Building a website, setting up social media accounts, and establishing an online presence is much more accessible to the every day person than it used to be.
We've all seen the disastrous effects misinformation has done when it comes to news/media outlets and social media platforms, which begs the question: how does anyone stand a chance at knowing what's real and what's not anymore?
While there is never a 100% foolproof way to safeguard yourself, it is entirely within everyone's power to take note of important red flags and to spend a little extra time doing your due diligence to try and suss out whether a talent/modeling agency is legitimate or not. Let's review a few that can help make the process of seeking representation a little less stressful.
***This post is directed towards those who have randomly been reached out to by someone claiming to be from a model/talent agency.***
HISTORY & BRAND RECOGNITION
All businesses have to start somewhere but if you're dealing with agencies that have been around for many years, that's always a good sign of basic legitimacy. Even if you're not plugged in, chances are most of us can name at least 1-2 big agencies. That name recognition is paramount to a solid brand that is trusted and respected in the industry.
SCAMMER SCOUTS
However, scammers gonna scam. Many take the approach of pretending to be model or talent scouts, recruiters, and managers from these agencies. Some even go as far as to create fake social media accounts to appear authentic. Because this type of occurrence is so common, nearly all of the major agencies know this is happening and do their best to take steps to address the issue so actor and model hopefuls are aware.
As mentioned in February's post, scouts sliding into DMs should always be met with caution and skepticism. If their profiles don't check out or seem inconsistent with the official accounts of the agency they claim to represent, the solution is simple: report and block. Do not reply.
When it comes to email correspondence, there are telltale signs that the person behind the keyboard might not be who they say they are:
Look at the email address extension. I'm talking about what is listed after the @ in the email address. If it doesn't say the name of the agency, followed by ".com," 99.9% of the time it's a bogus email account. Here are a few examples:
- johntalentscout@gmail.com
- fordmodels@yahoo.com
- info@xur.pp.yzlior.net
Anything insane looking like that in your email inbox is an instant spam and delete.
Poor grammar, misspelled words, or differences in font size and type within the body of the email. This one is a dead giveaway of a scammer trying their luck. Many are so lazy that they copy/paste their responses and blast them out without proofreading or cleaning up the format. For once, we can be thankful for a bit of sloppiness! If the body of the email looks weird or sounds like it's been written by someone who's native language isn't the one you speak/read/write, that's an automatic spam flag.
What if the email address actually appears legit, such as (for example): scout@fordmodels.com? The first thing to do is visit the agency website and head to the Contact Page. Find out if the same email address is mentioned anywhere on that page or the rest of the site.
If not, use the official email listed on the website (or fill out the contact form if no email address is listed) OR call the agency to confirm the legitimacy of the email address you've received. Follow whatever instruction the agency gives you at that point. This could include having you forward them the email you received so they can investigate.
To be honest, I don't know of any model or talent scout that randomly emails people directly with interest or a potential contract offer. It just doesn't happen. People submit year-round to reputable agencies so they don't need to actually do outreach on their end.
It's critical to not get so excited about an email that you throw all caution to the wind and respond to them before doing your research.
WEBSITES ARE THE FOUNDATION
I'll say this until I'm blue in the face: having a website is the foundation of any business. In the case of talent and modeling agencies, a fully functional website is ground zero for fact checking and verifying information.
I'm sure there are agencies that operate without an official website and rely on social media and maybe blogs to get their name out there but with all due respect, I would never do business with an agency that didn't have a website where I can see what they're all about. It's simply not worth the risk.
Remember earlier in this post when I mentioned that agencies are definitely aware of the scammer/fraud activity that's plagued the industry for years? Well, a common practice now is for agencies (especially modeling agencies) to post a banner right on the home page of their websites to address the issue.
Check out this current banner that appears on the website of Next Models (a widely known global modeling agency):
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| This type of warning banner is commonplace now on the home pages of agency websites. |
DON'T SEND PHOTOS
One of the most obvious red flags if you happen to be contacted by a supposed "scout" is being solicited for photos of yourself, both dressed and undressed. This talking point is particularly true for aspiring models because of the nature of the industry. However, NO legitimate modeling agency will EVER reach out to ask an individual to send photos of themselves in lingerie, nude, or semi-nude.
The standard outfits required when submitting photos to agencies include swimwear (2-piece bikinis for women and swim trunks for men), or the "model uniform," which consists of fitted jeans or shorts, heels, and a fitted tank-top or t-shirt for women and shorts and a fitted tank-top or t-shirt (or shirtless) for men.
The poses in those photos is also very cut and dry: full body facing camera without posing, profile without posing, 3/4 without posing, closeup shot smiling and non-smiling (or whatever the specific guidelines are). You should NOT be submitting photos of yourself posing in a sexually suggestive way.
Understanding this is imperative -- and not just for underage individuals, either. The last thing you want are photos of yourself out there on the internet, ripe and ready to be manipulated (remember that little thing called "AI?").
Again, visiting agency websites will immediately show you how photos are supposed to look. Many have examples of the types of images they request if you're submitting to them. They don't look inappropriate in any way.
FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, DON'T SEND MONEY!
Why would a model/talent scout reach out to a newbie or someone who's clearly not as established and ask them to pay to be represented? It's just weird, you guys. When money/fees gets introduced into the conversation, it's a non-starter. Cease all communications immediately. Point blank periodt (the added "t" shows how dead serious I am about this point).
NO ONE CAN PROMISE OR GUARANTEE YOU ANYTHING
Realize that whatever pretty picture a supposed "scout" is painting for you in their correspondence, NO ONE can promise or guarantee you success as an actor or model. Not even the legitimate agencies themselves can or will do that. The factors involved for what constitutes being successful vary widely and this career path is highly volatile and unpredictable.
Ignore the rosy picture and don't be wowed by name dropping, descriptions of what they can do for you, or stories of what they've done for others. Especially don't feel pressured by a hard sales push that makes you feel like if you don't act fast to work with them, you'll be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Listening to your gut and doing a little extra research upfront will always be the better choice over stress, anxiety, and broken dreams later down the line.
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