A Roseville-based genealogy website is gaining a lot of attention for displaying sensitive personal information for free.
The website, Familytreenow.com, lists current and past addresses, phone numbers, birth records, past and current relationships, as well as the names of relatives and possible relatives. While much of the information is collected through public records and other legal sources, what's alarming to some is how easy the website makes it for anyone to access the information.
Familytreenow.com is completely free to use. The site just asks for a state and your first and last name to pull up personal details, including family history. The website's homepage even boasts their no-cost service:
"Everything on this site is 100% free. Running searches, viewing details, everything! Other genealogy and ancestry sites charge fees, not us! Type in a name and search now!"
The database is meant to help people trace their family tree and discover their past, but many people are bothered by the site or concerned about its potential for stalkers to find sensitive information.
RT TO SAVE A LIFE! @familytreenow probably has your address/phone # on their site where anyone can find it. Go opt out now!! IT'S NOT OKAY!!
— Coley ☆ (@happycloudbooks) January 9, 2017
Don't look now, but… Yeah actually, you should look right now, because @familytreenow is the creepiest free dox service I've ever seen.
— hollywoof (@malamoot) January 9, 2017
now that my records are deleted i can publicize this: FamilyTreeNow helps stalkers & your info is on it. https://t.co/UcIck9STlE
— Robbie Q. Telfer (@RobbieQT) January 13, 2017
@familytreenow you provide identity information to enable people to commit Identity fraud -#
— Rose (@sarairose7) January 17, 2016
People with public or high-risk occupations such as law enforcement, social workers or the members of the media could find it troubling to find their family's information displayed, including the ages of their children.
Familytreenow.com was launched in 2014 with offices in Roseville, according to their website. The site doesn't list a phone number or office address. The company does have a Facebook and Twitter page but both social media accounts are basically inactive.
The founder of Familytreenow.com is Dustin Weirich, a Sacramento-based entrepreneur, according to The Washington Post.
The good news? There is an option to opt out of Familytreenow.com.
Click here for the opt out instructions. The request can take up to 48 hours to process.
