This is a particularly evil scam preying on the gullibility of parents unfamiliar with talent scouts, etc. We all want to believe that our kids are cute and their names should be in lights... Starbiz knows this and feeds on it. I took my boys to Starbiz's talent scouting/open audtion recently. Thankfully, I did not proceed after they informed me that my youngest was "chosen" (a brief aside, how awful is that to chose just one kid anyway when it's all a scam to begin with... How low).
Well, given the fact the information sheets provided at the "interview" mentioned how "unproven talent" is not accepted by ANY agency without some money to back it. (This is not true! Check with the ATA, the NATR or the SCA to confirm this and NEVER sign anything that does not meet their standards!) The money you need is somewhere in the neighborhood of $700! This is to "build a portfolio" and, of course, $700 is a small price to pay for a "career" of photo shoots paying $600-1200 a piece (hah! I bet!).
The most disturbing thing about this whole matter is that the BBB lists them as a member! This is amazing to me... How can these people belong to the BBB? If you want to pursue modeling for yourself or your children check with the guilds/trade associations (and this site!) to verify the agencies/companies are legit.
CONSUMER BEWARE! Parents protect your pocket books and steer clear of this one!
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