Important information
- Customer Complaint:Consumers should be aware that Ancestry.com/MyFamily.com uses an auto-renewal process that automatically charges the consumer for another year membership if the member does not cancel prior to the anniversary date. BBB files also indicate this business has a pattern of complaints concerning shipping/handling override coupon codes not being accepted.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Ancestry.com's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 843 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 247 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:01/16/2025
Type: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 January 11, 2025, I emailed ancestry.com asking them to stop selling my personal data and to suppress my data from appearing in searches on their various websites. I have heard no response. I am the only person who has this name-- and, in fact, the results when searched upon my name only return past and current residences. As I live in the state of **********, Ancestry is subject to both the **** and CPRA. They are a commercial business that is selling my data and have not responded to a request to suppress this data. They stand in violation of state law and could be reported to the Attorney General and also the ************************************. I would prefer to resolve this amicably.
Business Response
Date: 01/22/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 22, 2025
RE: ****** ***** -- 22821671
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 show that we responded via email to Mr. ****** request on January 17, 2025, and requested the **** where his information was located on our website. Mr. ***** responded with the requested **** and the three records he reported have now been submitted for removal from our website. We have also responded to Mr. ***** directly via email confirming this.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/16/2025
Type: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.
1/15/2024. I tried to purchase a membership using a bank gift card. I spent several hours with their associates and my bank to resolve the issue. Finally on 1/16/2024 after escalation I spoke with a Manager who informed me that gift cards are not acceptable because they want the ability to add reoccurring automatic charges to a membership. No where on their site does it say that gift cards cannot be used for such purchases. I believe its just a scam to slip by reoccurring charges in the hope that the customer may not react in time.Business Response
Date: 01/22/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 22, 2025
RE: **** ***** -- 22819229
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.
Per Ancestrys Renewal and Cancellation Terms which are incorporated into our Terms and Conditions, all Ancestry subscriptions are auto-renewing. In order to initiate a subscription, members must agree to these Terms. The fact that gift cards cannot be used for subscription services is not an Ancestry policy, it is a feature that is dictated by the financial institution of the issued gift card. If Mr. ***** has any questions about what types of purchases are not allowed on his gift card, he may wish to contact the financial institution to inquire about renewing subscriptions on their card.
Because we cannot bypass that feature if their card cannot be used for auto-renewing subscription services, we would be unable to accept that card. However, if Mr. ***** wishes to ensure that a subscription he chooses will not automatically renew, he may initiate a subscription with a phone agent,after which he may ask the agent to cancel the subscription at the end of the period so that it does not renew.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 01/23/2025
Complaint: 22819299
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
**** *****Initial Complaint
Date:01/14/2025
Type: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 bought an ancestry dna kit for $100. They claim that you get all the results. After you get the results they want to charge you $30 a month to access your data. I’ve seen nothing on their website saying that you have to pay to see your results!Business Response
Date: 01/22/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: ###-###-####
Contact Email: [email protected]
January 22, 2025
RE: Christian
Watkins -- 22809722
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. Watkins’ complaint to us. At
Ancestry, we are committed to providing excellent customer service and hold our
customers’ satisfaction in the highest regard.
Once an AncestryDNA test finishes processing, the results
are posted to the user’s Ancestry account. These results include the customer’s
ancestral origins (the regions of the world from which their ancestors originated),
ancestral journeys (the places their ancestors moved to), as well as DNA
matches (other Ancestry users to whom the customer is biologically related). Users
who do not have a subscription also receive access to some of their Traits as
well. As the science behind these estimates improves, these results are updated
on a regular basis. Users receive these updates also without a subscription.
However, if a user wishes to access additional information,
they may choose to add an AncestryDNA Plus Membership to their account. AncestryDNA
Plus™ is an affordably priced semi-annual membership that provides access to
premium DNA inheritance tools, 40+ personal traits, and new DNA features as
they become available. Access to paid records or family trees is not included.
In this case, our records show that the DNA test that was
processed through Mr. Watkins’ account was purchased by another individual.
Additionally, because his test has been processed and posted to his account,
and because he has access to the results including his ancestral origins,
ancestral journeys, DNA matches, and some traits, his test is not eligible for
a refund.
However, we are willing to provide him with a complimentary
six-month AncestryDNA Plus membership so that he may view the additional
features he wishes to access. To accept this offer, he may contact us at [email protected] with his confirmation.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
not hesitate to contact us at ###-###-####.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/12/2025
Type: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.
Ancestry.Com uses predatory pricing practices, exorbitant fees that it will charge without the consent of the user. I have to change my credit card since it has been fradulently charging it.Business Response
Date: 01/16/2025
Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 16, 2025
RE: **** ****** 22802444
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 show that ********* initiated a two-week 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 $32.99 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 $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.
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 March 22, 2024, including the following excerpt:
Please note that youll be billed $32.99 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.
Because his free trial was not cancelled, it rolled into a paid membership on April 6, 2024. An email was also sent to him on September ******, reminding him of his upcoming subscription renewal which included instructions on how to cancel if he wished to do so.
In reviewing the information associated with this account, it appears that a chargeback was submitted for the most recent charge of $32.99 through his credit card ********** cases like these where a customer has initiated a chargeback process, we are obligated to follow through on that process. As this process has been initiated, we have cancelled the subscription and he will encounter no further billing. The confirmation number for this cancellation is *********. Our records indicate we received the chargeback request from you on January 13th and we accepted it on January 14th. When his financial institution accepted the funds from Ancestry, it generated the following Acquirers Reference Number (ARN): ***********************. If he has further questions about his chargeback request, we recommend he contact his financial institution.
Additionally, as a courtesy to him,we have made an exception to our refund policies and processed refunds for nine monthly charges of $32.99 each 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 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,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/09/2025
Type: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 December 26 , 2022 I purchased a DNA kit. I shipped that kit back to ancestry.com on August 14, 2024 and I still havent received the results from it.Business Response
Date: 01/13/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
January 13, 2025
RE: ******* ******** -- 22791885
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 were able to locate the order Mr. ******** describes within his account. Instructions were provided within the kit to register the kit online before sending to our laboratory in the pre-addressed return box. However,our records show that the test he purchased was never registered online, nor are we able to locate the unregistered kit being scanned as received by our lab.
In light of the circumstances, we would be happy to provide Mr. ******** with a complimentary replacement test that he may register to his account before sending to our lab. To accept this offer, he may contact us at ****************************************** and provide us with his preferred shipping address.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/09/2025
Type: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 purchased a membership to research my family tree today. No family tree. I have to create it name by name. What? I cancelled and they let me know my six month subscription is non refundable. What a racket!Business Response
Date: 01/13/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: ###-###-####
Contact Email: ******************************
January 13, 2025
RE: ****** *****
-- ********
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for forwarding Mr. *****’s 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 confusion regarding the nature of
Ancestry’s services. Ancestry provides a platform where members can utilize the
tools and resources to research their own family history. When an individual
initiates a family tree with the information they know, they begin to receive
hints which may assist them in locating records pertaining to their Ancestors.
If a member no longer receives hints on their tree, they may wish to ensure
that the information is as complete as possible (including a first and last
name and approximate birth and death dates), or perhaps the tree leads to areas
of countries where records have not yet been acquired. Ancestry currently has
over 30 billion records within its collections and continues its efforts to acquire
records around the globe.
At this time, it appears that there are currently almost 200
hints within two trees linked to the account in question.
If Mr. ***** is interested in receiving the services of a
professional researcher who, for a fee, can assist him with his family history,
their contact information is listed below:
AncestryProGenealogists
**** * ******** ****
Lehi, UT 84043
###-###-####
Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm (MST)
As a courtesy to Mr. *****, we
have issued a refund in the amount of $84 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
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 01/14/2025
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:01/08/2025
Type: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.
None of the prior data is available, such as my bloodline (78% Irish) and cousins viewed previously. It is all geared on buying new testing. What is this, ************Business Response
Date: 01/13/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************
January 13, 2025
RE: ******* ****** -- 22783023
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.
Unfortunately, we are unable to locate *** results linked to the email address Mr. ****** has provided within his complaint. Based on the information he provides, in cases such as these, this typically indicates that the *** results the customer is looking for was linked to an account with an alternate email address. Therefore, Mr. ****** may wish to consider any alternate email addresses that may have been used on his Ancestry account.
Additionally, if he believes that he may have used an Apple Private Relay address to mask his true email address, he may locate that address using the following steps:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your name at the top to open Apple ID settings.
3. Go to iCloud.
4. Tap Hide My Email.
5. In the list that appears, look for the unique Private Relay address associated with the website or app youre interested in. Each entry typically includes a label indicating the website or app where the address was used.
If Mr. ****** is unable to locate the email address he linked to his original results, he may contact us at ****************************************** to verify the account and discuss options to regain access.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/07/2025
Type: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 didn't realize that I never cancelled my subscription to ancestry.com. When viewing my credit card statement I noted that there was a pending transaction for $274.54. I immediately logged in to Ancestry.com and cancelled my subscription. I then contacted a representative to see if they could stop the pending transaction. The representative refused stating that there would be no refund. Apparently because the new subscription started on 1/5/2025-two days ago -I was unable to get a refund if any kind. I'm basically paying for 6 months for a service I will not use. I think it would be reasonable to charge me for the month because I'm two days into the billing period and refund the other 5 months. Thank youBusiness Response
Date: 01/10/2025
Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 10, 2025
RE: ******** ******** 22782622
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.
As a courtesy to her, we have issued a refund in the amount of $274.54 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
AncestryCustomer Answer
Date: 01/10/2025
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:01/05/2025
Type: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 had paid for an all access subscription for 6 months. it was due to renew on/after 5 January 2025. which means 11:59:59 pm on 5 January 2025. they made it in active just after 10:30am on 5 january 2025. They blurred out all the information I had already paid for. that is illegal (i.e. you can't sell a car and repossess it when it has been paid in full). please contact me by phone to further discuss this.Business Response
Date: 01/10/2025
Title: Kaity,Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 10, 2025
RE: ******* ****** -- 22770215
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.
Please note that subscription renewals are an automatic process managed by our computer system. These renewals are timed, and occur close to the same time on the renewal date. Our records show that Mr. ****** previous subscription began on July 5, 2024, at 10:00:41 AM. Therefore, our system expired his subscription on January 5, 2025, at 10:11:35 AM.
Records further show that Mr. ****** called our customer support line on January 5th at which time our phone support agent provided him with a complimentary month of his All-Access membership because he was unaware of the renewal time. His subscription period will automatically expire on February 5th at approximately 10 AM mountain time.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
AncestryInitial Complaint
Date:01/04/2025
Type: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.
The company never gave anything for my $100Business Response
Date: 01/10/2025
Title: Kaity, Executive Office Response Team
Contact Phone: **************
Contact Email: ******************************************************************
January 10, 2025
RE: ******* ***** -- 22769186
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 show that Mr. ***** purchased an AncestryDNA test via ******. Instructions inside the kit guide customers to first register the kit online since our laboratories process the kits anonymously. However, it appears Mr. ****** kit arrived to our lab in October 2024 without having been registered. Since the kit was not registered at the time it was received, it was placed in storage at our lab awaiting activation.
Records further show that Mr. ***** then registered his kit on January 6, 2025. Therefore, his kit was put back into line to continue processing.Normal processing of an AncestryDNA test is 6 to 8 weeks. Mr. ***** will be notified when his results are posted to his account.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at **************.
Sincerely,
Kaity
Executive Response Team
Ancestry
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