Typical Scams
Please note that these guidelines have been put together after real cases have come to light. The guidelines can be applied to both the Modelling & Entertainment's Industry.
If you have a case that is not highlighted below and you feel would be of help to others then please do let us know by e-mailing us at enquiries@albamodel.info.
Avoid Newspaper Adverts & By Post Applications and Acceptance
Numerous calls have been received by us from parents of children, teenagers and even adults who have answered newspaper or free magazine advertisements or even yellow pages adverts by Agencies asking for models, actors and film extra's of all ages and all sizes to apply by post.
More often than not the agency is located a long way away from the local press area they are advertising in.
In the case of by post scams people wanting to apply answer the advert then they have then been asked to pay money up front in order to join that agency. Cases have varied from £50 to £250 stated as being an administration fee, or marketing fee.
You should never pay a fee to join a modelling agency.
Portfolio Packages
Once you are accepted by an agency, they will need some pictures of the model to start, so that clients can see how the model looks.
Genuine agents will if they like your look, recommend professional test photographers once they decide to take you on the agency books.
We have seen many so called "portfolios" which have cost anything up to £1,500.
Some of these were completely useless and a waste of money to the novice.
Yes, genuine agencies do suggest test shot photographs to get the portfolio started, but these are not expensive (usually around £35 per image or print)
With the exception of children, you should also have a hair & make up artist at the shoot to ensure top quality photos and this will usually add £50 to the cost.
Please ensure that the photographers are going to retouch your photos as well.
Remember always pay the photographer direct do not pay the agency.
BEWARE of Unfair Contracts
Most people are so keen to get onto the books of an agency, that in their excitement they sign contracts without reading them carefully..
Never sign ANYTHING in this business without reading it carefully first!
You should NEVER sign a contract without first taking it home and reading every bit of it very carefully, and make sure that you do fully understand the terms of the contract before you even consider signing it. By that we mean read it and make sure that you fully understand what each clause (paragraph) means and how it will affect you. Carefully consider how the contract will tie you if you decide that you want to leave the agency or how it will affect you if you end up in a dispute with the agency.
We have seen a number of contracts which are very unreasonable and that are biased against the novice and totally in favour of the agency with trumped up and inflated costs should the model even sneeze in the wrong direction!
If you sign a contract the Law states that it is legally binding, even if you signed it without reading it first. So do not be the victim be the victor and make sure that you take the contact away, read the contract, understand them and how that contract will affect YOU.
We know of plenty of models who work with their agencies and have not signed a contract. DO NOT be in such a hurry to sign one yourself!!
Some agencies will try and charge you for say a 3 year contract. AVOID THIS – NEVER PAY AN AGENCY TO JOIN.
Misleading Model Release Forms
NEVER sign a MODEL RELEASE FORM without reading it first and knowing how it affects you or your model child. In most cases if you have been for an assignment your agent deals with this matter. However, recent cases have shown that some unscrupulous people have actually taken pictures of models of all ages, themselves, then got the model to sign a very alarmingly worded model release form and for no payment those pictures can be used by the photographer or agent in whatever publication they choose. So be very careful make sure that you read and understand the implications before you sign anything!
Bogus Model & Casting Agents / Companies
This has to be one of the biggest and most successful cons throughout the UK in this industry. Alba has in the past received hundreds of calls from people of all ages who have been conned out of varying sums between £50 to £500 per person by bogus casting and model agencies which set up in different hotel conference rooms throughout the UK over a weekend period and then held so called casting seminars. These agencies perform their casting seminars in different towns in various areas throughout the whole of the UK. More often than not they have very catchy names and do appear to be totally genuine when they are not.
The public are convinced into parting with money up front to be represented by that particular casting agency. The promise is usually that the casting agency will take some pictures find the hopeful at least one top agency which will offer the hopeful a contract. The promise is that if the applicant does not receive the offer of a contract from an agency within a set period of time the money paid by the applicant will be refunded. Sounds too good to be true and frankly it is too good to be true!
The double sting comes when the applicant, having already paid a large sum of money up front to the first casting company /agency, is then offered contracts by other agencies, however, those agencies are either owned by the same persons running the seminar or they also want a fee up front.
Genuine Agencies will only take on persons that they believe they can find work, and do not ask for any joining fee's up front whatsoever. As we have said earlier, if any agency receives a large income by charging fee's up front to join, then why should they bother to find any work with a large income for the agency coming in for doing virtually nothing at all.
We find it very sad to have to tell people that they have been conned. Many people have paid up front large sums of money that they could have saved if they had come to Alba in the first place. So be warned, prevention is so much better than cure, because you will never get your money back from this type of scam.
If you are unsure contact ALBA first.
Model Training
I have seen a number of males and females who have paid at least £500-£1500 for a one day modelling course run by an agency. All of theses people were told that without doing the course they would not be accepted by the agency. Sadly they are not fully trained after that one expensive day. Often this is the only income that some agencies have and they do little else for the model once they have attended a compulsory course and paid.
Pageants
We have a full list of the competitions we know trade well and ethically....
Be very careful when entering Pageants. We only recommend Pageants that stick to our strict codes of practice and have a track record of ensuring winners get their prizes.
Some Pageants charge excessive costs and offer prizes that are never awarded.
Choose your Pageant carefully - Click here for the list of Alba recommended Pageants.
Free Photographic Shots
It is a sad but true fact that nowadays you do not get something for nothing. It can be very flattering when someone asks to take your picture or offers to do a photographic shoot for you for nothing. But remember that there are very few things in life which cost nothing.
First, you should never put yourself in a vulnerable position. So take a friend or relative of adult age with you. A genuine person (photographer) will not mind you doing this, if you do not then you are being foolish as you are already vulnerable even if you do know the person, a large number of sexual assaults and rapes are statistically proven that the victim knew and trusted it's attacker. So don't be stupid be safe!
Be very wary of signing "Model Release Forms" as you may not be getting paid and the photographer can then sell or publish the photos.
This does happen frequently, to those male and females who want to go into fashion modelling and especially to young eager to achieve women who are also foolish enough to be persuaded into taking their tops off or to pose nude.
Be very careful.
GLAMOUR TEST SHOTS MODELLING
Even if you are considering going into the very hard and competitive world of Glamour modelling you should be very careful.
Do not sign a thing! We have seen some very upsetting and sad cases of girls and chaps who have rushed in and bitterly regretted this later. Worse still, some of them had signed forms and can see themselves in publications that they have never given permission for and not received any form of payment for those pictures. So don't be the victim... Be the victor!!
Hotel Room Castings and Auditions
Never attend any castings in hotels and never invite strangers to meet you at your house.
Always be wary and keep safe.