Scam Watch – Spotting Bad Business, Rip Offs, Scams & Frauds

These days aspiring models must be especially diligent when considering opportunities in the fashion and entertainment industries. Models all over the world come across tons of emails, newspaper ads, and industry professionals who make all kinds of promises on a daily basis. Eventually it can become extremely overwhelming and difficult to determine which opportunities would be beneficial to one’s career and which ones should be avoided.

There are three circumstances models must try to avoid at all costs: bad business, rip offs and scams. Let me explain the difference:

BAD BUSINESS

While it would be ideal if all agents, photographers, stylists, makeup artists and designers were top-notch professionals with a vast knowledge of the industry and a solid track record – unfortunately that’s simply not the case. You will be approached by many professionals in the industry who are inexperienced, or who simply don’t have the talent or aptitude required to help you achieve your career goals. For example, an agent who negotiates a bad deal for a client may not necessarily be trying to rip off his or her client. Sometimes it’s simply a case of an inexperienced agent who doesn’t have a good grasp of the industry. Regardless, it’s bad business. And bad business can be bad news for a model’s career. To avoid being the victim of bad business, be sure to ask for several referrals before signing contracts or paying hefty sums of money.

RIP OFFS

There are a lot of people in the industry who will try to take advantage of you, especially if you’re unfamiliar with how things are done in the industry. Have you heard of photographers who charge enormous amounts of money for horrible photos or agencies that require money up front? These are some of the rip offs that models must be aware of. What’s unfortunate is that many of these scenarios are not necessarily illegal. Therefore once you’ve figured out that you’ve been ripped off, you may not have any recourse for legal action. To avoid rip offs, be sure to check with consumer protection agencies like the Better Business Bureau to find out which businesses and agencies are reputable with no records of complaints.

SCAMS

Scams, including the counterfeit check scams that we’ve discussed recently, are not only illegal, but they can be very dangerous. Scammers are relentless when it comes to luring models, actors, dancers and singers. We uncovered a scam based in Nigeria back in August. The scammer claimed to be affiliated with Essential magazine, which was completely false. We’ve recently discovered that the same scammer is still using the same methods and aliases to target new victims. To avoid scams, do not give your personal information to anyone whose identity you’ve not verified.

For more information on the latest scams, rip offs and bad business practices, log in to www.EliteCastingNetwork.com.

Casting Directors Are Thrilled With The Talent Discovered On www.StarSearchCasting.com

In 2007 casting directors and agents contacted Star Search Casting members more than 400,000 times. They are discovering new actors, models, dancers and singers every day and they are thrilled with the talent they’ve found!

HOLLYWOOD – Star Search Casting has one of the largest databases of new talent on the Internet, making it an ideal source for casting directors, talent scouts and other industry professionals in search of new singers, dancers, actors and models. With over 245,000 members located worldwide, casting directors are discovering the best new talent in every region for some of the industry’s most exciting upcoming projects.

When Shelli Misoyianis began the casting process for the film Afflicted Hearts, she turned to Star Search Casting to find a cast that would bring life to her heartwarming script. She posted her casting call on the website and was blown away by the results. “I have gotten a TREMENDOUS response to my casting call for Afflicted Hearts,” said Misoyianis. “I want to thank Star Search Casting for putting me in contact with SOOOOO many great people.”

Star Search Casting doesn’t just help casting directors find the best singers, actors, dancers and models for their projects. The website also caters to the specific needs of casting directors and the demands of the industry, thus facilitating an easy, efficient online talent search which is especially critical in the fast-paced, frenzied entertainment industry. Founded by entertainment industry executive Jonathan Parker, Star Search Casting understands the needs of industry professionals firsthand and ensures a world class experience for all entertainment industry professionals who use the website.

Star Search Casting is FREE TO USE for industry professionals. The website’s advanced technology allows casting professionals to save dozens, even hundreds of talent profiles in a customized folder and with one click, send an email to every actor, dancer, singer or model they’ve saved in their folder. Additionally, the Talent Search tool allows casting professionals to fine tune their selection, and get prospects who are perfect for the role they’re casting by allowing them to search by multiple attributes. Casting professionals are consistently impressed with how diverse the Star Search Casting talent database is. They know that whether they are looking for actors, models, musicians, vocalists, specialty acts, dancers or extras, they are sure to find the perfect aspiring performer for the job.

Casting directors and other industry professionals interested in posting a new Casting Calls, or searching for the next big star will be thrilled with how easy their job can be when they use Star Search Casting. For more information visit http://www.StarSearchCasting.com today and let the website speak for itself!