Active Advantage Scam: Why You Were Charged $99.95 & How to Stop It

That Mysterious Charge on Your Statement Is Probably the Active Advantage Scam

The active advantage scam is real, widespread, and has been quietly draining bank accounts since at least 2011. Here's the short version:

Is Active Advantage a scam?

• Active Advantage is a paid membership program run by Active Network LLC
• Most people never knowingly sign up for it
• It gets added during event registrations on Active.com or campground bookings on ReserveAmerica — often through a pre-checked box or a deceptive "Accept" button
• A 30-day free trial quietly converts to an annual fee ($59.95, $89.95, or $99.95 depending on when you were enrolled)
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued Active Network over these practices, alleging more than $300 million in junk membership fees collected this way
• The Better Business Bureau has logged 873 complaints against Active Network in just the past three years

Bottom line: Active Advantage is a real company with real charges — but the way most people end up paying for it is widely considered deceptive.

Imagine registering for a 5K race or booking a state park campsite. You pay, you move on. Then a month later — or a year later — you notice a charge on your statement you don't recognize. It reads something like ACT*ACTIVE-NETWORK or ACT*-Advantage-Endtrial for $99.95.

That's the moment thousands of people each year realize they've been enrolled in something they never meant to join.

One person described it perfectly: they received an email with the subject line "Welcome to another year of Advantage!" — and had absolutely no idea what Advantage was.

This guide will show you exactly how it happens, how to stop it, and how to get your money back.

What is Active Advantage and How Does the Active Advantage Scam Work?

Active Network LLC is a massive platform used by millions to register for marathons, 5Ks, triathlons, and youth sports camps. It also owns ReserveAmerica, the primary booking engine for state and federal campgrounds. While the registration service itself is legitimate, its "premium" membership, Active Advantage, has a reputation that is anything but.

According to an Active Advantage Subscription Scam: What You Need to Know, the service is marketed as a "VIP" program. It promises discounts on race entries, gear (like 10% off compression socks), and "exclusive deals" from brand partners.

However, we’ve found that the vast majority of members didn't join for the socks. They were "enrolled" during a high-stress or high-speed checkout process for an actual event. The active advantage scam relies on a 30-day "free trial" that automatically converts into a high-priced annual membership. If you don't cancel within those 30 days, your credit card on file is hit with a recurring charge.

Membership Phase	Cost	Duration
Trial Period	$0.00 (usually)	30 Days
Legacy Annual Fee	$59.95 - $64.95	12 Months
2022-2024 Annual Fee	$89.95	12 Months
Current Annual Fee (2025)	$99.95	12 Months

Why You See a Charge on Your Statement

If you see a charge for $99.95 from "ACT*Advantage," you likely interacted with Active.com or ReserveAmerica recently. The company uses what UX designers call "Dark Patterns"—deceptive interface designs intended to trick users into doing something they didn't intend to do, like signing up for a recurring subscription.

As noted in Be careful with Active Advantage! - Bike Forums, the offer often appears after you have already submitted your payment for a race. You might see a button that says "Accept" or "Claim your rebate," which looks like a final confirmation step for your race entry. In reality, clicking it starts the trial clock.

Common charge descriptors to look for on your bank statement:

• ACT*ACTIVE-NETWORK
• ACT*Advantage
• ACT*-Advantage-Endtrial
• 877-228-4881 (their customer service number)

The Hidden Opt-In During Event Registration

The most common "trap" occurs on ReserveAmerica or Active.com. During the checkout process for a campsite or a 5K, a pre-checked box or an interstitial page (a page that pops up between the payment and the confirmation) will offer a trial.

In many Reserve America/ Active Advantage Scam - Beware forum threads, users report that the "Accept" button is large and colorful, while the "No Thanks" option is a small, grayed-out link at the bottom of the page. Because users are in a hurry to secure a popular campsite or finish a race registration before the timer expires, they click "Accept" thinking it's just the final step of their purchase.

Legal Red Flags and the Active Advantage Scam

The scale of this issue isn't just a few disgruntled runners. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against Active Network, alleging that the company generated more than $300 million from these "junk membership fees."

The Active Network review: active advantage trial membership scam on various boards highlights a 12-year history of these complaints. Despite the lawsuits and the 873 BBB complaints, the annual fee has actually increased over the years, moving from $59.95 to $99.95.

This type of predatory billing is often a gateway to other financial headaches. While Active Advantage is a "real" company, the tactics they use are very similar to those seen in a Fake Debt Collector Scam: Warning Signs & How to Protect Yourself, where companies rely on confusion and lack of transparency to extract money from consumers.

How to Cancel and Get Your Money Back

If you've been hit with a charge, don't panic. While the active advantage scam is designed to be hard to spot, the membership can be canceled, and in many cases, you can get a refund if you act quickly.

Many users on Active Advantage Membership - Scam??? | The RV Forum Community suggest that while the signup is "sneaky," the company is generally responsive to refund requests because they want to avoid further legal scrutiny or credit card chargebacks.

If you are dealing with other mysterious charges or aggressive billing, it's also worth checking if you are being targeted by a Phantom Debt Collection Scam: Fake Collectors. Always verify the source of the charge before providing more information.

Step-by-Step Cancellation Guide

To stop the recurring billing, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Active.com: Use the email address you used for your race or campsite registration.
2. Access Account Settings: Hover over your name in the top right corner and select "Advantage."
3. Find the Membership Section: Scroll to the bottom of the page.
4. Click "Do Not Renew": You must confirm this choice. Ensure you receive a confirmation email.
5. Check the "Advantage" Tab: If you don't see an "Advantage" option in your account dropdown, you likely don't have an active premium membership (or you are logged into the wrong account).

According to Active Advantage Charge On Credit Card - Credit Card Advice, you should also check your "Junk" folder for an email from support@activeadvantage.com to ensure the cancellation was processed.

Requesting a Refund and Disputing Charges

If you were charged the full $99.95, you should immediately request a refund.

• Email Support: Send a firm but polite email to support@activeadvantage.com or activeadvantage@active.com. State clearly that you did not authorize the charge and wish to cancel and receive a full refund.
• Call Them: Their automated system often has a specific prompt for "the $99.95 charge." This tells you everything you need to know about how common this is.
• Bank Dispute: If the company refuses a refund, contact your credit card issuer. Tell them the charge was "unauthorized" or "deceptively billed." Most banks are familiar with Active Network's practices.

Be wary if any third party reaches out claiming they can "settle" this debt for you; always check if a Halsted Financial Scam: Real Debt Collector or Fraud? situation is unfolding before paying anyone other than your official bank or the merchant.

Protecting Your Wallet from Future Subscription Traps

The best way to survive the active advantage scam is to never get enrolled in the first place. This requires a "defensive" approach to online registrations.

Avoiding the Active Advantage Scam on ReserveAmerica

ReserveAmerica is a common place where people get "tripped up." When booking a campsite, the site often uses your stored credit card information to process the "trial" membership.

Watch for the "Rebate" or "Discount" Icon: Often, an icon will appear promising $10 off your next stay. Clicking this is almost always an enrollment into Active Advantage. In states like Colorado, Virginia, and Florida, these third-party "convenience" offers are embedded directly into the state park reservation flow. Always look for the "No Thanks" or "Decline" button, even if it's hidden in the footer.

Best Practices for Online Registrations

We recommend the following steps for any online registration:

1. Use a "Burner" Email: Services like Tempo Mail USA allow you to use a proxy email. If the company sends "hidden" trial notifications, they won't clutter your primary inbox, but you can still check them to catch trial expirations.
2. Read the Interstitials: Never click "Accept" or "Continue" on a pop-up after you've already paid for your main item.
3. Credit Card Alerts: Set your bank to send a text message for any transaction over $1. This catches the $99.95 charge the moment it happens.
4. Virtual Cards: Use a virtual credit card with a "spend limit" of exactly the cost of the race. This prevents any secondary "junk fees" from being processed.

Frequently Asked Questions about Active Advantage

Is Active Advantage a legitimate service?

Technically, yes. It is a real service provided by a real corporation (Active Network LLC). However, its marketing tactics are widely criticized as predatory. While some users might find value in the race discounts, the majority of "members" are people who were enrolled without their clear, informed consent.

Why was I charged $99.95 without my consent?

You likely "consented" by clicking an "Accept" button during a race or campground registration. The terms of the 30-day trial and subsequent $99.95 annual fee were likely hidden in the fine print or on an interstitial page that you bypassed to get to your confirmation.

Can I get a full refund if I never used the benefits?

Yes. Many users report success getting a full refund by contacting customer support and stating they never used the "benefits" and were unaware of the enrollment. Persistence is key. If the first representative says no, ask for a supervisor or file a dispute with your credit card company.

Conclusion

The active advantage scam is a classic example of how modern companies use "dark patterns" to generate revenue from unsuspecting customers. By hiding subscriptions behind "Accept" buttons and pre-checked boxes, Active Network has managed to collect hundreds of millions in fees.

At Tempo Mail USA, we believe your identity and your wallet deserve a firewall. By using temporary email aliases and staying vigilant during checkouts, you can shield your personal information and prevent these "junk fees" from ever reaching your bank account.

Don't let a weekend camping trip or a 5K run turn into a $100 headache. Secure your online registrations with TempoMailUSA and keep your private data—and your money—where it belongs.