Don't fall for these family falsehoods! Learn the truth behind eight common genealogy scams and myths.
We've all heard the old adage “If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is.” Thanks to a host of genealogy scam artists, some family
historians have learned that lesson the hard way. Lured by Web sites
and e-mails promising access to millions of genealogical records, they
shelled out as much as $6o apiece to discover information they could
have gotten for free. A good example is a string of Web sites,
including Genealogy Techs <
www.genealogytechs.net>,
that offer either online subscriptions or CD-ROMs with links to
“hundreds of databases.” Buyer beware: There's nothing special about
those links — you could find the free databases just as easily by
browsing Cyndi's List of genealogy Web sites <
www.cyndislist.com> or reading
Family Tree Magazine's annual 101 Best Web Sites list.
The owner of the scam sites has since been charged with several
felonies. And although Genealogy Techs is still online, it no longer
accepts payments.
You also should beware of anyone selling the “history of your family
name” or “your complete family history.” A few years ago, a company
advertised just that for about $40. Those who fell for the scam
received paperbacks with only generic getting-started advice and a few
telephone-book listings.
So how can you avoid falling victim to one of these scams? Trust
your instincts. And if the service sounds shady, contact the National
Genealogical Society's Consumer Protection Committee (800-473-0060, <www.ngsgenealogy.org/comconsumer.htm>), which keeps tabs on online and offline scams.