Ancestry.co.uk

Arg

A free trial with an £80+ sting at the end if you're a little slow is obviously a rip off.

pimento

cheapskate101 wrote: »

It's erroneous information if you put someone else's photographs on it as the copyright belongs to them.
It's erroneous if you replicate newspaper cuttings as the copyright belongs to the newspaper.

You never mentioned photographs.

If you don't want your tree copied, either don't put it online or make it private.
Don't blame Ancestry for not wanting to arbitrate because you don't understand their privacy settings.

LizGetts

Beware of the free 14 day trial offer!...

I saw the offer for the "Free" trial and was intrigued. I have wanted to research my family history for some time and it seemed a great way to get started...

How wrong could I be!

After agreeing to the 14 day free trial and handing over my card details to them, I soon discovered that when researching your past, the ancestry.co.uk site offers nothing of any real substance at all. No useful tools whatsoever. (In fact, except for the fancy layout of the family tree page, all other additional features are worse than useless).

MORE IMPORTANTLY: l also learned that all of the sources of information offered on ancestry.co.uk (for the price of the subscription)... are available on-line for free!

I knew immediately that I intended to cancel the service. So, that's exactly what I did. Within 2 hours of signing up, I had cancelled my subscription by following the cancellation instructions on their website..

However, 14 days later my account has just been charged the cost of the monthly subscription. After seeing this, I contacted them for an explanation and was told that if I do not have a cancellation number (not mentioned on the "cancellation instructions page), they cannot help.

In my experience, Ancestry.co.uk steal money from your account even after cancellation. I now been advised by my bank to order a new card in order to stop any future fraudulent charges being made.

Ancestry.co.uk customer support is terrible and both the agents and supervisors refuse to refund any payments taken. No matter what!

I am in the process of reporting this charge with the bank.

Beware!

DCFC79

LizGetts wrote: »

Beware of the free 14 day trial offer!...

I saw the offer for the "Free" trial and was intrigued. I have wanted to research my family history for some time and it seemed a great way to get started...

How wrong could I be!

After agreeing to the 14 day free trial and handing over my card details to them, I soon discovered that when researching your past, the ancestry.co.uk site offers nothing of any real substance at all. No useful tools whatsoever. (In fact, except for the fancy layout of the family tree page, all other additional features are worse than useless).

MORE IMPORTANTLY: l also learned that all of the sources of information offered on ancestry.co.uk (for the price of the subscription)... are available on-line for free!

I knew immediately that I intended to cancel the service. So, that's exactly what I did. Within 2 hours of signing up, I had cancelled my subscription by following the cancellation instructions on their website..

However, 14 days later my account has just been charged the cost of the monthly subscription. After seeing this, I contacted them for an explanation and was told that if I do not have a cancellation number (not mentioned on the "cancellation instructions page), they cannot help.

In my experience, Ancestry.co.uk steal money from your account even after cancellation. I now been advised by my bank to order a new card in order to stop any future fraudulent charges being made.

Ancestry.co.uk customer support is terrible and both the agents and supervisors refuse to refund any payments taken. No matter what!

I am in the process of reporting this charge with the bank.

Beware!

Did you cancel the direct debit with the bank ?

LizGetts

DCFC79 wrote: »

Did you cancel the direct debit with the bank ?

Hi,

It was not set up as a direct debit. It was set up on my PayPal Mastercard. I have contacted them and was told that I have to wait until they actually take the allocated money before I can make a claim. I also cannot stop them taking future payments unless I get a new card. :mad:

carl5000

I tried the free trial and was going to to cancel when it ended but I have ended up keeping it for a few months because I have enjoyed it. You do need some time to dedicate to it though.

DCFC79

LizGetts wrote: »

Hi,

It was not set up as a direct debit. It was set up on my PayPal Mastercard. I have contacted them and was told that I have to wait until they actually take the allocated money before I can make a claim. I also cannot stop them taking future payments unless I get a new card. :mad:

Oh I see, always thought they took the account details rather than the card details but clearly not.


Thanks

bundly

LizGetts wrote: »

MORE IMPORTANTLY: l also learned that all of the sources of information offered on ancestry.co.uk (for the price of the subscription)... are available on-line for free!

Liz, this is absolutely UNTRUE.

I have been using Ancestry for three years (done lots of people's family trees) and there is NOWHERE that you can read the records they hold for free elsewhere.

I challenge you to tell me where you can see free online (and these are just some random examples)

• The 1841, 1911 and all other censuses.
• Post office and railway staff records
• Baptism records
• British phone books going back to 1890s
• Electoral records back to 1870s

I'm annoyed at Liz for misleading other MSE members.


Ancestry is great value for money. I've had four free trials (by signing up with different email addresses) and now I pay £10 for a month while I am doing a family tree. That is 24/7 access to everything for 32p a day. When I'm finished with one job, I simply cancel my membership the day before it's due for renewal.


As for the O.P., Ancestry makes it perfectly clear that you will be billed after your free trial. There is an 0800 number to call on the 13th day. What more do you want?

busylizzie23

I signed up for free trial and cancelled after 3 days and still had over £100 taken from my bank account and yes I did read t&c before I signed up.

DCFC79

busylizzie23 wrote: »

I signed up for free trial and cancelled after 3 days and still had over £100 taken from my bank account and yes I did read t&c before I signed up.

you had a £100 taken, have you maybe asked ancestry why £100 was taken.