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.
- 233 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:02/22/2024
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.
I was a member of ancestry for over a year. I found a lot of information through their system. When I got to the point where I couldnt go any further, I didnt see where I could continue paying the monthly bill. So any information that I found while I was paying for and downloaded into my family tree. I am not able to see any of that information anymore. When I click on it, it says you have to become a member to view it, if I pay for it this time and download it into my tree why cant I see it or review it anymore?
Business Response
Date: 02/26/2024
Title: ********************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 26, 2024
RE: ***************** 21330128
To Whom It May ********************* you for forwarding ************** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
Ancestry subscriptions give members the ability to access information within our databases. Because specific documents are only available with a membership, those documents can only be viewed within their family tree if the member has a subscription.
However, there are tools available where members can download and/or print record images so that they may retain access to them without a membership. For more information, ************ may wish to review the following help article:
*************************************************************************************************
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:02/21/2024
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.
Canceled membership last month and they are still charging my accountBusiness Response
Date: 02/26/2024
Title:Kaity, **************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 26, 2024
RE: *************************** -- 21325030
To Whom It May ********************* 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 *************** initiated a free trial on December 6, 2023, for a US Discovery 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 $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, including the following excerpt:
Please note that youll be billed $21.99 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 **************** cancelled her membership on February 21, 2024, four months prior to her scheduled end of the six-month subscription. A refund was provided to her at that time. The cancellation confirmation number for that transaction is *********. However, we are unable to locate that she was ever charged the $25 early cancellation fee. We ask that she confirm that the authorization for the transaction was not reversed and that the charge was actually processed. If she is able to locate a charge, we would ask that she please contact us at ****************************************** with any of the following information:
Order Number or Cancel Confirmation number
Full Name
Full Address, Including Zip Code
Any Alternate Email Addresses or Usernames Used
First Six and Last Four Digits of Card Charged
Date of $25 Charge
If the charges in question went through PayPal, any of the following information may be necessary:
PayPal Billing Agreement ID
PayPal Invoice Number
PayPal Transaction Number
Once we have received this additional information, we would be able to revisit the original request.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 02/28/2024
Better Business Bureau:
The business refunded the amount that they erroneously charged me. They did not do so until I told them that I was filing a complaint with the BBB. I feel that many businesses continue to collect automatic payments after the consumer cancels the service.Consumers need to stay aware of theft such as this.
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:02/20/2024
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 have been trying to cancel my subscription to Ancestry since 2022 but they keep billing me.
I have called and emailed them and they keep billing my credit card.
ANC*ANCESTRY.COM -$119.00 *****
I want them to stop billing me and remove all my billing information from their databank.
When I go to my ancestry account it does not show that I have an account bill.
The website says I may have another account but I do not know how to find that.
My emails are:
******************** *******************Business Response
Date: 02/26/2024
Title: Kaity,
Executive Office Response Team
Contact
Phone: ###-###-####
Contact
Email: ******************************
February 26, 2024
RE: ***** ***** – ********
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.
We were
unable to locate an account in connection with Ms. *****’ information. This
typically indicates that the account was set up in the name of a family member
with access to the payment information.
Our billing
system allows us to issue refunds for charges that occurred within the last 13
months. Therefore, as a courtesy to her, we have issued
3 refunds in the amount of $119 each 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. 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.
Additionally, all information related to Ms. *****’ payment
details has been queued for deletion from this account and will be completely
removed from our systems within 30 days. We can confirm that the account does
not have a current subscription, and you will not receive any future billing
unless you decide to make a purchase and re-enter your payment information. Please
note that this removal will not impact any additional Ancestry accounts.
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 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
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 02/26/2024
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:02/18/2024
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 requested a refund. They refused.
Then I asked for a manager then they say its "exception" i want a refund now
Their website doesnt allow cancellation and you are required to call within business hours I work. Then they say when you call how they dont offer refundsBusiness Response
Date: 02/20/2024
Title: Kaity,
Executive Office Response Team
Contact
Phone: ###-###-####
Contact
Email: ******************************
February 20, 2024
RE: ********* ******** – ********
To Whom It
May Concern,
Thank you
for forwarding Mr. ********’s complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to
providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
the highest regard.
Our records
show that Mr. ******** initiated a 2-week free trial of our website on February
3, 2024. Per our Terms and Conditions to which Mr. ******** agreed and the order
confirmation email sent to him on that date, the trial would roll into a paid
membership unless cancelled. However, because the trial was not cancelled, it rolled
into a paid membership on February 18, 2024. He subsequently called to cancel his membership.
As a courtesy to him, we have issued a refund in the amount
of $32.99 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 Mr. ******** becomes interested in researching or saving his family
history, he may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now
after his 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: 02/21/2024
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:02/17/2024
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.
Ancestry dna is a business in establishing genetic links to people whom you share a biological connection with. In many cases it is a very sensitive topic, for adoptees, donor children, NPEs, etc: Ancestry dna is about dna. Connecting those with like dna. However, this companys database is not authentic completely, because they allow those whom do not share genetic links to graphs them selves together which dilutes the authenticity of the site; and weakness the trust one could have with the company to provide fact based genetic links, as part of a report or genealogy. As people we deserve to know the truth about us. Ancestry dna should only tell the story about our genetic links, and provide us answers regarding our truths about our ancestry. Allowing ***********, or heart links, or any link beside genetic links on the site is misrepresentation of the company. It also prohibit doing true and correct generational genomics. The company needs to prioritize genetics links only on the ste, in charting, etc. that is what the site is representing. Period.Business Response
Date: 02/20/2024
Title: ********************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 20, 2024
RE: *********************** -- 21285371
To Whom It May ********************* you for forwarding ************** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
When an individual submits their *** to Ancestry, we compare it to our reference panel of more than ****** samples from 88 global regions to create a breakdown of their ethnicity by percentage. We also provide them with Communities which are based on shared *** matches as well as information from their matches family trees.
In addition,they receive a list of the *** matches to whom they are biologically related.Some customers choose to receive their *** traits for an additional cost, but is not required.
As ************** does not wish to consider information that is not based solely upon ***, she may wish not to consider the Communities information provided to our members.Because many of our members wish to combine the information of *** results with their family tree research, this information is provided to assist those who wish to use it.
However,additional information including the *** matches to whom ************** has a biological match are based on the amount of *** shared and not based on information obtained from trees. Ancestry does not alter our website regarding the expectation of a specific individual based that individuals request. For more information about what is provided to Ancestry*** customers, we have provided the following URL:
************************************************************************************************
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 02/23/2024
Complaint: 21306874
I am rejecting this response because: Ancestrys response had nothing to do with my complaint.They need to specifically answer why as a dna company, they allow dna excluded parties to register as genealogical related, when other dna matches confirm ancestry.
As soon as dna confirms ancestry, a party should be removed from non-dna match genealogical line, and put in the line of dna match.
Ancestry is a dna/ancestry company that should not dilute these significances.
MANY situations exist where DNA/ancestry are being misrepresented on the ancestry site.
DNA is DNA, it should be properly represented on the site. When you have step parents, or adoptive parents, or other such parties add minors to their lines as if they were a dna match it distorts fact/dna significance/ancestral facts.
DNA is fact, not subject to legalities, Or agreements. Ancestry DNA should be true & pure in their purpose to represent ancestry/dna family lines correctly.
Sincerely,
***********************Business Response
Date: 02/27/2024
Title: ****** **************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 27, 2024
RE: *********************** -- 21306874
To Whom It May ********************* you for forwarding Ms. ************* to us.
Per our previous response, Ancestry provides information in addition to DNA matches and ethnicity matches for those individuals who want access to that additional information from other members trees. Our mission at Ancestry is to empower journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. To further that mission, one of our goals at Ancestry is to be a caring partner for each one of our members as they discover their own family history. By providing available resources and tools to preserve and share family history, we hope that every member can find a greater sense of identity and connection to their ancestors.
However, if ************** does not want to consider that additional information, she is under no obligation to do so.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:02/15/2024
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 submitted an error that I found on the website which is tossing my dna off.I contacted the company in October and asked them to please correct the error.An employee stated the call was recorded and that she filled out a correction form. The employee stated I should get an email back about support.I never got an email back.In November I called again. I was transferred around and hung up on multiple times. I did not receive help or support nor a follow up.I November I tried to use their chat options. Employees left me for hours waiting. One individual named **** stated that notes on my account state to not help me from other employees because an employee didn't like **** saved this chat because he refused to help me. I emailed the chat into customer service and asked to please provide support and asked to make a complaint agaist the employees who have refused support or help based on discrimination issues.I was told to send information and screen shots in of the error. I did that. I also provided chats. I emailed everything they neded to help **** then got an email back asking me to call in.I called in. I was told they would look into it but no one would follow up.I emailed back every other day and sometimes multiple times a time since then.The company has refused assistance and refused support.I explained the hardships that has caused.I have expanded the cost of this. Tests bought... over 6 total. 2 tests came back invalid and they won't send new ones. They also refused to contact about the back test and just ignored follow up. I have paid for the monthly service and additional add on because of the errors they refused to fix.The last phone call in late December, I was told my account would be credited and I wouldn't have to pay for the year (2024) because of the unprofessional experience time and money I have been out.I was again promised a follow up. No one has gotten back to me.My information is also being displayed and no help.Business Response
Date: 02/22/2024
Title: ****** **************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 22, 2024
RE: ***************************** -- 21301434
To Whom It May ********************* you for forwarding ************************ complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard.
We realize that when a customer makes a purchase from us,they are making an investment in their family, and we take this trust very seriously. Based on the events of that interaction, we want to make sure to meet these goals and we sincerely regret any frustration the situation has caused.
In light of the circumstances, we have issued a refund for Februarys membership renewal in the amount of $59.99 back to the account that was originally billed. 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 her financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures. Notwithstanding this refund, her membership remains active and is due to renew at the regular price on March 2, 2024.
In this case, it appears that ********************** had several email threads in effect with several different internal teams. Because the issues she was reporting ranged from privacy issues in family trees, comments made on records, and questions about ThruLines in her DNA results, this has caused confusion among agents attempting to assist her.
However, based on the information she has provided within her complaint, she is concerned that a specific ancestor is displayed twice within the ThruLines of her DNA results. ThruLines are determined by looking at the family tree linked to the customers test to find people in their tree who are also in their matches linked trees. ThruLines uses information from family trees; they don't change the information in trees. We understand there may be differences of opinion regarding family history lines, but due to the high volume of research added to our website each day, Ancestry does not validate research solely upon member request regarding the accuracy of another member's family tree.
If there is inaccurate information in either tree, they may receive inaccurate ThruLines. In this case, it appears that at least one of the trees contains a duplicate of an ancestor causing the information to appear twice. For more information about how ThruLines are determined, she may wish to review the following help article:
************************************************************************************
Going forward, we recommend ********************** escalate one question at a time, and ensure she has received the answers she needs before starting a new conversation about a different topic. Alternatively, she can use the Ancestry support center that hosts a variety of help articles to assist with her questions as needed:
****************************************
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:02/09/2024
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 used their website and signed up for a free trial. After I signed up for the free trial to access information, I kept getting a paywall saying "you need to be signed up. Click here for the Free Trial". So I clicked the free trial again but it said my account was already set up with the paid option. So I went back to the features and again it says I only had the free version meaning it was not registering correctly. Because the free trial wasn't working, I canceled it that day. I made sure it was cancelled given the issues I was having.
Then I was charged on 2/9/24 over $34 because the cancelation never went through. Why? I don't know. Ask them why since my purchase didn't go through, to begin with. I reached out to them and they charged me a $25 cancellation fee on top of the $34 and told me it was my mistake. I pushed until I got a full refund; however, the company needs to address this issue for those who aren't aware they can reach out effectively stealing their money as a business model.Business Response
Date: 02/12/2024
Title:
Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact
Phone: ###-###-####
Contact
Email: ******************************
February 12, 2024
RE: ******** ******** -- ********
To Whom It
May Concern,
Thank you
for forwarding Ms. ********’s complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to
providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
the highest regard.
In this case, it appears that
Ms. ******** initiated more than one account within our system. Our records
show that the account linked to the email address Ms. ******** submitted in her
complaint was for a free trial initiated on January 25, 2024. However, as it
was cancelled the same day, no further charges were incurred from the account
in question. This suggests she then initiated a separate account with an
alternate email address. However, as she did not provide that information
within her complaint, we are unable to locate the duplicate account that the
phone agent was able to locate during her phone call.
Because Ms. ******** mentions
having received a cancellation fee, this suggests that she initiated a free
trial and chose the option of a semi-annual or annual subscription billing
monthly. The full six-month or annual price for the subscription type chosen
was billable monthly. 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 [monthly price] 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, including the
following excerpt:
“Please note that you’ll be
billed [monthly price] 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, Ms.
******** has stated that we made an exception to these refund policies and
processed refunds for her. Any refunds would be issued back to the account
originally charged. 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:02/08/2024
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.
Information acquired from ancestory.com published by my cousin is considerably wrong on my father’s side with incorrect addresses, misspelled names, wrong names, incorrect education, and incorrect relationships. We did not see it before it was published. I know and have my personal information recorded that can be authenticated. I have a list of and can verify all of my addresses, education and employment. I know who my relatives are and do not need ancestory.com to tell me, who I am related to. I have written genealogy from both of my grandmothers. I also have 1st cousins on my father’s side that I can get information from, if needed. The published information on ancestory.com has caused chaos and misinformation to my already compromised identity due to and the theft of my resume and portfolio in 1984, Facebook identity fabrications in 1989,a home health care employee who had access to my ss number in 2005 before my fathers death. It is wrong for ancestry to publish any information or make any assumptions about who is who, and who is related to whom without legal authentication. To publish or claim any information on the internet without verification is a crime in and of itself. It is wrong and should be stopped. Any information in ancestory.com should be authenticated by the law and by all parties concerned. My 2nd cousin said, “he acquired the information from the census bureau”. This is not authenticated information and there are several census bureaus’ that impersonate the U.S.gov. There is no verification of what is filled out on a census form. Ancestory.com has opened up a state for fraud, the spread of misinformation causing mayhem for anyone who wants to maintain the integrity of their true identity. It is contemptible and ancestory.com should be held responsible for publishing and purporting any and all information that has published without authenticating it by the said person! It should be against the law to buy and sell public information!!Business Response
Date: 02/12/2024
Title:
Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact
Phone: ###-###-####
Contact
Email: ******************************
February 12, 2024
RE: ***** **** -- ********
To Whom It
May Concern,
Thank you
for forwarding Ms. ****’s 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 caused Ms. ****. We believe that individuals
should be able to create and manage their own family trees. Since family trees
are based on member research, they are only as accurate as the members'
knowledge or research. We understand there may be differences of opinion regarding
family history lines, but due to the high volume of research added to our
website each day, Ancestry does not validate research solely upon member
request regarding the accuracy of another member's family tree. Additionally,
members are able to research different lines regardless of whether they are
related to the people being researched. For these reasons, we do not remove
information regarding deceased individuals from our website.
However, we are sensitive to
privacy concerns for living individuals and review removal requests on behalf
of living persons, their immediate spouses, and their minor children. If Ms.
**** wishes to submit a content removal request for herself, we ask that she
email us at ***************************** with the following:
The information exactly as it
appears on our website
The URL address for the records
where the information is found on our website
We look forward to reviewing
her removal 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:02/08/2024
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.
Seems I'm not the only one affected by fraudulent activity with this site! Yow!
I used to have two separate emails hooked up to Ancestry, one with a paid plan that I canceled with official confirmation, and one that was just a guest.
That didn't stop Ancestry from charging me though!
After calling them out (twice), their support center could not tell me why I was being charged or how. This is important - none of the email addresses associated with my account could pull up this info, I had to go straight through my credit card #.
When I logged into either account, they confirmed guest use only or a disabled account... yet I'm still getting charged and they could only refund me for two charges because "this was a opt-in monthly subscription" and it was my responsibility to cancel it.... huh?? I should have known they stole my credit card info, disaffiliated it with an account, charged me, and caught them sooner?
Again, neither account had any subscription attached and I had a confirmation email saying it had been canceled, so they just decided to keep charging me.
Maybe I'm dumb, but this is just straight fraud, no?
Given how many older people realistically use this service, I can't imagine how much $$$ they're scamming seniors out of this way. All to say, BOOOOOOOOOOO.Business Response
Date: 02/12/2024
Title:
Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact
Phone: ###-###-####
Contact
Email: ******************************
February 12, 2024
RE: *** ********** -- ********
To Whom It
May Concern,
Thank you
for forwarding Ms. **********’s complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed
to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
the highest regard.
All charges must be linked to
an account within our system. In cases such as these, the charges typically
originate from an account initiated by a friend or family member linked to
their name and email address with access to the payment information.
Additionally, once an account
is located, if it is not in the name of the individual contacting us, we are
typically unable to provided account-specific information due to our strict
privacy policies.
We sincerely regret any
frustration this matter may have caused Ms. **********. Unfortunately, not
enough information was provided within her complaint to locate the charge(s) in
question. Because of this, we would ask that she please contact us at
[email protected] with any of the following information:
Order Number or Cancel Confirmation number
Full Name
Full Address, Including Zip Code
Any Alternate Email Addresses or Usernames Used
First Six and Last Four Digits of Card Charged
Date and Amount of Latest Charge
If the charges in question went
through PayPal, any of the following information may be necessary:
PayPal Billing Agreement ID
PayPal Invoice Number
PayPal Transaction Number
Once we have received this additional information, we
would be able to revisit the original 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:02/07/2024
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 canceled my Ancestry subscription today and was CHARGED for the cancellation!! I have NEVER had a business do that to me before and think that it should be ABUNDANTLY CLEAR when you join. i had to do three ****** searches and found others complaining about the very same thing. What horrible business practice. BUYER BEWARE OF TINY PRINTBusiness Response
Date: 02/12/2024
Title:Kaity, **************** Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
February 12, ****
RE: ********************************* -- 21259395
To Whom It May ********************* 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.
To assist with transparency, information regarding the early cancellation fee is provided directly to our members who choose that specific subscription type on the order page and is not only provided within the Terms and Conditions which our members accept. Our records indicate that ******************** initiated a free trial for a US Discovery 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. 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 [monthly price] 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 ******************** on October 6, 2023, including the following excerpt:
Please note that youll be billed [monthly price] 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.
On the same day, October 6th, ******************** then upgraded her subscription from a US Discovery to a World Explorer membership. The semi-annual membership was not due to renew until April 6, ****. Therefore, when the membership was cancelled on February 7th, the $25 early cancellation fee was assessed. Because the remainder of the chosen membership was lower than $25, the fee was assessed for $24.83.
However, as a courtesy to her, we have made an exception to these refund policies and processed a refund for the cancellation fee of $24.83. This refund has 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: 02/12/2024
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. However, I've seen a lot of people with the same complaint. I don't think the cancellation policy is specific enough that it is abundantly clear about the fees - it is all generalized. I feel the confirmation should specifically state - you have chosen the * package and will be charged * if you cancel before * date. I haven't logged on in about two months (the reason I cancelled) and didn't even remember which package I selected or how to navigate. Thank you very much for your help!
Sincerely,
*********************************
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