There has been a lot of conversation about Halbert's on the lists so when I saw this I thought I should forward it to you all. Maggie ------------------------------------------------------------------ FORWARDED MESSAGE - Orig: 15-Jan-99 7:24 Subject: [COUNTRYMAN-L] More on Halbert's in Ancestry Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Nancy Cluff Siders <siders@lookingglass.net> Some of you may receive this newsletter but I thought I'd include it for those who perhaps have not read it. We have been on the topic of Halbert's before but we have had new subscribers since then. ====================================================== "ROOTLESS FAMILY TREE BOOKS" By Loretto D. Szucs <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> ======================================================= If you have a mailing address, you've probably received one: a postcard or a letter announcing, "A remarkable new book is about to be published-and best of all, you are in it!" Even if you haven't been a lucky recipient, it's a good bet that you know someone whose curiosity has been piqued by one of these creative marketing pieces. Not too long ago, my husband opened the mail to find a "personalized looking" letter announcing that "What might be the most amazing facts about the Szucs have been discovered. The New World Book of Szucs is about to be published for you!" While my husband was touched that someone would go to all the trouble of digging up amazing facts and publishing a book for him, he found these facts questionable. We were amused to see that in their "research through over 170 million individual households" searching for the "very rare Szucs name" they looked in the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and eight other countries, yet failed to look in Hungary or Slovakia where the Szucs name originates and is most common. After making their research claims, they offered to let us "see how family crests were developed using ancient symbols and what they [family crests] mean." This offer discussed family crests in such a way that at first glance the unsuspecting would think the Szucs family crest was a part of this published treasure. Should we spend our money on these books? Here are some things to consider before pulling out your credit card: If you simply want a list of names and addresses of individuals who share your surname, a brief overview of how to trace your real family, and an undocumented Coat of Arms that was once granted to someone who had a name like yours, it may be worthwhile. (Remember that there is no such thing as a family surname Coat of Arms. Armorial bearings were granted to a certain individual, and only his descendants in the male line are entitled to them; collateral branches of the same family cannot use them.) Some people I know who have truly rare surnames have found lost or unknown relatives with these kinds of books. The Halbert's case is one example of the public's reaction to promotions by companies who publish this literature. Halbert's web page claims they have "over 170 million household records compiled from electoral rolls, telephone directories, automobile registrations and cross-street directories from 14 countries." On 23 March 1995, the National Genealogical Society, with the support of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, submitted to the United States Postal Service Chief Counsel, Consumer Protection, a 120-page report on Halbert's marketing practices with the request that these practices be investigated. On 21 November 1995, the USPS issued a supplemental cease and desist order prohibiting Halbert's from further use of certain misleading marketing practices, which included a consent agreement signed by Halbert's. Previous cease and desist orders against Halbert's which were brought by other parties in 1985 and 1988 remain in effect. The Postal Service contended the company's solicitations, which advertised books such as The World Book of (surname) and The (surname) Since the Civil War, violated the 1988 consent agreement because they appeared to be letters from relatives of the addresses. Halbert's was order to prominently display the following disclaimer on any advertising for surname-related publications: "No direct genealogical connection to your family or ancestry is implied or intended." Because of the increasing popularity of family history research, no doubt you will be seeing more of these offers in your mailbox. So remember to be cautious, read all the material carefully, and thoroughly investigate the company making the offer. ======================================================= Later...Nancy ==== COUNTRYMAN Mailing List ==== Been meaning to join RootsWeb? Just get your credit card out and go to: http://www.rootsweb.com/memberform.html now. They could sure use your help! !^NavFont02F103E0007NGHHW403B9E Maggie's World of Courthouse Dust & Genealogy Fever http://www.infinet.com/~dzimmerm/mindex.html *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* God Put Me On Earth to Accomplish a Certain Number of Things. Right Now I am so far behind, I will never die. --- Unknown *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with good health, good friends, and more than enough good luck. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*