Distant relative is making incorrect changes to my Tree
I recently noticed someone named patricianobregas has been recently making changes to my Tree and half of it is incorrect. I sent her a message through Family Search asking her to stop but she did not answer.
When I clicked her name (the blue link) in my Tree, it said under “view relationship” that she was my second cousin, and that opened up to a tree showing how we’re related.
I looked at my 23 and Me matches and searched for people who had her last name, Nobregas, in their Trees. I found two people and wrote to both of them. One got back to me and said her mother Patricia died last year so it could not be her. I asked her to send me her obituary but she said there wasn’t one. So someone was given access to her account. How can I get help from Family Search to dig into this? It’s very disturbing. The person has made A LOT of changes that are not correct.
Even more strange is he/she is making changes to my mother’s side of the family, not my father’s, where we are related. Since her daughter said she is dead, can her account be closed?
Attached is an example. She made duplicate copy of my Aunt Helen, changed her husband to Joseph Makl, who is my other Uncles father in law.
Comments
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Susan
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
You are not alone ...
Many of us have been there ...
There are some, actions that one can take; and, options available ...
Here is a "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
How can I prevent other people from making inaccurate changes to Family Tree?
Now ...
After that ...
As you can 'see', "Collaboration" needs to be undertaken.
But, when "Collaboration" FAILS; and, provided that there is NO "Abuse" ...
Here is another "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
How do I report changes or problems made by other contributors?
that comes to the fore ...
In particularly, the last sentence in that "Knowledge Article"; which, is very IMPORTANT:
Quote
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If you have questions regarding inadvertent, suspicious or potentially malicious errors in records that you are unable to resolve per the instructions above, contact FamilySearch Support.
------------------
Now ...
All that Said ...
IF, you have undertaken "Collaboration" with the particular User/Patron in question, causing concern; and, that "Collaboration" has FAILED (eg. NO Response); and, provided that there is NO "Abuse"; THEN, you can, either,
(1) For a "Private" communication ...
Contact 'FamilySearch' "Support" DIRECTLY via the,
(a) Telephone
(b) an "On-Line" ('Live') "Chat"
To keep the communication "Private", if you are directed back to this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, insist that you do not want to do so; and, prefer that the matter be handled "Privately".
OR ...
(2) For a communication is "Public" view ...
As you have done here, 'Post' HERE in "Community.FamilySearch" Forum
HOPEFULLY, the "Moderators" [ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel)] HERE in this Forum, can TAKE the MATTER directly into the workings of 'FamilySearch' "Support", to help/assist you (BEFORE, other 'well meaning' Users/Patrons get involved).
I hope that this may also help, somewhat.
Good Luck.
Brett
ps: For future reference
IF, you want, you can, for "Privacy", keep any 'Post' here to a minimum, devoid of, "Personal" Information about one's self; and, even, not providing information about any Ancestors, just a precis of the matter; and, requesting a "Private" communication directly from 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel).
.
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Hello @Susanwildermuth
We agree that there are data problems associated with the record of Helen Lancaster GZBK-GW1. This individual was created by the user, patricianobregas, earlier this month. That user added all the sources, including the obituary for Dorothy Mary Lancaster. The reference to a Helen Czaheaz Maki as been ascribed to Helen Lancaster. As you say, this is a mistake. Other sources identify Helen's married name as Doheny.
It does not appear that this error in relationship was created intentionally. What you will need to do is correct the errors you see in the family relationships and detach the incorrect sources. Please provide clear reason statements when you make the changes so that other users will understand why the changes were made. (Let us know if you need help sorting out the relationships.)
Family Tree is an open-edit, collaborative effort -- there is no "my tree." It is a universal, global tree that we all work on together. The goal is to have a correct and complete record for every individual who has ever lived on the earth. So, it's a massive undertaking.
It's good that you have tried to communicate with the other user. You may or may not get a response, but the opportunity is there.
Also, in my experience, it is not unusual for people to have the same or similar names; and, it's not unusual for names to appear in our tree or DNA connections that are not found in our genealogical records. Marriage is the main reason for that!
Please keep working in Family Tree and make the necessary corrections to the data. We appreciate your efforts to ensure accuracy and wish you the best.
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If you re-read my post, patricianobregas daughter, Patricia Nobregas Perez of Californina, told me last night that her mother is dead. Can someone else in her family post things using her account?
You don't understand the gravity of this situation. She has gone through every single relative that I had posted and changed their information. This person needs to be contacted and stopped.
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The implication here is that user "patricianobregas" might now be deceased. If this is the case, would it be in order for someone else to take over this username, rather than using their own, to make changes?
I believe the poster is looking for this specific issue to be investigated / addressed.
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Abuse has definitely taken place here and I want it stopped. I am not going to go in and change all of the false information because the person doing it is doing it on purpose.
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Susan, you have the option of reporting abuse:
Go to the person page where you think there is malicious activity and click on Report Abuse.
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@Susanwildermuth , I have some thoughts about your situation that might help.
The display name patricianobregas does not mean the person is using an account that belonged to your family member Patricia Nobregas.
The editing behavior of patricianobregas is typical of someone brand new to Family Tree. Do you see in the page change logs how patricianobregas is working? It goes: enter a name and minimal vital data, don't standardize, accept the first FT hint that pops up, don't read through the sources, and go on a journey of discovery . . . of a junk tree. Many people new to Family Tree do that. It is exactly what FamilySearch tells new contributors to do.
This patricianobregas has time, energy, motivation, and in time and with a little support will gain experience.
Systematically going through this tree page by page, standardizing dates and place names and attaching sources, would go a long way to making peace with other contributors working on the family. You could model that behavior for patricianobregas.
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I do not understand your first sentence. I just found out that the person who is probably doing this is the mentally unstable son of Patricia Nobregos. She died last year and her son got a hold of her account. I would like that account shut down.
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If that account was hers, it can be shut down. But shutting it down would not stop her son or anyone else from continuing to edit here. Going after that account is a stop-gap measure that won't stop anyone for long. It is more likely to antagonize the person using it.
Consider working with the contributor.
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Concern ...
Regardless whether or not, "Abuse", has occurred ...
"Collaboration" in some form, HAS occurred; and, appears to have "FAILED" ...
As such, that SECOND "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch', that I proffered, SHOULD take over ...
How do I report changes or problems made by other contributors?
that comes to the fore ...
In particularly, the last sentence in that "Knowledge Article"; which, is very IMPORTANT:
Quote
------------------
If you have questions regarding inadvertent, suspicious or potentially malicious errors in records that you are unable to resolve per the instructions above, contact FamilySearch Support.
------------------
And, that is REGARLESS; as, you say, whether or not, the problem/issue was ... 'intentional' ...
it is CLEAR that the WHOLE situation has become 'untenable' for the poster 'Susan' ...
As such ...
As, the FIRST "Moderator" [ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel)] who responded to this post ...
IF, you have NOT already; THEN, surely, it is you 'job'; as, part 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel), to contact the poster, 'Susan', "Privately" by a 'Message', with a view to TAKING ON this matter DIRECTLY into the workings of 'FamilySearch' "Support", to help/assist the poster, 'Susan' (BEFORE, other 'well meaning' Users/Patrons get involved).
IF, not you directly; THEN, you could forward/redirect the matter to a "Moderator" [ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel)] who can do so.
Please, DO NOT let this particular case/matter 'fester'... DO NOT let the matter 'perpetuate'; and, get WORSE.
Help/Assist 'Susan' NOW ... the case/matter 'sounds'/'appears' SERIOUS ...
ie. Certainly, at the point of requiring intervention by 'FamilySearch' "Support".
[ Especially, for the poster, 'Susan' ... ]
Just my thoughts.
Brett
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@Brett . can you point to what you are calling abuse? Because I am not seeing any in that part of the tree.
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Thank you @Paul W and @Brett . for your comments, above. I'm going to message @Susanwildermuth privately and provide some options for her to take in this matter.
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Please 'Read' my previous 'Comment' ...
I DID NOT, call; or, even, indicate, "Abuse" ...
I stated:
Regardless whether or not, "Abuse", has occurred ...
"Collaboration" in some form, HAS occurred; and, appears to have "FAILED" ...
Plus ...
As an aside ...
You, will NOT; and, CANNOT, 'see' any "Private" communications 'between' Users/Patrons.
[ ie. Neither, 'Messages' in "User Messaging" in 'FamilySearch'; or, "E-mails" ... ]
Brett
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'Thank You', for responding.
But ...
That Said ...
The poster 'Susan', DOES NOT, need "... options for her to take in this matter ...".
It IS a matter of 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel), TAKING ON, this WHOLE, matter DIRECTLY into the workings of 'FamilySearch' "Support", to help/assist the poster, 'Susan', by rectifying the situation (BEFORE, other 'well meaning' Users/Patrons get involved).
Such involvement, may even include, REVERTING. some the particular "Deceased" individuals/persons BACK to a 'State', BEFORE, much of the 'wayward' "Changes", were done.
NOT, leaving'; and, 'requiring', the poster 'Susan', to try, to sort out, any 'mess'.
The matter certainly 'sounds like', it REQUIRES "Intervention" ( ie. "Action"), on the part 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel).
Just my thoughts.
Brett
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Here are some prior discussions about closing a Family Tree contributor's account after their death, with some things to think about.
death of account owner — FamilySearch Communityhttps://community.familysearch.org › ... › Other
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Here is all I can find in the FS Help Center about closing an account:
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