The first locksmith company that we are going to focus on is Run Local Locksmith. They have been accused for years of classic bait and switch tactics as well as shady practices on the part of their “professional” technicians. Run Local has been the focus of multiple investigations and the revelations of their bait and switch tactics are not very new, but we will still take a look at the company due to the sheer size with which it grew until its own shady practices brought it back down to earth.

The first thing consumers should do before purchasing any service from any company is to check what information the Better Business Bureau has on the company. A simple search of run Local Locksmith on the Better Business Bureau’s website reveals that the company is actually no longer accredited by the BBB. If you were looking at them as a perspective customer, no accreditation from the BBB should tell you to avoid that company at all costs. You can see on Run Local’s BBB page that as of two years ago they claim to have been revising their company policies but there are also still 65 complaints they have not responded to from paying customers. A good way to judge the actions of a business is through their responses to complaints to the BBB, especially in the locksmith industry. Knowing that a company will respond to their customers and work with them after they have had their service completed can give you a peace of mind that you can go to them with any questions.

A quick search on Yelp as reveals a large amount of negative reviews for Run Local Locksmith. Their one Michigan location alone had 12 reviews, which were all negative and describing the same type of actions. User Kalaida H said,

on the site they say basic lock out services start at $35 but the guy who came to my home charged me $165

While user Luisa A said,

Advertised $15 service charge & unlocking the car $35. Ended up charging $158

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The large problem is that people only go to look for their locksmith once they absolutely need them. this puts customers at a distinctly vulnerable position because they feel like they need to have the first guy come out and pay him whatever he asks. By reading reviews and doing research well before hand you can save yourself a large amount of head as well as a few hundred dollars. Obviously anyone who is looking at the reviews for Run Local Locksmith would never choose them for service, it is when you are really in need that they can take advantage of you.

A little more research about Run Local Locksmith uncovers another way that these bait and switch locksmiths try to cover their tracks. Yelp is very effective in removing fake reviews, however other sites are not so effective, for example sitejabber.com has a local listing for Run Local Locksmith with 9 reviews, and those nine reviews average 4.6 of 5 stars. This site tells a much different story than that of Yelp, one review by user Savannah A. said,

looking at their consistent customer service. They have always been first choice when it comes to choosing locksmith service.

Which is obviously much different than what we had seen on the Better Business Bureau page and Yelp reviews, scroll down two reviews and we see something odd, a different user, this time Mark. B, is a complete copy and paste job of the review given by Savannah A.

I recently purchased a new shopping complex. I wanted to rekey all the doors of my shopping complex. I approached Run Local Locksmith looking at their consistent customer service. They have always been first choice when it comes to choosing locksmith service. The team of Run Local Locksmith arrived on time with their sophisticated toolkit in a van. They were smart, intelligent and knowledgeable enough to give me certain options which were best for my pocket along with good security. Without wasting much time they set out to work and finished it within stipulated time. I was so impressed. Inspite of such a clean service they were a way cheaper than any other local locksmiths. Apart from the hardware cost they did not charge a penny extra. I am appeased having called them for help.

Most fake reviews normally just sound as if they were worded weirdly or have been posted by a user that has reviewed no other businesses, however seeing a company that just copy and pastes its own fake reviews only shows the true disregard that Run Local Locksmith had for their customers.

The blatantness with which Run Local Locksmith was trying to scam customers was egregious and it has thankfully been put to the stop, it only goes to show that bait and switch schemes can only last so long before destroying themselves. Avoid bait and switch by asking our five essential questions.