New Website Allows Users to Copy Keys Using Their Smartphone

Mobile devices are becoming more sophisticated than ever before. Not only can they unlock doors, but with keysduplicated.com, your smartphone can also be used to request a copy of your house key. Forget about those tiresome trips to the hardware store—now you can make copies of your key while sitting from your couch.

So here’s how it works: you take a photo of your key with your smartphone, upload it to the site, and the company sends you a duplicate in less than a week. That’s it. It’s cheap ($6 per key) and the duplicates are cut with absolute precision, creating an exact replica from the photo using high-tech software. Sounds pretty useful, huh?

But wait… there’s a major flaw

While it may seem practical for landlords and homeowners alike, the site doesn’t require its users to verify the key’s ownership. This means a thief could take a picture of your house key, buy a duplicate copy online, and then walk right through your front door without ever being asked to prove ownership of the key.

Thanks keysduplicated.com—you just made millions of American homes more vulnerable to burglary.

Just think about how easy this site makes it for someone to steal your keys. Let’s say you’re working on your laptop at Starbucks when you realize your coffee is a bit too strong. As you get up to ask the barista for some sugar, a criminal quickly snaps a picture of your keys on the table and uploads it to keysduplicated.com.

A few days later, the bad guy shows up at your house and walks right in without disturbing a soul—no forced entry, no suspicious activity.

Implications of Electronic Key Copying

Police are concerned that this new technology may inspire more thieves to commit a crime, especially since they can duplicate a key without actually having to steal it. Even the company’s CEO, Ali Rahimi, acknowledges that criminals with malicious intent could abuse the site for their own gain.

“You know there’s no doubt that this could be used by somebody to copy somebody else’s key; I just don’t think it’s very likely to happen,” says Rahimi. “If it ever happens, it’s going to be a jilted ex-lover or disgruntled coworker—people who have other ways of breaking into your house.”

Keys Duplicated says they create a paper trail by requiring a valid credit card, email address, and mailing address for each order, but so far there have been no specific changes to the site that would prevent unauthorized key duplication.

That’s scary stuff, folks.

It’s Time to Go Keyless

Because of websites like keysduplicated.com, it’s becoming increasingly dangerous for you to have keys, especially since thieves don’t actually have to possess them to make a copy. At GoKeyless, we have affordable keyless locks for your home, your business, and even your vacation or rental property. Don’t take the chance of unauthorized key duplication—contact us today or call toll free at 877.439.5377 and say goodbye to keys for good.