Day-in and day-out, we hear horror stories from our customers who almost got scammed by a scammer locksmith. Unfortunately, many times, people fall for the scams of these criminals.
Today, a very smart Calgary accountant did what we suggest everyone to do, think and refuse to pay. Mariya Savchyshyn owns a condo in Calgary and rents it out. She said her tenants asked her to replace their lock, and a Google search listed Locksmith Calgary at the top, so she called them without doing her searches to see that they are a scammer locksmith.
Finding out if a locksmith company is a scam is quite easy, here are a few simple steps from Terry Whin-Yates to catch them.
Tips from Terry Whin-Yates on spotting a locksmith scammer
- Do they provide unbelievably cheap pricing? The $29, $19, $39 dollar locksmith ads are a scam.
- Do they operate under different business names? Scammer locksmiths often run under different business names to shield their identity.
- Is their Google Maps location legitimate? Many locksmith scammers have their Google Maps locations out of gas stations, Starbucks locations, restaurants, or even a middle of a forest (we’ve seen it all). Pull up their location on Google street view and see where their address is, if it’s another business, it’s a fake. If it’s a house, it’s a scam. For example, the Locksmith Calgary scammer presents their address as 724 80 Ave SW, Calgary AB. This is a fake location.
Locksmith Calgary Scammer at 724 80 Ave SW
- Are they licensed? In British Columbia for example, you can check if a locksmith company is licensed or not by inputting their security license number into the following page – Security Licence Status Verification.
- Check their phone number! Copy their phone number into Google, does it appear in locations like Toronto and other provinces or states where the locksmith shouldn’t be? It’s a fake.
- Ask for the name of the business owner and a link to his or her biography, if the company is hesitant to provide the information of the owner of the company, stay away.
- Ask for ID and documentation. Do not let them start work without the company showing their security license, drivers license, insurance, and city business license. If they say “I don’t have it” or “I can send it to you later” or if it looks fake, refuse them doing the work, refuse to pay and send them away.
- If the locksmith gets aggressive or pushy with their tactics or if at any time you feel uneasy or uncomfortable, dial 911 immediately.
- Do they have a reputation? If you can’t find anything about them online such as a social media following or a clean track record, do not let them work on your property as they are most likely a locksmith scammer. Reputable locksmiths and locksmith business owners like Terry Whin-Yates, the owner of Mr. Locksmith and Mr. ProLock have a clean track record.
- Do they show up in an unmarked vehicle, or does their vehicle simply say “locksmith service” ? They are most likely a scam, do not allow them entry or to do any work on your property.
- Do they refuse to provide an invoice on the spot? Are there inflated or hidden charges? Refuse to pay and if they get aggressive, dial 911.
- Do they have a GST number on the invoice? Check if it’s legitimate here.
- Do they list their locksmiths on their website like on a team page with their name and pictures like we do with locksmith Vancouver? If not, you have to wonder why and what they’re hiding.
There are many more warning signs to catch a scammer locksmith. Just use your head and if you can’t determine if they’re fake or not, don’t use them!
One big warning sign which Mariya Savchyshyn should have caught onto was the fact that the scammer locksmith, Locksmith Calgary used the tenant’s phone to phone her. Why wouldn’t they use their own cell number? Because these scammer locksmith’s do not want repeat customers.
Scammer locksmiths such as locksmith Calgary operate on a one-hit basis. They scam you, and then they request an extreme amount of money and force you to pay. Because of the bad experience they provide, they don’t expect you to call back which is why they provide an illegitimate invoice with a fraudulent tax ID, a fake address and at often times as well, a fake phone number.
Thankfully, when the scammer locksmith called Mariya Savchyshyn to say that he’s done, she caught on. Locksmith Calgary refused to provide an itemized invoice for the inflated invoice which was triple the cost, $773.85 as per CBC.
“And I’m like, that’s weird, because usually the customer has to receive an invoice, look at it and then pay, right?” said Savchyshyn.
“I’m an accountant myself, and I know that no one is going to send me money until they see the invoice.”
When Savchyshyn refused to pay without knowing exactly what she was paying for — she says the company threatened to send the bill to a collection agency.
Terry Whin-Yates states that threats are common with scammer locksmiths. We’ve heard from people that the scammer locksmiths have gotten violent with violent threats, verbal threats, death threats and unfortunately much more.
“I just want to warn people because someone … might be scared because that company is scaring people by saying they’ll send them to collections,” she said.
“They might be scared and just pay $800 for a lock, it’s ridiculous.”
A scammer locksmith will have a hard time sending you to a legitimate collections agency. Collection agencies are not stupid, they will ask for supporting documentation which the scammer locksmiths will not have. Do not be fooled by the collection agency trick. If they do send you to collections, you can fight it by signing up to a low-cost service called LegalShield.
Company says invoices issued after payment
“Locksmith Calgary told CBC Calgary they don’t provide a billing service, even for larger companies, and require all payments be made before an invoice is issued.”
This should be an immediate red flag. No legitimate company issues an invoice after payment. We, for example always issue an itemized invoice before the customer pays, because that’s the correct way of doing business. If a customer has a question, we’re always there to answer that question.
It is ok to ask the locksmith who their credit card processor is for collecting payments. Credit card processors are the companies that collect your payment on behalf of the merchant and then provide the merchant with the funds. Names of some credit card processors are: Moneris, Square, Payfirma, Helcim, Stripe. If the locksmith doesn’t know or refuses to answer the question, refuse to pay. If they demand cash, refuse to pay.
“On their website, Locksmith Calgary lists their service call fee as $15 plus labour and hardware costs. A lock change is listed as $35 dollars and a lock re-key as $19.”
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Day-in and day-out, we hear horror stories from our customers who almost got scammed by a scammer locksmith. Unfortunately, many times, people fall for the scams of these criminals.
Today, a very smart Calgary accountant did what we suggest everyone to do, think and refuse to pay. Mariya Savchyshyn owns a condo in Calgary and rents it out. She said her tenants asked her to replace their lock, and a Google search listed Locksmith Calgary at the top, so she called them without doing her searches to see that they are a scammer locksmith.
Finding out if a locksmith company is a scam is quite easy, here are a few simple steps from Terry Whin-Yates to catch them.
Tips from Terry Whin-Yates on spotting a locksmith scammer
- Do they provide unbelievably cheap pricing? The $29, $19, $39 dollar locksmith ads are a scam.
- Do they operate under different business names? Scammer locksmiths often run under different business names to shield their identity.
- Is their Google Maps location legitimate? Many locksmith scammers have their Google Maps locations out of gas stations, Starbucks locations, restaurants, or even a middle of a forest (we’ve seen it all). Pull up their location on Google street view and see where their address is, if it’s another business, it’s a fake. If it’s a house, it’s a scam. For example, the Locksmith Calgary scammer presents their address as 724 80 Ave SW, Calgary AB. This is a fake location.
Locksmith Calgary Scammer at 724 80 Ave SW
- Are they licensed? In British Columbia for example, you can check if a locksmith company is licensed or not by inputting their security license number into the following page – Security Licence Status Verification.
- Check their phone number! Copy their phone number into Google, does it appear in locations like Toronto and other provinces or states where the locksmith shouldn’t be? It’s a fake.
- Ask for the name of the business owner and a link to his or her biography, if the company is hesitant to provide the information of the owner of the company, stay away.
- Ask for ID and documentation. Do not let them start work without the company showing their security license, drivers license, insurance, and city business license. If they say “I don’t have it” or “I can send it to you later” or if it looks fake, refuse them doing the work, refuse to pay and send them away.
- If the locksmith gets aggressive or pushy with their tactics or if at any time you feel uneasy or uncomfortable, dial 911 immediately.
- Do they have a reputation? If you can’t find anything about them online such as a social media following or a clean track record, do not let them work on your property as they are most likely a locksmith scammer. Reputable locksmiths and locksmith business owners like Terry Whin-Yates, the owner of Mr. Locksmith and Mr. ProLock have a clean track record.
- Do they show up in an unmarked vehicle, or does their vehicle simply say “locksmith service” ? They are most likely a scam, do not allow them entry or to do any work on your property.
- Do they refuse to provide an invoice on the spot? Are there inflated or hidden charges? Refuse to pay and if they get aggressive, dial 911.
- Do they have a GST number on the invoice? Check if it’s legitimate here.
- Do they list their locksmiths on their website like on a team page with their name and pictures like we do with locksmith Vancouver? If not, you have to wonder why and what they’re hiding.
There are many more warning signs to catch a scammer locksmith. Just use your head and if you can’t determine if they’re fake or not, don’t use them!
One big warning sign which Mariya Savchyshyn should have caught onto was the fact that the scammer locksmith, Locksmith Calgary used the tenant’s phone to phone her. Why wouldn’t they use their own cell number? Because these scammer locksmith’s do not want repeat customers.
Scammer locksmiths such as locksmith Calgary operate on a one-hit basis. They scam you, and then they request an extreme amount of money and force you to pay. Because of the bad experience they provide, they don’t expect you to call back which is why they provide an illegitimate invoice with a fraudulent tax ID, a fake address and at often times as well, a fake phone number.
Thankfully, when the scammer locksmith called Mariya Savchyshyn to say that he’s done, she caught on. Locksmith Calgary refused to provide an itemized invoice for the inflated invoice which was triple the cost, $773.85 as per CBC.
“And I’m like, that’s weird, because usually the customer has to receive an invoice, look at it and then pay, right?” said Savchyshyn.
“I’m an accountant myself, and I know that no one is going to send me money until they see the invoice.”
When Savchyshyn refused to pay without knowing exactly what she was paying for — she says the company threatened to send the bill to a collection agency.
Terry Whin-Yates states that threats are common with scammer locksmiths. We’ve heard from people that the scammer locksmiths have gotten violent with violent threats, verbal threats, death threats and unfortunately much more.
“I just want to warn people because someone … might be scared because that company is scaring people by saying they’ll send them to collections,” she said.
“They might be scared and just pay $800 for a lock, it’s ridiculous.”
A scammer locksmith will have a hard time sending you to a legitimate collections agency. Collection agencies are not stupid, they will ask for supporting documentation which the scammer locksmiths will not have. Do not be fooled by the collection agency trick. If they do send you to collections, you can fight it by signing up to a low-cost service called LegalShield.
Company says invoices issued after payment
“Locksmith Calgary told CBC Calgary they don’t provide a billing service, even for larger companies, and require all payments be made before an invoice is issued.”
This should be an immediate red flag. No legitimate company issues an invoice after payment. We, for example always issue an itemized invoice before the customer pays, because that’s the correct way of doing business. If a customer has a question, we’re always there to answer that question.
It is ok to ask the locksmith who their credit card processor is for collecting payments. Credit card processors are the companies that collect your payment on behalf of the merchant and then provide the merchant with the funds. Names of some credit card processors are: Moneris, Square, Payfirma, Helcim, Stripe. If the locksmith doesn’t know or refuses to answer the question, refuse to pay. If they demand cash, refuse to pay.
“On their website, Locksmith Calgary lists their service call fee as $15 plus labour and hardware costs. A lock change is listed as $35 dollars and a lock re-key as $19.”
Scammer Locksmiths: There are no $15-$25 Locksmiths, it is a Scam.
“While speaking with CBC Calgary, Locksmith Calgary couldn’t say why the bill was so high, but said they’d since agreed to lower it to $300.”
Shouldn’t a company know their invoices? This is a trick that scammer locksmiths like locksmith Calgary do. When approached by authorities or by a large media outlet like CBC Calgary, they start acting stupid. Mariya Savchyshyn should still dispute the charges with her credit card company and get the full sum back.
We’ve baited the scammer locksmiths before with the help of the media. Check out Terry Whin-Yates collaboration with CTV News with our undercover investigation on locksmith scammers.
Hi there, we’re CTV,” said McLaughlin, “Why are you charging $255? It’s not a difficult lock and it says 15 service call and $35 on the website.”
“And up,” said the locksmith, “It depends on the lock.”
“That’s an easy lock,” McLaughlin said.
“No, it’s not easy. Five pins, medium security,” he explains.
The locksmith showed McLaughlin his security license, which showed he’s a locksmith under supervision and then he called his boss.
“Why are you charging so much?” McLaughlin asked into the phone.
“It’s none of your business,” said the boss.
Here’s the thing about scammer locksmiths. They utilize a central call centre for lead generation services. When you call a scammer locksmith like locksmith Calgary, you’re not dealing with the actual locksmith that’s coming out to service your lock. These scammers pay these call centres around 20% for the lead and taking the call.
While the people in the call centre may seem nice, don’t be fooled, they’re not the ones coming out to work on your lock.
Terry Whin-Yates is a 3rd Generation Locksmith with a BA (Hons) Criminology. He has 35 years experience in the locksmith and security industry and is a locksmith trainer providing locksmith training to people and businesses all across North America. Terry Whin-Yates‘ BC Security License is B4227.
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Salvador Dali’s Woman Aflame Sculpture | Mr. Locksmith
For further information go to Mr. Locksmith. Mr. Locksmith Vancouver 604-239-0882
The Chali-Rosso Art Gallery on Saturday unveiled a $2.5 million Salvador Dali sculpture called Woman Aflame in downtown Vancouver.
The nearly four-metre tall bronze sculpture will be exhibited at the corner of West Hastings and Hornby Street until Sept. 1.
Dali was a prominent Spanish surrealist who created an expansive and multimedia collection that included paintings, film, sculpture, and photography. He died in 1989.
This sculpture unites two of Dalí’s obsessions: fire, and a female figure with drawers. The flames seem to have a life of their own, and represent the hidden intensity of unconscious desire, while the drawers represent the mystery of hidden secrets. This beautiful faceless woman symbolizes all women. For Dali, a woman’s mystery is her true beauty
Dali Woman Aflame Mr. Locksmith in Vancouver
Dali Woman Aflame Mr. Locksmith in Vancouver
Dali Woman Aflame Mr. Locksmith
Dali Woman Aflame Mr. Locksmith in Vancouver
Dali Woman Aflame Mr. Locksmith
Mr. Locksmith Vancouver 604-239-0882
https://mrlocksmithvancouver.com/
Why choose Mr. Locksmith Vancouver?
Locked Out? Need Keys? If you need a lock change or a lock re-key?
Mr. Locksmith Vancouver is here to help when you have a home security issue. We are here to help.
We are your 24 hour emergency locksmith. Whether you just need new keys, or need a new high security lock installed, we have you covered.
Our locksmiths are licensed, bonded and insured.
There’s no such thing as a $15 locksmith.
Need professional locksmith advice? Call Mr. Locksmith Vancouver now and book your appointment.
Need your lock re-keyed or need house lockout services in Vancouver? We’re here for you!
Call 24 Hour Mr. Locksmith Vancouver whenever you need locksmith service. We are available 24 hours a day!
Our services include:
- Lock change services
- Home unlock services
- 24 Hour locksmith service
Lock rekey services - Master key systems
- Lock repair
- Mailbox keys
- High security lock installation
- Safes
- Mr. Locksmith Key Store
And much more!
We cover every corner of Vancouver with locksmith services. If you have an issue with your locks or keys, don’t wait any longer and call Mr. Locksmith Vancouver or book your appointment online now.
Mr. Locksmith Vancouver 604-239-0882
https://mrlocksmithvancouver.com/
For On-line and Hands-on Locksmith Training Dates and Cities near you for Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced Locksmithing as well as my Covert Methods of Entry, Non-destructive Methods of Entry and to purchase the Famous “Dumb Key Force Tool” that opens Smart Key locks in seconds go to Mr. Locksmith Training http://mrlocksmithtraining.com/
For Locksmith Franchise and Licensing Opportunities go to http://mrlocksmith.com/locksmithfranchise-opportunities/
Terry Whin-Yates is the Founder, CEO & President of Mr. Locksmith and Mr. Prolock.
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Video
Congratulations to Terry Whin-Yates and Mr. Locksmith 2 Million YouTube views and climbing!
Terry Whin-Yates from Mr. Locksmith demonstrated how easy it is to open a Sentry Electronic Safe is less than 5 seconds with no damage or “Signs of Entry” for the Kitsilano Business Leaders Meetup. The Sentry Safe Video quickly went viral and now has 2 Million+ views and climbing.
Open Sentry Safe in Less than 5 Seconds! |Mr. Locksmith Video
As an entrepreneur and Locksmith, one of the most sought after marketing anomalies is the creation of the viral video. However, this YouTube video was put together at the last minute. Terry Whin-Yates was giving a talk at a Local Meetup in Vancouver and at the last minute asked a friend and videographer to video the presentation. The talk and video was all just “off the cuff” and not ideal sound or even lighting. The video was posted to YouTube and within 4 days hit 1 Million views. Terry’s phone went wild with calls from News Organizations from all over the World. NOte: One year later Sentry Safes changed the design of their Electronic Fire Safes, however, Terry has a new “workaround” to open the safe. Stay tuned for more videos.
Open Sentry Safe 2 Million Views | Mr. Locksmith
Locked Out of your safe go to Mr. Locksmith Sentry Safe Opening.
For On-line and Hands-on Locksmith Training Dates and Cities near you by Terry Whin-Yates for Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced Locksmithing as well as my Covert Methods of Entry, Non-destructive Methods of Entry and to purchase the Famous “Dumb Key Force Tool” that opens Smart Key locks in seconds go to Mr. Locksmith Training
For Locksmith Franchise and Licensing Opportunities go to http://mrlocksmith.com/locksmithfranchise-opportunities/
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For further information go to Mr. Locksmith Safe Opening.
Sentry Safes are the most popular fires safes sold in Canada. Interesting Sentry Safe Lockout in Burnaby Capitol Hill area. The Sentry safe had a sign “Do Not Push Lock Button In” and of course somebody pushed the safe tubular lock in and locked the safe. Unfortunately, the spare Key to unlock the safe was locked inside. The Tubular / Ace lock can be difficult to pick open, however, Mr. Locksmith Burnaby has a special 7 pin Tubular Lock Pick so we were able to pick the lock open without any damage. So if you have a Sentry Safe Lockout call Mr. Locksmith and in many cases the Locksmith can open the Sentry Safe Lockout with no damage to the safe.
Sign saying “Do Not Push Button” Sentry Safe Lockout | Mr. Locksmith
Sentry Safe Lockout and picked open with Special Tubular lock pick | Mr. Locksmith
Mr. Locksmith sells fire and burglary safe types for home and office use. Note that safes come in different sizes and have different locking mechanisms; some safes may be resistant to water and fire while other safes may serve entirely different purposes for your home or business. For example: gun safes and wall safes.Call 604-239-0755 for a free consultation regarding your safe needs.
Note: We provide 24/7 on-site safe opening services. Call Mr. Locksmith
Our safe opening skills mean ease of mind when it comes to your safe. Our Safe Locksmiths can repair, maintain, service, and open safes of all sizes. Changing combinations. Getting you into your locked safe is easy. Call us for a safe solution. When hiring a locksmith, It is suggested you make sure they are experienced with safes. Many locks can be opened with little to no damage. With Mr. Locksmith Burnaby any destructive methods will be discussed with the client and locksmith before they take place.
- Safe Opening
- Safe Repair
- Safe Lockouts
- Change Safe Combinations
- Maintenance
- Fire Resistant Safe Sales
- Burglary Safe Sales
Call Mr. Locksmith Burnaby for further information (604)-239-0755
or email: info@mrlocksmith.com
Vancouver Locksmith Main: (604) 239-0882
Downtown Vancouver Locksmith: (604) 262-1907
Downtown Vancouver Keystore: (604) 669-8008
Mr. Locksmith Automotive: (604) 259-7617
For On-line and Hands-on Locksmith Training Dates and Cities near you by Terry Whin-Yates for Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced Locksmithing as well as my Covert Methods of Entry, Non-destructive Methods of Entry and to purchase the Famous “Dumb Key Force Tool” that opens Smart Key locks in seconds go to Mr. Locksmith Training
For Locksmith Franchise and Licensing Opportunities go to http://mrlocksmith.com/locksmithfranchise-opportunities/
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For further information go to Mr. Locksmith Automotive Ford.
A car theft tried to steal a 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup in Abbotsford and damaged the ignition but was unable to start the Ford Pickup Truck. However, the Ford ignition was so severely damaged and the key could no longer turn the ignition and start the Pickup Truck. Randy from Mr. Locksmith Automotive was able to remove the damaged Ford Ignition and rekeyed the replacement ignition to match the existing ignition and door keys.
Specialized Auto Locksmith Services
Mr. Locksmith Automotive(604) 259-7617 team up with highly trained auto locksmiths who effectively carry out car lockout solutions including lock picking, transponder key programming, ignition key replacement, and more! Whether you have lost keys, have a broken key in the ignition, or are locked out of car, Mr. Locksmith Automotive understands the importance of a fast response time.
With technicians available across multiple locations, an expert locksmith can arrive at your location within 30 minutes of your call! Auto locksmiths can work on a wide range of car brands, models, and key types (e.g., transponder key, remote key, ignition key, remote keyless entry, etc.).
Auto locksmith services include:
- Car lockout solutions
- 24 hour emergency locksmith care
- Ignition key replacement
- Ford Ignition Replacement
- Extraction of broken key
- Transponder key programming
- Key Fobs Replacement
- Expert lock picking
- Open trunk solutions
- Spare care key making
With the advances in auto security, key replacement can become an expensive and time consuming endeavor. By partnering with auto locksmith experts, key programming can be achieved on the spot! Chip keys can be duplicated or reprogrammed. No towing required. No need to turn to the dealership, which is likely to be a more expensive route. Trusting your car lockout situation with non-experts can result in damage to your car or faulty ignition key replacement or programming results. Lock picking should be handled by professionals who possess the skill and tools to safely open car doors. If you need to open trunk, technicians are very familiar with effective techniques across a wide range of car brands and models.
Mr. Locksmith Automotive and associates have the skill and knowledge to perform lock picking, extract a broken ignition key, and replace an immobilizer key, chip key, transponder key, and more! You can trust that your vehicle is in expert and reliable hands!
Locksmiths are located in multiple locations in order to respond to your call within 30 minutes. You can call Mr. Locksmith Automotive anytime, any day. Our customer service line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!
Replace 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup Ignition in Abbotsford Mr. Locksmith Automotive
Replace 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup Ignition in Abbotsford Mr. Locksmith Automotive
Replace 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup Ignition in Abbotsford Mr. Locksmith Automotive
Damaged Ignition 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup in Abbotsford Mr. Locksmith Automotive
Remove Ignition lock 1995 Ford Super Duty Pickup in Abbotsford Mr. Locksmith Automotive
If you need an extra Car, Truck or Motorcycle key call Randy at Mr. Locksmith Automotive (604) 259-7617 or email Randy@mrlocksmith.com
Mr. Locksmith Vancouver
Vancouver Locksmith Main: (604) 239-0882
Downtown Vancouver Locksmith: (604) 262-1907
Downtown Vancouver Keystore: (604) 669-8008
Mr. Locksmith Automotive: (604) 259-7617
For On-line and Hands-on Locksmith Training Dates and Cities near you by Terry Whin-Yates for Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced Locksmithing as well as my Covert Methods of Entry, Non-destructive Methods of Entry and to purchase the Famous “Dumb Key Force Tool” go to Mr. Locksmith Training
For Locksmith Franchise and Licensing Opportunities go to http://mrlocksmith.com/locksmithfranchise-opportunities/
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