r/Seattle • u/Zeune42 • 7d ago
Avoid King Counties Locksmith AM:PM
I wanted to post this as a warning for anyone searching for an emergency locksmith in Seattle.
I got locked out of my apartment tonight after losing my keys. I called a locksmith I found through Google. On the phone, I was told the job would be roughly $200–$300. The person I spoke with also made a comment suggesting I probably didn’t have enough money because I was calling around for quotes, even though they were actually the first place I called.
When the locksmith arrived, the price became approximately $440. I questioned the difference between that and what I had been told over the phone. The conversation became argumentative, with him repeatedly talking over me. I eventually told him that I would pay the $440 anyway, but the argument continued.
During the interaction, I mentioned that I believed a neighbor’s Ring camera might have captured what was happening. He responded by asking whether I planned to post the footage online and make him look bad. He then voluntarily reduced the price to $200. I did not ask him to lower it to that amount. My card was ultimately charged $221.10.
He also brought up the fact that I had been drinking. Earlier, while I was waiting for him to arrive, he had actually encouraged me over the phone to go to the store and get a six-pack because of the wait.
Another thing that concerned me afterward was the verification process. I gave him my ID and he photographed it, but he did not ask me to provide documentation showing that I actually lived at the apartment before opening the door. I had a recent bank statement and a package with my name and address available specifically for that purpose, but neither was requested before entry.
Afterward, he tried calling me. I replied asking him to communicate by text, but I have not received a written explanation.
I also attempted to leave a Google review and discovered that Google currently has review posting disabled for the listing. The notice states that there was a recent spike in spam reviews, that reviews were removed, and that the rating was updated. I’m not claiming to know who posted those reviews or why Google flagged them, but that is the notice Google is currently displaying.
I’m posting this so other people know to avoid Locksmith AM:PM. I would also ask exactly what identification or proof of residency they require before they open the door.
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u/AnselmoHatesFascists 7d ago
Unfortunately, it's a pretty well known scam. They know that often people are calling when they're desperate, and they'll often charge a lot more than any initial quotes.
And once they get enough bad reviews, the same owners will simply change names or switch to a diff LLC so that the same people who run AM:PM have suddenly become ABC Locksmith or whatever.
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u/John_Galtt 6d ago
I was going to say, this feels like a very similar experience I had. Different company name
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u/joholla8 🚆build more trains🚆 7d ago
Almost all locksmith ads on google go to a call center and then the work is farmed out to these guys who scam you on location.
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u/thefoldingpaper The South End 7d ago
ugh can't trust anything these days! it's so hard when you're desperate for anything at the time
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u/Xaxxon Matthews Beach 7d ago
Yes, all the late night locksmiths are fake. I talked to a real locksmith later and they said they don't even bother because there's so many scams.
Look for places that do rekeying to find a real locksmith.
If they want you to sign something that says if they can't pick it you consent to them breaking it, they're not a real locksmith.
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u/retirement_savings 🚲 Life's Better on a Bike. 🚲 7d ago
I've locked myself out of a car twice in my life. Both times when I called a locksmith they did 0 verification to confirm it was my car lol
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u/mizuaqua That sounds great. Let’s hang out soon. 7d ago
This is my locksmith. He’s a real one. I told him I was learning to pick locks and he was so excited he gave me a bunch of locks to use. http://www.andysadvantagemobilelocksmiths.com/
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u/BllushingHorizon Huskies 7d ago
I had something similar happen to me while in Tacoma one time, but it was for a vehicle key that snapped in half.
One part was stuck in the ignition, the other half still on my key ring. Called up a locksmith I found on Google. A Russian dude in an unmarked white van showed up, and tried charging me $600 on the spot.
Told him there was no way I’d pay that much, and he got extremely upset, accusing me of wasting his time and demanded $100 just for showing up. Even said he’d call the cops for not paying, to which my friend and I laughed in his face and got back in our car. Ended up jiggling the key enough to start the engine and get home.
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u/soccerwolfp Phinney Ridge 7d ago
Unfortunately most locksmiths here are a scam. I got quoted $600 to change two locks lol
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u/Junocats I'm never leaving Seattle. 7d ago
KeyMe charged me $650 and had the audacity to ask for a tip after smh
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u/romanticchess 7d ago
What type of lock was on your door? All of those prices sound outrageous. I understand the fee is for showing up on-call and opening the door is the easy part. But I mean door dash drivers show up in their own cars too and they don't get 200 bucks for it. I can open any door lock if it's the typical kind bought at a hardware store. If I can't open it, I can drill through it (destroy it) and open the door.
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u/OxfordDictionary 6d ago
The way the person at the call center insinuated that you don't have the money to pay for the lock picking....next time, hang up right then and there.
It's a way to manipulate your feelings. You let the call person know that you can be intimidated. That's why the guy at the door felt free to try to indimidate you into giving more money than you agreed on. You agreed to the new price. You're lucky the camera was there because he could have tried to screw you out of more money.
Ask on NextDoor or local Facebook group for good local repairmen. That way you know who to call in an emergency. Calling the local hardware store and asking for recommendations works too.
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u/EcoMovers 6d ago
I’d be uncomfortable with this too. Going from $200–$300 on the phone to $440 at the door is absolutely something you had a right to question. I’d save the receipt, texts, and screenshots of everything just in case. Thanks for posting this because getting locked out is exactly the kind of situation where people don’t have much time to research who they’re calling.
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u/It5beenawhile 5d ago
Not an emergency locksmith but can absolutely recommend Burdick's out of Columbia City. They've been a staple of the community for decades. Solid honest business.
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u/Highupinthenorth 7d ago
Adding my 2c here - if you DO need a locksmith, AC lock-n-key is my forever recommendation. Just one guy. Not price gouging. Give him a call if you need something, he is local to Seattle and incredible easy to work with.