Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd send a message to you all. Yesterday I had a letter from Ancestry - I quote 'In order to provide you with a continuous service, Ancestry.co.uk automatically renews your membership using the card details you have provided, thus allowing you to cancel your membership when it is convenient for you.
Since 1 January 2008, Maestro has withdrawn the service that allows us to automatically renew your membership using a Maestro debit card. Unfortunately, this means that your membership will be cancelled the next time we are due to take a payment from you.
We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause and as we value you as an Ancestry.co.uk customer we would like to inform you that you can continue your membership by using an alternative debit or credit card to Maestro.
All you need to do is log on to Ancestry.co.uk and click on the My Account link and update your card details. Alternatively, you can contact us on the following free phone number 0800 404 9723 where you can give us your alternative card details or ask us any further questions. Our team are available Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 12 noon to 5pm.
We look forward to your continued membership.' unqote.
What happens to those whose only cards are a Maestro? I can see this causing problems for many people.
I'll see what I can find out.
Best regards,
Karen Watcham

Many companies are now unable to accept Maestro Cards for automated standing order type payments. This includes Ancestry and Genes Reunited.

I understand that this is because Maestro now insist on prior electronic authorisation for each and every payment otherwise they reject it, whereas other mainstream card companies don't require such authorisation and only reject if the card is blocked, stolen, expired or canceled, or over it's limit.

Without significant software changes, which are probably not cost effective, the only alternative is for most companies to withdraw the facility.

In that case would have thought the Maestro system was better than the others, personally - doesn't it protect customers more against cloning?

It really annoys me that hardly any websites will accept an electronic top-up credit card, too.

I would say that, too, Mary. If I still had my Maestro card, I would rather actively opt to make a second payment knowing there were sufficient funds in my account, than to have it update my membership automatically and potentially leave me overdrawn (if I had very little in my account).

I wonder, what would happen if an Ancestry subscriber died and the family or whoever was sorting out their affairs was unaware of their subscription and the next payment was made before the account was closed etc?