Tag Archives: CT licensed locksmith

CT Residential Locksmith, Home Safety

Tips for snowbirds

CT residential locksmithDuring this time of the year the northeastern part of the United States is still battling freezing cold temperatures along with snow and ice. Who can blame us if we dream about taking a break and escape to a warm and sunny location, even if it’s just for a week or two. But before you pack your bags and drive to Florida, hop on a flight to California or another warm-weather location make sure to winterize your home so you won’t come back to the unpleasant surprise of burst pipes or a break-in.

Before rushing out the door:

  1. Make sure your house is locked at all entry points. High quality locks for your doors and windows are a must.
  2. Install slide locks on sliding glass doors.
  3. Make it look like someone is in the house in the evening. It’s easy to do with timers that are set to turn on lights automatically at different times.
  4. Arrange for a neighbor or snow removal service to clear snow from your driveway, sidewalk and walkway.
  5. Leave your thermostat set at 55 degrees or higher to avoid frozen pipes.
  6. Shut off water to the washing machine and dishwasher to avoid leaks and broken hoses while you’re away.
  7. Shut off outdoor faucets to prevent freezing damage.
  8. Give an emergency key to a relative, friend or trusted neighbor and ask them to keep an eye on your home and also be available in case of an emergency. During extreme cold weather have them also check for ice dams.
  9. Leave a list with contact information for local service companies (electrician, locksmith, plumber, etc.) you trust and have worked with before.
  10. Do not post your vacation plans on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Criminals are looking for this type of information on social media sites.

With these precautions in place you don’t have to worry about your property and can enjoy your winter getaway.

Jim is a Connecticut licensed Master Locksmith with over 30 years experience. He’ll help you get the right locks for your Connecticut home. Simply email or give him a call at 860-678-9797.

CT Commercial Locksmith, CT Residential Locksmith, Scams

Locksmith bait and switch scams

1 Comment

Well over a year ago we wrote about phony locksmiths ripping off consumers. Unfortunately these scams continue to happen every day all across the US. The signs to spot these rogue locksmiths are still the same: no business cards, no marked car, no uniform. The locksmith, often unlicensed and untrained, plays a bait and switch game with the consumer that really is nothing but a scam.

These shady characters take advantage of a bad situation when a person finds themselves locked out of their home or car. In desperate need they call a locksmith that hooks them with a low-ball quote which suddenly doubles, triples or sometimes even quadruples. If the consumer refuses to pay the inflated price, the deceptive locksmith holds the keys hostage until they get paid in cash. Continue reading Locksmith bait and switch scams →

Scams, Security

Identity theft and phony locksmiths

Fake locksmiths have gone online and use the power of search engine giant Google to steal a business’ identity and rip off consumers. They manage to access the Google listing of a legitimate locksmith, change the phone number and other contact info and with that little trick successfully redirect consumers’ calls to their own phone.

Most of the time the phone calls go to a call center often several states away that then sends a local accomplice to handle the service call. The phony locksmith shows up, takes your money, maybe even makes a duplicate of your keys – and for all that you will be overcharged. Continue reading Identity theft and phony locksmiths →