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I can tell you a story that should serve as a warning to the genealogists out there who are trying to meet up with lost family. Inquiries on the Ancestry type boards are a great opportunity for scammers. When you have long lost Billy from George's 2nd wife come look you up, buddy up and then try to use you, you can see the damage you may do to yourself looking up anyone long-lost and gone. It can be much worse when you run into someone REALLY troubled and they see you like an OPPORTUNITY...You get to find out why some of the family ran off in the first place and never talked to anyone again -- now it's your turn to deal with it....Since restraining orders are jokes in most communities and wealthies can get away with anything they wish, it may be you who chooses to run off as the only way to get away from something threatening for opening this door again.
If something looks weird to you or feels wrong like someone trying too hard, get lost. Is better if you don't do much more than have email contact for a while to start. I ran into something that scares me. I've asked my nearby relatives to really consider moving and just abandon this area for good...
I've met some really nice lost family who turned out to be pastor's family...But something else I found actually looks kind of sinister...I've stopped this hobby.
I can tell you a story that should serve as a warning to the genealogists out there who are trying to meet up with lost family. Inquiries on the Ancestry type boards are a great opportunity for scammers. When you have long lost Billy from George's 2nd wife come look you up, buddy up and then try to use you, you can see the damage you may do to yourself looking up anyone long-lost and gone. It can be much worse when you run into someone REALLY troubled and they see you like an OPPORTUNITY...You get to find out why some of the family ran off in the first place and never talked to anyone again -- now it's your turn to deal with it....Since restraining orders are jokes in most communities and wealthies can get away with anything they wish, it may be you who chooses to run off as the only way to get away from something threatening for opening this door again.
If something looks weird to you or feels wrong like someone trying too hard, get lost. Is better if you don't do much more than have email contact for a while to start. I ran into something that scares me. I've asked my nearby relatives to really consider moving and just abandon this area for good...
I've met some really nice lost family who turned out to be pastor's family...But something else I found actually looks kind of sinister...I've stopped this hobby.
Whether it's a specific genealogy board or even a C-D forum, it's the INTERNET.
I wouldn't stop the hobby, either, but I agree with being careful about meeting with strangers and not giving out too much personal information. I've met with distant cousins for lunch in restaurants while on vacation and traded family photos. That was fine. Generally, elderly ladies who've been doing genealogy for decades aren't the problem.
I haven't met anyone dangerous, but there's also two known shady individuals on one of my family lines, and I have refrained from looking for anyone on those lines born after 1950. Someone else can do that research. Or not.
My grandmother walked away from what little inheritance she would have had after her mother (last parent) died. Story is her family was fighting over every little thing and grandma walked away. We have very few pictures so I contacted one member of the family several years ago to ask for pictures. He was unhelpful. He has now passed. His two siblings are still alive. My family warned me they were trying to beg for money at my grandmother's funeral 15 years ago. I'd be willing to buy the pictures off of them. I'm not sure I'd be interested in any further interaction because I'm afraid they would try to take advantage of me. I don't feel the same about other relatives.
I can tell you a story that should serve as a warning to the genealogists out there who are trying to meet up with lost family. Inquiries on the Ancestry type boards are a great opportunity for scammers. When you have long lost Billy from George's 2nd wife come look you up, buddy up and then try to use you, you can see the damage you may do to yourself looking up anyone long-lost and gone. It can be much worse when you run into someone REALLY troubled and they see you like an OPPORTUNITY...You get to find out why some of the family ran off in the first place and never talked to anyone again -- now it's your turn to deal with it....Since restraining orders are jokes in most communities and wealthies can get away with anything they wish, it may be you who chooses to run off as the only way to get away from something threatening for opening this door again.
If something looks weird to you or feels wrong like someone trying too hard, get lost. Is better if you don't do much more than have email contact for a while to start. I ran into something that scares me. I've asked my nearby relatives to really consider moving and just abandon this area for good...
I've met some really nice lost family who turned out to be pastor's family...But something else I found actually looks kind of sinister...I've stopped this hobby.
The OP is somewhat vague in "their" post of what actually happened when contacting people online via genealogy. I'd like to know more details. Could you share more of your story, cattalk1?
Cattalk1, was the person you describe contacting via genealogy crazy or trying to steal from your family? When you mention "restraining order" that sounds more like crazy than someone trying to steal money to me, anyway. Although, unfortunately, I guess some people can be crazy and steal at the same time.
People who are crazy? -well, they could be interested in anything online. And crazy, I would avoid at all costs of course.
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland
I've met wonderful "cousins" from the internet. None from Ancestry yet but I think a little bit of common sense would go a long way.
Yes, agreed. common sense is key when meeting people online anyway and for whatever means. It doesn't matter if the common connection is genealogy or not.
I've exchanged a few emails with distant relatives, but nothing more in genealogy. Outside of genealogy, I've met all kinds of great folks online for decades. Overall most online scammers are more drawn to other online activities that involve financial transactions. Thieves tend to scour in places where money is exchanged whether it is eBay, sending spam, or CraigsList etc. YMMV
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