You see and receive advertisements offering to sell you the crest, coat of arms or shield associated with your family name.

Problem is ...

These items were awarded to individuals -- not to families.

Now, some day you might be one of the lucky people who come across a symbol belonging to one of your specific ancestors. Let me assure you that you won't make this find at a booth in the shopping mall or through mass-mail advertisements.

Don't fall for that scam!

If you receive an advertisement offering to sell you a book of your family's history -- buyer beware. You may be buying a compilation of telephone directory listings for your surname, or other such information which is virtually useless (and which is available free on the Internet, anyway).

There are authentic family history books, but you won't typically hear about them through mass-mailing advertisements!

Many of us can't travel to all of the places on this planet where our ancestors lived, so sometimes we may consider hiring a professional researcher to find something for us.

That's sometimes a good deal -- if you are sure about the credentials of the researcher.

For example, what if someone advertises that they will do research for you at $65.00 an hour, and then takes 13 hours to complete the research. Are you going to be startled to receive a bill for $845.00 for a single document?

There have even been reports of researchers demanding up front payment and then never being heard from again.

As always, buyer beware -- at least enough to be sure of what you're buying!

Numerous subscription Web sites have lots of data which can be useful to you, so you'll probably be trying to decide which one(s) you should invest in.

Have you ever had the experience of trying for hours to reach a real person to cancel an automatically-renewing Web subscription?

I am wary of sites that only give one the option of "automatic renewal," rather than leaving it up to my actions whether or not another purchase is made in the future.

I especially avoid sites that suggest that the automatic renewal is for "my convenience."

Why would I want a company keeping my credit card information across time and making decisions about my future purchases?

If reminder e-mails are adequate to remind the customer not to renew, then reminder e-mails are adequate to remind the customer to renew --- if this is truly about convenience for the customer.

I believe that the most reputable sites will give you an option about whether or not you want automatic renewal.

And, if the site is truly a great site, you will gladly choose to renew.

Copyright 1996-2008, Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD
(Granduncle Mark)

Contact me at