Genealogy Chat

I just wondered if anyone else has received a message of the following type from another "member".

"I notice you are researching the surname "Name" in the area of "Name of Place, and County." I wonder if you would be interested in a book written by etc etc which contains many of the names that you are researching from that area. I have added a link below which will connect you to" and so on and so on

The link supplied leads to an auction on Ebay I believe.

I have reported this message as abuse to Genes today. I might be being over cautious here, but feel that this could be someone's way of making some money out of a "keen" researcher
regards
"B"

I don't think so as i have seen a few people on the TTF board put up threads about bibles being sold on E-bay and i have often looked on here to see if anyone had them names

Julie

I got a letter from him last week about my Playfords from Docking and I did bid on the book but went for a hll of a lot more than I would have paid for it ;;;
Dont know wether ro be pleased he contact me or not ;;;

Babs

B,
I have had the same message about a book with my family name last week and I really thought someone was being thoughtful! The book looked interesting but I was not tempted and am pleased I wasn't now.

Gill

I've had a couple of tip offs like this from other thoughtful GR members and they were all legit.

On the odd occasion, I too have emailed another member to alert them to an item on ebay connected with their family history. One was particularly poignant - a letter from a soldier stationed in the Crimea who wrote in the knowledge that he probably wasn't coming home. Given its historic significance, it was obvious that the item would become very costly and would not be within budget of many individuals. Fortunately the seller had scanned the entire letter at high resolution, so anyone was free to read it. I reckon the old soldier can finally rest in peace!

In fact it is amazing just what turns up on Ebay. I found a reprint of a 19th century diary written by my friend's ancestor's brother. On buying it we were delighted to see that it contained a family tree several generations pre-civil registration - not bad for a tenner!

I've had one tonight about a book on ebay with one of the names from my tree.

Me too. I also thought he was being helpful. However I never followed it up as they were remote relations.

Ozi.

How do you know someone hasnt copied names off your tree , written them in an old bible and passed it off as yours.
It sounds like another scam to me?

you cant look at it before you buy and look at the price they charge?

Thanks for all your replies and different thoughts on this subject.

I believe that this was defintely a scam.

I have received a message from Genes who say they have dealt with this matter and having checked my contacts list, the persons name has certainly been removed.

Mmmm
I have thiss weekend received a pm from someone on GR informing me of a book which was on ebay, and as I have someone in my tree named in the book they thought I would be interested in it. I took a look at the item and am very interested, there were no bids on the book, and I put a starting bid in.
I then sent a pm to the person on Gr and thanked him, and told him I had placed a bid.As I felt this was the polite thing to do
I then began to get a bit suspicious and checked the name of the seller on Ebay and his name was also Mark. Today I have checked and low and behold I have been outbid, by someone who wishes to keep there identity private. I have not placed another bid, but have bought the book from Amazon for the price I placed my bid for.
Very suspicious

Ann

Hi Ann

Now reading it the way you have written, i can see what is being said, and i never thought of it that way

Julie

I have just checked my messages
The message from him had dissappieared as has the reply I send him, and he is not in my contacts.
Close call I think

Ann

I think if it is done in the interest of helping someone and you have nothing financially to gain from informing people of items for auction, then I dont see anything wrong, but to advertise your own auction is out of order, in my view

Ann

Ann, re your 16.04 message - that is odd. I received a private GR message about a book on ebay a couple of weeks ago. As it happened I wasn't interested as the name was not in the exciting part of my tree. The book itself was too general to have been of much use in any case. So I thanked the chap and left it at that.

Now I see that both his email and my reply have vanished from my message store. It is a shame as I wanted to check whether he was the same person who has been busy emailing everyone else.

I have been contacted by another member who had previously also reported this person to Genes. The ancestors name he mentions in their message is totally different from the one that was mentioned in mine as was the one mentioned in an earlier message on this topic on this board!!! Now tell me that this is not a scam
B

Because I put a bid in on the book and the auction is still active, the details are still in "my ebay"
I have checkes and he has several books for sale all with a similar theme. Most of which he appears to have bought recently on Ebay.
Tracey what area was the book concerning and I will have a look see if he has sold one

Ann

Last night there was a post on surnames offering information about a Captain ..Somebody or other, where they will learn something to their benefit... That too has disappeared.
..
I recommend cut and paste to file these odd ads until this is sorted...

If it is the same person who contacted me, what I suspet he is doing is buying the books on ebay, checking on here to see if someone has any of the names mentioned in the book, then sending them a pm.
He had my relatives name and area spot on,
So I tend to agree he is/was scamming, but he has now been removed from here

Ann

Ann, unfortunately I can't remember as I've had lots of other correspondence recently. It is just a nuisance that the messages have vanished from the my contacts and sent folders. I did not delete them.