5 Family History Scams to Avoid

It is relatively easy for an amateur family historian to set up shop and charge money for tracing family trees. This is absolutely acceptable as long as the genealogist in question does not misrepresent their abilities or training. Just because a genealogist doesn't have professional certification doesn't mean they don't know what they are doing. Professional genealogists are not usually licensed by governments, but several professional genealogy organizations have instituted screening programs. However, there have unfortunately been cases where people have been easily misled by the inappropriate use of credentials and/or postnomials implying such testing or special qualifications. There have even been cases when so-called genealogists have "faked" genealogical data to produce family histories for their clients.

Before hiring a professional researcher, make sure that you do your research and know exactly what you are getting for your money. The names of professional genealogists, both certified and uncertified, can be obtained from professional associations, such as the Association of Professional Genealogists. See Selecting a Professional Genealogist for help with checking the qualifications of a potential researcher, making your needs known to them, things you should do to improve your results and understanding the costs involved.