Fraudulent locksmiths are a major threat to your home's security and your bank account. They are especially problematic in large urban areas, like New York City, where disreputable businesses can hide in the anonymity of a dense population. There are a few ways to spot a locksmith you shouldn't trust.

One of the first things to do is look at the pricing model. Don't trust a locksmith that can't tell you, clearly and simply, how much a project will cost. Hiding fees is a favorite pastime for fraudulent locksmiths, and you can often pick out a service provider to avoid based on a poor cost setup or unclear estimate.

Reading reviews from multiple sites.  You can't trust the internet, not when it comes to choosing a company that will help you protect your house. Any company can pay just about anybody to make them sound good on a review site. However, few companies can manufacture a good enough web presence across multiple review sites and specialty reference pages. If you want to find a locksmith you can trust, check a diverse range of web locations and look for variety, not just an organization that has five or six five-star reviews and little else.

Finding a locksmith you can trust is imperative to protecting your home, and some good research can go a long way toward getting you there.