This has happened to me as well, but it was from registering for an athletic event (I don't even remember what it was any more) not for anything code4lib related. They are indeed a sketchy company.


-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Becky Yoose
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2015 8:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] code4lib registration repercussions?

Thank you, Mark.

On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 10:41 AM, Mark A. Matienzo <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> 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 <[log in to unmask]>
> Director of Technology, Digital Public Library of America
>
> On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 11:26 AM, Becky Yoose <[log in to unmask]> 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
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > 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" <[log in to unmask]> 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"
> > >>> <[log in to unmask]>
> > 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
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> >
>