I knew it was a scam the second I walked in. I found the ad on Craigslist (non-commerical ad website) The ad stated "Looking for normal looking people for ads, make $150- $250 a day" Sounds great I look more than normal. So I get to the place in the middle of the garment district. Out of the elevator you have to figure out where to go from here as there are two directions to go. (hallways looked like the service hallways. The girl at the plexi-glass window (ha who needs plexi-glass if it's not a scam) asked me to filled out this sheet of paper with my stats. I fill it out and returned to the room with the portable A/C which is blowing hot air into the smaller entry room. As I finally was called in, after the others in front of me (I saw none of them re-enter the waiting area - because the as they rejected his scam they were asked to leave through another exit)
My turn comes up and I meet Brad, the fast talking New York that has "been doing this for years at this location" tries to sell me. He thinks I'd be a great person to work with, meanwhile does not engages in any sort of eye contact or seems to be actively listening to anything I am saying. He runs down the way to getting exposure in the industry - headshots! And the fees that comes along with them! I tell him I'm not really interested in spending money today as I'm interested in making it. He replys "well you have to put in to get a little". True story Brad! LOL
I ask a few questions to try and give this place the benefit of the doubt.
Here's how our conversation went:
Me: Do you have a website?
Brad: No
Me: Do you have a contract?
Brad: No, we set you up with agents and send you to meet with them.
Brad: I like your look I want to work with you. Let set up a shoot for today. We have a photograper on site.
Me: Well can't i just meet with the agents?
Brad: Some just want your headshots which we can do today.
Me: Well I'm not even dressed or have the $250 you talked about.
Brad: Well how much are you looking to spend?
Me: less than that!
~Here he starts lowering the prices and the number of prints I would get, making it very confusing. Since there is no contract no one remembers anything! ~
Brad: Ok so we'll do it for 50 you can pay 30 now and 20 later.
Me Ok fine.
~I get into the "studio" and realize it's a total scam as the photographer scurries about multitasking a million things the scam artist boss asks her to do. I wait and I wonder how can I ask for a refund when the reciept has "no refund" printed on it. The photographer finally comes in and is ready to shoot me no make up, no lighting changes, no advice on positions, nothing.~
Photog: Ok now smile, ok a lil more now, ok put ur hand up like this (photog: motions hand to hip is very ackward way)
Me: Sure ok, how does that look?
~The photogo shoots me as I'm talking! LOL um duh all the pics are going to come out with my eyes blurred, mouth opened! Not rocket science!
The shoot is done and I am told I will be called when my pics are ready. I must come back tommorow to pay the balance and choose my headshot. I come back and another room of suckers wait on the bench to be called by Bad Boi Brad!
I meet in Brad's office and he obtains my Cd from the photogo, and the prints are unprofessional, low quality and not how I wanted to be portraited. I tell Brad I'm extremly disappointed in the prints. And he claims it's 100% satification guaranteed! He even argees to let me shoot again for free but another day as the Photogo left for the day. And he goes on to say:
Brad: But these pics haven't been retouched, why don't we have them retouched and color corrected and then see how they look.
Me: Ok maybe they'll look better once there on paper.
Brad: Ok so how many prints do you want to do?
Me: Maybe like 4.
Brad: There's a minumum of 10 and they're $ 4 a piece.
Me: Wow, I don't even like them!
Brad: Well you'd be getting the B/W and color.
Me: Well I dont think I'm interested.
Brad: Ok so you wanna do 4? Let's do 4!
~Brad cashs me out - again the recipet says "Photographers R US". Brad leaves to attend to another model, as I look at the photos on the computer. He returns to tell me to choose 1 pose, then leaves to attend to yet another person. Brad returns and I ask:
Me: I thought I could choose 2 poses? (Headshot & Bodyshot)
~Brad trying to backpeddle out of this one says:
Brad: Well you have to get your head shot in B/W and Color, that's what they like! So you'll get 4 color & 4 B/W. Ok hold on one sec I'll be right back...
~Brad leaves yet again to attend to business. I chose my shot and figure atleast I'll have a semi decent Myspace pic. I get a called 2 days later that my pics are ready. I get to the office the same sad people are there including Brad and the Photogo that knows all about the scam but is trying to make some $. I get my "edited" pics (I've worked with photoshop and could have done way better by myself!) I get my disk and the 8 photos as promised, however Brad has yet another proposition for me!
Brad: So can I set you up on our Talent website for $50 today?
Me: Nah I'm not interested I just came to pick up my photos!
Brad: ok, No problem, Would you like us to edit the rest of your photos for an additional $10 per photo.
Me: Nah I'm good!
~Brad see this brass ring way out of reach and decides to run for a "phone call" and directs me to logging on to the website and setting myself up on the network! (Where are these damn agents I'm suppose to meet?) He then runs back in as I'm talking to the Photogo and tells me the website is jkohdkhfjhajkfh.com and walks away. The photogo points to a paper taped on the wall with an email address not a website resembling the nonsense that came out of Bradley's mouth! I ask for a pen but he yet again walks away for yet another "phone call". I get a pen and write down this jibberish which I know when I reasearch it will be a membership site or something completely non existant. (It was the latter) ~
So there's my story, I hope it helps a few, I saw another story about this place and decided to write hoping my ordeal would save someone else some bucks in these hard times. Just keep in mind when it sounds to good to be true it probably is! And if there's no contract = no money, no business! Ask questions, if asking, if you can think about it and return seems to make the person very eager to change prices or deals, suspect something is up!
~Hopefully these people can be stopped from taking anyone elses money and time!
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