REPORT A MODEL SCAM
Reporting a Model Scam
Report fraud and deceptive trade practices to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). TOLL FREE (877) FTC-HELP / (877) 382-4357.
Report a model agency scam to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Legal Assistance
Florida Bar Attorney Referal Program.
Model Scam Research
Model and talent agency laws as defined by the State of Florida DBPR (Department of Business and Professional Regulation).
Search for TA# License on the DBPR database. Caution - this is not easy to use. You must enter the agency name and then select "Talent Agency" under license type.
NOTE: See our DISCLAIMER before using. All perceived advice on this page are opinions by modeling industry professionals and should not be taken as professional advice. For information only. Anyone doing anything described on this site assume all civil and legal liability, and waive Tampa Bay Modeling from any potential legal and civil liability. Please obey your local and state laws. This section is not intended to offer legal advice or advice that is given from a licensed and regulated professional. For legal advice, consult the appropriate professional.
So, you've been scammed or know of a model scam. Now what? Well, there are many legal ways of helping to shut down model scams, and this is what this page is about.
If you know about a scam that we do not currently covered in our model scam section, please let us know all about it. We can then study it and come up with countermeasures and tools that models can use against it. For all other scams, report them to the appropriate authorities.
Tampa Bay Criminal Searches
Do you see anyone that you know in these databases? We found at least ten so-called modeling industry professionals in Tampa Bay listed in these databases, and the listed charges and convictions are very interesting!
Florida Sex Offenders/ Predators.
Model Agency Scams
To see Florida state laws applying to Model and Talent Agencies, go HERE. To search for an agency TA license, go HERE.
It is against state law for a model agency to operate without a license (In Florida, a TA#), and the license MUST be posted in their registered place of business. Agencies work for the model, and the model does not work for the agency. If any single person or organization refers a model to a job and collects commission from the model, then they are operating as an agency, and if they are unlicensed they are breaking the law (a Felony in Florida). If a licensed agency also provides additional services such as portfolio photography services OR mandatory instructions to have a portfolio done by a certain photographer, then it is a conflict of interest as defined by state law, and they can lose their license as well as get fined up to $5,000.00 per infraction.
To report a model agency scam, go HERE, which is on the web site for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Deceptive Trade Practices: False Advertising and Model Job Bait and Switch Scams
Casting scams and fraudulent model go sees are set up to sell services to models, using the promise of a booking or a job to bait them. Model scams that are set up for a bait and switch get around agency laws because they do not "make money" by referring models like an agency is supposed to do. They advertise themselves as a model school or casting company that helps businesses cast or book models, and are paid by the business a flat fee for booking. That would be fine, but they actually don't make money that way. For example, a recent report had a so-called casting director who told models and actors that he could cast them in major movies and the like. What happened is he cast them in jobs that did not pay a dime to the talent, or extra roles that anyone who reads the newspaper or watches the news could have easily landed. Where they make their money is by getting actors and models to sign up for workshops and classes on the promise of jobs that never materialize (actually, it's still unethical even IF they actually were casting jobs). Some of these scams might think that this is safe and perfectly legal, when in fact it is fraud. Models who are ripped off can sue the scam in civil court for their money back as well as have a government agency such as the FTC investigate and prosecute them criminally. Often, the FTC can fine them heavily, bankrupting them and forcing them out of business so they cannot scam any more models. You can also notify the police so that they can document the fraud. A final tip for models, actors, and other talent who have been scammed by these criminals: It is smart to make friends and exchange phone numbers with other models who are enrolled with you in a workshop or school, as this will prove to be useful if it turns out to be a scam. As you all begin to figure out you were scammed, you can each INDIVIDUALLY report the fraud to the FTC to escalate their investigation, and THEN all of you as a GROUP retain the same attorney for a class action lawsuit. Attorneys love cases when there are several plaintiffs, as it strengthens their case and pays off a lot more- in fact, it's easier to get an attorney in these cases!
If you discover a scam, and avoid it, by all means be professionally responsible and report it the FTC. Don't allow yourself to be scammed to set the model scam up for a lawsuit, either, as that would be both unethical and more trouble than it is worth. By all means, though, if you know of models who are being scammed, send them to Tampa Bay Modeling so they can take take a look!
Investigated by the Federal Trade Commission, also called the FTC. To report a scam, go HERE. For information on getting an attorney, read on.
Recovering Your Money- How To Get An Attorney Inexpensively
Some models may not want to consider filing civil charges in a court of law because they think that attorneys are too expensive. Well, just like anything in life, it all depends on how you research and start the case. It's well known to those of us that go up against scams that most of them are low-rent operations with little or no legal muscle. Once threatened with a lawsuit, they fall apart and settle. Some scams, too, don't know when to quit. With a lot of scams twisting the law to protect themselves and attack anyone who tries to shut them down, a good attorney may be just the ticket. The Florida Bar has a referral program where they can help set up an appointment between you and an attorney for the consultation cost of around $25.00 . For more on this, visit the Florida Bar by going HERE.
MODEL SCAMS - SCAM TIPS - REPORT SCAM
UPDATED 12/17/06
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BEWARE OF THESE TOP TAMPA BAY MODEL SCAMS: Tampa Model Search, Tampa Bay model search, Florida model searches, Tampa Bay model placement, Tampa Bay model consultant, Florida modeling consultants, Tampa Bay TFP photographer, Tampa Bay model portfolio photography scams, Tampa Talent Scams and Tampa Bay model job scams. Be aware of what they are, and be careful!
As of February 24, 2007, Tampa Bay Modeling and our industry allies are at war with unethical and unprofessional elements in the Tampa Bay and Florida modeling industry. Our primary targets are Tampa Bay model consultation and agency placement scams, Tampa Bay model searches, Tampa Bay model job scams, Tampa Bay TFP photographers, and Tampa Bay model photography scams. We expect the fight to last years, and we already know that we have been tremendously effective in helping to change the modeling industry so far, as we have the dominate voice in the Tampa Bay modeling industry. Models, your help has arrived, and it is right here.
Regarding Tampa Bay model and talent agencies, we are now convinced that the licensed ones (and all of the ones who are SAG franchised) are on the level and are not doing anything wrong. This said, they have no business managing the career of any professional model, due to the fact that they are working conflicts on interest, as they also represent other models who are in competition for the same jobs that they refer them to. Tampa Bay model and talent agencies also have no business referring aspiring models to any photographers, and we strongly recommend that models find photographers on their own and obtain their modeling portfolios before talking to any modeling agencies. Model and talent agencies should be used only as a source of model jobs and nothing more. By all means, utilize model and talent agencies as one of your many sources of potential jobs, but never let them tell you what to do and always scrutinize their advice. The agency way is no longer the only way, and there are professional alternatives to Tampa Bay model and talent agencies! Also, please note that model and talent agency scams are still around, too.
The Tampa Bay Talent Sites
ADDED MARCH 29, 2007. UPDATED OCTOBER 01, 2007
TAMPA BAY MODELING - TAMPA BAY ACTING - TAMPA BAY FILM
There are now a total of three Tampa Bay Talent web sites. These sites are Tampa Bay Modeling, which you are now on, Tampa Bay Acting, which has launched but had a rough launch and isn't as up to speed as we would like, and, of course, Tampa Bay Film, which has surprised us with its popularity; it is now the fastest growing web site in our group and its size is now equal to our own, with no end in sight. Tampa Bay Film may become much larger than the rest of us by this summer, and this will be an important property. Here at Tampa Bay Modeling we are used to conflict, as we have been fighting a modeling industry war for several years now, and our experience will surely give the Tampa Bay Film staff and their allies a major advantage as they fight for change and professional growth. All of the Tampa Bay Talent sites, of course, are Raptor Class sites which are optimized for scam-fighting operations, so we are set up for fighting.
Where are our sister regional modeling sites? These region-optimized mirror web sites, tentatively known as Miami Beach Modeling, Orlando Modeling, and Florida Modeling (don't bother looking up domain names on these, as some are already taken by others and the titles / domain names have not been finalized yet) are presently on hold until we can add new features to Tampa Bay Modeling and update some of our older content. We have teams of models and modeling industry professionals already assembled to work on these sites after they launch, although we are now finalizing site production protocols so our web master is not overwhelmed with work. For now these sites are on hold. Our regional modeling resource site editors, to assume their responsibilities once these modeling sites go active and launch, are as follows:
Orlando Modeling - Orlando model Patricia Olson is the Editor of the Orlando Modeling site. She is a top fashion runway model from New York with a B.A. in Mass Communications.
Miami Beach Modeling - Miami Beach model Maritza Gonzalez, an old friend of Danielle Cooper's, will be the Editor of the Miami Modeling web site. Maritza is a fashion model from Miami Beach, Florida, and she has worked with many modeling agencies in her career as an employee as well as a model. She is a professional booker and has headed agency divisions, such as the new faces division at a large agency.
Florida Modeling - Tampa model Heidi Duran will helm the Florida Modeling web site. Heidi is a commercial print and fashion runway model with professional experience in New York, Miami, and Europe. She has worked with the top modeling agencies in the world, including Elite and Ford.
As you can see, we have a lot going on here, and we are growing constantly. This spring and summer, we will be adding more features and a ton of modeling career tools and resources. We are even bringing back our Tampa Bay modeling mail bag, with Tampa Bay professional model Monica Stevens, this spring (with an improved, streamlined format so we can keep up with that and our web master can also work on mail bags for Tampa Bay Acting and Tampa Bay Film)! We look forward to the difference that we will make in the Tampa Bay modeling industry, and we're sure that all models are very excited by the potential, the possibilities, and the results of our hard work. These are truly exciting times for Tampa Bay Modeling and the Tampa Bay modeling industry!
Sincerely,
The 2007 Tampa Bay Modeling Staff
Fashion / Commercial
Model Danielle Cooper
Tampa Bay Modeling Editor and Senior Writer
Fashion / Commercial
Model Monica Stevens
Tampa Bay Modeling Mail Bag Editor, Staff Writer, and Content Editor
Model Nancy Slater
Ambassador and Tampa Bay Modeling Founding Model
Model Laura Perez
Tampa Bay Modeling Staff Writer
Model Talesha Larsen
Tampa Bay Modeling Staff Artist and Designer
Swimsuit / Bikini Model
Jessica Moore
Tampa Bay Modeling Staff Writer and Public Relations
Fashion Model Sidney
Thornton
Tampa Bay Modeling Staff Writer and Legal Secretary
Model / Actor Chris
Capri
Tampa Bay Modeling Staff Writer, Contributing Model Photographer, and
Security
Orlando Modeling - Orlando model Patricia Olson
Miami Beach Modeling - Miami Beach model Maritza Gonzalez
Florida Modeling - Tampa model Heidi Duran
SPECIAL THANKS
Tampa Bay model Jillian Nicols - Independent Modeling
The Staff of Independent Modeling, Independent Acting, Independent Performer, TALON Talent Online reference contact database, Advanced Model, and Frontier Society
California / Florida Model Kitty Kavey - Florida Models
Tampa Bay Entertainment Producer / Professional Polymath C. A. Passinault
Passinault.Com - The Passinault Entertainment Group and Passinault Industries LLC
Tampa Bay Advertising Agency EOS MediaArts, a Passinault Industries LLC company
Tampa Bay photography and design services company Aurora PhotoArts, a Passinault Industries LLC company
Tampa Bay Event Planning and Stage Production company Eventi Events and Stage, a Passinault Entertainment Group company
Tampa Bay indie film, video game developer, and music label production company Dream Nine Studios, a Passinault Entertainment Group company
Tampa Bay Model And Talent Agencies
Tampa Bay Advertising Agencies
Tampa Bay Art Directors
Chris Woods - Icon Film Studios
The following models, actors, talent, production professionals, and supporters: Lauren Moss, Danielle Cooper, Brian Steel, Monica Stevens, Jillian Nicols, Sidney Thornton, C. A. Passinault, Chris Woods, Joe Davison, Nolan Canova, Harmony Oswald, Kitania Kavey, Sarah Bray, Ann Poonkasem, Shane Kelley, Kasey Kelley, Somali Rose Kletch, Simon Lynx, Craig Kovach, Brent Cameron, Marlon Brown, Rachel Eaglin, Michael Christian, Steve Benz, Matt Angelo, Don Asbough, Jack Amos, Alyssa Bakun, Brenna Barry, Tiffany Tenn, Craig Huey, Andy Meng, Spellbound Soul, Keljean Connolly, Amanda Craft, Susan Jeffers, Stephanie Duncan, Leticia Godwin, Kinsley Goldburg, Jinelsa Rosado, Shilah Goodwin, Charlotte Mansfield, Charlotte Durnell, Kevin Hentkowski, Joy Nash, Roxanne Kowalska, Laura Lowie Narvaez, Jane Park, Erin Whitehead, Monica May, Jason Lugauskas, Jennifer Curry-Deleo, Robin Kay, The late Sophie Blackburn, Damien Kincannon, Josh Kincannon, Paul Guzzo, Pete Guzzo, Sofia Kolesnikova, Serena Lorien, Lisa Marie Lowrey, Kristen Ludwig, Woody Luke, Denise Marks, Tara Moore, Rob Mussell, Nazia, Kristin Renta, Kristen Serena Willyard, Mark Robinson, Angela Simons, Lynn Slawsky, Laura Jean Angelone, Angelique Angel Haywood, Christina Spake, Alissa Young, Rosemary Riquel, Kerri Hall, Michelle Marin, Krista Washington, Shirley Cuscaden, Catherine Croak, Danielle Dolan, Rick Danford, Porl Delinco, Terry Hogan, Gus Perez, Ann Marie Spizuoco, Melissa Webb, Rachael Lee, Rod L. Griffin, Marcus Kotch, Alissa Ali Young, Terence Nuzum is God, Lisa Ciurro, Shelby Mcintyre, Amanda Beck, and Melissa Maxim.
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