I read every single report against those scamming Industry Model & Talent Studio in Edgewater, NJ and I am sorry to say that I fell for it as well.
I was in the Garden State Mall in Paramus, NJ about 2 weeks ago with one of my friends, and I saw the stand and was thinking to myself how ridiculous it was, but this girl wearing too much makeup approached me and asked me if I ever considered modeling before I'm so tall and pretty, blah blah blah and I was in a bit of a rush so I just gave her all my information and thought nothing of it. (On a side note, that girl was paid commission just for having me fill out a card)
A week later they called my house about 3 or 4 times asking for me to come in and make an appointment with them. I never spoke to them, my sisters took messages and told me that they said that they had received a really good recommendation from their talent scout. So I called them back, mostly out of curiosity and the lady set up an appointment for me to come in and to meet with their directors. She told me that I should make the appointment that week because that was the only time their directors would be there and she didn't want me to miss out on such an opportunity. So I agreed and made an appointment. The girl said that it was just like a job interview and to not wear sneakers or hats so that they can better evaluate me. (The girl on the phone was paid commission for getting me to make an appointment, regardless of whether or not I show up)
I go to the appointment and drive about a half hour to get there and their studios are located in this really shady building that looks like an abandoned warehouse and even the area in edgewater looks really suspicious and sketchy, not a place where you would expect this glamorous "modeling agency" to be located. I hit traffic and was worried that I was going to be late to my appointment, because it was after all, just like a job interview, and called them to tell them I would be late, the girl on the phone said that it wasn't a big deal, just to get here when I get here and that the directors can wait (why would they be willing to wait for me if that was the only day that they would be there and probably have dozens of other people to meet with?)
In any case, I arrived about 20-30 minutes late and signed my name, they then asked me to fill out an information sheet just asking about any modeling experience I had other than the usual personal information such as name and address. Then I waited until a director came out and called my name.
We went into her office and she asked me to first show her 2 forms of identification, so I gave her my driver's license and my credit card (which was actually the first day that I had brought it out with me because it has been sitting on top of my dresser for the longest time. What a good day to pick to bring it out, huh?) and she just went on and on about how photogenic i am and how I really have potential to be a model and she showed me some of her other clients and how they got jobs in magazines and how they all started out sitting in her office just like I am today. Then she said that I would need to have a photoshoot done and showed me this list of photoshoot prices, ranging from $550 to over $1,000!! She told me the one that she wanted me to do consisted of 2 outfit changes (the clothes were to be provided by me) and would cost $850. I told her that I really could not afford that so she used the famous line, "Well, i wouldn't want you to miss out on this opportunity because of the money" then she said that she would be able to give me that package, but charge me only $700 so I would save $150. Then she asked me how much of the $700 do I feel comfortable paying and I said probably half. And my credit card was still sitting on her desk and she swipes it for $350 (and this is where it all went really fast and I had no idea what was happening) and she asks me to sign the receipt as well as another document. Of course, I should've read what I was signing because I was signing their contract aka photoshoot agreement stating that I had to appear at the scheduled date and pay my remaining balance of $350 when I get there.
And this is where they really get you: Their cancellation policy states "ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS SHALL BE GIVEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER AND THERE SHALL BE NO CANCELLATION AFTER THE PHOTOSHOOT DATE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED." So, I pretty much sold myself to the devil. I was actually considering going too, but all of my friends were telling me afterwards that it's all a scam and how could I not have seen that. And then I got the worst feeling in my stomach when I realized that they were right and I had been tricked and swindled out of my $350. Though I know i'm lucky because other people have lost a lot more, it's just that I'm a college student so money is really tight for me right now and I hate to just throw it away like that.
I called them today actually and told them that I wanted to cancel and the lady was nice about it and said that she cancelled my photoshoot and I just have to pay off my balance. But why would I give these scam artists more money!? She said that I had to pay them because I signed a legal document (aka their contract). But what sort of legal document says that that you are responsible for paying the entire amount whether or not their services had been rendered to you?
So, I'm worried about my hanging balance and I just want to know exactly what they can do to me (I asked the lady at customer care and she couldn't give me a direct answer) I suspended my credit card so that they wouldn't be able to charge me for any more payments and I will call my credit card company to dispute that charge. But can they legally do something to me since I signed my soul to them? I'm worried about that and would like to know could possibly happen.
I really hate that I fell for this, but I'm lucky that I didn't lose as much as other people did. Don't fall for this. Worrying about it has made my life hell.
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