How To Get Ripped Off By Locking Your Keys in the Car

Oops. Locked my keys in the car.

And I had just had two extra keys made the day before so I had an extra key at all times. But alas the new keys were on my desk at home.

I searched for a lockout service and called.

“Car lockout service.”

“Hi, can you send a truck? I locked my keys in my car.”

“What zipcode are you in?” she asked.

“Zip code? I have no idea. The address is 3150 Wilshire at the corner of Vermont. In Koreatown.”

“3105 Wilshire.”

“No, 3150 Wilshire. Three-one-five-zero.”

“OK, that will be a $15 service fee and about $45 for the service itself.”

$60 total?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“OK.”

A truck finally rolled up. He had the door open in 20 seconds.

“OK, that’s $15 service fee and $85 for the service,” he said with a straight face.

You have to admire it — these guys have their act down to a science. He tells you the over-inflated price just after the door pops open.

“Listen, I appreciate the help, but that’s WAY more than she said.”

“Sir, it depends on the car,” he said.

Er, what?

I looked at the little car I use to run errands around town. It’s 22 years old. The doors are flimsier than the excuse you gave your teacher in 9th grade for not having your homework done. Your 10-year-old kid could open the door with a fifteen-cent ball point pen.

“And you have tinted windows. That increases the price.”

“Tinted windows make the price almost double?” I struggled not to laugh out loud. “Come on, this is the easiest car to open you’ll have all month.”

“Well, she tells you $60 is just the starting point,” he said.

“Nope. She never said that,” I said.

“Are you sure?”

“Whatever,” I said. I paid with my credit card.

“Well, OK, sir. Have a good night.”

“Again, I appreciate it,” I said. “But quit ripping people off.”