MODEL CONSULTATION AND AGENCY PLACEMENT SCAMS
Is the modeling consultation really free? Are the composite cards and the portfolio that the model already has "good enough" for a manager or agency to use to promote the model? Most professional models have portfolios and composite cards that work just fine in their careers. You will never hear these people admit it, however, as their intention is to scam the model and rip them off by selling them useless, overpriced services!
Model
Consultation Scams are scams where a self-proclaimed "modeling
expert" offers to get models started in the business or help established
professional models with their careers. Money is made at the expense
of the model by either charging them for consultation and management
services or by referring the model to over priced services such as portfolio
photography and composite cards. Model Management Scams are often incorporated
into these schemes, and it is also common to see Model
Resell Scam tactics used as the Model Consultation Scam steals information
from other sources so they can lure the model into the scam with the
information and try to sell it to them. The information, such as model
job leads, are often easily available on free model web site job boards.
There have been reports that these scams are also a form of Model
Job Scam, where they use supposed "model jobs" which are
often either embellished or made up to entice the models to pay for
services (NEVER pay for any services as a condition for being considered
for a model job!). The Model Consultation Scam may also be a front for
a Model School Scam, a Model
Search Scam, or a Model Agency Scam.
Model Consultation Scams are not risky for the con artist to do compared
to other scams. They often have the advantages that Model Agency Scams
enjoy by baiting models in with the promise of model jobs or management
help, but without the strict agency license requirements. These scams
have all the advantages of a typical model agency scam and few of the
drawbacks. After all, they are merely "consulting" the model,
right? Wrong. They can not do anymore for the model than the model can
do for themselves with a few minutes of research and a minimal amount
of work.
If a model consultant tells a model that their portfolio and composite
cards cannot be used and that they have to get new ones through them,
the model needs to ask them why they need to replace modeling tools
that are of professional quality and that already book them work.
If a model consultant offers to manage a model, the model needs to ask
them how they intend to make money by working as a manager. It is against
the law in Florida to make money by booking models into any modeling
job without being licensed as a model and talent agency (It is, in fact,
a FELONY, just like fraud is!). Additionally, if they ARE licensed as
a model and talent agency and can legally make money by booking models
into model jobs, then it is against the law and an ethical conflict
of interest to make any money selling or referring models to portfolio
photography, composite cards, or any other career services (any agency
that does so can get fined up to $5,000.00 and lose their agency TA#
license)!
If the model consultant offer to manage the model for free as a part
of the services being sold to the model, DO NOT believe it. Managing
a model and finding them work is an ongoing process and no one will
be able to do it for free for very long. Models must find out how the
model consultant supposedly makes money.
There are commercial consultation and referral services advertised on
television for things like automobile accidents. Most of these services
get paid by the companies that that refer their victims to and are often
not qualified or licensed to evaluate legal and medical claims, making
their referrals ill-advised at best. How can you evaluate anything and
figure out who to refer people to if you are not a professional in the
business that you are consulting on? Most of these services are scams
preying on accident victims. Most legal firms which do business representing
accident victims do not approve of these referral and consultation scams.
Most law firms have too much professional integrity to pay a referral
services for leads and to even be associated with such a business. One
law firm said it best when they advised people to go to the people who
are in the profession instead of a referral service, simply because
that is what they did for a profession. It is often best to go to the
source and cut out any middleman with a profit-seeking agenda.
Were you in an accident? Don't call some hick referral service! Pick
up a phone book and simply look for licensed lawyers and doctors. Go
to the professional source.
Are you a model who actually needs a portfolio updated or other services?
Go to the professional source. Go on an Internet search engine or free
modeling resource site such as Independent
Modeling and find a licensed professional photographer. Check their
references and make sure that they are legitimate before you meet them-
Don't take some model consultant's word for it. Who is more qualified
to give a model advice? The professional who is in the business of providing
the photography and the tools that models use or some booker, agent,
or consultant who has probably never worked in that field? You owe it
to your career to go to the professional source and skip any middleman!
We have never seen a model consultant who turned out to be legitimate.
We have never seen a model consultant who has benefited any model career.
Scams
listed here are not limited to models, and different types can be easily
combined for new types of scams. If you cannot CLARIFY their intentions
and VERIFY their references, go somewhere else to do business. It's
professionally responsible to do so and lowers your risk. There are
lots of great companies out there, like our advertisers and the companies
in our resource sections, who are not scams. You owe it to your career
to shop around and be selective.
MORE ABOUT SCAM
OPINION POST: Model Agency Scams.
MODEL SCAMS - SCAM TIPS - REPORT SCAM
UPDATED 02/24/07
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