I was approached at the Roosevelt Field mall by a young lady who told me all the girls I was with were model material and that I should consider having them become models. All she needed was my number and that soon after I would be called to schedule an appointment for my daughter to meet with a with a representative from New Faces Development Center. She lied and said that it was all completely free and once I made it to the appointment I would get all the details I needed. A few days later I got a call from someone at New Faces Development Center who talked fast and needed to schedule an appointment as soon as possible because it was a busy period and it was imperative I acted fast. I made the appointment the very same day and battled traffic to get to the Hicksville location tugging along my daughter who was really tired following a long day at school. Once I was there the office was full of people and bright lights and staff shooting in and out of offices. It looked like a Hollywood setting. After waiting about half an hour, I was approached by a fast talking slick salesperson named Scott and he swept us into his office where he began to show us binders with slew of pictures of other children who made it "big" thanks to New Faces Development Center and occasionally stopped to catch his breath and comment on how beautiful my daughter was and how "she had the look" that would take her to the stars in the modeling business. He then conveniently slipped under my nose picture package options and after I got over the initial shock of the costs he went on to tell me about the comp pictures charges and before I knew it, I was looking at a $1500 price tag for something that was originally completely free. He stepped out of the office to let me think it over and quickly advised me that there were cameras recording our converstation and that the business was completely legit. He claimed that New Faces Development Center helped thousands of young people make it into magazines, commercials and movies. When he came back into the office I reasoned with him and asked if he could offer a better picture package, something more economical. He immediately became agitated and reminded me I was planning my daughter's future and a little investment now would take her career to the moon and back... Because after all... He reminded me again that my daughter "had the look." I told him I couldn't pay all that money at that very moment and if he gave me a week I would be able to come back with the full payment. He reminded me that I had an American Express card (which by the way was a prerequisite. I was told to bring to our appointment; a credit card along with valid picture ID and both parents had to be present). I emphatically told Scott that I would come back within a week to pay the full amount. He quickly told me he wouldn't keep my paperwork on file and if I didn't pay for the entire package then and there my one in a life time opportunity was gone. I was appalled. Right then and there I smelled the scam. I quickly told him that the person that called me to set up the appointment advised me that the process was completely free... Scott rebutted by saying "What do you think? That we are going to tell everyone we call upfront that they have to pay money to get into the business?" I told him "No Thanks" and he tore my application in half and hastily got up from his cushy leather swivel chair and held his office door opened and said, "We are done here" he waited for my daughter and I to collect our belongings and leave.
Beware! This man named Scott and all those other slimy scam artists working at New Faces Development Center can care less during these challenging economic times whether or not you have two nickles to rub together because they're focused on stealing those from you too.
If you had a bad experience with New Faces Development Center file a complaint with the Attorney General for the State of New York. For more information about the claims filed against New Faces Development Center, view the Better Bureau report.
New Faces Development Center is not affiliated with NewFaces.com (a truly legit, most respected online talent agency since 1995)
Loraine, Suffolk County New York
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