Is there a 12 Step program for genetic genealogy? Maybe!

Oh, no! Another DNA cousin has popped up!

I don't mean to seem ungrateful for the connection to another DNA cousin at all. In fact, I welcome all of them. It's just that every time I see that "We might be cousins" subject in the email, I know that I'll be spending some bunch of hours trying to sort it out. Right now it seems there are so many people testing with the Big 3 and then finding GEDmatch that I have to hustle to keep up.

I didn't even realize that I had a "problem" until I saw this blog article, "The Stages of Genetic Genealogy Addiction", by Roberta Estes that it all sunk in. Houston, I have a problem!

https://dna-explained.com/2016/07/06/the-stages-of-genetic-genealogy-addiction/

I can check them all off but have drawn the line at #7 and refuse to spend any more to get DNA relatives tested! Can't do it. Won't do it. Seriously, I just about have come to the point where I don't need to because the cousins are shelling out their own money to buy kits!

Happily, I've not gone the whole route to number 10. Not in a cab going somewhere and thinking about the next DNA match. But I am at 9, at home, thinking about the next DNA cousin. Hmm. Thanks, Roberta, for pointing this out;)

Great grandmother Moretta Workman Zeller with Gustav Zeller and sons Charles, Bert, and Gus Jr.

(Photo thanks to cousin Brenda. She's a peach!)

A new-to-me DNA cousin, or a scam?

Found this email in my junk folder this morning, subject: DNA cousin:

Hello,

 

I'm sorry to be bothering you, but I have news for you. My name is Nelson Ivandro Lima Zêgo, was born in Santo Antão island - Cape Verde.
 I Did the dna test - family finder in family tree dna match and told me that we are cousins.

Testing my I'm 56% West africa (bantu people), 36% European (French, Norway, germany, Russian, spanish and tuscan) and 8% Middle East (turkey Jewish and north africa jewish).

My facebook is ivandro Zêgo

 

Greetings,

Nelson Zêgo

 

A new DNA cousin, I thought when I glanced at the subject line. But then got very suspicious when I read it. The main thing that struck me is that I haven't tested with Family Tree DNA!

 

I checked SNOPES but it had nothing for me. Maybe this scam is new. Where are they picking up email addresses, that's what I'd like to know. Obviously I have an interest in DNA for genealogy, but probably don't match Bantu people (more likely Ghana for my 1% West African DNA), Jewish, Spanish or... Tuscan?? What's Tuscan DNA?!

 

Just thought you'd like to know.

 

 

 

The URL for this post is: http://nutsfromthefamilytree.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-new-to-me-dna-cousin-or-scam.html