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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 > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >