I was fool enough to pay by check online for a $59.99 subscription to Genseekers. If you go there now, you'll only find a "placeholder". Fortunately, they haven't tried to cash the check, so I called the bank and put a stop on the check. Unfortunately, they don't have to use the check number to cash it. So, somewhere out there is my bank account numbers. I filed a complaint with Fraud.org, and I called the postal inspector in Cedar Rapids, IA. I'm still digging to find these people and I will do all I can to make sure they are busted for good.
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Discussing the Pitfalls of Genealogy |
Genseekers busted?
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 Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers busted? |
Lead | |
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Posts: 0 (12/20/02 19:51:49) |
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Unregistered(d) |
You forgot... | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/21/02 08:30:00) |
Don't forget the AG's office and the BBB.
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers/Ancestry | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/21/02 14:14:49) |
What we nned to do is find a way to give Ancestry's credit card or other billing information to Gebseekers.Family Discovery (or whatever other names they use) and vice versa. Their billing practices deserve each other.
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers still at it | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/21/02 23:41:46) |
Genseekers sent me two e-mails today offering me a free 5 day trial. These are only two of MANY such offers I have received from this "company."
What was alarming about the two e-mails today is that they referenced by TITLE and DATE two different posts I made on the GenForum boards in 1999 and 2000. My e-mail addy was NOT in the body of the message so the Genseekers folks have either been busy looking them up OR they have figured out a way to harvest them. I have filled abuse complaints with yahoo.com and any other ISP they use. They seem to be nearly unstoppable. |
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Stelis |
Re: Genseekers still at it | ||
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Posts: 325 (12/22/02 11:10:09) |
You ought to send a note to Genealogy.com that GenSeekers is using the information they found on GenForum for scam purposes. Or, perhaps Paul will see this thread.
Steve
co-host, GenSuck.com |
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Unregistered(d) |
GenForum notified | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/22/02 13:15:30) |
Steve,
I posted a message at GenForum about Genseekers prior to posting here. There have already been several responses from people who have received the same type messages I have. Hopefully Paul will look into it because I see this problem growing. |
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Unregistered(d) |
GenForum and Spam | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/22/02 13:25:06) |
Steve,
Back when I was posting on GenForum, somebody backed Paul into a corner and got him to admit that maybe they had some security issues. This was at least a year or more ago. I tried to find the thread, but could not. It was probably zapped, as many were that pointed out any shortcomings. Paul, I take this to e-mail with you if you have any questions. The thread did take place over a year ago and I remember some of the more techie posters backed you into a corner on it on what was then the GenForum Forum. I have not seen any recent complaints of GenForum-issued Spam on that forum, so I am assuming the problem has been fixed. I do note today though that few things have changed over there. The GenForum Forum is still a hotbed of dissent. Almost enough to make me roll up me sleeves, register and dive in. |
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Unregistered(d) |
Re: GenForum and Spam | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/22/02 19:39:22) |
"somebody backed Paul into a corner and got him to admit that maybe they had some security issues."
That is not a conversation I ever recall. There has never been any issue with security at GenForum. Regarding GenSeekers, there was a conversation about this on the General Genealogy forum where I posted a theory I had. I added a link to it in the recent thread on the GenForum Maintenance forum. Sincerely, Paul Burchfield, Genealogy.com Technical Support Online Help Center - help.genealogy.com |
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Unregistered(d) |
It was a server issue as I recall | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/23/02 09:00:54) |
Hi Paul,
It occurs to me that it had something to do with you guys renting out server space. Keep in mind, I haven't really visited the GenForum Forum since you made registration mandatory. The thread took place long before that. I have tried to find the thing, but not been successful. I am guessing that you toasted the thread. |
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Unregistered(d) |
Re: It was a server issue as I recall | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/23/02 11:02:00) |
Jeff,
That's still ringing no bells. GenForum was moved to our location in either '97 or '98. That was well before I had involvement in its administration. So I wouldn't have ha any conversations about GenForum when it was not housed in our offices. Sincerely, Paul Burchfield, Genealogy.com Technical Support www.genealogy.com/help/ |
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/24/02 06:49:26) |
Oh how I wish I had done some checking before I gave them my credit card number when signing up for 5 FREE days. I called Master Card and when the charge comes through they are going to dispute it. Is that all I can do? I feel so violated. I have been looking for my birth parents for years and they sent an email that made me think they had some information about them!
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Unregistered(d) |
A good general rule | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/25/02 00:52:04) |
a good general rule is to never, ever, EVER respond in any way, shape, or form to anything that comes unsolicited through e-mail. Even if it claims to be something you requested or signed up for -- chances are, you didn't.
If something happens to tweak your interest, hop onto Google and search for someone that isn't shooting out a million e-mails in hopes of finding one sucker -- be it genealogical supplies or incest-porn, search it, don't email it. |
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Lynn Hammond |
Re: Genseekers | ||
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Posts: 1 (12/25/02 19:37:23) |
I'll join in with y'all about GenSeekers. I, too, received that free 5-day offer and was foolish enough to sign up for it. After 24 hours and still not able to access anything, I got extremely suspicious. What I ended up doing was to cancel my credit card entirely. I wish there was a way to stop fraud such as this. This is the first time in 7 years that I've been on the internet that I've had a problem. What a shame!
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers - again | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/26/02 07:02:29) |
They are a tricky bunch.
Just keep hammering at anyone who mentions their name, warning the public. Not sure if your local email groups will accept warnings, but you might want to discuss it with the List managers. Local BBB's, AG's and other watchdog groups aren't going to take this seriously until we make sure they have our emails and complaints. Let's face it - getting stung for a few bucks isn't on the scale of Enron and other white-collar crimes. Belated Xmas wish: A Genealogy central URL where we could send these Genseeker (and other junk groups) emails for resolution! Am talking a REALLY mean, junkyard-dog site, one who likes to chase these people and make their lives miserable  |
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Unregistered(d) |
Probably open them to lawsuits, but.... | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/26/02 07:49:18) |
This would probably open them to lawsuits, but it would be a good corporate citizen gesture on the part of Ancestry, Rootsie, USGenWeb and Gen.com/GenForum to put a big bold link on every page that took the reader to a list of known cretins such as GenSeekers.
Not that Ancestry et al are that much above GenSeekers, they are at least legit. Depending on your definitions. |
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Unregistered(d) |
Sites with info about genealogy scams | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/26/02 11:17:45) |
Dick Eastman frequently reports on genealogy scams in is weekly newsletter--the one FORMERLY sponsored by the cheapskates at Ancestry.
Liz Kerstens, auhor of "Clooz" and editor of "Genealogical Computing" had an excellent page at www.ancestordetective.com/watchdog.htm but it has recently disappeared. blacksheep.rootsweb.com/shame/ (maintained by International Black Sheep Society Of Genealogists) genealogy.about.com/cs/genealogyscams/ (maintained by Kimberly Powell) homepage.powerup.com.au/~.../scams.htm (maintained by Kathryn Lucas of Australia) www.siscom.net/~rdrunner/HTML/Scams.html (not updated since mid-2001) Then there is always Cyndi's list. |
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Unregistered(d) |
GenForum Security Issues - A Retraction | ||
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Posts: 0 (12/28/02 08:18:48) |
Hi Paul (and everybody else),
As you know from the exchange of e-mails, that I did find at least one of the threads that I was thinking of when I suggested that MAYBE GenForum had either some security issues or server issues that MAY have left GenForum users exposed to the likes of GenSeekers and other cretins like them. As you know, the problems addressed in that thread has both been corrected and AT NO TIME caused GenForum's servers or security to be compromised. Therefore, my above posts suggesting that were mostly uncalled for. There still are assorted threads on GenForum by knowledgable people accusing GenForum of Spamming, but the ones that I read did not amount to much, and in some instances, were repaired via tech support. Because of all of this, I do apologize to Paul and GenForum, et al, and retract my posts. Jeff |
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseeker | ||
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Posts: 0 (01/30/03 15:18:31) |
I was stupid enough to fall for this crap. Not only did they take my money once but twice. Mail a letter to the address they posted shortly after that on the web page but was returned NOT KNOWN. So sent another to their subscriptions address. Some one should put a stop to these people. Has anybody been able to recover there money. If so how?
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Unregistered(d) |
ISP blocked GenSeekers | ||
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Posts: 0 (01/30/03 21:28:56) |
My ISP has a blocking service for porno or other such annoying spam mail.
GenSeekers mail got so persistent, that I requested the be blocked about a month ago, and I have rcvd no more mail from them. -- willperk |
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Unregistered(d) |
Genseekers | ||
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Posts: 0 (02/26/03 14:31:11) |
got the add, sounded good, had info on relitives so I gave them check info. The just cancel button if not happy is not on the site. Contact us links don't work, I called got a recorder the first time left a cancel me message. I found this info and called them again to leave another message and actually talked to a person. He said he would cancel my subscription and not use my account. My bank has assured me that if they do, I can have it reversed/stopped. Yuk. I like the advice above of not responding to email ads. I just don't get spam on that address and they had so much info I thought it was real. If I need to know I'm going to check things out first on sites like this first!
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Neelie16 |
Re: Genseekers busted? | ||
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Posts: 1 (02/28/03 09:22:30) |
This is from networksolutions.com
Looks like they are trying to get more money before their domain name expires in a few days!... Look at all the blanks here.  Domain Name.......... genseekers.com Creation Date........ 2001-03-03 Registration Date.... 2001-03-03 Expiry Date.......... 2003-03-03 Organisation Name.... Family Genseekers Organisation Address. unavailable Organisation Address. Organisation Address. San Diego Organisation Address. 92109 Organisation Address. California Organisation Address. UNITED STATES Admin Name........... Family Genseekers Admin Address........ unavailable Admin Address........ Admin Address........ San Diego Admin Address........ 92109 Admin Address........ California Admin Address........ UNITED STATES Admin Email.......... familygenseekers@aol.com Admin Phone.......... 858-000-0000 Admin Fax............ 858-000-0000 Tech Name............ J. Hostmaster Tech Address......... 55 E. Genesee Tech Address......... Tech Address......... Baldwinsville Tech Address......... 13027 Tech Address......... NY Tech Address......... UNITED STATES Tech Email........... hostmaster@thebook.com Tech Phone........... 315-000-0000 Tech Fax............. 315-000-0000 Name Server.......... ns1.tigerhosting.com Name Server.......... ns2.tigerhosting.com The previous information has been obtained either directly from the registrant or a registrar of the domain name other than VeriSign. VeriSign, therefore, does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. |
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