Sarah was alone in her flat with her three-month-old baby when a locksmith demanded £2,209 after drilling open her door. The 30-year-old had accidentally left her keys at home and searched Google for a nearby locksmith. The sponsored company's website promised prices from £45 and claimed over 4,500 five-star reviews. Once inside, the locksmith insisted the high-security lock required drilling, then damaged the internal mechanism, inflating the cost. Sarah paid under pressure, fearing aggression. 'He probably thought: Here's a mum with a baby in a stressful situation, I could charge what I like,' she said.
The '49-er' scam: bait-and-switch on the rise
The UK is experiencing an epidemic of locksmith scams, according to the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA). Scams reported to the MLA rose by 147% between January and March 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Complaints about rogue locksmiths rose 66% from 2021 to 2025. The main swindle is the '49-er', where a low price like £49 is advertised, but the final bill reaches hundreds or thousands of pounds. 'We have seen some very frightening amounts,' said Steffan George, managing director of the MLA.
How Google ads fuel the scam
Google is the first port of call for many, but reputable firms are not always at the top. Scammers operate from big call centres, listing themselves as local firms to boost search rankings. Paying for Google Ads can place them above organic results. Google told the Guardian it blocked or removed 602 million scam ads in 2025. The website Sarah used had 21 sponsored ads; after the Guardian contacted Google, these were removed for policy violations. George noted: 'A search engine result for a locksmith is not an indication of how good a company is, it's an indication of how much money they're spending with Google.'
Victims: from £45 quote to £3,300 bill
Pat Gilks, 60, received a call from his son who had locked himself out of the family home in London. The son was charged £3,300. The breakdown included £280 emergency call-out, £229 for access, £465 for a 'high-security lock', £420 for a door handle, £800 for an internal mechanism, £630 labour, and £568 VAT. A legitimate locksmith later said the job should have cost £190 to £240. Gilks said: 'He more or less just added a zero at the end of everything.' The scammer's invoice listed a dead website with an expired domain.
Lack of regulation and recourse
The locksmith industry is unregulated, meaning anyone can call themselves a locksmith. The MLA says it is illegal for locksmiths to be checked by standard DBS assessments, as this is reserved for certain jobs. George explained that scammers target 'older couples or lone females who are less likely to fight back'. Victims often accept the loss, fearing reprisals. Formal recourse is rare; the Department for Business and Trade advises contacting Citizens Advice, who can refer complaints to Trading Standards.
What can be done?
Google has banned locksmith ads in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain to reduce fraud. In the US and Canada, locksmiths must be verified to advertise. The UK government is examining how other countries have clamped down. The MLA has launched a parliamentary petition for legislation requiring search engines to verify emergency trade advertisers before allowing paid ads. Legitimate locksmith Kumas Naroei, of Islington Locksmiths, advises customers to ask for ID and check the company when the locksmith arrives. He often confronts rogue locksmiths at jobs. 'I put them under pressure. I don't like people taking advantage of vulnerable customers,' he said.
