Thanks Mark for bringing this to my attention. Brad, I¹m sorry you are
dealing with this.
I reviewed the order form DLF created via RegOnline for Code4Lib 2013.
There is not a place where a subscription/membership was offered or a
place to opt out within the form itself. The DLF used RegOnline for
several other events besides Code4Lib, including DLF Forums, and I¹m not
aware of reports of unwanted credit card charges. If anyone else notices
something like this, please let me know.
We did switch from RegOnline to Eventbrite in 2013, but that was because
we liked Eventbrite more. Since I came on in 2013 and didn¹t use
RegOnline, I¹ve reached out to a former colleague to see if she recalls
any issues.
Louisa Kwasigroch
Director of Development & Outreach
CLIR + DLF
On 3/13/15, 12:42 PM, "Jenn Riley" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>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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