I think Mark is on to something. Was this one of the years CODE4LIB used
DLF for registration? I recall DLF having a similar issue due to the
company they contracted with for registration a few years back - at least
one DLF registrant got caught out by it. As I recall, DLF changed
registration vendors after that. Louisa should be able to confirm and as
Mark says, provide moire information.
Jenn
-----------------------------------
Jenn Riley
Associate Dean, Digital Initiatives | Vice Doyenne, Initiatives numériques
McGill University Library | Bibliothèque Université McGill
3459 McTavish Street | 3459, rue McTavish
Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 0C9 | Montréal (QC) Canada H3A 0C9
(514) 398-3642
[log in to unmask]
On 2015-03-13 11:41 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
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>>
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