Under Investigation: The inside story of the Florida Attorney General’s investigation of Wilhelmina Scouting Network, the largest model and talent scam in America.

ISBN-0968713335 Paperback 512 pages $29.95

Modeling Agency News

Good modeling companies 'invest in you, not vice-versa'

"Piacquaddio's daughters saw a television commercial for Manhattan Model Search and called the company for information. "I have an 11-year-old daughter who wants to be a model," Piacquaddio explained. "When you go to the first event, that's free. But they suggest in the brochure, while you're there, to take the classes they offer. They even have photographers who can take pictures if you need them." The fee for this weekend's classes is $350. But before Piacquaddio would pay, he checked out the company. According to a New York Better Business Bureau reliability report, the Manhattan Model Search received the lowest rating--unsatisfactory."¹

"Piacquaddio called Manhattan Model Search himself. He said employees hung up when he asked questions such as, "Can you give me any references of people who have come to these seminars you put on that have actually received some work?"²

"While his decision was devastating to his daughter, Piacquaddio believes he made the right one in keeping her at home. "It took my daughter two months to get over it," he said."³

1. Victoria Lim, "Good modeling companies 'invest in you, not vice-versa,'" Eight on Your Side, WFLA News Channel 8, Apr. 1, 2001.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.

http://consumer.tbo.com/consumer/report/040101report.htm [May 7, 2001]

(Manhattan Model Search)

Modeling Scam Press Release

"Commissioner Polonetsky said DCA has charged three New York City businesses with making false promises about potential modeling jobs, demanding prospective models purchase portfolios costing hundreds of dollars, and charging excessive fees to models for whom they found work."¹

"Home to the world's most famous modeling agencies, New York City is the place to be for models hoping to catch their big break," said Commissioner Polonetsky. "But the modeling agencies we've cited today promised to make stars out of clients and then failed to deliver even 15 minutes of fame. After seeing the ads and hearing the sales pitches, prospective models were convinced that these agencies could make them stars. But these clients never received the promised jobs, and after Yes Models took hundreds of dollars for photographs, they said no to taking their calls. Others who actually got work were charged excessive fees," the Commissioner added."²

"Barbara Kulpa of Queens filed a complaint with DCA after responding to a Yes Models newspaper ad. She said the agency told her she was a "good candidate" for several fashion shows they had coming up but that she had to purchase a portfolio of photographs to be considered. After spending nearly $700 on photographs, the consumer never heard from Yes Models. In fact, when she went to the agency to pick up her photos, Yes Models refused to let her into their offices."³

"By law, modeling agencies, which can only solicit work for clients, must obtain an employment agency license from DCA and charge fees totaling 10% of what the client makes from the jobs they help secure. They must also post a $10,000 bond. Plus Models, which also does business as Swift Kids, was charged with operating without the required DCA license and overcharging clients for whom they found jobs. Complaints against Swift Kids and Plus Models allege that the agency owner, Pat Swift, withheld models' payments for jobs and took 20% in placement fees."⁴

1. "Modeling Scam Press Release," NYC Consumer Affairs, Mar. 13, 1999.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.

http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dca/html/pressmodeling.html [May 31, 2000]

(Yes Models, Plus Models, Next Stop Ideals, Swift Kids, Pat Swift)

Learn to be a Model . . . or just waste your money

"One father laments wasting his hard-earned cash on the program. He tells a disgruntled mom nearby that as soon as his daughter gets her hands on her diploma, he's calling his credit-card company to stop payment to the school. The two talk bitterly about the sales pitch that convinced them to fork over $1,495 for a few months' training (meeting once every other week) and a "lifetime membership" that doesn't seem likely to pay off anytime soon, if ever. These jabs don't surprise me. Modeling schools are notorious for preying on the dreams of young women and others who want so badly to be the virtually impossible ideal on magazine covers. No matter that most of them don't fit the rigid mold of fashion model and never will; their money spends the same."¹

"The voice of a cynical teenage boy dissing Barbizon behind me fades as I reflect on my own experience in modeling school as a teen. Yes, I too once wanted desperately to be that girl in the magazines. I begged my parents to pay for overpriced runway and makeup classes at a modeling school 40 miles away. They finally gave in, knowing they couldn't dissuade me. The school's sales pitch sealed the deal. Surprisingly, I did get modeling work. The agent at the school had contacts, and I nabbed a modeling contract with a Tokyo agency for the summer. A year later, I hooked up with a reputable agency in Milan. In between, I earned decent cash doing very un-Vogue-worthy catalog and runway work. But it wasn't because the school's instructors taught me the right way to apply blush or turn on the runway. I just happened to fit the specifications required for the job at the time."²

1. Liz Brown, "Learn to be a Model . . . or just waste your money," Willamette Week, Mar. 15, 2000.
2. Ibid.

http://www.wweek.com/html/biascut.html

(Barbizon Modeling School, Barbizon School of Modeling)

Children's Talent Agency Charged With Deceptive Trade Practices

"A Boca Raton company has been charged with deceiving parents into spending thousands of dollars to promote their children as models and actors, Attorney General Bob Butterworth announced today. A civil complaint filed in Broward County Circuit Court against Tomorrow's Star's Inc. and its owners, Edward J. Bauer and his wife, Helen S. Bauer, seeks consumer restitution and penalties of up to $10,000 per violation of the state's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The attorney general's action was taken in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission, which filed similar charges in New Jersey federal court against the company and its national affiliate, Screen Test U.S.A. "This is nothing more than a crass money-making scheme that takes cruel advantage of every parent's dream that his or her child is special," Butterworth said. "This kind of flattery-for-profit is heartless and inexcusable." Butterworth said a five-month investigation revealed that Tomorrow's Stars..."¹

"Butterworth said the company, which is located in an office complex at 5301 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton, grossed more than $500,000 a year in fees for talent tests and photo sessions. He said his office received 35 complaints from south Florida parents who paid thousands of dollars to the company."²

1. "Children's Talent Agency Charged With Deceptive Trade Practices," Attorney General Bob Butterworth News Release, May 27, 1999.
2. Ibid.

http://myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/0/EF731B19B390DC028525677E0066D26C?OpenDocument

(Screen Test USA)

Bogus "Talent Scouts" Use Smoke Screen To "Screen Test" Consumers

"Parents should not be fooled by ads that promise modeling or acting jobs for their children, the Federal Trade Commission said today as it announced charges against a bogus model and talent scout operation, Screen Test U.S.A. In television, radio, Internet and newspaper ads Screen Test U.S.A. seeks children to appear in t.v. commercials and magazines. It boasts that it has created more stars than any other company and that its clients appear in national advertising campaigns. The FTC alleges that these claims are false and that Screen Test U.S.A. misrepresents its expertise at judging the suitability of children to become models or actors. It also misleads consumers to believe that their chances of being picked up by well-known talent agencies are enhanced by being represented by Screen Test U.S.A."¹

1. "Bogus "Talent Scouts" Use Smoke Screen To "Screen Test" Consumers," FTC, May 27, 1999.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/screen.shtm

(Screen Test USA)

Not All Talent Scouts Behave Like Model Citizens

"Natasha Esch, president of Wilhelmina Models in New York, cautions parents against spending large sums of money on modeling lessons or big photo packages to their get children's careers going, especially before signing a contract with an agency or personal manager. "If it costs more than $25 (initially), it's probably a scam," said Esch, author of the book "Wilhelmina's World of Child Modeling." "Some will try to get you to spend $500 to develop a portfolio. Don't do it." When it comes to photos, Esch says, an agency will often just need to see a few candid snapshots to determine if a child is photogenic. Parents will have to purchase professional pictures after a child is signed up, although some agencies will advance the money with the hope of getting repaid once the child is working, she said."¹

1. Vivian Marino, "Not All Talent Scouts Behave Like Model Citizens," Los Angeles Times, Oct. 26, 1994, p. 9.

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/

(Child Modeling)