How to Spot a Modeling / Acting Scam
There are too many marketing companies that prey on a persons quest for fame. These companies and their affiliates post daily casting notices, auditions and ads on Craigslist, and other free classified sites that refer to fake auditions and non existent castings for jobs that sound real.
Here is why they do this. The companies / individuals involved are paid to get “leads”. Leads are people of a certain demographic such as child, teen, man, etc. that have a interest, such as acting, that they can later exploit by way of email spam, telemarketing, etc. After you answer a “fake” casting (80% of craigslist was fake when I tested it), you will begin getting offers through email and sales pitches from telemarketers, all aimed at getting you to sign up for some service.
When they are done with you, your info gets sold to the next company and the routine starts again. Some internet marketers go as far as responding to your inquiry with a message that “you are perfect” or “will send the audition details”, but first… please go here and do this.
Those affiliates get paid to funnel people to other sites, usually sites that deal with background checks or security of some kind. Age and citizenship verification are a common ploy. I answered one Extra casting (sounded very real) that sent me to a site that does ssl certificates. Most people would not even understand that ssl certification is for online shopping carts and has zero to to do acting or auditions. The marketer just used that because it went along the lines of “verify your identity” for the fake casting call and he gets paid 30 bucks for every FREE lead he sends to the company. He is scamming them too! I was looking for an audition, NOT a shopping cart! I am useless as a lead to them, but he still gets paid ’till caught. Then he moves on to the next company looking for leads.
It’s a web of lies created by internet marketers hurting for cash.
Here’s how to spot the real castings from the fakes.
Remember, real casting calls will always want a headshot, resume, etc. If all they ask for is photo and contact info than beware.
Beware of anyone looking for “new faces”. Everyone has a new face! You can walk out your door and find dozens in a minute! The word “new faces” is a red flag for scam.
Beware of general needs such as “any ethnicity, ages 15 to 75″ thats almost EVERYONE! Real castings have specific needs.
Beware of “no experience necessary” acting, dance and modeling takes experience and training. Really, who is hiring actors who can’t act or models that can’t walk? The only exception may be neighborhood fashion shows and student films.
Beware of ads with large pay. Ads that read like “models and actors needed for ‘put in any large brand here’ pay is $1200 daily and job is 4 to 5 days….” Yeah right, budgets that large get pros from agents, Not Mary and Jane off the street. Keep in mind that the SAG daily rate is around $750 and that is to experienced pro actors in a union that pay dues.
Speaking of union rates… Beware of ads that quote union rates such as $752 a day without mention of union. They are just pulling union jobs knowing you have ZERO way of getting the gig or worse, making them up and quoting union rates.
Beware of anything that asks for lingerie, topless, etc. and request pics from you to be considered. Use your imagination on what someone will do with those. Real casting directors will want head shots and measurements and ask you to try on their clothing at the audition, once one is scheduled.
Beware of Extras casting calls. Generally, large productions go through a casting company. Anyone posting things like “Extras needed to make scene look ‘real’, ’Insert big movie name here’ pays $300 daily” is a scam. Large productions in small cities will post notices, but in large cities, they already have all the extras needed. Small productions will post calls but an extra does not make close to $300. Think more along the line of min wage or less. $50 to $100 may be more realistic. Do not sign up for any background or age verification site. Those are 100% scam, even though it seems free for you to do it, the scammer is selling your info to an unsuspecting company and you will never hear back about the audition.
Beware of anything that says call some number, casting agents are waiting. Casting directors look at headshots and resumes than call back who they like. They do not sit by a phone waiting for everyone and their mom to call without even knowing if they fit. Basically, they call you if they like you.
And lastly, beware of anyone selling anything. Remember, you applied for a JOB! Means, they pay YOU!
How to protect yourself:
Get an email, an anonymous one for casting calls that you respond to. That way if it gets spammed, you can change it easily.
NEVER, follow a link to another site asking you for any info that you got in a response.
Remember, if it sounds like a dream, it most likely is just some low life trying to pay his bills off yours. Real jobs take commitment, training and diligence. You begin at the bottom with low paying jobs and castings in small productions, then work your way up as it is in any industry. Once you get some training, a resume and experience, then you get an agent to go after the larger jobs.
With all the above said, there are great opportunities available. You just need to learn how to traverse the giant sea of internet spam to find them. With practice, you will learn to spot the real from the fake. Even I still get fooled by some. Luckily, the readers normally catch those and leave me a comment to remove the spam.
Also, comments are taken and will be posted on this page. Add your own tips to avoid modeling and acting scams. I will moderate and post.
