“Albany Emergency Locksmith Sounds Alarm on Widespread Locksmith Scams in the Capital District — Owner Vows to ‘Cut Out the Cancer’”
Albany, NY — Zack Ali, owner of Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC and President of the Capital District Locksmith Association, details deceptive practices, real incidents, and steps consumers can take to protect themselves.
Dateline: Albany, NY — October 2, 2025
Albany, NY — Zack Ali, owner of Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC and President of the Capital District Locksmith Association, is publicly exposing a pattern of deceptive locksmith practices targeting residents and small businesses across the Capital District. After investigating and documenting multiple incidents, Ali says these operators — often promoted by a “Google Guaranteed / licensed” badge — are using call-centers and third-party dispatch models to send under-trained technicians to jobs, resulting in severe overcharges and property damage.
“People call because they’re scared or in an emergency. They see the Google Guaranteed label and trust it. What they’re getting too often is a caller in a call center, an inexperienced technician dispatched from an ad site, and a nightmare at the end of the job. This is hurting our neighbors — seniors, single parents, and small business owners — and I will not stand by and let it continue.”
— Zack Ali, Owner, Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC
Documented Incidents (Examples)
- Fake “30-minute” promises for rural calls: On two occasions, customers in outlying areas were told a locksmith would arrive in 30 minutes. Albany Emergency Locksmith arrived and safely regained access for an elderly client so she could retrieve medication — a critical intervention the original operator failed to deliver on time.
- Incompetent car key programming causing costly repairs: An inexperienced tech improperly programmed and damaged a woman’s work vehicle. Albany Emergency Locksmith fixed the programming and saved the customer roughly $3,500 in dealer replacement costs.
- Drilled/damaged locks and doors: In multiple cases, third-party dispatchers sent technicians who drilled locks or damaged doors because they lacked basic picking and repair skills. Albany Emergency Locksmith later repaired the damage.
- Excessive overcharging for trivial tasks: Consumers reported being charged as much as $375 for a job that should cost about $125 (e.g., changing smart-lock batteries), often with cash-only demands and poor documentation.
How the Scam Works (What to Watch For)
- A consumer searches and sees a business listed as “Google Guaranteed / licensed.”
- The consumer calls; the call is routed to a centralized call-center (often outside the U.S.).
- The call-center assigns the job to a local, unvetted subcontractor (frequently sourced via Craigslist-type ads).
- An inexperienced technician arrives, inflates pricing, and may cause damage. The listing and badge create the illusion of a vetted local company, but the work is outsourced and unregulated.
“Just as a doctor diagnoses cancer and rules that the cancer must be cut out, I am taking the same mindset toward these unscrupulous operators. I vow to wage a war against these actors and I am working with state and local law enforcement to investigate and expel them from the Capital District. This is a public-safety and consumer-protection issue.”
— Zack Ali
Working with Authorities
Ali is cooperating with state and local police, and with industry partners through the Capital District Locksmith Association, to identify repeat offenders and provide investigators with documentation and eyewitness statements. Victims are encouraged to report incidents and preserve receipts, text messages, photos of damage, and the name or phone number used by the technician.
Consumer Safety Tips — How to Pick a Locksmith
- Ignore badges; verify locality: Don’t rely on “Google Guaranteed.” Look for a physical address and a local phone number.
- Check real local reviews: Prefer detailed reviews with specifics and photos over sparse star-only ratings.
- Ask who answers and who arrives: If they use a third-party dispatcher, insist on speaking with the local technician and get their name, vehicle, and ETA.
- Get a written estimate first: Ask for itemized pricing before work starts; get a receipt at the end.
- Avoid cash-only transactions: Pay with card when possible to leave a record.
- Request proof: License/insurance and a business card should be readily available.
- Use established locals: Choose firms with verifiable presence and history in the Capital District (e.g., Albany Emergency Locksmith).
Sample Script for Callers
“Hi — before you come, please tell me your business name, your physical address, the technician’s name and vehicle details, and an itemized estimate in writing. I need to know whether you are a locally based company or using a third-party dispatch center.”
About Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC & the Capital District Locksmith Association
Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC is a locally owned emergency locksmith service responding to residential and commercial lockouts and repairs across Albany and the Capital District. Zack Ali is the company owner and serves as President of the Capital District Locksmith Association, an industry group committed to professional standards and consumer protection.
Media Contact
Zack Ali, Owner / President
Albany Emergency Locksmith, LLC
Phone: (518) 530-2314
Address / HQ: 20 14th St, Watervliet, NY 12189
If You Were a Victim
If you believe you’ve been the victim of an overcharge, damage, or fraud by a locksmith operating in the Capital District, preserve any evidence (texts, photos, receipts), note the technician’s vehicle description and phone number, and contact Albany Emergency Locksmith at (518) 530-2314 or your local law enforcement agency to file a report.
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