Changes to FIND MY PAST "My Records"

[Ruskie]

I have two accounts with Find My Past and just received the following email:

We’re getting in touch to let you know about some upcoming changes to your account. From September, your previously viewed records in 'My records' will only be accessible with a valid subscription.

We’ll update you on the exact date this change is planned for closer to the time.

- You’ll need a valid subscription to view all records* stored in ‘My records’, including those previously viewed via free trial or free access promotion.
 
- If you choose to subscribe, you'll have access only to the records included in your subscription. You may need to upgrade to view others. 
 
- The history of the records you searched will be retained in your account, so you won’t lose track of your progress and previously viewed records. 

I don't think I'm very happy about that.

I am not a regular FindMyPast user. I have purchased a couple of single month subscriptions in the past and taken advantage of the odd free or £1 offer, and I have no intention or desire to purchase a full subscription. I find that I just don't get on very well with FindMyPast for many reasons and find them a bit "sneaky" and this is reinforced by the above. It is fair enough to have these restrictions for new members (so they know what you are signing up for), but for current members or members who have let their subscriptions lapse, possibly after many years, I think it unfair.

They also say this change is happening in September. Tomorrow is the last day of August. That doesn't leave much time for people to extract any of their (hundreds? thousands? of) previous saved searches and images before they no longer have access to them. They claim they will give an exact date for the change closer to the time. I wonder how much notice they will give?

Now I will have to try to remember my passwords and try to extract the images or information before my access is denied. I have not looked yet, but can anyone give a simple to follow step by step instructions on how to save images which you have already viewed and have in "My Records"? I have pages of them. Do I need to go through them one by one and save the relevant images? 


Added: I did look to see if there was already a thread on this subject but could not see one. If I missed it, please merge or remove this one. Thanks. 

[Rosinish]

Thanks for the 'heads up' Ruskie!

I will check my emails (not something I do often enough)!

I'm pretty sure most records which are relevant to me at the time, I download to my comp i.e. not sure how to regain access to anything as I don't recall saving anything to 'My Records' unless it's automatic when I download them?

I agree, the changes those sites make should be for new members as what you're saying is, we pay for the use/records etc. but nothing to tell us (at anytime) in the process, this will not be available at a later date?

I can't understand how they can get away with it unless there's something in the 'small print'?

Annie

[carol80]

I received the same email today. I do not have a current sub to this site.

"My Records" are  mine. I paid for them.

Food for thought.
     Carol

[Rosinish]

Just checked my email & have the same message.

Obviously following the tradition of 'Fancestry' 

Not the best way to acquire custom/customers/members/subscribers...whichever word suits 

Annie

[Rosinish]

"My Records" are  mine. I paid for them.

Food for thought.

Maybe we should all send an email stating your quote Carol?

Annie

[jaybelnz]

Ditto Carol!  I don't have a current subscription either!  Bl***y annoying isn't it. I have such a lot of records stored in there - most of which I've, fortunately, already added to my Ancestry tree. But I'm going to check if there are any I've missed.

Another very disappointing change of things today, not genealogy, but a few days ago, I had an email from the Velocity Airpoints people. The email said that I had 11,939 Airpoints due to expire tomorrow, 31st August.  (I'd forgotten about them - silly me) So I quickly logged in to spend it pronto - huh?  shopping site is temporarily closed for upgrading!   I phoned their call centre, spent about an hour on the phone with several different people, all with foreign accents, and no joy as to how I can redeem them, other than booking another flight, and a couple of other stupid things  like wait for it - .....buy a cup of coffee at BP service centre, and that would reactivate my points, then I could go shopping!   But the shopping is offline at present lady. -  and The BP Service centre has to be in Australia.  I only just managed to stop myself giving them an earful of Kiwi bad language, and telling them where they could go and what they should do!!  GRRR! I even asked them to email me with the options she had given me, but she said "we don't do emails in this department, it's a call centre"  😡😡😡. I'm not at all a Happy Chappy GRRR!

[Ruskie]

I have just looked at My Records on both of my accounts. I think that previous searches and views of images must automatically have been saved as I don't recall ever saving any.

I have some odd things in My Records - many don't seem to relate to any families I am researching (possibly they were look ups for others?).

I think there is an option to print or download each image. I will probably have to go through and do that. Not so bad for me as an occasional user - I don't have millions of records saved, but I can imagine it would be an impossible task for many users and lapsed members.

I thought FindMyPast were a bit sneaky changing and making the 'opt in'/'opt out' option for membership renewal more complicated and confusing, to "trick" people into paying for annual memberships. This  is yet another cash grab.

It leaves a bad taste I think .... 

Added: jaybelnz, that is SO frustrating! I think those points are often a bit of a scam, and they make it intentionally difficult to redeem.

[jaybelnz]

I'm still wandering around muttering some very bad words about both of them! 😱😱

[Ruskie]

I'm still wandering around muttering some very bad words about both of them! 😱😱

Depending on how determined you are, it might be worth kicking up a fuss and trying to get your points extended because it was a fault on their system that prevented you from redeeming. And it is the 30th - don't you have until tomorrow? I think you might find if you want to book a flight for example that there will be no seats available to use the points for the flights you want. I don't understand how it works, but I believe they only allocate a very limited number of seats for air miles type companies. It's a bit of a con I think.