MGI International Models is very shady. I had applied for several agencies and modelling jobs and I was contacted by Adrian Prather on my cell phone. He told me that they were interested in working with me. They were located in NY and London. He told me to read over the contract. Though there was a choice, between comp cards or a website, the website was up to 300 dollars! The contract said it must be paid in full with no refunds. Like a idiot, in hindsight, I told him I was interested but I didn't have the money now. He pressured me and said well we can take half now and the other half later. (even though it was against their contract).
The next day I chose to research them. They ARE NOT a memeber of the Better Business Bearu and thats never good. I emailed a few of the models on the website to ask them aobut their experience with MGI. Right after I got a response from one of his "models" (I beleive he sent the response posing as one of his models) he called me twice and sent an email.
This led me to believe that the emails are not sent directly to the models but to him. He said that I can't contact the models without asking him. I told him any model that works for a legitamate agency should be more than willing and excited to talk to an aspiring model asking about their agency. He told me that he had to refer a model. If he refered a "model" for me to talk with he could have any body tell me that their angency is great, of couse he wouldn't pick any "models" who said the agency was bad.
I then asked him why he wasn't part of the better business bearu. He said that they have changed their name several times and that you have to have the same name for at least a year to be apart of the BBB. That was very suspicious, why would you have to change your name several times a year, maybe alot of complaints or to avoid the better bussiness bearu? They claim to have been in business since 1999, that's five years, they must have had alot of name changes! Then he proceeded to say that it isn't that important to be apart of the better buss. Bearu. WHAT??!!
So to forwarn everyone. Never sign anything where your pressured to sign it right away. You should never have to pay a modelling agency any money, if they really beleive in you and really want you they will find jobs for you and make their money that way. Never sign with a company that is not with the better business bearu, there should be no reason why a legitamate business shouldn't be (unless they have been in business less than a year). Luckily I wasn't scammed I gave him no money and I will never do bussiness with him. I have a suspicous feeling that the company is run by one man and he makes money off of selling website space.
Jackie
Dallas, Texas
U.S.A.
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