Free Lookups

[Kazza]

All of the lookups done as a result of a request in this board,  are performed for FREE.

RootsChat makes no charges for any of the advice or guidance we offer.

If you are asked for a fee as a result of a request placed on RootsChat,  please inform a moderator.  You can do this by clicking the Report to Moderator button on a message you are displaying,  or by sending a PM to any of the moderators.

[Jane Masri]

Oh my goodness!!! Don't tell me people are trying to charge for look-ups?  What a SAD day

Jane

[Frances]

As someone who is happy to help anyone if I can, I was appalled when I first saw these lookups on ebay. I could not believe what I was reading. They appear to be there whenever I look at their pages, so I assume the people that offer these 'services'  make quite a reasonable income from some genealogists.

Frances

[Clincher]

I don't think any self-respecting genealogist would touch these with a barge-pole.
On top of that,  I expect that these lookers-up would want their dosh up-front (mega-risk) and what faith would you have in the "information" (if any) which they supplied.
I'm happy to join the people on this site who do it for nowt (sometimes it even costs you a little bit more than time to help someone out). While I think of it, I think it's a good idea to hold back a small bit of the background info you supply when you ask for a look-up. You are then in a position to assess the accuracy and even bona-fides of the people who respond. I am not being nasty to any of the genuine Rootschat people but you never can tell when a mischief-maker is gonna turn up.....and waste your time with bogus info

[Jane Masri]

Clincher, do you really think there's mischief-makers out there on RootsChat who would deliberately mislead people???

Jane

[Clincher]

No Jane not the regular contributors here - I've obviously not made myself clear. I believe we've already had at least one visit from someone who  collected addresses for spam and we were told that precautions have been taken to forestall a repeat of that. Call me a pessimist if you like but there is always some donut who will spoil something good given half  a chance. What do you think?

MODERATOR NOTE: No we have never had anybody collecting email addresses on RootsChat, if emails are hidden they stay hidden. The problem was an individual posted Personal Messages to numerous people on RootsChat.

[trystan]

The original post was created because after lookups a few people were then being aproached asking them if they would like copies of the lookup for a fee.

This is not what RootsChat is about. RootsChat is here to help all of us help each other for no charge.

The only exceptionis that we have one very specifc part of RootsChat where people can freely advertise their family history and local history services and events on the For Sale / Wanted / Events board, which we hope will be of interest to everybody.

[Jane Masri]

If someone does ask for a fee for a look-up on this board, it's easy enough to report them and have them banished (lovely old fashioned word )  I think everyone knows that look-ups are for free and we are here to help each other.  I've not been 'bothered' by anyone, so hopefully these incidents are few & far between.

Jane

[Clincher]

I stand corrected by the moderator's comment about the activity of one person not being the collection of addresses for spamming. I don't think I'd  better add any more in case I turn into a jinx