Registration and Housing Fraud Alert

SPARGO, Inc. is the only official registration and housing provider for the ASTRO Annual Meeting.Each year, ASTRO is made aware of various “pirate and poacher” businesses that actively seek to recruit and divert ASTRO attendees from registering and securing hotel reservations through ASTRO’s official registration and housing provider, SPARGO, Inc. Don’t be misled by companies that solicit you via email or over the phone and misrepresent themselves as ASTRO’s official registration and housing provider.

Here are some proactive steps that you can take to help protect yourself from registration and housing piracy and poaching:

• Check the email address of the individual sending the communication. All ASTRO registration and housing emails will come from ASTRO (@astro.org) or from SPARGO, Inc. (@spargoinc.com).
• To register or make your hotel reservation, be sure to go directly to the ASTRO website at www.astro.org. For ASTRO meetings, you will be required to log in using your ASTRO credentials.
• Confirm that the website domain is astro.org.

Be on the lookout for these deceptive tactics that may be used by pirate registration and housing companies:

• Adding processing fees or taxes when registering for the meeting. ASTRO does not assess any extra fees or taxes. You can find ASTRO’s published registration rates on the ASTRO website.
• Requesting payment information via non secure forms of communication, i.e. excel files, email, etc.
• Illegally using ASTRO’s name and/or logo to falsely misrepresent themselves as being affiliated with ASTRO.
• Creating a sense of urgency that the ASTRO room block is “sold out” and you must act immediately or you may not get a room.
• Offers for cut-rate housing and discounts. You can find ASTRO’s published hotel rates on the ASTRO website.

Don’t be misled! If you are contacted by anyone who you believe is misrepresenting their affiliation with ASTRO for registration or hotel rooms please contact the ASTRO Registration and Housing Center via email and provide information about the company that contacted you.

ASTRO Registration and Housing Center
Phone: 1-800-541-6058 or 571-549-4534
Email: ASTRO Registration and Housing Center