CID Alert: Beware of this family history website

A message from the IMCOM -Europe, Antiterrorism Officer

A new public website http://www.familytreenow.com provides information on a person’s full name, age, birth year, aliases, and current and past addresses. The website also includes the full name, age, and birth year of possible associates and relatives. While this is not a crime, it does present a security threat in today’s climate for commander’s, service members, DOD civilians and their family’s safety.

This website is free and contains no safe guards to ensure the person conducting the search has a need to know or viable reason to be searching for the information.

In order to safeguard your information and have it removed from the Family Tree Now website follow the following steps:

– Type http://www.familytreenow.com/optout into your search engine

– Read the step by step instructions listed and click the square marked “I’m not a robot.”

– Once a green check mark appears next to “I’m not a robot” click on the Begin Opt Out Procedure.

– The page will redirect you to a search page. Enter your name and click search. (You may have to try variations of your full name.)

– The website will provide a results page of possible matches for your name.

Find your information by clicking on the record details.

– Once you find and verify it is your record and not someone else with your surname click on the “Opt Out” button on the page. The page will be refreshed with a message that reads “Your opt out request is being processed. Please allow up to 48 hours for your record to be removed.”

CID requests the community to be vigilant with public websites and the information posted to these websites. Ensure your personal information and your family’s personal information is protected and not available to the public.

For more information, contact DSN: 361-5357.