Before You Accept that Modeling or Acting Offer: Sniffing Out Scammers

If you’ve ever considered acting or modeling, you’ve likely tried to find potential acting or modeling opportunities online. While many actors and models have found fantastic opportunities through the Internet, not every offer of a film role or a modeling gig is legitimate. Many opportunistic scammers offer jobs that turn out to either be exploitive or scams altogether. Don’t let yourself be victimized by an online acting or modeling offer. Here’s how you can stay smart while getting your acting or modeling career off the ground online.

Watching Out for Red Flags

            In general, there are a few red flags you may want to watch out for when you come across an acting or modeling job offer.

            Offers that only ask for applicants to be “attractive” with little to no details about the requirements of the job are often misleading postings trying to lure naïve, good looking individuals into acting in pornography.

            Also be wary of any offer that asks for you to pay before they’ll hire you on. It’s one thing to take on a free walk-on role in a student film. It’s another thing altogether to have to pay for access to even apply for the jobs.

            Be careful about applying for opportunities that sound too good to be true too. You might be able to spot these from opportunities that offer applicants to earn a lot of money in a short period of time for doing little to no work. They may emphasize that you don’t need any prior modeling or acting experience or that you can learn on the job. These are often fronts for very shady positions. Try to take these with a grain of salt.

            Another huge red flag can involve misleading job postings. Say you email or call a supposed casting director. You’re then given information about the job or gig that doesn’t match the initial position you applied for at all. Be very cautious. Don’t let yourself be fooled by a position that just might be an obvious scam.

Before You Apply

            Always take any job you’re offered or offered to apply for with a grain of salt. You may want to conduct a quick background search on any studio you’re considering applying for, even if you think they are a legitimate studio.

            Conduct reverse phone number cell lookup searches with any phone numbers you are invited to call. These reverse cell phone number lookup searches, available on many websites such as White Pages or 800 Notes, pull up publicly available information about the supposed owner of a number. If information the cell phone number reverse lookup search pulls up doesn’t match up with information you have been given, such as the name of the owner or where the owner is based out of, you may want to proceed with caution.

            Google the name of the studio and see if you can find a website or any reports about the company. Often times, you may be able to find reviews left by bodies like the Better Business Bureau, helping you decide whether the studio you’re considering auditioning with is someone you want to bother with.

            If you do decide to show up to an audition, try not to go alone. Take a friend with you or at least tell someone you trust where you’re going. If it turns out that the audition is a scam, you have someone with you who can help keep you safe.

            If the audition is a scam, consider filing a report with the FTC or your local police station. Your fellow models and actors will thank you.