Broker profile
FamilyTreeNow
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A free site that markets itself as a genealogy resource but functions as a full people-search broker, publishing names, ages, addresses, phones, and relatives with no sign-in required. The operating entity is Family Tree Now LLC, started July 13, 2014. BBB rates it B-. In January 2017 Fortune reported that it listed relatives, including children; we haven't rechecked.
FamilyTreeNow overview
At a glance
Redact's exposure rating
- Data published
- Editorial estimate
- Re-listing frequency
- Editorial estimate
- Complaint record
- Pattern of complaints
- Opt-out friction
- Moderate
- Operator opacity
- Mostly disclosed
- Prior data incidents
- None documented
Our editorial assessment from public sources as of May 22, 2026, and our own opt-out testing as of May 22, 2026. Each dimension is scored 1 to 4, higher means more exposure, and the overall gauge is their average, unless a confirmed breach holds it higher. It is an opinion, not a finding about the company's conduct or legal compliance. Dimensions marked "Editorial estimate" are estimated from the kind of service offered rather than observed on this site. How we score
What each dimension means
- Data published: how much and how sensitive the personal data they put out.
- Re-listing frequency: how quickly you reappear after opting out.
- Complaint record: the volume and pattern of complaints across BBB, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber. No listing, or a listing with no reviews, counts against the broker.
- Opt-out friction: how hard the removal process is to complete.
- Operator opacity: how hidden the operating company and its principals are.
- Prior data incidents: history of breaches or leaks of the data they hold.
- Category
Genealogy framing · people-search functionality
- Operating entity
Family Tree Now, LLC (California data broker registry)
- Business start
Jul 13, 2014
- BBB-listed address
Roseville, CA
- BBB rating
B-
- Notable press
Jan 2017 Fortune + Stanford CIS
- FCRA covered?
Says it isn't a CRA
Background
Background
FamilyTreeNow launched in July 2014 as a free genealogy site. In practice it works like the other people-search brokers in this directory. Type a name and city/state into the homepage search and you get a list of matching individuals, click through and you see addresses, phone numbers, relatives, and associates, all without creating an account. Under the genealogy framing, the data is the same public-records aggregation the rest of the category publishes.
- Operating entity
Family Tree Now, LLC (California data broker registry)
- Business start
Jul 13, 2014
The BBB lists the company at 1420 E Roseville Pkwy Ste 140-325, Roseville, CA 95661-3078. The "Ste 140-325" pattern reads as a mailbox suite number rather than a normal office number. FamilyTreeNow doesn't publish a corporate family, and no filing we can cite ties Family Tree Now, LLC to another broker.
The 2017 Fortune / Stanford CIS coverage made FamilyTreeNow a category cautionary tale. A user's January 2017 Twitter post about finding her profile, and her children's names, on the site drew attention to it; Jeff John Roberts' Fortune piece followed days later, and Stanford CIS fellow Danielle Citron's Atlantic piece "How FamilyTreeNow Makes Stalking Easy" ran January 17, 2017. The publicity drove a wave of opt-out submissions large enough to overwhelm the site temporarily.
Says it isn't a Consumer Reporting Agency. It says it isn't a consumer reporting agency, and its terms bar using reports for hiring, tenancy or credit, the same position as SmartBackgroundChecks. That position governs how buyers may use the data; it doesn't change what the site publishes.
Data Published
Data types
Sensitive: elevated identity-theft, doxxing, or safety riskStandard public-record field
- Full names, including aliases and prior names
- Age and approximate date of birthSensitive
- Current and previous home addresses with date ranges of residenceSensitive
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses (sometimes)
- Names of relatives (in January 2017 Fortune reported these included children; we haven't rechecked)Sensitive
- Names of known associates and likely household membersSensitive
- Reverse lookups: name, address, phone
Data sources: US public records, commercial data aggregators, and bulk-loaded public-record feeds. FamilyTreeNow doesn't accept user submissions in the way a real genealogy crowd-sourced site (like FamilySearch or WikiTree) does. It isn't a participatory community model.
Children's names (2017 reporting). In January 2017 Fortune reported that FamilyTreeNow's "Family Tree" view listed relatives, including children, alongside the parent profile. We haven't rechecked. This is the exposure that drove the 2017 opt-out wave.
Contact
Contacts & links
- Operating entity
Family Tree Now, LLC (California data broker registry)
- BBB-listed address
1420 E Roseville Pkwy Ste 140-325 Roseville, CA 95661-3078
- BBB-listed phone
- CA Data Broker registry
Family Tree Now, LLC · registry address: Los Angeles, CA (the BBB lists Roseville) · 2024: 631 requests to delete, all complied in whole, one-day median (cppa.ca.gov/data_broker_registry/)
- Opt-out / privacy request page
- Privacy policy
- Terms of service
Reputation
Trust signals
Third-party reputation signals on FamilyTreeNow cluster toward the negative end across BBB, Trustpilot, Sitejabber, and PissedConsumer. The BBB's B- rating is actually the most favorable third-party reading; consumer-review platforms put the score closer to 1-2 out of 5 with recurring complaints about opt-out failures and unhelpful customer support.
What reviewers and complainants say, from the sources above. Redact hasn't verified these complaints.
Personal information (name, full address, phone, relatives, children's names) published without consent
Opt-out requests submitted but record reappears or is never removed
Multi-record listings requiring separate opt-out per record (no bulk-remove option)
Voice system on the toll-free number reportedly doesn't route to a human
Privacy concerns specific to children's-name exposure (the 2017 Fortune-era complaint)
Common complaint themes (BBB customer reviews + Trustpilot + Sitejabber + PissedConsumer):
Litigation
Litigation history
We haven't located a Federal Trade Commission enforcement action, state Attorney General consent decree, California Privacy Protection Agency Delete Act settlement, or named class action specifically captioned against FamilyTreeNow.com or Family Tree Now LLC as of the last-updated date below. The 2017 viral coverage generated discussion of class-action posture in consumer forums but no filed case appears to have materialized.
Its terms include an arbitration clause and class-action waiver. That's a standard clause, but it shapes which legal routes are open to users who accepted the terms.
FAQ
Q & A
Is FamilyTreeNow a data broker?
Yes. FamilyTreeNow markets itself as a genealogy site but functions as a full people-search broker. Profiles show names, ages, current and previous addresses, phones, possible relatives, and associates, with no sign-in required; in January 2017 Fortune reported the relatives included children. The January 2017 Fortune and Stanford CIS/Atlantic coverage (How FamilyTreeNow Makes Stalking Easy) made it a category cautionary tale.
Who owns FamilyTreeNow?
FamilyTreeNow.com is operated by Family Tree Now LLC, business start date July 13, 2014. The BBB lists it in Roseville, CA; California's registry lists it in Los Angeles. No filing we can cite ties it to another broker.
What information does FamilyTreeNow publish?
FamilyTreeNow publishes full names with aliases and prior names, age and approximate date of birth, current and previous home addresses with date ranges of residence, phone numbers, email addresses sometimes, names of relatives (in 2017 Fortune reported these included children), names of known associates and likely household members, and reverse lookups for name, address, and phone.
Can I remove myself from FamilyTreeNow?
Yes. The opt-out page is at familytreenow.com/optout. Multi-record listings require a separate opt-out per record (no bulk-remove option). Reviewers report the BBB-listed toll-free number +1 (877) 838-4889 doesn't route to a human, so the web form is the only practical channel. Its terms include an arbitration clause and class-action waiver. See our FamilyTreeNow removal guide for step-by-step instructions.
How long does FamilyTreeNow take to remove information?
FamilyTreeNow doesn't publish a specific SLA. User reports describe successful removals within hours to days when the form works, but profiles frequently reappear weeks or months later as new public records are indexed. Multi-record opt-outs require repeating the flow per record.
Is FamilyTreeNow covered by FCRA?
It says it isn't a consumer reporting agency, and its terms bar using reports for hiring, tenancy or credit. We haven't found an FTC enforcement action, state AG consent decree, or named class action against FamilyTreeNow.com or Family Tree Now LLC.
Take yourself off data broker sites
Redact scans data broker sites from your device. The free scan shows which of your details are exposed but hides which broker lists you; Premium and Ultimate show where each listing is. They also submit the FamilyTreeNow removal for you, re-scan about every 15 days and file again if your listing comes back.
The page provides general information, not legal advice. Redact is not affiliated with or endorsed by FamilyTreeNow or any other company named here. Spotted an error, or represent this company? Email support@redact.dev.