Secure Menifee Locksmith: What To Do In Different Lockout Situations

The team at Secure Menifee Locksmith knows just how worrying it is to get locked out. That’s because it’s a problem they have seen many times before. For this reason, they have been kind enough to put together a list of ideas that would be useful to anyone who ends up misplacing their key, or otherwise just being unable to get into their property. Often times, people don’t realize in their moment of stress that one of their doors is actually accessible. One of the first things a locksmith might tell you to do is check another door. If you’re locked out of your vehicle, they might have you check the back doors. If you are locked out of your home, they might gently remind you to check the patio or garage door. Often times, the situation isn’t this simple, unfortunately. Have a look at the tips provided by one of the best lock and security providers around – these will be useful to you whether you are in Menifee, CA or anywhere else.

1. If you are locked out of your house, ask yourself if a neighbor or family member might have a spare key. It is easy when our minds become filled with anxiety to forget little details. If you made a copy of your house key and gave it to a neighbor, friend or family member, make sure to reach out to them if possible. This could save you the cost of needing to have a locksmith come out to get you back in.
2. If you are locked out of your vehicle, be sure to get to a safe place. Maybe you just left a local mall or office, and the sun is going down. It might not be the safest thing for you to hang out in a parking lot. If you have the option, go back inside to the place that you were, before you realized you couldn’t get into your car. If you’re in a parking lot that doesn’t feel safe, and you don’t have the option to go inside somewhere, consider calling a police officer or even a security guard to come wait with you. Try to stay in a well-lit area. These are just basics to ensure your protection. No matter where you happen to live in the country, it is always important to exhibit caution.
3. Locked out of your house late at night? Keep in mind some of the tips in point number two. Be sure to get to a safe place, whether that means asking to wait inside your neighbor’s home, or even going back inside of your vehicle. If needed, call a police officer so you have someone to make you feel safer.
4. Whether you are unable to get into the house or vehicle, or even a commercial property, avoid breaking a window. Sure, this might seem like the logical next step, especially if you are in a rush to get somewhere. Using your fist to break glass could end up causing physical injury. Using some sort of tool to break open a window will leave you having to deal with shattered glass, which can also cause personal injury. In addition to potentially hurting yourself, you will also be left with damaged property. Do the math – it would almost certainly be less expensive to call in a local locksmith to have them deal with the lockout, than to have to pay to replace broken glass or go to a doctor because you have glass pieces stuck in your hand.

Avoiding a Locksmith Scam

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it can’t happen to you. Anyone can unknowingly be ‘taken’ by a scam. Nobody is exempt. This is why anytime you require the services of a professional service provider, you should always be aware of the various types of scams that any type of service provider is known for. In the case of a locksmith service, they are known to go after homeowners and motorists. This happens when they are in the most vulnerable situations, like being locked out. You can find a reputable and trustworthy Menifee locksmith, such as, Secure Menifee Locksmith, by performing little research. 

Searching the Internet is not the most reliable resource for finding a reputable locksmith service since scammers are mimicking legit locksmith services.  The reality is that many of the scammers do not even operate a locksmith service; they just set up out of state call centers and then reroute your calls to someone they work with who may not even be a trained or certified locksmiths. This opens up a host of issues and problems for you. One of these is your safety and security. If you want to make sure you’re not being ‘taken’, it is up to you to perform you r due-diligence to ensure you’re dealing with a legit and qualified locksmith service.

Steps to Finding a Legitimate Locksmith 

1. Search Locally – Research, research, research! Call up a couple of local locksmiths and have a list of questions ready to ask them about their services. Be specific in your questions and make sure they give you clear and concise answers to your questions. 
Listen out for how the service answers your call. If they do not have a company name and they answer by using the phrase ‘locksmith services’, be cautious. 

When a locksmith has a local business address, check to make sure there are no other businesses operating, using the same address. Get confirmation from the locksmith service if you find that they share the same address with another service provider. If the addresses match it is likely a SCAM! 

If the locksmith service uses an 800 number and there is no other number listed, be wary. The place that you’re calling is likely an out-of-state call center.
 
2. Check Locksmith Credentials – If locksmiths in your area are required to carry a license, make sure the first thing you ask for when they arrive to your location is their id and license. You wan to be sure that they are who they say they are and that they are qualified to address your lock or key issue.

Alabama, Connecticut, California, Louisiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia and Texas all require that locksmiths have a license. If you have telephoned a locksmith service and they claim that they are licensed, yet they do not live in any of these states, proceed with caution!

Legitimate locksmith services will always ask the customer to show them some id before they will begin handling the work they need done. This clears them of any liability if they should unlock the home or car of someone whom it doesn’t belong to. 

Check to make sure the locksmith arrives in a vehicle that is clearly marked. If they arrive in an unmarked car or do not have the name of the business that you thought you were hiring on the vehicle, walk away and find another locksmith service.

3. Get an Estimate for the Job – When you’re contacting a locksmith call center, you’ll notice that they will give you a starting rate less than $50. They get customers by promoting their services way lower than the actual cost of the job. This is known as a bait-and-switch approach. However, once they arrive, the price will undoubtedly go up much higher than the low price they initially offered you. They will tell you that the job is more challenging than they anticipated.

On average, a locksmith service call will typically cost between $50 to $60. If you receive a price of $15 to $40, this is usually the sign of a scam because these are the numbers that are usually most attractive to a potential customer. The reason the cost is a little more for legitimate locksmiths is that the cost of traveling to your location is often including.

Keep in mind the expenses that are incurred by the locksmith service, such as, licensing, tools and travel. Do you honesty think that anyone could pay for these things charging customers only $15 per job? 

If you ask for a price quote and the locksmith service doesn’t provide you with one, don’t use their services. They will often charge you what they want and it will likely be a lot more than you can imagine. Don’t let them touch anything until you have a written estimate in your hand. It is also in your best interest to also get a quote for any emergency lock and key services they might offer.

Be aware of any price changes. We understand that an estimate is just that, an estimate. However, if the price that they offer to you on the phone far exceeds what they tell you once they have performed an onsite evaluation, find another locksmith service.

4. Customer Satisfaction – If it is clear that the problem you have hired a locksmith to perform has not been performed efficiently, you shouldn’t have to pay. A legitimate locksmith wants the customer to be satisfied and they will do whatever it takes to make sure the customer is happy. This mean that they will ‘willingly’ come back to perform the job the right way. A locksmith that refuses to make things right, should be avoided.

The bottom line again is to make sure you do your research before hiring just any locksmith service. You have to protect yourself and your family and cannot risk just allowing anyone into your home or handing over your keys to anybody. Get what you pay for by hiring a legitimate locksmith service.

Transponder key problems

If you are having transponder key problems, read this post carefully and they can soon be over! We always hear that “it’s who you know” that’s important, but when it comes to transponder keys, it’s “what you know” that can save you money and lots of headaches. Secure Menifee Locksmith offers these tips to our blog readers so look them over, and put them to use, if needed!

What exactly is a transponder key?

Are you driving a late model car dated around 1995 or after? If so, you are most likely using a transponder chip key to open your car or start your engine. These keys look like traditional keys with a metal blade with grooves and chips cut into it to place in the lock and a larger, rounded head for holding the key and turning it. What’s different is that it’s a “smart key” due to it having a programmable chip embedded in the key’s head. This chip communicates with the computer in your car’s engine by sending a signal when you turn the ignition on. If the signal matches, your car will start! If not, forget it. This is why transponder keys are such good theft deterrents; you can’t just have them copied at your local convenience store and use it to drive off with someone else’s car. They are difficult to program and duplicate and unless the electronic signal matches, your car is staying put! 

Not perfect 

Transponder keys are not perfect, but they are quite beneficial. In fact, since they have been introduced into the automotive market, they have been instrumental in decreasing auto theft by quite a margin. They can however, have their problems. For instance, they can break, become lost or stolen and are quite expensive to program and duplicate. Sometimes, the chip can literally fall out of the key and while the key still works to open the car door or trunk, it can’t start the engine with no signal to transmit to the car’s computer. 

Breakage 

It’s a fact that people use keys for many things that they probably shouldn’t! Transponder car keys have been used to open boxes, soft drink cans, heavy packages, bottled drinks and lots more. These keys are used to cut cords, ribbons, string, plastic binders and even to pry open metal items like boxes, trunks and lids. Naturally the transponder key can break, become damaged or even snap in two. 

Theft and loss

People become distracted all too often. Watch shoppers in the grocery store; they leave their carts momentarily with purses wide open to go get something at the end of the aisle. Kids can drop keys in lakes and drains. Dogs can dig holes and bury them. We lose keys behind couch cushions, at crowded sports events and even at the theater where they fall out of coats or pants pockets while we fidget with our popcorn. Sometimes keys are taken right off of desks or lockers while no one looks. Hotel lost and found departments are always populated with an assortment of keys that patrons left in the room or in a coat pocket in the closet.

Keys can fall

It’s so easy to drop your keys. What can it hurt; they are made of metal, right? It’s easy to multi-task and attempt too many errands at once. If you drop your keys, the transponder chip can fall out of the head. Unless you are specifically looking for it, it’s easy to simply bend over, pick up your keys and walk off leaving the fallen out chip still lying on the pavement. They key part should still work but without the transponder chip, your car won’t start. 

Stuck key 

Sometimes transponder keys become stuck in the ignition. Whatever you do; don’t force it out! You can complicate the situation by breaking the key and then you have additional costs and problems. The first thing to remember is to stay calm and not panic. Try jiggling the steering wheel back and forth and see if this releases it. Also, be double sure to check and see if you are in the PARK gear. Your transmission and ignition systems have a built in safety precaution so that you can’t accidentally remove your key at the wrong time (like while driving!). If you are not in PARK, your transponder key will not be released so before you call for help; check your gears! 

Battery issues

Did your transponder key open the driver’s side door but did NOT start the engine? The problem may be your battery. Low batteries can lack the power to send a proper signal from your key to your car’s engine. To see if this is the case, turn on your radio, headlights or windshield wipers. If they work, it’s not your battery. If they don’t, your transponder key is fine but your battery will need a boost or replacement depending on the wear.

  

Avoid these solutions! 

There are many places here in Menifee, CA where you can get your transponder key copied, programmed or duplicated. Be choosy and you can save lots of time and cash! Secure Menifee Locksmith recommends that you call either our shop or a similar licensed, bonded and insured lock and key company. Local auto mechanics and car dealers can help with transponder key problems but they can be quite costly to deal with. To begin with, your car will need to be towed to them since the ignition is not working. Then, these places call their own locksmith to do the service and then add his bill to theirs! Add to that long waits, overbooked appointments and other hassles and you can see why locals are much better off calling an established automotive locksmith in Menifee!

  

Be prepared!

It’s always wise to think ahead and be ready for any transponder key or other automotive locksmith problem. You can do this by adding the phone number to a trusted or experienced locksmith shop to all of your smart phones in the house so that you don’t waste valuable time or nerves trying to find one when it’s really needed!

Locksmiths say there are ways of cracking open safes

A safe at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre was recently broken into and almost $500,000 was stolen.

Two men, aged 23 and 35 and who hold Vietnamese passports, were charged for their suspected involvement in the crime.

So how safe are safes?

Mr Melvin Tan, 48, owner of Singapore Locksmith Services, said there have been many instances where he has received a request to open a safe - but the safe did not belong to the requestor.

In a phone interview with The New Paper, Mr Tan said: "As a locksmith, I abide by a strict code of ethics to make sure that I open the safe for the right person."

He checks the identity card of the requestor before he carries on with his work during home or office visits.

He said: "I'll also ask them what's the content of the safe before opening it.

"Owners of the safes always answer without hesitation and with a slight sense of urgency. "

The locksmith of 25 years also explained the various ways to unlock a safe without cutting it open.

One technique involves using a ear amplifier and graph papers in a very quiet room.

"In the movies, the actor will sometimes hold the end of a stethoscope to the safe. That's to listen carefully for contact points," said Mr Tan.

Another method involves drilling a hole just long enough to put a tiny camera through.

Mr Tan explained: "It helps to scope the position of the dial. That will help locksmiths obtain the combination and open the safe. "

He added that there are robots, which costs thousands of dollars, to open safes.

BE CAREFUL

"That's why owners have to be careful about what they put in their safes," said Mr Tan.

Mr Chong Kee Sen, 57, president of the Institution of Engineers Singapore, said safe walls are made up of a combination of different materials.

Different tools have to be used to cut through them.

Mr Chong said: "They (the accused) might have used an oxy-acetylene torch to saw through the metal and a breaker or chisel to break through the cement.

"Some safe walls may also be embedded with a layer of copper plate, which helps to dissipate the heat of a cutting touch, thus slowing down the process."

He added: "Cutting a hole in a safe takes a lot of time and usually makes a lot of noise."

Sometimes, safes are only a deterrent.

Mr Thomas Ong, 59, owner of a local safe distributing company, said: "If they have the time and the right equipment, anyone can break into any safe - no matter how much the showroom salesman guarantees otherwise."

He has been in the business for 21 years and he said that while many safes in the market boast fire-resistant features, the material can last in high temperatures for only an hour or two.

Mr Ong said: "My advice for owners is to invest in added security measures like motion sensor lights or CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras, especially if they plan to keep many valuables in the safe."

If they have the time and the right equipment, anyone can break into any safe - no matter how much the showroom salesman guarantees otherwise.

- Mr Thomas Ong, 59, owner of a local safe distributing company, who said that a safe should be paired with other security measures.





See More:  http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/locksmiths-say-there-are-ways-cracking-open-safes
Related Post:  Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too

A safe at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre was recently broken into and almost $500,000 was stolen.
Two men, aged 23 and 35 and who hold Vietnamese passports, were charged for their suspected involvement in the crime.
So how safe are safes?
Mr Melvin Tan, 48, owner of Singapore Locksmith Services, said there have been many instances where he has received a request to open a safe - but the safe did not belong to the requestor.
In a phone interview with The New Paper, Mr Tan said: "As a locksmith, I abide by a strict code of ethics to make sure that I open the safe for the right person."
He checks the identity card of the requestor before he carries on with his work during home or office visits.
He said: "I'll also ask them what's the content of the safe before opening it.
"Owners of the safes always answer without hesitation and with a slight sense of urgency. "
The locksmith of 25 years also explained the various ways to unlock a safe without cutting it open.
One technique involves using a ear amplifier and graph papers in a very quiet room.
"In the movies, the actor will sometimes hold the end of a stethoscope to the safe. That's to listen carefully for contact points," said Mr Tan.

Another method involves drilling a hole just long enough to put a tiny camera through.
Mr Tan explained: "It helps to scope the position of the dial. That will help locksmiths obtain the combination and open the safe. "
He added that there are robots, which costs thousands of dollars, to open safes.
BE CAREFUL
"That's why owners have to be careful about what they put in their safes," said Mr Tan.
Mr Chong Kee Sen, 57, president of the Institution of Engineers Singapore, said safe walls are made up of a combination of different materials.
Different tools have to be used to cut through them.
Mr Chong said: "They (the accused) might have used an oxy-acetylene torch to saw through the metal and a breaker or chisel to break through the cement.
"Some safe walls may also be embedded with a layer of copper plate, which helps to dissipate the heat of a cutting touch, thus slowing down the process."
He added: "Cutting a hole in a safe takes a lot of time and usually makes a lot of noise."
Sometimes, safes are only a deterrent.
Mr Thomas Ong, 59, owner of a local safe distributing company, said: "If they have the time and the right equipment, anyone can break into any safe - no matter how much the showroom salesman guarantees otherwise."
He has been in the business for 21 years and he said that while many safes in the market boast fire-resistant features, the material can last in high temperatures for only an hour or two.
Mr Ong said: "My advice for owners is to invest in added security measures like motion sensor lights or CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras, especially if they plan to keep many valuables in the safe."
If they have the time and the right equipment, anyone can break into any safe - no matter how much the showroom salesman guarantees otherwise.
- Mr Thomas Ong, 59, owner of a local safe distributing company, who said that a safe should be paired with other security measures
- See more at: http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/locksmiths-say-there-are-ways-cracking-open-safes#sthash.NY33SNPn.dpuf

Appoint A locksmith – Get The Best Lockout Service

Security is important and it’s very essential today. It is important to make your house protected and secure. The security is important in homes, office and in business. Without security, it is hard to save your home from the hands of the robbers. Hoodlums and thieves break into the house at the mid of the night and steal valuable items from your house.

Locksmiths in Cumming, GA provides locksmith services that repair the locks and keys and furthermore, they keep up the wellbeing and security of your home, office, and business too. They are effective in taking away the peace of your mind that you feel about your home and business, when you are far from your home.

The new approach of locking and utilizing the security framework is by method for the computerized frameworks that guarantees a superior execution than at any other time. The locksmiths are aware of the most recent method of the advanced bolting framework. Great locksmiths have tremendous interest nowadays and they know the most cutting edge technologies to make your home protected and save it from the hands of the robbers.
The locksmiths are effective in determining high security issues and lockout administrations. They have the access to the most recent security apparatuses that are available in the business sector.
Taking care of security issues matter a lot to them and they can overhaul the security arrangement of your homes and work environments. Organizations and industrial facilities additionally enlist a few locksmiths, who are useful now and again. They deal with the security frameworks and handle the lock related issues in the workplace or business. They are innovation amicable and they surely know the present day dialect of innovation.

Locksmiths have turned out to be exceptionally famous nowadays. Their occupation is not confined to just bolts and keys. They have sound information of the PC and the web also. They know about the advanced innovative security frameworks that are utilized as a part of business, office, and houses. They are a part of the present day and the most understood security frameworks. They are accessible all round the clock to meet the needs of the customers.
A locksmith is a man, who manages bolts and keys. There are numerous circumstances, where individuals get locked in their homes and business. A few individuals lose their bicycle keys and tremble at the center of the road. A decent locksmith can help to get out of such hazardous circumstances. A locksmith is a decent professional, who can resolve the issue by the dint of his specialized aptitudes and experiences.

An expert locksmith is in charge of the establishment and repair of various sorts of security frameworks. They keep your home secure and you have the opportunity to move by leaving your home in a safe and secured position.
A prepared locksmith is an expert individual, who is very much aware of the innovation. The most advanced and redesigned security framework is in their grasp that guarantees a superior security of your home. An expert locksmith has the ability to safeguard you at purpose of time, when you are out of your home or business.

Source: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/appoint-a-locksmith-get-the-best-lockout-service
Related Page: How To Search For Locksmith Services Online