Rootsweb.com -- UPDATE

[HeiressofBickworth]

Last edited Wed Apr 9, 2014, 07:56 PM - Edit history (1)

For any of you who use Rootsweb.com: I used this database around 1:30 this morning. By 6:00 this afternoon when I got back to researching, I find that Rootsweb is now behind an Ancestry.com pay-wall.

I was aware that Ancestry purchased Rootsweb some time ago, but it had remained a free access site until sometime today.

Be forwarned: Ancestry bought Find-A-Grave last September. I'm sure we'll soon find THAT behind an Ancestry pay-wall, too.

Also note that their "free 14-day trial" uses that same-old scam of giving them your credit card which they PROMISE they won't charge until after the 14-day trial is over. The way this scam usually works is that you will spend months trying to cancel the "free" trial all the while your credit card is being charged monthly. We usually see this scam on those "free" credit report websites.

UPDATE: A friend of mine received the following response from Ancestry.com:
"We are having issues with Rootsweb directing members to Ancestry.com. This problem has been reported and is currently being worked on. At the present time it appears to be accessible with the Internet Explorer and Google Chrome Internet Browsers, but not with Fire Fox. There are still unresolved problems being encountered with all of the browsers however. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as this is resolved."

I use Fire Fox and was able to access Rootsweb today WITHOUT being directed to Ancestry.