The Generations Network (TGN), parent company of Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com and RootsWeb.com recently extended its common branding initiative to RootsWeb. The graphics below show the old and the new page headers. The new header confirms a rumor the Insider heard that RootsWeb would be re-branded as a community operated by Ancestry. The disappearance of the word free from the branding was troubling, although the Insider has been assured that the RootsWeb community would continue to be available at no charge.
Freepage websites also got new headers and footers. The Insider appreciates the attempt at unified branding across TGN properties, and he feels the new header is more functional than before... And he remembers the days when awful advertisements appeared at the top of pages and lame advertisements appeared at the bottom... And he can appreciate the greenness of nature, leaves, responsible corporate behavior, etc....
"It looks sick," the Insider blurted out, "unless the Freepages website has a white background. Sick, sick, sick!" The previous header, with its neutral hues, did seem to go better with the odd variety of personalized Freepages websites.
I want immediately my unauthorised subcription payment paid into my bank account within 24 hours, I will contact Trading Standards and also the Fraud Department at Lancashire Police (I work for them!!!). My name is Jean Monk, youcan e mail me direct for more details or ring me as a matter of urgency on 01253 851417. I rang your number - which co-incidentally does not work (surprise there then). I wish the full amount of 79.95 plus money for inconvenience because I have gone overdrawn at the bank and paid charges. I am a widow pensioner and would never pay any more for ancestry charges at all!!!
ReplyDeleteYour immediate attention is requested NOW!!!!!
Dear Jean,
ReplyDeleteThank you for venting. Unfortunately, The Ancestry Insider is not Ancestry.com and I can do nothing for you.
While you have my "immediate attention...NOW!!!!!" (Did I get the right number of exclamation points?) I'm afraid I can't "e-mail [you] direct", as you didn't leave your e-mail address. Given your frame of mind, I don't even expect you'll see this reply. I suppose, therefore, that I'm commenting to the blogsphere rather than to you.
How do you work for the police and get a pension? Maybe I will have to move to Lancashire.
Three things reveal your age: you are a widow, you are a pensioner, and you didn't read everything on the computer screen when you gave your credit card number to Ancestry.
What is it about old people that makes them unable to read everything on the screen? They can't use all the capabilities of the web. They can't find the Help, the Hints, the Instructions, etc. And in your case, you got sucked in by Ancestry's automatic subscription agreement.
A careful review of the screens you went through will show you were informed and you proactively indicated that you had read the terms and agreed to them. Assuming the U.K. screens are as explicit as their U.S. counterparts, you didn't even have to click through to ancillary terms. You were informed on one of the pages that you had to traverse, that if you didn't explicitly cancel, you would end up with a subscription and your credit card would be charged.
I'm not saying I agree with Ancestry's business practices. I'm not saying I think the notification of the automatic subscription is sufficiently noticeable. I can say that the notification is much more prominent than it was previously. And I will say that cancelling is now easy and straight forward.
Best of luck. I imagine you'll be able to get all or most of the 79.95 back. If you were in the U.S., you wouldn't have a ghost of a chance in getting your bank overdraft charges back. And the chances of getting paid for your inconvenience would be even less. I assume the U.K. situation is similar.
Let us know how things turn out. Don't be so strange... I mean, don't be such a stranger.
Keep in touch,
-- The Insider
P.S. This topic probably deserves a whole article. I could show the screens and let you'all decide if you think Ancestry is toeing the line too close.
Yeah well,
ReplyDeleteI just received my Amex bill and I also have been fraudulently debitted each month USD$9.95 - The organisation is TGN*ANCESTRY PFIND...Now I am usually fairly careful about what I sign up for and I did make ONE casual enquiry on a genealogy site and although I got NO information from the site (it was hopeless) I would have expected to pay the one-off search fee. Not so. These mongrels have been deducting USD$9.95 each month and I was unaware of it because I did not check the bill (I know we all should) and these people have knowingly defrauded me for some time. Like your previous correspondent I am extremely unhappy and would simply like to know if you know how to contact these people?
In the meanwhile I am not waiting for them, I have contacted the Fraud Squad and AMEX's Fraud Section and reported them accordingly. shame I don't know where to find them so that I could speak with them direct...lousy rotten, dirty, low-down mongrels is all they are!
As for subscribing to any future ancestry services of any kind...no way. Lousy, Lousy, Lousy and TGN whoever they are are fraudsters and criminals! My name is Les.
I also have been debited £79.99 without any authorisation - until I checked the bank statement I had never heard of TGN Ancestry. I'll be contacting the bank tomorrow to find out what can be done - beware other users!
ReplyDeleten charged for this tgn ancestry and too have never heard of it. when contact was made they had the gall to offer me 1/3 of the money owed me, besides the rudeness.
ReplyDeleteDEAR SIR,PLEASE
ReplyDeleteSTOP MY 2009 ANCESTRY PAYMENT- 16.7.
TGN*Ancestry.com , 800-2623787 0419-8019 16.07.2009 35,94 USD +25,48 EUR 91989514023
I HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES, BUT MY ACCOUNT IS STILL CHARGED. HELP ME.
YOURS TRULY
MELITA KEBER
melita_jasovic@t-2.net