Someone asked today about an event coming up later this spring. The concept has been around for a long time: they advertise that agents want to meet you at the event and maybe you'll be who they need for their agency. Sounds great, right?
Not so fast.
Firstly, and most importantly, it's not how legitimate agencies (NYC, L.A., Miami, Paris...pick one) find new talent. These events, in reality, are nothing but thinly disguised opportunities to take your money and make it their money. The "agents" are actors pretending to be so and the "agencies" are in name only. The "agencies" they represent are never quite defined because, in reality, they either don't exist or are a known scam.
Why would a "scout", or a local to you "agency", fill you full of hype for these events? That's simple: $$$. An agency local to you can make a fortune sending you to such an event. The scam often works like this:
"Mrs. Gullible, your daughter may be exactly who the scouts in Paris need! There's a great event coming up (in a marquee City somewhere....Paris for this example) where there's going to be a lot of talent agents and I think your daughter should be there! The usual total cost to attend is $3650 (air/hotel/entry fee/stylists, etc.) but I think I can get your daughter on the "elite" list! If so, it would only cost you $3000. Let me get back to you tomorrow and I can tell you for sure!"
Of course, when tomorrow comes, they were able to get Mrs. Gullible's daughter on the "elite list" (because it doesn't exist) and the scam price for EVERYONE is $3000. The cut to the "agency" that got you involved (they're working with the scammers) is $500 and the scammers running the event get $300 per girl. The $2200 left pays the overhead of getting you there (air, housing) and pays the scammer's costs (venue, insurance, scam actors pretending to be "agents", etc.)
"Is that legal" you ask? 100% legal. They even tell you in the scam paperwork you sign what they're doing, they just do it in a legalese way that is confusing & deceptive. It's up to you to keep your eyes open & realize when you're being scammed. All the players in the scam make great money. You? Well....if a trip to Paris (or wherever) is worth being scammed, and you understand going in that the entire thing is fake, then go for it! Just understand it has zero to do with becoming a working model. The one and only reason for the event is for the scammers to make a lot of money.
