Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Ancestry.com's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Ancestry.com

  1300 W Traverse Pkwy Lehi, UT 84043-5373

  
• 

  Ancestry.com

  PO Box 7865 Fremont, CA 94537-7865

• 

  Ancestry.com

  5700 Yonge Street, Suite 200 Toronto, ON M2M 4K2

• 

  Ancestry

  153 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94107

• 

  Ancestrydna.com/activate

  347 Garden Oaks Blvd Houston, TX 77018

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/04/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Today I was charged $25 to cancel my subscription to Ancestry.com. The account went into autopay after the free trial and I didn’t end the subscription in time and have been paying for monthly, I found out, went to cancel and was charged $25 to cancel. How is it legal to charge people to stop paying so they can save money they need.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2025

  Title:
  Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact
  Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact
  Email: [email protected]
  
  February 10, 2025
  
  RE: ******* ****** -- ********
  
  To Whom
  It May Concern,
  
  Thank
  you for forwarding Mr. ******** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed
  to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
  the highest regard.
  
  Our
  records indicate that Mr. ****** initiated a free trial for a World Explorer
  subscription and chose the option of a semi-annual subscription billing
  monthly. The full six-month price for the subscription type chosen was billable
  monthly at $24.83 per month plus applicable sales tax. The subscription type
  also stipulates that a $25 cancellation fee will be incurred upon early
  cancellation, or the remainder of the full subscription price, whichever is
  less. The following information is provided to the member during the checkout
  process when ordering the free trial and entering credit card information. It
  is located above the button clicked on to start the subscription:
  
  “By
  clicking Start membership, you agree that:
  
  Automatic
  Renewal: You will automatically be charged $24.83 plus applicable taxes every
  month during your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically
  renew beginning [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your
  subscription, visit My Account or contact us at least two days before your
  membership renews to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14
  days, if you cancel before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a
  cancellation fee of up to $25.”
  
  Additionally,
  this information is provided in the free trial order confirmation email sent to
  the member after signup in the section detailing the membership they initiated.
  In this case, the email was sent to Mr. ****** on November 27th, including the
  following excerpt:
  
  “Please
  note that you’ll be billed $24.83 after 14 days. Even though you will be billed
  monthly, you are committing to the entire length of your 6-month subscription.
  If you choose to cancel earlier, you will not be eligible for any refunds, but
  you will retain access to your services for the remainder of paid months. If
  you cancel after your free trial ends, you will be charged a cancellation fee
  equivalent to the lesser of $25 (plus applicable taxes) and the remaining of
  your 6-month subscription.”
  
  In this
  case, our records show that the charges of $26.47 and $25 were authorized, but were
  never captured. Therefore, the authorizations would have dropped off after a
  few days. Because of this, we are unable to offer refunds for February’s
  attempted charges. If he has questions regarding those authorizations, we recommend he contact his financial institution.
  
  However,
  as a courtesy to Mr. ******, we have made an exception to our refund policies
  and processed a refund for January’s monthly charge of $26.47. This refund has
  been issued back to the account originally charged. The confirmation number for
  this transaction is***-***-**** Please note that it can take between 3-5
  business days for these funds to become available within their financial
  institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  We
  always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering,
  preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future Mr.
  ****** becomes interested in researching or saving his family history, he may
  continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after his
  subscription has ended. 
  
  If you
  have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us
  at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****
  Executive
  Response Team
  Ancestry

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/01/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I started a trial membership that would turn into a monthly $24.95 membership. I cancelled the first month in and now am being charged an additional 25.00 cancellation fee. The membership nformation I was given was misleading and didn't clearly state it was a six month contract.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive
  Office Response Team
  Contact Phone:
  ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  February 6, 2025
  
  RE: Aimee O’Neal -- 22885835
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding
  Ms. O’Neal’s complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing
  excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in the highest
  regard.
  
  Our records indicate
  that Ms. O’Neal initiated a free trial for a World Explorer subscription and
  chose the option of a semi-annual subscription billing monthly. The full
  six-month price for the subscription type chosen was billable monthly at $24.83
  per month. The subscription type also stipulates that a $25 cancellation fee
  will be incurred upon early cancellation, or the remainder of the full
  subscription price, whichever is less. The following information is provided to
  the member during the checkout process when ordering the free trial and
  entering credit card information. It is located above the button clicked on to
  start the subscription:
  
  “By clicking Start
  membership, you agree that:
  
  Automatic Renewal: You
  will automatically be charged $24.83 plus applicable taxes every month during
  your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically renew beginning
  [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your subscription, visit
  My Account or contact us at least two days before your membership renews to
  avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14 days, if you cancel
  before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a cancellation fee of
  up to $25.”
  
  Additionally, this
  information is provided in the free trial order confirmation email sent to the
  member after signup in the section detailing the membership they initiated. In
  this case, the email was sent to Ms. O’Neal on January 12th, including the
  following excerpt:
  
  “Please note that
  you’ll be billed $24.83 after 14 days. Even though you will be billed monthly,
  you are committing to the entire length of your 6-month subscription. If you
  choose to cancel earlier, you will not be eligible for any refunds, but you
  will retain access to your services for the remainder of paid months. If you
  cancel after your free trial ends, you will be charged a cancellation fee
  equivalent to the lesser of $25 (plus applicable taxes) and the remaining of
  your 6-month subscription.”
  
  Our records show that because
  the free trial was not cancelled, it rolled into a paid membership after 14
  days on January 27, 2025. It was then cancelled online on February 1st at which time the cancellation fee was also assessed.
  
  However, as a courtesy
  to her, we have made an exception to these refund policies and processed
  refunds for the monthly charge of $24.83 and the cancellation fee of $25. These
  refunds have been issued back to the account originally charged. The
  confirmation number for this transaction is***-***-**** Please note that it can
  take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their
  financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  We always appreciate any
  opportunity to assist our members in discovering, preserving, and sharing their
  family history. If at any time in the future Ms. O’Neal becomes interested in
  researching or saving her family history, she may continue to use the free
  services found on Ancestry even now after her subscription has ended. 
  
  If you have any
  questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at
  ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/08/2025

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22885835, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Aimee O'neal

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered two *** test kits on December 12, 2024. On December 13 I received an email that said it had been shipped. I have not received the kits. I have tried to email Ancestry, but Ive not received a response and the messages were not returned to me as undeliverable. I would like to have either the *** kits or the money refunded to my Discover card.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: **************
  Contact Email: ******************************************************************
  
  February 6, 2025
  
  RE: ****** ******** -- 22875220
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Ms. ******** complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  We appreciate Ms. ******** bringing this matter to our attention and we sincerely regret any frustration it may have caused. Upon researching this matter, by using the tracking number provided from *********** order, it appears that the shipment may have been lost in transit.
  
  Therefore, we have submitted the request for the reshipment of her order of 2 AncestryDNA kits. Once the shipment has been processed, she will receive a new tracking number via email for her order. The standard shipping timeframe is 7-10 business days.
  
  Once she receives the kits, they must be registered online by the individuals who will be submitting their samples to ensure there is no delay in receiving their results.We have attached the relevant instructions below for her convenience:
  
  **********************************************************************************************
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a loyal subscriber to ancestry.com since October 2019. My account at first cost $19.99 per month. I have used their Ancestry DNA kit and services and genealogy tracing services. My membership cost has increased gradually from 19.99 to $24.83, and then to $32.99, almost $400 per year. I have not been actively tracing my genealogy during the last couple years so I switched my account to a $5/month account that will preserve my records, but I can't continue searching with this membership. This will allow me to save my records for when I am able to get back to tracing. When switching my subscription I was charged $25 for "canceling" my account. First I was never made aware of a fee for cancelling a subscription and second, I did not cancel my subscription, I changed my subscription level. The very definition of a subscription is paying in advance for a service, which is what I am still doing. I am blown away that after spending hundreds of dollars every year, I am charged such a fee for changing my subscription level, also, this was not clearly represented when purchasing the subscription.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2025

  Title: Kaity,
  Executive Office Response Team
  Contact
  Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact
  Email: [email protected]
  
  February 6, 2025
  
  RE: Jennifer Jenkins – 22874540
  
  To Whom It
  May Concern,
  
  Thank you
  for forwarding Ms. Jenkins complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to
  providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
  the highest regard. 
  
  We want Ms.
  Jenkins to know that we have appreciated her long-term patronage of Ancestry. Although
  Ancestry’s subscription prices have increased from time to time, in this case it appears that the subscription services that Ms. Jenkins has subscribed to
  have also changed over the years, beginning with a US Discovery membership at
  $19.99 per month. At one point, she purchased an annual All Access membership
  at $389 per year, but it was immediately cancelled and refunded. However, in March
  of 2022, she initiated a new World Explorer subscription and chose the option
  of a semi-annual subscription billing monthly. The full six-month price for the
  subscription type chosen was billable monthly at $32.99 per month. The
  subscription type also stipulated that a $25 cancellation fee will be incurred
  upon early cancellation, or the remainder of the full subscription price,
  whichever is less. The following information is provided to the member during
  the checkout process when ordering the free trial and entering credit card
  information. It is located above the button clicked on to start the
  subscription:
  
  “By
  clicking Start membership, you agree that:
  
  Automatic
  Renewal: You will automatically be charged $32.99 plus applicable taxes every
  month during your 6-month subscription. Your subscription will automatically
  renew beginning [date of 6-month ending] until you cancel. To cancel your
  subscription, visit My Account or contact us at least two days before your
  membership renews to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. After 14
  days, if you cancel before the end of your subscription, you may be charged a
  cancellation fee of up to $25.”
  
  This
  information is also provided in the order confirmation email sent to the member
  after the successful completion of their order.
  
  In this
  case, it appears that because her subscription was downgraded before the end of
  the World Explorer subscription was scheduled to expire in March, the
  cancellation fee was assessed.
  
  As a courtesy to her, we have issued a refund in the amount
  of $25 back to the account that was originally billed. The confirmation number
  for this transaction is***-***-**** Please note that it can take between 3-5
  business days for these funds to become available within their financial
  institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members
  in discovering, preserving, and sharing their family history.
  
  If you have
  any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at
  ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive
  Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/07/2025

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22874540, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Jennifer Jenkins

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/23/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 1/23/25 I was not able to key in name, birth & death information on the Ancestry.com search screen. I use Microsoft Edge search engine which has worked fine for years with Ancestry.com searches. Today when that happened I tried Google Chrome and the search screen worked fine. I called Ancestry.com tech support and was told they only have set up Google for use with that screen. I have never received any notice that Edge was not compatible with Ancestry.com and it's totally unreasonable to require all Edge browser users to change to Google just to use Ancestry.com. Is Ancestry.com associated with Google as a monopoly? If so why and is it legal?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/28/2025

  Title: *****, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  January 28, 2025
  
  RE: ***** ********* -- ********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Mr. Horstmann’s complaint to us.
  At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold
  our customers’ satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  The Ancestry website is built using features and
  technologies are best supported by specific browsers, and therefore, our site
  is optimized for certain browsers to be used.
  
  Ancestry does not “partner” with Google, Mozilla, or Apple
  whose browsers are best optimized for our website, nor do we benefit from their
  usage as Mr. ********* describes.
  
  Current recommended browsers for our website are Google
  Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. However, this does not mean that
  other browsers are banned, but simply recommended. For more information about
  the recommended web browsers, he may view our help article found at the
  following URL:
  
  ****************
  
  If Mr. ********* was able to use Microsoft Edge in the past
  and is suddenly unable to do so, this typically indicates a problem with
  something related to his Edge browser. This could be that he has not updated
  his Edge browser to the most recent version, or that he has a browser extension
  enabled that is interfering with the functionality of our website. However,
  because we would be unable to determine the problem that he may have with his
  Edge browser, we would recommend he use one of our recommended browsers until
  he can update his browser and/or obtain assistance with Microsoft regarding his
  specific browser issue.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/11/2025

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: On 2/10/25 my subscription to Ancestry.com was terminated
  without any previous notice or cause! Following is the only notification I received by email:
  
  CANCELLATION CONFIRMATION
  
  Your membership:
  U.S. Discovery Membership
  
  Membership Expiration Date:
  02/10/2025
  
  Confirmation number:
  1009562871-472935903
  

       To me this was clearly an
  act of revenge for my filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau for
  the failure to provide the service I had paid for. Their blanket disclaimer
  quotes nothing about their retribution by cancellation of a subscription against
  anyone who complains about their lack of expected services for a paid
  subscription. I feel an investigation is warranted for any organization who responds
  the way Ancestry.com has responded to my legitimate complaint. I must in all
  fairness say they did reinstate my subscription upon a phone call on 2/10/2025
  however without any apology for the painful process one must go through to
  force Ancestry.com to provide the service expected.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** *********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: 1-800-262-3787
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  February 14, 2025
  
  RE: Harold
  ********* -- ****** *********
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Mr. Horstmann’s response to us.
  
  Mr. Horstmann’s previous complaints stated that he was
  paying for a service that he expected to be able to use. However, the problem
  that he is experiencing appears to be due to a browser issue on his end and
  demanded that our website work with his browser. Because the Ancestry website is
  working correctly based upon usage of the recommended browsers, we assumed that
  he was stating that he was unable to use our website. As his subscription was
  due to renew on February 12th and we reviewed his complaint on
  February 10th, the decision was made to cancel the subscription with
  a full refund so that it would not automatically renew while the member was
  stating he could not use the website.
  
  Additionally, the cancelled subscription was provided with
  a full refund of $229, therefore refunding him for a full year of usage on his
  account. Per our previous response, section 6 of Ancestry’s Terms and
  Conditions state:
  
  “… We provide the Services and the Ancestry Content to you
  on an “AS-IS” basis, meaning without any guarantee or warranty… We do not make
  any promises about (a) the Ancestry Content, (b) Your Content, (c) the specific
  functionality of the Services, (d) the quality, accuracy, reliability, or
  availability of the Ancestry Content or Services, or (e) that the Services will
  be free from viruses or other harmful components.”
  
  Therefore, because Mr. ********* states that he has now
  reinstated his membership, that he confirms that his usage of our website is on
  an as-is basis.
  
  Because we have already provided him with a full year of
  free service, we feel that we have done all we can for this member regarding
  this particular concern. We ask for a review to be completed concerning the
  situation, by reviewing the member’s original complaint and the subsequent
  responses to confirm this statement.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-262-3787.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/22/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been getting billed continually from Ancestry after a "free trial" that has resulted in hundreds of dollars being charged to me, even when the service isn't being utilized. I have not used the service in months, and was shocked when I looked at my ****** records to see two monthly charges (totaling $34.98 each month) being debited continually since March 2024. When I attempted to cancel my subscription, I first got an error that the page was unavailable. When I finally got it to work, I was taken to another page that I thought was a confirmation page, however, upon scrolling down to the bottom (the page is full of information so you don't see the request to confirm unless you scroll all the way down) I see a second link to confirm cancellation. This explains why my original cancellation was not accepted, and why I got billed for hundreds of dollars over the past several months. This is misleading and not a good business practice. I am requesting a refund for at least 6 months of service since it has remained unused for quite some time.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/28/2025

  Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: **************
  Contact Email: ******************************************************************
  
  January 28, 2025
  
  RE: ***** ****** 22845828
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Mr. ******* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  We sincerely regret any frustration or confusion regarding the subscription cancellation process. It is important to collect information from members who decide they wish to cancel so that we can continue to make improvements to our services.
  
  Members who chose to initiate a paid membership are granted access to our historical collections containing billions of records. Per the Renewal and Cancellation Terms which are incorporated into our Terms and Conditions, refunds for these memberships are not based on account usage.
  
  Our records show that a phone agent already submitted a refund for the most recent charge. However, as a courtesy to him, we have issued an additional 9 refunds in the amount of $24.99 each back to the account that was originally billed. The confirmation number for this transaction is *********.The access to the databases associated with this membership has been terminated effective immediately, and there will be no future billing from Ancestry.Please note that it can take between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  We always appreciate any opportunity to assist our members in discovering, preserving, and sharing their family history. If at any time in the future they become interested in researching or saving their family history, they may continue to use the free services found on Ancestry even now after their subscription has ended. 
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/30/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/21/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  02/21/2025
  After logging into Ancestry.com using the correct info I am taken to a two-step verification page which shows a partial of my current account email. There is a code which Ancestry is then supposed to send to this email address. I have not received any emails from Ancestry during this process. I also used the one time emergency code that is supplied when setting up two factor but that is not accepted as valid by their site.
  I contacted Ancestry twice today on the phone and nothing was accomplished to reset my access. I was asked to email their [email protected] email which I have but did not received any response.
  I am requesting full access to my account using the **********@live.com and a credit for the days I am unable to use the app. I currently have a membership which costs $24.99 per month and is scheduled for renewal on 02/13/2025.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/28/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  January 28, 2025
  
  RE: Steven
  Donnelly -- 22840285
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Mr. Donnelly’s complaint to us. At
  Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our
  customers’ satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  Our records show that two-step verification codes are
  successfully being sent to the email address on file for his account. If he is
  not receiving the codes, we recommend he check his spam or junk folders or
  contact his email provider to see if emails are being incorrectly blocked or
  filtered.
  
  In this case, we have reached out to Mr. Donnelly directly
  via email to provide him with additional troubleshooting steps or instructions for requesting the manual removal of two-step verification from his account. If
  he has additional questions, we ask that he contact us by responding to our
  email.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/03/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  February 3, 2025
  
  RE: Steven
  Donnelly -- 22840285
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Mr. Donnelly’s response to us.
  
  Per our previous response, we indicated that our records
  showed that the outgoing emails with verification codes were successfully being
  sent to his email address. We made no assertions regarding whether he was
  receiving the codes. When individuals are not receiving emails from our
  notification system, we ask that they check with their email providers to see
  if they are being inaccurately blocked or filtered.
  
  Our records show that Mr. Donnelly called our phone support
  line on January 21, 2025, stating that he could not log into his account as he
  was not receiving the two-step verification codes being sent to his email
  address. When two-step verification is enabled on an Ancestry account, they are
  displayed an Emergency Recovery code with the suggestion that they print or
  write down the code in the case that they lose access to their account. Users who
  no longer have the recovery code are referred to [email protected] to request the manual removal of two-step verification. Unfortunately,
  there was a delay in responding to the email he sent to us on that date.
  
  We responded to his request on January 28th stating
  that if he wished to request the manual removal of two-step verification from
  his account, that he may send us a copy of his government-issued ID, which he
  did on January 28th. We responded to him the next day on January 29th,
  stating that we had removed the two-step verification from his account. He
  responded the same day indicating that he could now access his account.
  Therefore, we are unaware as to the reason he would indicate to us that he was
  able to access the account if he cannot.
  
  In this case, it appears that Mr. Donnelly was unable to
  access his account for the week between January 21st and January 29th.
  Therefore, we would be willing to provide him with one month of complimentary
  US Discovery access. Our records show that he currently has an active membership
  billing monthly via iTunes. Therefore, in order to apply the month of free
  access to his account, he may cancel his subscription via iTunes by following
  the instructions below:
  
  ****************
  
  Once his current membership has been cancelled, he may
  contact us at [email protected] so that we may process this free access.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/04/2025

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22840285, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Steve Donnelly

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/20/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am not very good at checking my CC statement but noticed a $9.99 charge this month from ANC*ARCHIVES. I have never contacted them or used their services. I called them and they found an account under a fake [email protected] rather than 1224. The customer service rep first told me she couldn't offer a refund, then said one month and then got up to three. I do not accept this and would like a complete refund. I also reported them to my USBank reps who let me know this had been happening since last January. I read online numerous accounts of this and don't know why this behavior is not being shut down. I thank you for your attention to this.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/28/2025

  Title: Kaity,
  Executive Office Response Team
  Contact
  Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact
  Email: [email protected]
  
  January 28, 2025
  
  RE: Phillip Stender -- 22835192
  
  To Whom It
  May Concern,
  
  Thank you
  for forwarding Mr. Stender’s complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to
  providing excellent customer service and hold our customers’ satisfaction in
  the highest regard. 
  
  Our billing
  system allows us to issue refunds for charges that occurred within the last 13
  months. Therefore, we have issued 13 refunds in the amount of $9.99 each back
  to the account that was originally billed. The confirmation number for this
  transaction is***-***-**** The access to the databases associated with this
  membership has been terminated effective immediately, and Mr. Stender will have
  no future billing from Archives. Please note that it can take between 3-5
  business days for these funds to become available within their financial
  institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  If you have
  any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at
  ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive
  Response Team
  Ancestry

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/17/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rejoined Ancestry on 5 January 2025 hoping to continue tree from previous membership, last paid on 4th December 2023. I am unable to access this tree Wilson/Compton/Peers, and support team unable to help. I did a DNA test, paid for March 2021, but I cannot access this either. All data seems to have disappeared.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/22/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  January 22, 2025
  
  RE: June Gregory
  -- 22825475
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Ms. Gregory’s complaint to us. At
  Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our
  customers’ satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  Our records show that a refund of £34.99 was issued back to
  the original method of payment on January 9th. The confirmation
  number for this transaction is***-***-**** The access to the databases
  associated with this membership has been terminated effective immediately, and
  there will be no future billing from Ancestry. Please note that it can take
  between 3-5 business days for these funds to become available within their
  financial institution, depending on their refund policies and procedures.
  
  Our records further show that the Ancestry account linked
  to the email address provided in Ms. Gregory’s complaint was initiated on
  January 5, 2025. Because it is a brand new account, it does not contain the
  information Ms. Gregory is looking for. In cases such as these, we find that in
  similar situations, the member’s account was linked to an alternate name and/or
  email address, perhaps that of a friend or family member.
  
  Therefore, we ask that Ms. Gregory consider whether her
  account was under the name and/or email address of a friend or family member.
  If the person listed as the account owner is living, they may contact our
  customer support team by calling 0-###-###-#### to verify the account and
  update any information which may be necessary.
  
  If the owner of the account is deceased, Ms. Gregory may
  request to assume control of the account by contacting our UK support team at
  [email protected].
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/03/2025

  Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: ###-###-####
  Contact Email: [email protected]
  
  February 3, 2025
  
  RE: June Gregory
  -- 22825475
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Ms. Gregory’s response to us.
  
  In this case, we can confirm that the account from which Ms.
  Gregory’s DNA kit was purchased was not the account linked to her email
  address. Additionally, because the account deletion process requires a code to
  be sent to the email address on file for the account, this would indicate that
  the deletion was processed by someone with access to the email address.
  
  However, as a courtesy to her, we are willing to provide
  her with a complimentary replacement kit as well as one year of Worldwide
  membership (a value of £179.99). To accept this offer, we ask that she please
  contact us at [email protected] and provide us with her preferred shipping address so that
  we may process her request.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
  not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/05/2025

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22825475, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  June Gregory

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/17/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In November we purchased a DNA kit for my husband and sent it in. After not hearing from them by mid-January, we contacted them and were told. 1. My husband's results had been processed. 2. We could not have them because he hasn't registered (?)3. They were keeping them. My husband's really upset that a private company is keeping his DNA. He wants the sample immediately destroyed. We asked for this and were told they would confirm it. They have not, nor have they refunded our money.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/22/2025

  Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
  Contact Phone: **************
  Contact Email: ******************************************************************
  
  January 22, 2025
  
  RE: ******* ****** 22824626
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for forwarding Ms. ******* complaint to us. At Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our customers satisfaction in the highest regard. 
  
  We regret any miscommunication or confusion regarding information Ms. ****** may have been provided. Our records show that the kit in question was not processed. Within the kit provided to a customer, instructions assist the member with registering the kit online with a code provided in the kit. Because these kits are processed anonymously at our labs, it is imperative that the customer register the kit so that when results are ready, they can be posted to the correct account.
  
  In this case, it appears that the purchased kit was never registered online. Therefore, it is currently at our lab awaiting registration.If Ms. ******* husband still has the registration code from his kit, he may follow the instructions to register the kit online. Doing so will then put the kit into processing.
  
  If he does not have the code, yet wishes to still have his kit processed, Ms. ****** may call our toll-free support and indicate that she wishes to receive a free replacement.
  
  Otherwise, if Ms. ****** still wishes to receive a refund instead of registering the kit, she may contact us at ******************************************************************.
  
  If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kaity
  Executive Response Team
  Ancestry