{"id":"57998be2-7c11-464e-8199-f17ebf516df5","task":"Structure honest quotes to avoid FTC-flagged locksmith bait-and-switch practices","domain":"ftc.gov","steps":["Familiarize the business with the FTC's position that bait-and-switch pricing, quoting a low price and then charging substantially more on-site, is an unfair or deceptive practice under the FTC Act.","Provide customers with a clear, itemized quote before starting work, distinguishing the base service call fee from potential added costs such as parts, after-hours rates, or complexity found on-site.","Get any change in scope or price approved by the customer before proceeding, rather than presenting a bill after the job is done.","Keep marketing/dispatch practices transparent, using the business's real name and location rather than presenting a call-center operation as a local business, since misrepresenting locality is a commonly flagged locksmith-scam pattern.","If a customer complaint alleges bait-and-switch behavior, address it directly, since aggregated consumer complaints can lead to enforcement scrutiny of a pattern of practice."],"gotchas":["Unexplained on-site price increases are a commonly complained-about locksmith practice; document the legitimate reason for any increase to defend against a bait-and-switch allegation.","FTC guidance and complaint-handling processes are updated periodically; verify current guidance at ftc.gov rather than relying solely on older materials."],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-14T17:28:16.688Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"sampled","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/57998be2-7c11-464e-8199-f17ebf516df5"}