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Ask HN: What can I do about Keeper Security holding my passwords for ransom?

2 points by evanbishop ↗ HN
I decided to use their service. What they don't tell you up front is that unless you pay for a yearly subscription that eventually you won't have access to your passwords. Is there anything I can do to get my data back from them? I don't want to pay money to perpetuate a business model that is running a scam on its potential customers.

https://keepersecurity.com/

4 comments

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bartvk
So they don't offer an export option? This is not the same as holding your passwords random, by the way.
ateesdalejr
Check this paragraph from the TOS[0]:

  If your subscription expires and you choose not to renew 
  your subscription within 90 days, Keeper Security reserves 
  the right to delete any Keeper records contained in your 
  account that have files (e.g. documents, photos, videos, 
  etc.) contained in them. Notice will be sent to you prior to 
  termination based on the email address associated with your 
  Keeper account. Expired user accounts convert to a Free User 
  account.
Sounds like you're stuck. The only way I think you can get out of this hole would be to pay for a month or so of a subscription and back your data up. Then charge back the cost. You are correct that this is a shady business model but you can always prevent it by reading the TOS for anything you sign up for. :)

[0]: https://keepersecurity.com/termsofuse.html

evanbishop
If you leave Facebook for example you can request that all the data on your account be sent to you. This can be done even if the account is deleted without the ability to reactivate it.

Their "model" is akin to paying money so they will let you out of a bear trap. Why would I pay them anything if they are going to turn around and trick someone else into the same scheme and do so with the money that I gave them.

ateesdalejr
I'm not sure what there is you can do about it. Call customer support and explain your predicament? I've not had the pleasure of dealing with this type of company so I'm not so sure what I'd do in this situation besides limping away with my data and taking my business somewhere else.