I discovered Fashion Rock online and I was pretty interested when I found out that it claimed to be a talent agency. I left my contact information and was interviewed via telephone a few days later by Henry Lewis. I was encouraged to hurry and sign up for the next event; I was told that there weren't a lot of open "spots" left and if I wanted to secure my spot I needed to wire $995.00. I felt as though this was something I really wanted to do and could trust because I spoke to people that were very nice and encouraging, so I wired the money.
That same night, I was contacted via text message by Mr. Lewis who told me that I would end up loving him when I met him. I never gave him my cell phone number to use for personal reasons and that was a red flag for me, but I was really nervous about upsetting the employees at F. R, so I didn't say anything at first. Mr. Lewis was also giving me pointers and advice on how to win the judges, so I thought he was trying to be helpful. He became very agressive and continued to text/call me even after I told him not to and that I wasn't interested in a relationship with him. I contacted a F. R supervisor (Mr. Jermano) and Mr. Lewis was fired around the time of my "event."
I had family issues and was not able to attend the May event, therefore I was able to move to the December event. It was at this time that I'd read the reports about F. R and their issues with past talents. While I was waiting for the December event to come around, I was becoming more and more disgusted and no longer was excited about the event or being a part of a company like this. I was also contacted several times about purchasing $1200 comp cards that would "help" me later on in the competition; the only problem is, I never knew we needed comp cards in the first place! I was never, ever made aware of this. I also sent in two photos before the May event and I was contacted several times because F. R "lost" my photos, then they found them, then they lost them again.
The final straw was when the company who (at first) claimed to be so flexible and would "work" with me, told me that I would have to pay an additional $200 because I refused to attend the December event, if I wanted to ever attend the event again. When I asked for my money back (because I was frustrated with all of the "surprise" costs that would "help" me later and because the people that were so helpful before became very rude and borderline nasty as the months went by) I was told that I could not have my money back at all.
I contacted the Better Business Bureau, not because I believed I would get my money back, but because I want to warn people about this company. They try to sell you and rush you and make it seem as though this is a once in a lifetime opportunity with great people, but it's all a lie. When I signed up, I was told that Bad Boy Records would be there (along with a number of other record companies), yet when I asked this same question a month later, I was told that the company doesn't even find out until a few weeks before the event!
All I am asking for is the $995.00 that I spent on a company that I would be ashamed to represent or be a part of in any way. I will never pay them an additional $200 so they can treat me worse and give me the run around more than they have.
Jennifer
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.
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