While we (my wife and I) were walking with my son inside the south shore plaza, located at 250 Granite Street, Braintree, Massachusetts, One lady approached my son and said what a cute boy! Would you like to know what we do? She pulled him by holding his hand and took him to her stall then she called us; come on dad, come on mom. She praised a lot about my sons beauty, handsomeness and started talking about this company called Interface and what they do. She explained us that this company is a talent marketing company and has helped a lot of people by doing so and there is no cost. She showed a folder that contained some photo graphs of couple of children and young children with some Hollywood stars and some other seemed modeling. Meanwhile she was talking, my wife left the place as she was getting late for her work.
Then she told me that at this point I dont have to do anything but fill out a form with name, address and phone number of all of us and we would be contacted as soon as possible to set up an appointment with the director of the company to have an audition and evaluate my son. It was exciting! I filled out the form and gave all the information she asked.
Next Day in the evening I got a call from this company. A guy spoke and said that if we were available for Sunday, 13th of November for an appointment with the director for further discussion and for evaluation of the photographs of my son. He repeatedly said there is no cost for it. I said him that I am available on Sunday. He said both the parents have to be presents with two forms of identity card, one identity card must be with photographs on it and other credit or debit card would work as a secondary proof of identity. He also asked us to bring three photo graphs of the child for evaluations with director. He set up an appointment for Sunday, 13 of November at 10:00 am and said if we missed the appointment, there would be no second appointment provided. He gave the locations and directions to the office of Interface located at 1881, Worcester Road, Framingham, MA. During this conversation several times he mentioned there is no cost. Before ending the conversation he wished best of luck.
We were so excited!
On Sunday, 13th of November, we set out from our apartment in Quincy, MA, to Interface office, in Framingham, MA, which is about 35 miles far. As I approached their location, I missed it and I had to make 2 miles round to get back to the locations and I was about to
Few minutes late. I was rushing. I parked the car in the parking lot. I got out of the car before my wife and son and locked the drivers door without turning off the vehicle and taking the key
Out. My wife and son also didnt realize and they locked their side of doors (My car does not have power window and central locking system) and we al ldidnt notice it until we finished our meeting with interface and came out to the car. It was Locked and running! We had to call locksmith and paid $ 140.00 to unlock the car.
As we were getting late, we rushed in to the Interface office. I went to the reception and said I have an
Appointment with the director. The receptionist asked me if it is my first visit, and I said yes. She asked me to write down applicants name and appointment time and requested to have a sit until somebody comes to help us shortly. After having sat for 20 minutes, a girl came to us and introduced herself. She asked us to fallow her. We were taken in to her room. She asked both of us for two forms of ID. I gave her my Drivers license and Credit card and my wife gave her ID card and
Passport. She wrote down all the information she needed in a form. And then started praising my sons everything from nose to eyes, eye brows to eye lash, hair to his dimple. She loved his skin and eye colors and asked if he is excited to be a model and actor? She asked my son, does he like to be model and actor, he replied yes! I like his positive attitude; she said and gave him hi five. She looked over his pictures and said he is really handsome and photogenic. He has black hair, black eyes and tanned skin and the industry is always looking for unique face and he is perfect. He would also fit in any Hispanic role if he is doing acting in the future. There is no more charm in white skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. She was influencing all of us phenomenally. She asked my son, does not he want to be in Walt Disney and in other big project. Every time she would ask him are you not interested on this and on that and every time if my son said yes, she gave HI-FIVE and would say I like your positive attitude.
We were so much impressed!
My son was shying a little bit and she said that would be plus point for him as his shyness would show him cuter. She opened up a folder and started showing some kids picture and explained the opportunity they got through them not only in US but other part of the world from Japan to Italy in the field of advertisement to TV and Movie. She said interface is global company which has very strong access to print, advertisement and entertainment industry. They have direct link to more than 200 companies and people from, print, media to casting directors from entertainment industries. She said they bring a team of professional photographers, hair stylish, makeup artist and costume designers from New York and Florida every Saturday and Sunday for a photo shoot. She advised us to bring a suitcase full of different outfits so that he can have shots on different outfits and will look different in every shot.
We were super excited! She said she has available time for photo shoot on Sunday, 20, either at 10:00 am or 11:00 am. We set the time for 11:00 am. We thought we were all set but to our surprise, she took out a folder like a thing and said this is the price list for different number of outfit ranging from above $6000.00 to $ 775.00 for one outfit, which one you want to have and how would you like to pay. She tried to convince us that my son would have more chances if he is shoot in more different outfits.
We were socked; my wife and I looked each other and said we cannot afford anything like that because we dont have money. She said you already have come so far, dont ruin your childs future for the sake of little money, if you dont have cash, you can pay by your credit card, thats what everybody does and you can pay Credit Card Company the minimum amount every month.By this time our brain was
Already washed and we were emotionally hijacked by her and eventually we agreed to pay $ 775.00 for a single outfit photo shoot. I asked her that if there is any extra cost involved? She said there is no any extra cost and they would do one outfit photo shoot of one head shot and 48 shots and market him for a month, however after a month if we would like to continue his marketing, we would have to pay $ 1.75 for a head shots and $ 4.50 for composite cards and I can order them as many as I wish for the marketing purposes and also if I want to have a set of 1 head shots and 48 shots of the photo shoot, I can have them for $ 45.00. I asked her, what is the guarantee that he would get the opportunity within a month and would he get paid for the work he is offered? She said she is not worried at all about him because he is so cute, handsome and looks so different, he definitely would get opportunity and in the beginning he might get some compensation or only gifts from the company he advertises or the job he does and best part of it is he gets the exposure to this industry and he would have more opportunities. We look at our son and decided to invest $ 775.00 for his better future. She charged my credit card for the amount of $ 775.00 and gave the receipt and said as my child is a minor so she needs both parents consent / approval to have photo shoots and market him for modeling / acting opportunities. She said, ok this paper is for you to give interface your consent to do photo shoots for your son and market him in the advertisement and entertainment industry therefore I need your initials and signature. She showed me only the exact places on every Page where she took my initials and in one page she took my wifes and my signature and she also signed and dated the paper. She folded the carbon copies and gave to me and I never looked them into.
On Sunday, 20th of November, we went to Interface office for the photo shoot at 10:30 am,
We signed in at the reception and were asked to sit until somebody comes to assist us. After waiting for about 20 minutes a girl come to us and took in to a room where she made an appointment with Marketing Director for Monday 21, November at 4:30pm, and told us to wait again at the reception area until somebody comes from makeup and costume department. Waiting for another 15-20 minutes a lady came up asked us to show the outfits that we brought in. She selected shirt and suit with black shoes and asked to go to changing room. We changed our sons outfits and came to the makeup area where a so called makeup stylish spread some water like things on my sons hair and
Lightly combed the hair and told to wait for photo shoot. Waiting for another 30 minutes nobody cared us and I went myself to rushing photographer and told her that we are waiting for photo shoot. She took the photo shoots of my son for about 5 to 7 minutes and showed us the photo on her camera and told she gave couple of more pose than usual and she left.
On Monday, 22 November, I went to meet Marketing Director. As usual I checked in at the reception and kept waiting. After 25 minutes, a girl came up and took us into a room where she said we can watch the slid show of my sons picture. She set up the slid show and went out of the room. After 10
Minutes she came in with a charge of 45 dollars for the release of the pictures and said it has been posted on their web site and I would be provided user name and pass word for one time download, they would host the picture for a month and after that if I want to continue I would be charged $ 9.55 per month and I can cancelled it any time if I no longer wish to do that. She asked us to go to the reception area and wait for a call to meet marketing Director. After waiting 5 minutes, she showed me direction to another room where there was a girl already in there. She greeted me and my son and started praising my son that he is very cute, he did a great job and his has great photos and she would like to market him. I said ok. She said in order to move forward they need to print copies of head shots and other selected photos and make composite card comprised of head shots and other selected pictures and
It has to be minimum 50 cards which would cost $ 360 again. I immediately confronted and said it wasnt the deal and I was never informed, explained this part in any way. She said no, we have the agreement with you and it clearly explains all the charges that you have to pay. I refused her claim and tried to assured her that it is not the deal explained her real deal but she only kept saying I have the paper you have initialed. I confronted her that it was not explained to me and I have been scammed, cheated but she would only insist that I have signed that paper and paper says everything. I kept confronting with her and she said ok give me a minutes, then she went out of the room and came in
After few minutes and repeated that she cant move forward if I dont pay $360 minimum. While I was confronting with her, her telephone rang; she received the phone and only listened. Kept the phone back and said you have signed the paper, it says all the applicable charges. I told her that I was charged first
Than only was asked to initial the paper saying that it is the consent paper and never ever pronounced the word agreement. She said that is your responsibility to read the paper, if you want to move forward you have to pay $360.00 more atleast to market your son. I said her that I want to meet the head of the company and would like to talk. She said there is nobody at thi moment. After this moment only I realized that I was scammed, financially trapped and cheated and victimized by intentionally
Concealing the truth, hiding the information systematically, tactfully and in a professional way by providing falls information through emotionally hijacking and brainwashing.
Now they are stating that I have signed a contract with them and if i don't pay more money, they would do nothing and the money I paid was only for photo shoot.
I have been ripped off and I want to fight againts this company's cone job. I need help.
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