Crimes of Persuasion

Schemes, scams, frauds.



Dior Models (www.diormodels.com) Irvine, California by Dan Joseph

May 7, 2005

[Last Updated: September 29, 2005 ]

Dior Models, at the time of writing, does not have a California talent agency license:

http://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/dlselr/Talag.html

The Dior Models name and advertising could mislead the public to conclude they are a modeling or talent agency--they claim to have, for example, a "New Faces Division" (newfaces@diormodels.com)--but don't assume they are a modeling agency unless they can produce a California talent agency license. It is illegal for a talent agency to book jobs in California without a talent agency license (Labor Code 1700). Contact the DLSE for more info.

Generally speaking, model/talent companies that are not talent agents, are very limited in what they can do and have done for models/talent. Most take a lot of money and make little if any for you.

Diormodels.com, and a Dior Models press release, both stressed socalled exposure, not getting models jobs:

"This focus on maximum exposure ensures that Dior Models remains a premier showcase for models, actors, singers and other talented individuals in the entertainment industry. Most importantly, Dior Models prides itself on offering the best exposure and advice to all its talent by nurturing and guiding them throughout their careers."

Dior Models claims it gets a huge amount of website traffic to its website, www.diormodels.com--"With millions of unique visitors each year, Dior Models is one of the world's most recognized portfolio web sites"--yet how is that possible if their website isn't even a year old? The whois record:

Domain Name.......... diormodels.com
Creation Date........ 2005-01-16
Registration Date.... 2005-01-16
Expiry Date.......... 2010-01-16
Organisation Name.... Dan Joseph

Their website made the unsubstantiated, obviously exaggerated or fraudulent claim: "Dior Models is the world's premier on-line portfolio for the world's most talented Models, actors and actresses, singers, songwriters and more." This may be true off in Europe, where Dior Models is theoretically based, but it's not true in America. Models.com and OneModelPlace.com are the leading exposure websites--and just about everybody who isn't a new model online already knows this.

Another unsubstantiated, highly questionable claim: "Recognized as the undisputed authority in the online entertainment-marketing consulting and scouting field... at Dior Models we believe ..." Recognized? By whom? Their very brief list of comments from clients/whomever had no comments by anyone famous or well known from any agency that is famous or well known. "Undisputed authority"? Can they back that up with anything? They haven't. Why not?

It sounds a lot like Wilhelmina Scouting Network, the infamous internet-based advertising space, which had "scouts" roaming the streets, more than a talent agent, especially with its way of recruiting socalled scouts. Curiously absent in the list of qualifications for their socalled scouts was background as a talent agent. (This was also true of WSN.)

It looks as if their scouts are not legitimate scouts but salesmen and women, based on the required qualifications: "Experience in the areas of sales, marketing, public relations, or public speaking is a plus. There is no direct selling at all." (Prospective WSN scouts were also told "no direct selling at all.")

Wilhelmina Scouting Network claimed it was the world's leading scouting company. Dior Models claims it is "the world’s premier scouting company." There are just too many similarities between the way these companies operate and advertise not to see red flags. There are so many wild, unsubstantiated claims.

Models are advised to be very cautious, particularly if they are trying to sell anything, especially online portfolio advertising. One tip question that should always be asked about modeling companies/websites and advertising in evaluating their legitimacy, absent supporting evidence, is: "How easy would it be to fake it?" (And: "How much/little effort/risk was expended to create their advertising/claims?")