Face National Models and Talent
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pretty sure I have been scammed by FACE
National Models and Talent.
Last April (2001), they held open calls at a local hotel
(San Jose, CA), and I was chosen to sign a contract with
them (one of about 50).
I paid for a photoshoot (about $600) for my composite
cards, then another $400 for the composite cards themselves.
However, my composite cards were finally complete by
July of 2001, and I have not heard from them since.
Not only have I found other articles saying that FACE is
most likely a scam, but they even changed their office
address, phone number, and fax number without notifying
me. That just seems very suspicious.
I was wondering if you knew of a way to be reimbursed,
or if you could help me figure out what the best thing
to do is.
Thank you so much for your help.
You are right to be suspicious about the company
changing its address without notifying you after you
paid $1,000.
Can you clarify one point? You said you were chosen
to sign a contract with them. Did you actually sign a
contract? Or did you just get photos?
If you did sign a contract, can you share more details
about it?
Please send the web address of articles
you read about Face National Models and
Talent. These could be included with your complaint
on Modeling Scams.com.
As far as what you can do to get your money back, have
you contacted Face National Models and Talent?
What did they say?
Thank you very much for your quick response. I greatly
appreciate it.
About the contract I signed, it was titled a "Personal
Management Agreement."
The contract stated that I authorize the Agent (FACE
National Models and Talent) to exercise to
the best of their ability, within reason, to obtain
modeling, promotional work, television, print, voice,
and motion picture assignments, and similar fields,
so that there will be a demand or use for Talent (me).
I would be paid 80% of the Face amount of my signed
vouchers.
It was effective when I dated and signed it (April 29,
2001), and it will continue for a period of one year.
After the one-year term, the contract will self-renew,
unless cancelled by either party within 30 days.
I didn't actually have my photo shoot for my composite
cards until June 2001, more than two months after I signed
the contract.
And then my comp cards didn't actually arrive until
the beginning of October 2001 (my preview for the pictures
that would go on the cards was July 20, 2001), almost
another four months following the shoot.
Should it have taken that long? I ordered 150 of
the cards, 25 of which were mailed to me (for sending
them wherever I wanted to) in October.
I have not contacted FACE, yet, with complaints. I
am still talking with my parents about what the appropriate
thing to do is (I am only 16 years old).
So, I am not even sure whether it is appropriate to
ask for reimbursement or not. I am worried that
if I do confront them about scamming me out my money,
they will just say that there are no guarantees in the
modeling industry, and that they are doing the best they
can do to get me jobs.
However, I have the feeling that they are not doing
anything. And, how can they be "getting me
jobs" out here in California when they are based
in North Carolina?
I'm very suspicious.
Thank you very much for your help. Any advice, at this
point, would be wonderful.
Your contract is going to expire in two months. As you
suggested, it does not sound as if the modeling agency
can be trusted.
They took a long time to get the photos done; they are
in another state; they did not inform you when their
address changed; they do not communicate with you; and,
most importantly, they never got you any work. Right?
Maybe you should fire them.
ModelingScams.com has also just learned New
York State issued a warning about Face
National Models and Talent, suggesting they
do a modeling photo scam, and the Better Business
Bureau gives them their lowest rating.
Your best bet, therefore, might be to get all your
modeling pictures back as soon as possible before the
contract expires, and move on.
You said they sent you 25, but you ordered 150. It would
be interesting to see how many they have left. If they
have all of them, that seems to indicate they never sent
them to anyone, and they never did anything for you.
In any case, I suggest you contact them and say you
want your pictures, and give them your address, and ask Face
National Models and Talent to FedEx them directly
to you.
You may not want to confront them on what they have
done or not done as the case may be, but just get the
pictures. You can use them to promote yourself to another
modeling agencies in your state. There are many in California,
right?
If you confront them or complain, they might not bother
to send you the pictures, and just claim they were already
sent to other people.
There was an internet forum post by a man familiar with
the modeling industry who said so-called modeling agencies
which need to go on the road to recruit talent, as Face
did in your case, and have apparently done in other
states, may not have a lot of skill, may not know what
they are doing, and may in fact be scams.
Why? If they were successful in their own state, there
would be more than enough people beating a path to their
door, they would not need to go on the road.
Something to think about.
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