How is an email address validated?

Question

I just ran into a paternal cousin on WikiTree.  He was brand new and our first communications were by message and then email, This got me and him a message that his email was not validated.  Who is responsible and how and when is that done?

Comments

Hi John. What is the exact wording of the error message (omitting actual email addresses, for privacy)? Where are you seeing it? Is it in your email program? Or, if it's on WikiTree, what web page does it appear on? Knowing this information may help people to track down what is going wrong.

One possibility is that when he created his account, your cousin may not have completed a step required. He could look through his email, including spam, to see if there is a message with instructions from WikiTree which he has yet to carry out.

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I'm just realizing that a merge I made related to this wiped the wrong end of the merge.  I'll get back after I fix that mess first.

False alarm  Everything is fine with both profiles except that are not merged.

Answer 1

Many sites use the process when registering, to send an email to the user with a link in it that needs to be selected to complete the registration process. Usually that is the meaning of such a message.

Comments

My question was more the "How Is this done on WikiTree" than why.  I am trying to help a new would be member with whom I share a grandfather with registration and I was getting the same message he was getting saying his email address had not been validated.  Is this done automatically?  Are there scams that this is designed to defeat?

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John, has he checked his incoming email, including the spam folder, for messages from WikiTree he might have missed? He should have received one with a link to click, as Dave describes. If it isn't there, is it certain his correct email address was entered originally? Can he log in to WikiTree using that email address?

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If none of the above suggestions helps, he should email the WikiTree Team, describe the situation in detail, and ask for assistance. Their contact address is near the top of the page

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:WikiTree_Team

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Jim,

Thanks now I have a next step.  He and I have been emailing so I know the email works.  

Thanks again.

John Kessler