Open Letter to Google

KeyMe Locksmiths’ unethical use of Google Maps requiring immediate attention:

KeyMe Locksmiths uses its unique position of having Google Product Managers on its Board to get a proprietary insight on how to manipulate the Maps platform to their advantage given Google’s lax enforcement of its policies and guidelines. KeyMe Locksmiths continues to perpetrate the largest nationwide locksmith scam that are negatively impacting users and consumers, who are not aware of the egregious and unethical practices that are currently perpetrated on the Google Maps platform.  This is a call for immediate and decisive action on the part of Google to remediate these abuses.

False Locations

First and foremost, KeyMe Locksmiths continues to refuse to remediate numerous fake Maps listings. Initially, KeyMe had as many as one thousand of such fake listings, representing a whopping 15% of their online presence (see attached documentation). In addition, it has been documented that KeyMe Locksmiths intentionally reopens Google Maps listings that have been previously closed (see attached documentation). Could this be because of their unique Google connection (see attached documentation) facilitating KeyMe’s unfair competitive advantage. This unethical practice of littering Google Maps with fake listings, grants KeyMe Locksmiths an undeserved advantage. 

False Hours

KeyMe Locksmiths abuses the Maps platform by skirting its rules to represent itself accurately. Breaking Google’s policies and guidelines, it misrepresents the kiosks’ hours of operation, with hundreds of listings overestimating the hours of operations beyond the hours of operation of the retail stores where the kiosks are positioned. Given the Google algorithm to display search results based on “openness”, this practice grants KeyMe Locksmiths an undeserved advantage, while effectively pushing small businesses out of the visible search results.

Review Gating

KeyMe Locksmiths engages in an unethical and illegal practice of review gating (see attached documentation). According to the 2024 Federal Trade Commission’s Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465), companies are prohibited from selectively funneling positive reviews to public platforms, while relegating negative reviews to private ones. This is exactly what KeyMe Locksmiths has done, despite such review gating also being against Google’s policies. Once again, given the Google algorithm to display search results based on KeyMe Locksmiths’ artificially inflated star rating, this practice grants KeyMe Locksmiths an undeserved advantage, while effectively pushing small businesses out of the visible search results.