Locksmith scams surge in UK as unregulated industry exploits search engine advertising

Complaints about rogue locksmiths rose 66% from 2021 to 2025, with scams reported to the Master Locksmiths Association up 147% in early 2026.

• The Master Locksmiths Association reported a 147% increase in scam reports between January and March 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
• Steffan George, managing director of the MLA, said the industry is unregulated, allowing anyone to call themselves a locksmith.
• Google removed ads for a scam locksmith website after the Guardian contacted the company, and said it blocked or removed 602 million scam ads in 2025.
• The UK government is examining how other countries have banned locksmith advertising on Google to reduce fraud.