emodel.com, Options Talent Group

Dear Modeling Scams,

My daughter is a student a NYU.

She was approached by a scout during the week while going to class. He gave her his business card with an address, and told her to go to the 5th Avenue office on Saturday, at 12:30 pm, and to bring a parent.

My daughter is excited. I am planning on going with her on Saturday.

Then my sister sent me an email with all this scam information on emodel.com / Options Talent Group.

What is going on? Should we just forget about this appointment on Saturday? My inner instinct says YES. Nobody likes to be made a fool of or to be used.

L.R.

L.

Christy Turlington, the supermodel, was a student at NYU, too. But the answer to your question, What is going on with Options Talent, is apparently the same as what went on with emodel.com.

All reports, complaints and letters, like one letter sent yesterday, indicate Options Talent operates in ways which are either similar to or worse than the practices of emodel.

If those reports are true, Options Talent are experts at taking your money. They have it down to a fine science.

Bill Mitchell, President, Greater Los Angeles Better Business Bureau, spoke out against emodel, saying: "The whole thing, fundamentally, from beginning to end, is a scam."

The staff at Options Talent are not experts at finding people work. Apparently they make outrageous claims of success which they cannot substantiate.

In other words, it could be false advertising. Emodel used to use false advertising in different ways. For example, they claimed supermodels used their network/services.

Nadine Johnson, the public relations representative for IMG Models, was informed of the way emodel.com was using supermodels for promotion. Her response: "What? This is an outrageous situation! They have no business using our girls to promote their business."

I don't know of a modeling scouting business which has a worse reputation, a worse business model, or a worse background. Your gut instinct is more than likely correct, but you can still call big agencies to inquire further.

Ironically, the FTC puts out a warning about scam modeling agencies, and the first thing they say is basically the first thing Options Talent scouts say.

If You've Got "The Look"... Look Out! Avoiding Modeling Scams

 

What could be more flattering? Someone approaches you at the mall and says, "You could be a model. You've got the 'look' we're after. Here's my card. Give me a call to set up an appointment.

Editor, Modeling Scams.com