The Harman Agency
To Whom It May Concern:
I am responding to a letter I
saw on your website. The letter asked questions regarding
a modeling agency in Pennsylvania called "The Harman
Agency."
The letter also stated the BBB report looked good. However,
I know that the owner of The Harman Agency used to be
the owner of two other agencies in Pennsylvania called "Excel
Model Management" and "Millenia Models" both
of which declared bankruptcy and closed due to the Pennsylvania
Attorney General forcing restitution for scammed model
victims and also fining Kelli Harman over $2,000 in investigation
costs.
The restitution totaled a little over $15,000.
The BBB of Pittsburgh has a report about this (Excel
and Millenia); however, I don't believe the BBB in Harrisburg
which covers the jurisdiction that The Harman Agency
is in mentions anything about Kelli Harman's experiences
in the past with the other two agencies she started.
You can call the BBB in Pittsburgh (sorry, I don't know
the number), and you can call the Attorney General for
Consumer Protection at 814-471-1831 and ask for Margie
Anderson.
After verifying my information here with the appropriate
government officials, please see to it that it is put
on your site under the Harman Agency to warn others of
the past of the owner at The Harman Agency.
D.D.
Member of Screen Actors' Guild
D.,
Thanks for writing.
Can you provide details about the nature of the previous
scam? What type of modeling scam was it? Do you believe
she or her agency is now involved in similar fraud to
what the AG investigated and prosecuted?
The BBB record for her agency, The Harman Agency, is
satisfactory. Can you explain why the BBB record would
not include legal action by the AG if she is involved
in the same type of business in the same state?
You said: "The BBB of Pittsburgh has a report about
this (Excel and Millenia)." The reports were not
found online. Can you please provide links to these reports
to which you are referring?
http://search.bbb.org/search.html
Finally, was the scam covered by the media? Is there
a published news report about it?
On her website she offered: "ADVICE FOR NEW MODELS & ACTORS":
"Models and actors need to understand that this
is a huge industry but a small business. Everyone knows
everyone and YOU should never burn your bridges along
the way. If you do, it will come back to you at some
point, guaranteed. Treat everyone you work for with respect
and consideration and you will be a well liked and sought
after model and actor."
Is the same true for agency owners?
That comment was on milleniamodels.com. However, the
website seems to be identical to another website, theharmanagency.com.
Can you explain that? How many agencies does she own?
Why isn't there one agency and one name with different
offices or branches? That is how Ford et al do it.
Were you a victim of the previous scam?
The nature was basically false advertising. Kelli advertised
in classified ads that work was available, when many
of her clients were not working. Then those new ones
coming in were charged $400 to $1,200 (each varied),
and then the ads continued to run while everyone who
already took the "training" were unemployed.
I don't know what she is doing now. If she is charging
fees and offering training to models as a requirement
to get work, I know that's illegal, but I know nothing
of what her new company is doing now.
I sent a letter to the BBB asking them to include the
previous info about Excel and Millenia in with The Harman
Agency since it's run by the same person.
Also, this all happened in 1998, so I don't know how
long the BBB holds info in their records before they
erase it permanently.
The whole ordeal was published in a local newspaper
called The Centre Daily Times. You'll have to call them
for the date. I think it was dated May '98.
Kelli closed her Excel office and Millenia offices due
to the bankruptcy she filed.
There used to be a second Excel office in Johnsontown,
but it closed long ago.
You should call the Attorney General in Pennsylvania
about any other information you need to know. They can
verify everything.
Kelli only owns one agency now to my knowledge.
I was never a victim. I know the ropes of this business.
(Thank God.)
I appreciate you trying to help other models keep their
money safe, and I hope you can find out more about what
all happened in 1997 with these agencies. I know only
what was published in the Centre Daily Times and some
court documents that were public information.
Take care,
D.D.
D.,
The Centre
Daily Times website has archives as
far back as 1998 when the Attorney General investigated.
All three published news reports were reviewed. Each
one cost $2.95 (or $6.95 for all three). It is a
fascinating story.
Here is part of the first story.
Modeling firm to Make Refunds in Job-Offer Deal
Centre Daily Times (State College, PA)
By LISA HAARLANDER
March 14, 1998
Page: 7B
Excel Model Management will give refunds to people who
responded to its help-wanted ads and paid for the agency's
training, but never got the promised jobs.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher announced
Friday that Excel, 300 S. Pugh St., State College, signed
an agreement with his office to settle the alleged violations
and paid $2,045.50 in civil fines and investigation costs.
The company's agreement to settle the complaints does
not necessarily indicate an admission of wrongdoing.
"It appears the help-wanted ads were being used
to bring people into a training program rather than providing
them with employment," said Deputy Attorney General
Barry Creany in Ebensburg, who investigated 22 complaints
against the agency.
For instance, he alleges a brochure from the agency
cited a 95 percent job placement record, yet the majority
of people never got paying jobs. Instead, they were offered
training that could cost up to $835, Creany said.
Part of that training involved charging aspiring models
a $350 fee to take their pictures. The photographer got
$200 and the agency got $150, he said.
"Legitimate agencies make money from models' commissions," Creany
said. "It's not common practice for an agency to
charge the consumers for the photographers or receive
a commission from the photographers."
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