Phantom Ancestry invitations?

[IgorStrav]

Evening all!

I've just had two emails from Ancestry telling me the good news that two people have accepted my invitation to see my main Private Ancestry tree.

But I've never heard of either of them!

I've visited my Tree Settings page, and I can see one of the names mentioned in the mail - a Guest, unable to see living people, thankfully - and immediately removed their access.

Can't see the other one yet, but will keep an eye out.  This one doesn't appear under a Not Yet Accepted invitation section at the bottom of the list - reasonable, really, since I didn't invite him/her.

Has this happened to anyone else?  I assume the two people involved, who appear to have Ancestry UserNames, were invited to some other tree, and the wires got crossed?

[IgorStrav]

And a further update - wrote to Ancestry describing the issue, as yet to receive a reply.

Just now got another invitation acceptance, by yet another person I've not invited!  On checking my list on Ancestry, the name I'd not invited before, and had removed had reappeared!!! 

Have just written to Ancestry again!

aaaaaaaaaargh 

[RedMystic]

Please keep us informed of this IgorStrave. I've not had it happen, but want to be aware of what to watch for.

[IgorStrav]

Thanks for your interest, Red.  To keep you and others posted:

I wrote to Ancestry advising them of the problem, and received the following very unsatisfactory response:

"We appreciate your message.

I have looked at your account and see that you have generously shared your tree with quite a few people. It may be that these two people received an invitations inadvertently. If you are concerned about the privacy of your account you may try changing your password. I can see no reason why they would have received invitations unless they were sent from your account.

If there is anything else with which we might assist you, please let us know."

I have therefore written back to them accordingly:

I find your response to my query both unsatisfactory and patronising.

Please escalate and investigate.

In summary, to repeat for your information

I am a long term subscriber to Ancestry, with an annual subscription
I have a Private Tree
I received, yesterday, emails from you notifying that three people - *, *, and * - had accepted an invitation from me to see my Private Tree.

I advised you that I had not invited any of these people, and they are completely unknown to me, and requested your urgent investigation.

 I do not expect to receive a response from Aaron of Members Solutions telling me a) that I have invited a number of people (yes, I know, they are family connections) and b) that he can see no reason for the invitations to these people unless I had done so myself.

The evidence that I have not invited these people is that I have told you I have not.

In addition, I found * shown on my list of people with whom the tree was shared, and I had to remove the name three times before it disappeared from my list, a fact I also advised you.

Please therefore note that I am reporting a serious and important problem, and I require a serious response.

How have these people been invited, since I have not invited them;
why did it take several attempts to remove lachta from the list of shared people:
and what assurance to you have that this error is not going to be repeated?

I await your response.

Many thanks

* Moderator's Comment: details of Ancestry members removed

[IgorStrav]

Should have added - I've changed my password.

[msr]

I like your reply to their response Igor.

They are so very good at accepting subscriptions but less than adequate when it comes to addressing members problems.

Hope you get a result soon.

[Alexander.]

You should phone Ancestry. Though their email support is not very good, if you call them you will find them to be very helpful (at least they have been in my experience). And much quicker than waiting for them to formulate a response to your email.

[GorMau]

I had the same problem and even more terse response a couple of years ago so I voted with my wallet and cancelled my subscription and went elsewhere.

However every few months I get about a week spam from them. Several a day when this occurs. So I now get my server to automatically bounce everything back at them.

[IgorStrav]

Ancestry seem to have noticed I was a little upset about their last response, and have now written to apologise, and suggest that I contact their Technical Support Department by telephone to discuss the problem.

Haven't been able to make the call, yet, but will keep you updated when I speak to them.