Entertainment Scam Watch

At Star Search Casting ( http://www.StarSearchCasting.com) we are taking every precaution to really stay on top of the latest internet scams that are targeting aspiring dancers, actors, singers and models. We’ve been posting information about these scams in our forums and we’ve developed Scam Watch, a new alert system that informs our members of the latest scams as soon as they login to their account. If you encounter a scam, or suspicious activity, be sure to post the information in our forums or let us know so that we can share the information with other members and make them aware so that they don’t fall victim to these schemes.

You may have heard of money order scams on the news, or maybe on the web. The scammer mails the victim a fake money order and asks the victim to deposit it into their bank account, withdraw some of the money and then send it back via Western Union or bank wire. However, what the victim doesn’t know is that the money order is fake. Often the banks don’t discover this until the victim has already completed the transaction. Here’s how one scammer is luring victims on the web:

I represent Phantom Inc a modelling agency in london, and we have selected your portfolio for a Coca-Cola billboard advertisment.All we need is your approval,to enable us process your payment, no commision , no overhead costs , you just get paid for your pictures right away.Email your approval to (cole_phantominc12@yahoo.com)....
Cheers, Waiting For Your Reply.....

Phillip

You can go here to read discussion about this scam in our forums: http://www.starsearchcasting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=116553

If you receive a message like this, DO NOT RESPOND. Unfortunately, even though you’re the victim, you will still be required by your bank to repay the money that you’ve withdrawn after you’ve deposited the bogus money order.

As these scams become more common, it’s important that you remain aware of the trends in internet fraud, and read the forums and the Scam Watch alerts on the website for examples of scams and tips on how to avoid them.