Important information
- Customer Complaint:Consumers should be aware that Ancestry.com/MyFamily.com uses an auto-renewal process that automatically charges the consumer for another year membership if the member does not cancel prior to the anniversary date. BBB files also indicate this business has a pattern of complaints concerning shipping/handling override coupon codes not being accepted.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Ancestry.com's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 827 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 231 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/02/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This company falsely claims that they have records and resources that they do not have. They are unresponsive to calls and are constantly trying to upsell and wanting more money to get records that are supposed to be available on the site. They keep saying that I have to go to another site and pay more money to see records. It is just a big scam.
Business Response
Date: 12/03/2024
Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
December 3, 2024
RE: ***** ***** 22613288
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. ****** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
Ancestry has over 30 billion records from more than 80 countries within its collections and is by far the largest online collection of records of its kind. Ancestry also partners with other websites such as Newspapers.com, Find a Grave, and Fold3, which may contain records which are not included in some Ancestry subscriptions. If members find that they wish to access these additional records, Ancestry provides a bundled All Access membership which includes access to this additional information. However, without knowing what information Ms. ***** was trying to access, we are unable to address her direct issue.
As a courtesy to her, we have issued a refund in the amount of $24.83 back to the account that was originally billed. The confirmation number for this transaction is *********. The access to the databases associated with this membership has been terminated effective immediately, and there will be no future billing from Ancestry. Please note that it can take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering, preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future they become interested in researching or saving their family history, they may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after their subscription has ended.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:12/02/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 10/22/24 I purchased a DNA Kit from Ancestry.com for $59.95. They required a membership and my credit card information at that time. The first kit they sent me was lost so I requested a replacement on the website which is offered but that failed so I had to call to request the replacement which finally arrived on 11/21/24. Per the instructions, I scanned the ** code on the kit per the instructions in order to register the kit. I already had an account but it required all of my personal information and a credit card (which they already have) but there was no other option so I provided the info. My credit card was declined so I tried a second one which was also declined! At that time I abandoned the attempt to register via their AP and resolved to call them. A few minutes later I received messages from both credit card issuers of suspicious charges on both of my credit cards. They had been HACKED! From the Ancestry AP! I was forced to cancel both cards at tremendous inconvenience to me. Since then I have had 2 phone conversations with Ancestry and they were unsympathetic, unhelpful, unable to explain how I was hacked on their AP, nor were they willing to make amends and assurances. I was promised a call back from the supervisor which never happened.Business Response
Date: 12/03/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
December 3, 2024
RE: ***** ****** -- 22625740
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. ******* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
We sincerely regret any frustration or concern this matter may have caused him. At this time, the process of registering a DNA kit does not require payment information to be entered. Without additional information,we would be unable to determine what occurred. If Mr. ****** has screenshots of the process he used where payment information was requested, he may email us at ****************************************** so that we may further review this report.
Our records show that Mr. ****** had already purchased his original DNA kit bundled with a World Explorer subscription on October *******, and no further payments would have been required. His replacement test was successfully registered on November 21st and was received by our lab on November 27th. Records further show that his test went into processing yesterday on December 2nd. If left to process, the normal processing time is typically 6-8 weeks. However, if Mr. ****** wishes to cancel his DNA order, we may do so, but we wish to confirm with him that his test will be invalidated and will not be available on his account once they are completed.
Therefore, if he wishes to cancel the processing of his DNA kit and request a refund, he may contact us at ****************************************** with his request.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/29/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Privacy Concern! Ancestry.com posted my picture (in photolines for one) after I deleted it. Ive contacted them multiple times through chat & followed different instructions that do nothing to resolve the issue. .They do not seem to have the knowledge or policy to resolve the issue & last chat the agent disconnected during our chat. Ancestry.com is irresponsible in the manner they handle members ******************** All the sections Ive checked on my end are showing no picture SO where did they get it? Yes, I could delete my account but does ******************** STILL have & use my personal ********************** Im not talking about media that may be copied to another members site, this picture was uploaded to my profile & then deleted by me. I want Ancestry.com to clarify the privacy policy on their storage & use of deleted personal ******************** Remove my photoBusiness Response
Date: 12/03/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
December 3, 2024
RE: ***** ****** -- 22618459
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. ******* complaint to **. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
Our records show that Ms. ****** has called our support line on multiple occasions regarding this issue, but that agents were unable to determine the location of the image(s) to which Ms. ****** was referring.
To further review her request, we need additional information to locate the images on our website. Therefore, we ask that ********* please contact us at ****************************************** and provide us with the URL(s) of where the images in question may be located so that we may review them for possible removal.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/26/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Two years ago my husband and I order DNA tests from this company that were delivered. But few months ago I had a computer problems and lost theur emails, and when I opened my Ancestry account to reprint them ,results were completely different. I contacted them and they said that their new methods were better?? However they are not, because I know some of my ancestors and firts results were accurate. What I want to say is ,they erased first results ,I couldn't even get a copy, and played with God only knows how many people regarding their origins. This field required a law that will give a rules for this companies whay can or cannor do with payed for product, and are they required to inform customers that they " played" with thie most precious information. We are all aware that DNA is a new field and of great importancy for different issues people are trying to understand. And this kind of manipulation may cause a lot of persinal and society damages. Please take steps you can to protect our citizens from Ancestry.com. Sorry for my poor writing, I am an invalide and typing is a complicated task for me. Respectfully,Sanja MehmedinovicBusiness Response
Date: 11/27/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 27, 2024
RE: Sanja Mehmedinovic -- 22605852
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. ************* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
DNA science is always evolving, and so is Ancestry. We periodically update our ancestral regions based on advances in DNA science and an increasing number of samples in our reference panel. With each update, we add new regions, making our customers results even more precise.
Ancestrys Terms and Conditions may be reviewed at the *** below:
***************************************************************
Per section 1.1 of the Terms: When using our Services you may discover unexpected facts about yourself or your family. You may also come across content you find offensive, inaccurate, or otherwise objectionable.While you may have a strong emotional reaction, as may others with whom you share these discoveries, you expressly agree to assume all risks associated with your use of the Services and not to hold Ancestry liable for any social,emotional, or legal consequences of such discoveries or encounters
Our records show that Ms. ************* test results were purchased in September of 2016 and posted to her Ancestry account in November and have been updated on a regular basis. Therefore, because of the date of her purchase and the fact that she has had access to this information for the past eight years, her purchase is not eligible for a refund.
As this may be the case, we are willing to offer her a free month of World Explorer membership to further review her DNA results and research additional family connections. To accept this offer, she may contact us at ******************************************************************.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/22/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
In last couple months or more I have noticed a drastic change in the efficiency of Ancestry.com IE: When working I go to a person on my tree and it comes on screen but then I work on to other persons or to another site and when I return to my account it always goes back to same person that I had been working on a long time ago. This requires a lot of selecting to get back to person i was working on. The next problem is I have personal photos, headstones, Obits and Death Certs onUSBs. When I try to upload to a individual gallery It takes forever to get it done. Also regarding photos etc if I am messaged or get a hint with photo or other media i try to upload it to my tree and USB and sometimes it takes 5 minutes or more for it to load and by time it does I go back to doing something and maybe hours later I look and media is on my tree or USB but has no name or data and I cannot remember hundred or thousand of persons I have recd media on so they go to the top of all my photos unidentified. There are many other complaints of late and I don't know if new owners just are trying to cut cost and hiring inefficient data operators but it is annoying. I am 84 and am trying to get trees done to leave to descendants and I am getting a little irritated with the change in quality of service i am paying for. I doubt that I will get a repsonse but I will try anyway but if something does not change for better I will try to find another means of getting my tree completed.***** ******Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
Title:Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 25, 2024
RE: ***** ****** -- 22592307
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. ******* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
We thank Mr. ****** for letting us know about his recent experience with Ancestry. We apologize that our service did not meet his expectations, and we appreciate him taking the time to share his concerns.
Our goal is to provide a consistently reliable product and an exemplary level of customer service. Based on the events he describes we did not meet this goal. His feedback regarding his experience has been submitted.
At this time, we have not received widespread reports of the problems Mr. ****** has referenced. Therefore, we would recommend he check the settings on his computer and/or browser, ensuring that he is using a preferred, up-to-date browser. For more information regarding browser issues, he may review the help information within the following URLs:
*************************************************************************
******************************************************************************************
*********************************************************************************************************
**********************************************************************************
Please note that we receive a large volume of feedback for Ancestry. We generally do not state the status of website updates and edits we are aware of and working on or contact each member about enhancement requests that have been implemented. We appreciate Mr. ******* patience and understanding and regret if it has impacted his experience working on his genealogy.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/21/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a free trial for ancestry.com when the trial was over I was charged for the 6 month subscription dated to renew in may 2025. In order to avoid forgetting about the renewal I canceled the membership so I would not have to worry. I was then charged a $25 for a cancelation fee and my membership was automatically downgraded to end in December 2024. So not only am I no longer getting the subscription I had originally payed for and agreed to I was also charged extra money and received a less than subscription. This is an extremely deceitful transaction on ancestry.com part. There was no clear warning of this cancelation fee.Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
Title:Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 25, 2024
RE: ********** ********** -- 22554871
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. *********** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customerssatisfaction in the highest regard.
Our records indicate that Ms. ********** initiated a free trial for a World Explorer subscription and chose the option of a semi-annual subscription billing monthly. The full six-month price for the subscription type chosen was billable monthly at $24.83 per month. The subscription type also stipulates that a $25 cancellation fee will be incurred upon early cancellation, or the remainder of the full subscription price, whichever is less. The following information is provided to the member during the checkout process when ordering the free trial and entering credit card information. It is located above the button clicked on to start the subscription:
By clicking Start membership, you agree that:
Automatic Renewal: You will automatically be charged $24.83 plus applicable taxes every month during your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically renew beginning [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your subscription, visit My Account or contact us at least two days before your membership renews to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14 days, if you cancel before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a cancellation fee of up to $25.
Additionally,this information is provided in the free trial order confirmation email sent to the member after signup in the section detailing the membership they ************ this case, the email was sent to Ms. ********** on October 30th, including the following excerpt:
Please note that youll be billed $24.83 after 14 days. Even though you will be billed monthly, you are committing to the entire length of your 6-month subscription.If you choose to cancel earlier, you will not be eligible for any refunds, but you will retain access to your services for the remainder of paid months. If you cancel after your free trial ends, you will be charged a cancellation fee equivalent to the lesser of $25 (plus applicable taxes) and the remaining of your 6-month subscription.
In this case, our records show that the subscription automatically renewed on November 13th, after which Ms. ********** cancelled the subscription online on November 14th. However, as a courtesy to her, we have made an exception to these refund policies and processed refunds for the monthly charge of $24.83 and the cancellation fee of $25. These refunds have been issued back to the account originally charged. The confirmation number for this transaction is *********. Please note that it can take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering,preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future ************* becomes interested in researching or saving her family history, she may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after her subscription has ended.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 11/27/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
********** **********Initial Complaint
Date:11/20/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My wife and I Ancestry DNA kit for me, for Christmas 2023. I followed the instructions and returned my saliva sample to company, after a couple of weeks, I was told sample couldnt be analyzed so, they had to send another saliva kit, I sent another sample and after a couple of weeks, they started sending me progress ***orts and after going through the all stages, the last one being #5, they sent another message saying that screwed up the sample and they needed another sample. After that message, I called to present my frustration, the *** said he could send another sample kit which I refused. I am tired of the runaround and was told there was nothing that they could doBusiness Response
Date: 11/25/2024
Title:Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 25, 2024
RE: *** ****** -- 22582369
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. ****** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
We sincerely regret any frustration this matter may have presented Mr. ******* There are many common reasons why a DNA sample may fail during processing. For information regarding this process, we invite Mr. ****** to review the help article at the *** below:
*******************************************************************************************************************
Unfortunately,in this case, our records show that the original order was purchased via ****** and not directly with Ancestry. Because Ancestry did not collect the funds, we are unable to provide a refund. If a refund is desired, we recommend contacting Amazon accordingly.
However,Ancestry would be happy to send a complimentary replacement kit. Mr. ****** may accept this offer by logging into his Ancestry account and clicking on the button to accept the free replacement. If so, he may wish to review the following *** for instructions on collecting the best saliva sample:
*****************************************************************************
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at ***************
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/14/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I tried a free trial, used the site for ten minutes and found it not helpful and stopped using it. I attempted to cancel but it didnt go through and was charged today for another month. Fine - but then when I went to cancel I was charged a $25 fee. This is absolutely insane and misleading when you sign up for a free trial. I would highly suggest that people not sign up for this service if they arent going to be upfront about costs and charge you to stop using the service. I have never heard of something this insane and am so frustrated that I have to pay to cancel a subscription I never used and will never use again. I never received any email saying my free trial was expiring or giving me any warning about this time frame.Business Response
Date: 11/18/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone:**************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 18, 2024
RE: ****** ******* -- 22554829
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. ******** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
Our records indicate that Ms. ******* initiated a free trial for a World Explorer subscription and chose the option of a semi-annual subscription billing monthly. The full six-month price for the subscription type chosen was billable monthly at $24.83 per month. The subscription type also stipulates that a $25 cancellation fee will be incurred upon early cancellation, or the remainder of the full subscription price, whichever is less. The following information is provided to the member during the checkout process when ordering the free trial and entering credit card information. It is located above the button clicked on to start the subscription:
By clicking Start membership, you agree that:
Automatic Renewal: You will automatically be charged $24.83 plus applicable taxes every month during your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically renew beginning [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your subscription, visit My Account or contact us at least two days before your membership renews to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14 days, if you cancel before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a cancellation fee of up to $25.
Additionally, this information is provided in the free trial order confirmation email sent to the member after signup in the section detailing the membership they initiated. In this case, the email was sent to Ms. ******* on October 30, 2024, including the following excerpt:
Please note that youll be billed $24.83 after 14 days. Even though you will be billed monthly,you are committing to the entire length of your 6-month subscription. If you choose to cancel earlier, you will not be eligible for any refunds, but you will retain access to your services for the remainder of paid months. If you cancel after your free trial ends, you will be charged a cancellation fee equivalent to the lesser of $25 (plus applicable taxes) and the remaining of your 6-month subscription.
However, as a courtesy to Ms. ******** we have made an exception to these refund policies and processed a refund for the monthly charge of $24.83. The cancellation fee of $25 was already processed on November 14th per her request during her recent phone call to our support line. These refunds have been issued back to the account originally charged. The confirmation number for this transaction is *********. Please note that it can take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering, preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future Ms. ******* becomes interested in researching or saving her family history, She may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after her subscription has ended.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:11/06/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I had paid membership on ************************* for over 20 years. In that time I was told multiple times that I would have access to my trees and data and records any time if I decided to suspend my account at the end of my subscription. Now I find that is not the case. I wanted to access data from a family member but was transferred to a different site wanting me to pay to access my files and data. I spoke with a represtative and she was just trying to get me to pay to view my data records and not listening to my complaint.Business Response
Date: 11/12/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 12, 2024
RE: ******* ******** -- 22522153
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. ********* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
We sincerely regret any confusion this matter may have caused. While an individual has an Ancestry subscription, they are able to conduct research on their account, review hints, and add individuals and historical records to their tree(s). If they decide to cancel their subscription, they will still retain access to their trees and the information added to those trees. However, if they are interested in viewing the documents or records that they saved to their tree from our records collections and did not download those records while they had a subscription, they would be required to initiate a subscription since access to those records requires a subscription. For more information about the data that can be accessed with a free registered guest account, Mr. ******** may wish to review the help article at the following ***:
*******************************************************************************
If Mr. ******** wishes to download the documentation he previously added to his tree, he may wish to initiate a subscription to provide him with the ability to download that documentation. For his convenience, we are providing instructions to download records in the *** below:
*************************************************************************************************
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 11/14/2024
Complaint: 22522153
I am rejecting this response because:Ancestry's response is based on current rules they installed AFTER I was already a member. At the time I was a member, there was NO SUCH RULE. Case in point, I installed a Heritage Family tree on my computer and was able to access and insert AT WILL any pics data I wanted when suddenly Ancestry STOPPED the access. No explanation was given. Just a heavy handed abuse of power because they could without recourse to them. I consider that I still have UNLIMITED access to my data. At no time did I renounce my lawfull right to access my data.
Sincerely,
******* ********Initial Complaint
Date:11/03/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I started a free 7 day trial for Ancestry.com and cancelled it the same day as I wasn't finding the information I was seeking. I was then charged for a monthly fee of $21.99 and their system selected a semi-annual plan for $229.00. I did not select this option and as I stated I cancelled my free membership. Then when I tried to cancel that, they charged me an additional $25.00 for cancelling too close to my renewal date.Business Response
Date: 11/04/2024
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone:**************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
November 4, 2024
RE: ******** ******** --22507733
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Ms. ********* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
Our records indicate that Ms. ******** initiated a free trial for a US Discovery subscription and chose the option of a six-month subscription billing monthly. The full six-month price for the subscription type chosen was billable monthly at $21.99 per month. The subscription type also stipulates that a $25 cancellation fee will be incurred upon early cancellation, or the remainder of the full subscription price, whichever is less. The following information is provided to the member during the checkout process when ordering the free trial and entering credit card information. It is located above the button clicked on to start the subscription:
By clicking Start membership, you agree that:
Automatic Renewal: You will automatically be charged $21.99 plus applicable taxes every month during your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically renew beginning [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your subscription, visit My Account or contact us at least two days before your membership renews to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14 days, if you cancel before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a cancellation fee of up to $25.
Additionally, this information is provided in the free trial order confirmation email sent to the member after signup in the section detailing the membership they initiated. In this case, the email was sent to Ms. ******** on October 19th.
Our records do not show a cancellation of the subscription until November 3, 2024. When a cancellation is performed successfully, a confirmation of the cancellation is sent to them via email.
However, as a courtesy to Ms. ********* we have made an exception to these refund policies and processed refunds for the monthly charge of $21.99 and the cancellation fee of $25. These refunds have been issued back to the account originally charged. The confirmation number for this transaction is *********. Please note that it can take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering, preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future Ms. ******** becomes interested in researching or saving her family history, she may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after her subscription has ended.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 11/05/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
******** ********
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