Posted February 29, 200817 yr So I hardly ever use Myspace but I got a message in my e-mail saying I have a new message. I open it, it's some guy asking me if I want to model. I said yeah right, rip off artist. So he responded and asked if he could talk to me. I said yeah, sure; so I'm talking to him on the phone, he's telling me how models make all this money and I don't have to take on work if I don't want to. So after he wasted a large portion of my life, I told him I'd call him back and let him know. I spent a few hours doing some research, I figured it's worth looking into, I mean, I'm broke and it's easy money right? I never did call him back, then he contacted me on AIM today (because busy modeling agents have time for that sort of thing) : ModlsToday: HEY THERE, How your doing today? Do you have a time to talk? david45213: yes ModlsToday: how u doing david45213: very well, you? ModlsToday: fine david45213: good ModlsToday: so any ideas when to get u in here] david45213: Your business is a scam david45213: You have five complaints from the Better Business Bureau in the past 12 months. ModlsToday: ok so ModlsToday: bbb has no powers ModlsToday: they mean nothing david45213: You don't allow outside photographers david45213: The money is channeled to you ModlsToday: i have great rating with state ModlsToday: no sir ModlsToday: almost all modeling companys do not allow outside david45213: Can you give me any numbers to call, of companies you've worked for? Abrcrombie, as you've mentioned? People who have used your services? david45213: No they don't. Photography and classes are a separate business from agents who find clients work. david45213: Its conflict of interest and by law agents aren't allowed to accept money other than through commission. ModlsToday: buddy i been in business since 1998 ModlsToday: i have great rating with state ModlsToday: i do not care what bbb says david45213: I also found out you inflated the said amount of money models typically recieve, according to what I've found online ModlsToday: lol ModlsToday: ok ModlsToday: yeah ok david45213: You SHOULD care about what the BBB says david45213: as any reputable business is concerned with ethics and their perception. ModlsToday: sounds like u been given bad info ModlsToday: no sir ModlsToday: bbb has no powers ModlsToday: they are in business to make money david45213: Can you refer me to anyone in marketing/advertising that has used you as a contact? ModlsToday: can u say state matters not bbb ModlsToday: lol david45213: That's fine, but can you refer me to someone that has used your services? ModlsToday: if u want to come model fine if not fine ModlsToday: i can not be in business for 10 yrs and not be doing well ModlsToday: seems u have miss informed info david45213: Your company has been a registered LLC since 2006 david45213: Was it previously under a different name? ModlsToday: lol ModlsToday: no since been in business since 1998 ModlsToday: says so on bbb so called site ModlsToday: see ModlsToday: if i was to be a member of bbb then i have to pay them money ModlsToday: they are a scam ModlsToday: lol ModlsToday: so i guess we all scams ModlsToday: oh well david45213: Even if I had prospects, I'm no so sure I would want someone representing me who can't speak English. ModlsToday: i do not need to impress u ModlsToday: have a great day david45213: you too; have fun ripping people off. ModlsToday: no sir never do ModlsToday: never have david45213: Yet you won't give me any contacts who can say they've done business with you. ModlsToday: do i have to david45213: yes ModlsToday: no i do not think so david45213: Any reputable agency would because it proves their credibility. ModlsToday: who do u think u are ModlsToday: first u call me a scam because of the bbb ModlsToday: which is the bigest bs in the world ModlsToday: i know companies in nyc who do not care about the bbb ModlsToday: and then u say i take advantage of people because i do not do wjhat u want ModlsToday: this si usa ModlsToday: right ModlsToday: then i can do as i like ModlsToday: have not been in busines since 1998 without it david45213: Then why can't you give me a reference? ModlsToday: plus u say i jack the prices ModlsToday: buddy i would not let u model for my great company if u were last model in world david45213: I didnt say you jacked prices, you told me models make between 400-several thousand for a gig. I found out they earn from 75-150 an hour. You are a TOOL and you need to stop ripping people off. ModlsToday: i do not need to prove anything to you ModlsToday: are u done now david45213: yes ModlsToday: thanks for wasting my busy time
February 29, 200817 yr Seriously! It goes back to the old saying, if something seems to good to be true, it usually is! Anyone else been a victim of a scam? I think I'm writing the attorney general a letter.
February 29, 200817 yr Talk about being too good to be true.. One thing that is interesting about the BBB.. I'm not bashing it, but I was shopping for aftermarket wheels for my car and came across a company called WheelsNext. It's advertised all over in all of the major tuner car magazines and it's rated highly by the BBB. Their deals look amazing but everything is great until you talk to the rep who is a complete a$$ and tries to rip you off when you upgrade the tires. There is no fine print anywhere saying that upgrading the tire brand will raise the price of the package. And trust me, I practically memorized the fine print.. So basically I thought I would pay $1099.00 with everything, even including lowering springs for free, and the guy tells me that the tires I want will already put the price over $1400. So needless to say I didn't buy the wheels, but I was soo livid.
February 29, 200817 yr I'm sure we all have a story about being scammed or ripped off at some point. How else would we all have become so jaded, I mean smart? :)
February 29, 200817 yr You should have hooked him up with your roommate!!! This reminds me of a modelling program my daughter got involved in when she was 13. There was a big open tryout for models at the Westin. After trying out, they would pick a group who would then go on to NYC for fame and fortune. I knew it was a scam, but being a good father, figured she would need to learn the lesson herself! We went down there with a number of her friends, literally hundreds of kids, maybe thousands. There were different categories, product spokesman, modeling, etc. She had to get on stage and do a sales pitch for "Sea Breeze", and a few other products. I was impressed she could do it. She had it all planned out, when she "won" and got to go to NYC, it wouldn't cost us anything because she could stay with her mother who lived there. When they announced she was in the winners group (most of the girls were) she about died with excitement! Of course, here is where the scam came in. In order to go to NYC, you had to buy THEIR airline ticket, and spend a week in THEIR hotel at your expense. She insisted that she didn't need a place to stay, but they made it clear that if she wanted to continue the program, we had to pay right then and there the costs of the trip, well over $1000.
February 29, 200817 yr You should have hooked him up with your roommate!!! This reminds me of a modelling program my daughter got involved in when she was 13. There was a big open tryout for models at the Westin. After trying out, they would pick a group who would then go on to NYC for fame and fortune. I knew it was a scam, but being a good father, figured she would need to learn the lesson herself! We went down there with a number of her friends, literally hundreds of kids, maybe thousands. There were different categories, product spokesman, modeling, etc. She had to get on stage and do a sales pitch for "Sea Breeze", and a few other products. I was impressed she could do it. She had it all planned out, when she "won" and got to go to NYC, it wouldn't cost us anything because she could stay with her mother who lived there. When they announced she was in the winners group (most of the girls were) she about died with excitement! Of course, here is where the scam came in. In order to go to NYC, you had to buy THEIR airline ticket, and spend a week in THEIR hotel at your expense. She insisted that she didn't need a place to stay, but they made it clear that if she wanted to continue the program, we had to pay right then and there the costs of the trip, well over $1000. I went to something similar in Cleveland several years ago. They wanted over $3000 for the conference thing to meet talent agents and stuff. They said they placed Katie Holmes with a talent agency through their conference. Not sure if that was true .. but if not, they could have a slander suit on their hands pretty dang easily.
February 29, 200817 yr I do a lot of bookings, castings and deal with agencies on a regular basis. If they say, "you need to pay (now)" it's a scam! No agency - NO agency will make you pay to be a model. "fashion, fit & catalogue" models are created, not born so its is there interested to create a "model" to fit in to today's needs. I wont even go into celebrity, sports, spokesman agency dealings.
February 29, 200817 yr I've been approached by a few of these scams - it's like MTS says, if they ask for money for anything (photos, travel, etc.), they're scammers. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
February 29, 200817 yr I've been approached by a few of these scams - it's like MTS says, if they ask for money for anything (photos, travel, etc.), they're scammers. There used to be a guy or two who used to hawk a similar type scam in Tower City all the time back in 2002
February 29, 200817 yr They are always at malls, movie theaters, supermarkets, near a college or high school campus and license bureaus.
February 29, 200817 yr License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too.
February 29, 200817 yr License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too. Why they are there? Because its a place that you're old enough to drive and a place that most likely you'll be with your parent so they can sell BOTH of you the "you could/should be a model" song and dance. Also X, not all models are attractive. Again, models are created...not born.
February 29, 200817 yr "Little boy, are you a model?" "Well you should be." David, you didn't happen to star in Classroom on Channel 101 (or was it 102), did you?
February 29, 200817 yr Classroom? :? :? I only watch Nip/Tuck (the best drama in years minus Rosie ODonnell making too many appearances; seriously, who keeps letting her on the set?) Family guy and the occasional reality show.
February 29, 200817 yr License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too. My girlfriend has had two really good driver's license pictures in a row. I told her I was going to miss the old one...until I saw the new one. It's an unpleasant experience so people are going to be stressed and irritable, which tends to make them less attractive.
February 29, 200817 yr Classroom? :? :? I only watch Nip/Tuck (the best drama in years minus Rosie ODonnell making too many appearances; seriously, who keeps letting her on the set?) Family guy and the occasional reality show. http://www.channel101.com/shows/show.php?show_id=175 Episode 6 - Jason (David) brushes with the dark side of mall photography.
March 2, 200817 yr License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too. My girlfriend has had two really good driver's license pictures in a row. I told her I was going to miss the old one...until I saw the new one. It's an unpleasant experience so people are going to be stressed and irritable, which tends to make them less attractive. I hate the fact that they didn't give me a warning when they were going to snap my pic on my last one. I also unwisely didn't shave, which I do NOT recommend, unless you're okay with looking like a serial rapist for the next 4 years.
March 2, 200817 yr I have "the look" for sure on my driver's license, a pedo-smile in the worst way. I really wasn't ready for the lady to snap the pic.
March 2, 200817 yr The line at the BMV is long enough without people re-doing a snapshot of their three quarter profile!
March 3, 200817 yr License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too. My girlfriend has had two really good driver's license pictures in a row. I told her I was going to miss the old one...until I saw the new one. It's an unpleasant experience so people are going to be stressed and irritable, which tends to make them less attractive. I hate the fact that they didn't give me a warning when they were going to snap my pic on my last one. I also unwisely didn't shave, which I do NOT recommend, unless you're okay with looking like a serial rapist for the next 4 years. License bureaus? I've never seen anyone remotely attractive in a license bureau! Which is odd, because hotties need to drive, too. My girlfriend has had two really good driver's license pictures in a row. I told her I was going to miss the old one...until I saw the new one. It's an unpleasant experience so people are going to be stressed and irritable, which tends to make them less attractive. I hate the fact that they didn't give me a warning when they were going to snap my pic on my last one. I also unwisely didn't shave, which I do NOT recommend, unless you're okay with looking like a serial rapist for the next 4 years. Considering that my latest license looks about a decade younger than the previous, I definitely shaved before I had it done LOL. As far as lines go, I've gone to Parma-York and Macedonia and neither was bad if you go on a weekday before noon or between 1:30pm and 4ish.
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