Becky, Brad, I passed on links to this thread to Louisa Kwasigroch at DLF, who may be able to let you know if any other registered attendees had this issue.
Cheers, Mark -- Mark A. Matienzo <m...@matienzo.org> Director of Technology, Digital Public Library of America On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 11:26 AM, Becky Yoose <b.yo...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Brad, > > If there was an option for an annual subscription for ACTIVE as part of the > registration process, I'm wondering why this wasn't brought up during the > registration period. What you are describing would have been suspicious to > anyone signing up for the conference. > > If I remember correctly, DLF was the one who handled the fiances for 2013, > so if someone from DLF is on the list, can they doublecheck to see if there > was anything like Brad described below? > > Thanks, > Becky > > On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 10:17 AM, Brad Busenius <bbusen...@uchicago.edu> > wrote: > > > They are separate charges. WithdrawalACT*Council is probably the charge > > for the conference. I probably have that one too. The Active charge came > > later as an annual subscription. They used the conference registration > as a > > way to trick people into opting in to their unrelated service. I assume > > most people noticed this and opted out. I did not notice and therefore > did > > not opt out. That's what I think happened, anyhow. I am looking for > > confirmation on this. I've had to piece things together. > > > > Brad > > > > On 3/12/15 7:48 PM, Becky Yoose wrote: > > > >> A follow-up - the charge name that is listed on my statement for 2013 > >> registration is WithdrawalACT*Council on Library which is different than > >> what you have listed in your statement. :-( > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Becky > >> > >> Sent from the ball and chain > >> On Mar 12, 2015 7:22 PM, "Becky Yoose" <b.yo...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >> Hello Brad, > >>> > >>> I'm sorry to hear about the suspicious charges! Per your request, I > >>> checked the history of the the account I used to pay for 2013 and did > not > >>> find a reoccurring charge like the one you described. I wonder what > >>> happened with your account... > >>> > >>> Thanks, > >>> Becky > >>> > >>> Sent from the ball and chain > >>> On Mar 12, 2015 7:09 PM, "Brad Busenius" <bbusen...@uchicago.edu> > wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi everybody, > >>>> > >>>> I hope this is the right place to inquire about this. I have some > >>>> information about a possible problem with the company handling > >>>> registration > >>>> for code4lib. I recently noticed a suspicious charge on my credit card > >>>> for > >>>> the amount of $64.95. The charge showed up as ACT*ACTIVE-NETWORK. > After > >>>> some investigation I found out this was from a company called ACTIVE > >>>> Network, LLC. Apparently this company handles registration for events. > >>>> > >>>> To my dismay I found out that I had been charged for this annually > since > >>>> 2013. I'm very embarrassed that 1. I didn't notice this during the > >>>> registration process and 2. I didn't catch the charges earlier. > Anyhow, > >>>> after a quick email search I found something surprising; I had > received > >>>> emails from this company at my /work/ email address. I never noticed > the > >>>> emails because they looked like junkmail, however, upon reviewing > them I > >>>> discovered that at some point I had supposedly registered for a free > >>>> trial > >>>> that ended after a month, at which point I was automatically enrolled > >>>> into > >>>> an annual subscription. Needless to say, I//did /not/ ever sign up for > >>>> any > >>>> trial or subscription, at least not to my knowledge. > >>>> > >>>> Since I have only used my personal credit card for work purposes 3 > >>>> times, > >>>> it was easy to tie this to code4lib 2013. I looked at my receipt for > >>>> code4lib 2013 and saw that something called RegOnline (owned by Lanyon > >>>> Solutions Inc) was used to process my event registration. Though I'm > not > >>>> sure this is the same company, RegOnline, Lanyon Solutions Inc, and > >>>> ACTIVE > >>>> Network, LLC all share the same physical address. I suspect these > three > >>>> companies are one and the same and will refer to them as ACTIVE > Network, > >>>> LLC for the rest of this email. > >>>> > >>>> I did a little investigating and found out that ACTIVE Network, LLC. > >>>> uses > >>>> unscrupulous business practices to trick people into singing up for > >>>> their > >>>> annual subscription. The crux of this is an "automatic opt-in" they > >>>> employ > >>>> while processing enrollments for third parties. Though I'm very > >>>> embarrassed > >>>> I didn't catch this, in my own defense I wasn't expecting it while > >>>> registering for an academic conference. I'm not blaming anyone nor am > I > >>>> angry with anyone on this list. I only send this email to inquire and > >>>> inform: > >>>> > >>>> 1. To see if anyone else has had a similar experience. > >>>> 2. To warn other people from code4lib to check their bank statements. > >>>> 3. To plead with the community to stop using ACTIVE Network, LLC and > >>>> anything affiliated with them for registration. > >>>> > >>>> Let me be frank for a moment. ACTIVE Network, LLC engages in highly > >>>> unethical business practices. I did not intend to enroll in any annual > >>>> subscriptions when I registered for code4lib and I never would have > >>>> agreed > >>>> to anything of the sort had I noticed what was happening. > Additionally, > >>>> the > >>>> subscription isn't at all relevant to code4lib. I'm not even sure what > >>>> value is being provided by the subscription. I think it has something > >>>> to do > >>>> with coupons for outdoor exercise equipment but I'm not even sure. > Also, > >>>> these guys are bad. They lost class action lawsuits in Iowa and > >>>> Vermont. In > >>>> fact, this whole thing is just bad all around. Since noticing the > >>>> fraudulent charges this morning, I've already disputed them with my > bank > >>>> and filed a formal complaint against ACTIVE Network, LLC with the > better > >>>> business bureau. Apparently I'm not the only one: > >>>> > >>>> 1. http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/the-fit-list/ > >>>> Active-Network-Consumer-Complaints.html > >>>> 2. http://www.yelp.com/biz/active-network-san-diego?sort_by=date_desc > >>>> 3. http://legalnewsline.com/news/253622-active-network-will- > >>>> pay-160k-to-consumers-after-action-by-vermont-ag > >>>> 4. https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Iowa%20ACTIVE% > >>>> 20Network%2C%20LLC#hl=en&q=Active+Network+scam > >>>> > >>>> I apologize if I've made an error in my investigation or if I've done > >>>> something inappropriate by emailing this list. I can't imagine that > >>>> anyone > >>>> would have intended anything like this but I thought you should all be > >>>> aware. > >>>> > >>>> Sincerely, > >>>> > >>>> Brad Busenius > >>>> Web Administrator > >>>> The University of Chicago Library > >>>> (773) 702-4391 > >>>> > >>>> >
