000 — you do not have to pay an inflated invoice under intimidation
6 Report suspected overcharging or misleading conduct to your state fair trading agency (Fair Trading NSW, Consumer Affairs Victoria, CBS SA, etc.) and to Scamwatch
7 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

Red flags

⚠ A Google or website ad advertises 24/7 emergency locksmith services at very low prices — $29 to $120 — but refuses to give a firm total price quote before arriving
⚠ The technician arrives in an unmarked van, with no uniform, business card, or verifiable local address
⚠ After arriving, the price suddenly increases dramatically — you are told the lock must be replaced, extra tools were needed, or urgency fees apply
⚠ The invoice includes vague line items like 'heavy duty tools', 'urgency of service', or EFTPOS surcharges that add up to hundreds of dollars
⚠ The lock is damaged or replaced unnecessarily — sometimes the lock is drilled out when a simpler technique would have worked
⚠ The technician refuses to leave your property or blocks access to your door until you pay the inflated bill
⚠ The business phone number on the receipt or website leads to an overseas call centre, not a local tradesperson

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources