diff --git a/wrenchboard/src/shared_tool/site_crons.cc b/wrenchboard/src/shared_tool/site_crons.cc
index 7657b9db..5b63f50e 100644
--- a/wrenchboard/src/shared_tool/site_crons.cc
+++ b/wrenchboard/src/shared_tool/site_crons.cc
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ long  RefreshPromoActivities(CVars in, CVars &out){
                 map_to_cvars(f, rec);
 
                 // check if on pending table
-                resF = pgsql_query("SELECT status FROM members_pending where LOWER(username)= LOWER('%s')", rec["email"].c_star());
+                resF = pgsql_query("SELECT status FROM members_pending where LOWER(username)= LOWER('%s')", rec["email"].c_str());
                 if (resF != NULL && pgsql_num_rows(resF) > 0) {
                    pgsql_query("UPDATE promo_member SET updated = now(), status=2 WHERE id = %lu ", rec["id"].Long()); // mo
                 }
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ long  RefreshPromoActivities(CVars in, CVars &out){
                 map_to_cvars(f, rec);
 
                 // check if on pending table
-                resF = pgsql_query("SELECT status FROM members where LOWER(username)= LOWER('%s')", rec["email"].c_star());
+                resF = pgsql_query("SELECT status FROM members where LOWER(username)= LOWER('%s')", rec["email"].c_str());
                 if (resF != NULL && pgsql_num_rows(resF) > 0) {
                    pgsql_query("UPDATE promo_member SET updated = now(), status=3 WHERE id = %lu ", rec["id"].Long()); // mo
                 }