Why would someone report as abuse information intended to assist?

I very much doubt that the person who asked the question reported you - as you say, why would they? It was probably someone just passing through. Some people do take the rules very seriously - just take a look in the Yahoo Answers category at any question asking why someone got a violation notice - there is a Top Contributor there who believes that all opinion counts as a chatting violation and only facts are allowed in answers. If that were true, the entire Singles & Dating category would be a violation, and this would be a very boring site.

If you find yourself in such a situation again, make sure to give them some sort of answer as well so as to be safe. Just give them a link to Ancestry.com so that you have given a valid 'answer'.

Why anyone would report your answer is a mystery when there is so much real abuse to be reported, such as racists, spammers, cheats and plagiarists ;-)

If you make somebody mad frequently they will be looking at your answers in order to find an excuse to report you.

If this happens again just tell them the story sounds familiar and you might have information that will help if they will contact you through your Avatar. Don't expound any further.

You might appeal it. I think Wendy had a similar situation a couple of years ago and was successful in getting a positive response to an appeal. It is very hard to get them to change their mind.

Edit: I might add that some are so involved with points they don't care if a person's answer helps someone or not. They will report them for to keep them from getting 2 points. Of course you have to understand we get a lot of money from those points and once a year those that have accumulated the most gets a bonus like a new Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz etc. Ted's driveway is so packed he can't make up his mind which car to drive when he wants to go some place. See what you have to look forward to. Then there are those of us who have to be happy with our Hondas.

I feel the only time to report someone if a person gets crude,profane,vulgar or insult another poster.

Dear Gray; It's an absolute mystery why someone would do something like that for an innocent question / reply. I answered someone as politely as I could once ( I do try & be polite) & she reported me for abuse & even though I appealed and asked how ( really got no answer) "THEY" agreed with her. funniest thing was her reply to me -- it was filled with rude, crude and abusive language because she didn't agree with my point of view. When I pointed that out in my appeal, it was ignored.

Sometimes, I really would like to send a private email to someone who doesn't accept email & it's frustrating. Why post if you don't want all the answers & maybe more information?. Sorry it happened to you - you didn't do anything wrong at all. Whether the questioner or someone else reported you, is really dumb especially if it led to more information. It doesn't make sense. Guess it's a lesson for the rest of us, too. Just keep plugging along & hope for the best.

Sorry you got reported.

I have noticed since I first started accruing points that some say all kinds of things and rack up points; others get booted out.

It appears that the Yahoo! Genealogy Police just like to pick on some folks!

Perhaps you could post a query re your family history and that person would respond to you.

But, I agree; it doesn't make since to be reported for abuse when you are trying to assist and find new info.

Good luck!

It's possible that the person that you responded to did not report the chat rule violation but rather someone else because your answer didn't answer the question that was posed and this person say it as chat not related to the question being asked.

Sometimes people on this board are real sticklers for the community guideline rules. I been bitten by them more times than I care to share.

There are people they have nicknamed "report monkeys" who will sometimes report just for the fun of it. They are the bane of the top answerers. Many of the top 10 here have made their Q&A private to foil the Report Monkeys. I haven't, and I get my share of violations. It turns out it is a violation to tell someone they posted in the wrong category, if you don't answer their question; "Not an answer" is a violation.

Could be lots of reasons, as I am sure you are aware.....I remember seeing your post and thinking how great it was to find someone on here who you may be able to connect to.

With all the posts in this category and so many now are not about family history/genealogy at all, it does make me wonder sometimes.

Sorry about that too. Maybe they did not want to really share with you. They could have just said that and let it go. Some family history is hard to find and maybe they did not want to share it. I know it is frustrating for sure. Some one else may help you next time. Good luck too.

Sorry it happened to you, Gray. Sometimes what seems like the most innocuous answer can get you into trouble. Just chalk it up to experience and keep answering like the rest us have.

Who knows why people do stuff. There are other ways to find contacts.