Model Select International
Questions / Complaints
To Whom It May Concern:
I was so pleased to see your site. Finally, I will be able to hopefully help some other person to not fall for the scam I did.
My daughter is interested in modeling/acting. She heard about an "open call" to be held in Norfolk, VA, at the Radisson Hotel. She begged me to take her.
We had never been to such a thing —tons of people were there —all hoping for themselves or their children to "make the cut."
My daughter made all the "cuts." We were told to call to set up an appointment, which we did, and attended.
I put down a $199 deposit at that time, with signed paperwork saying I had three days to back out of the contract, with a full refund.
I did a little research of the kinds of pictures they take, realized I could take better pictures, and decided to follow their directions to get my monies refunded.
To date, and this was in October of last year, I can not get Model Select International, based in Charlotte, NC, to return my calls, and, more importantly, to refund my deposit. I followed all their rules.
I contacted the Better Business Bureau who told me that they had many such claims from people like myself. They investigated my claims, but they could not get Model Select International to respond to them.
They have since forwarded all such claims against Model Select International to the Attorney General's Office.
Please pass this on to your readers, in hopes that they do not have their hopes and dreams preyed upon by this company, as my daughter did.
K.B.
To Whom It May Concern:
I was scammed by Model Select International. They scammed me out of $1,000.
It was hard for me to get the money to pay them for the pictures and the workshops, but I was told that I was going to get a modeling job, and I was going to make lots of money.
Instead I lost $1,000 —and it put me in debt for months.
If you hear from Model Select International, please contact me, so that I will able to get all my money back.
S.P.
To Whom It May Concern:
I paid $1,000 to Model Select International for my five-year-old little girl.
I have contracts saying that they were going to find a job for my daughter. All I had to do was get her pictures taken.
She was all excited...
When I didn't hear from them, I tried calling, but couldn't get a hold of anyone.
I finally called the photographer, and he told me that they went out of business.
They never sent me a letter or anything.
I contacted the BBB and they said that they couldn't do anything, because they couldn't get a hold of anyone.
I'm out $1,000 and my daughter didn't get anything out of it.
I think it's wrong what they did to everyone, and I hope that somebody finds a way to make them pay for taking all of this money from these people.
D.L.
ModelSelectInt.com
WHOIS Search Results
Registrant:
Model Select International (MODELSELECTINT-DOM)
4919 Albemarle Rd #203
Charlotte, NC 28205
US
Domain Name: MODELSELECTINT.COM
Administrative Contact:
Hronick, Rick (RH9215)
rorylewis@PRODIGY.COM
Model Select International
4919 Albemarle Rd #203
Charlotte,, NC 28205
704-536-7760
Technical Contact:
Staff, WebServe Technical (WTS7)
dns@MERCURY.WEBSERVE.NET
WebServe, Inc.
9735-A North Cross Center Cour
Huntersville, NC 28078
US
704-655-7580 704-655-7601
Record expires on 20-Jul-2003.
Record created on 20-Jul-1998.
Database last updated on 8-Sep-2002 20:02:20 EDT.
Domain servers in listed order:
GONZO.WEBSERVE.NET 206.96.226.1
CHARLIE.WEBSERVE.NET 206.96.226.6
Dear Sir/Madam,
Yesterday I received an email from someone who reported she paid $1,000 to Model Select International, a business which was based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and she feels she is the victim of a modeling scam.
I run a website called Modeling Scams, which allows consumers to report fraud, make complaints, and ask questions. There are more than 100 letters about different modeling businesses posted on the website. The latest letter about Model Select International was posted here.
The woman said in her letter: "I contacted the BBB and they said that they couldn't do anything, because they couldn't get a hold of anyone."
But the Business North Carolina website reported the Attorney General of North Carolina sued Model Select International: "In late May, the attorney general’s office filed a complaint in Wake County Superior Court against Model Select and its co-owners, Rhea Lawson and Richard Hronik."
Were the defendants prosecuted by the State of North Carolina? What was the outcome of the lawsuit? Can consumers follow the lead of the Attorney General and file a suit in a Small Claims Court to get their money back? Have any consumers already done this?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
September 12, 2002
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper sued Model Select International on May 23, 2002. The case is still under litigation.
P.J.
Consumer Protection Specialist
CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION
(Office of the Attorney General North Carolina)
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing in regard to the news article on your website from June 2002. The model agency is "Model Select International" out of North Carolina, owner Richard Hronik.
Thought I'd give you an update on this company.
Mr. Hronik moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and operated his scam under the name "Model Select International" for a while; then changed the name to "LaBella Reve Model Management."
They racked up quite a little bit of debt and people started to discover that they were operating a bogus operation. Their employees quit and they were out of money.
So now they're operating their business in Des Moines, Iowa, under the name "Lauren Ashley," and the name is not under Rick Hronik's name anymore; rather, his fiancé, Joy.
I'm sorry, but I cannot give you my name or even tell you how I know this information. You should be able to look this info up yourself to verify. I thought you'd be interested.
Model Select International News Reports
Model Select International Letters Index
