Locksmith scam involving backpackers leaves outraged customers out of pocket

FAKE locksmiths are fleecing thousands of dollars from ­Victorians in a new scam which sees untrained staff charging “outrageous” prices for shonky work.

FAKE locksmiths are fleecing thousands of dollars from ­Victorians in a new scam.

Customers and former workers of a company which advertises widely but uses untrained staff have revealed that it charges “outrageous” prices for shonky work.

The ex-staff have ­described how bosses at the firm — which the Herald Sun cannot name for legal reasons — told them to target vulnerable people locked out of their cars and homes, and to use cunning tricks to get them to pay hugely inflated ­prices.

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One whistleblower said he was even told to invoice customers in US or Canadian dollars — a ruse that would only come to light when the customer was charged far more than the invoice stated. The firm would then point to this being covered in the fine print.

“We were essentially told to fraudulently charge people,” he said.

“I had no training and no experience yet I was trying to unlock cars, safes and doors.”

Former workers have described how they were told to target vulnerable people locked out of their cars and homes, using cunning new techniques that trick customers into paying “ridiculous amounts” for dodgy work.

It’s understood the company employs backpackers and students who are desperate for money.

Masters Locksmiths Association of Australasia spokesman Peter Johnson said: “It’s generally vulnerable or elderly or people with language barriers who are ­targeted. Nearly every one of my members has had to go out and fix a botched job. We would ­estimate that hundreds of people have been scammed.”

Among invoices seen by the Herald Sun, one given to an elderly hearing-impaired woman totalled $770 to simply check three locks after her house was broken into.

The victim said she was “forced” to hand over the cash despite complaining that the cost did not match the earlier quote she had agreed to.

Other invoices show ­customers are charged GST of 10 per cent on all work, despite the company not holding a registered ABN.

Mr Johnson said current laws permitted some common locksmithing work to be done by anyone, and that needed to be changed.

“You don’t think of people coming unlicensed to your place,” he said, adding that the backpackers and students pretending to be locksmiths were hitting the reputations of genuinely skilled workers.

“It’s a four-year apprenticeship (to be a locksmith). They’re skilled tradespeople that get to a certain level from the work they put in.”

The scammers typically ­advertise online and offer a cheap service for a so-called quick fix to simple jobs.

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When questions are asked of the workers involved, customers are told to visit the firm’s website. But that provides fake contact details and reroutes phone inquiries to overseas call centres.

A Consumer Affairs spokesman said yesterday: “Consumers are encouraged to engage with a tradesperson or business qualified or certified by an industry body, such as the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia.”

For more information on protecting yourself against scams visit consumer.vic.gov.au

TIPS AND HINTS

• When looking online, scammers will use a .com domain, not .com.au, indicating the website is not Australian and Australian laws do not apply

• The dodgy locksmiths usually arrive in casual or plain clothes, without ID

• The person will attempt to unlock the property or vehicle by any means, usually causing damage

• The scammers will try to charge invoices in Canadian or US dollars and demand immediate payment

• Before accepting the service, find out if there are additional costs or get an estimate of additional costs

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