SeventeenModels.com
Questions / Complaints
To Whom It May Concern:
My daughter sent in photographs to SeventeenModels.com
for the International Model Search.
She was contacted by mail shortly after. We were asked
to travel to Las Vegas, at our expense, and pay an additional
$595 for two photographers and a make-up artist.
The other web address I have is thefashionpages.com,
and the phone number 1-314-846-4598.
This would be something that we would like to do, if
this is a legitimate agency.
Your help would be appreciated.
Thank you,
D.W.
D.,
What is it? It doesn't look like a modeling agency.
The whole thing looks more like a photographer posing
as a modeling agency.
The common modeling photography scams pretend they are
modeling agencies, so you pay them money for photos,
but they don't get you modeling work.
The first web address you provided, seventeenmodels.com,
looks like a website, not a business, and definitely
not a modeling agency.
- SeventeenModels.com features seventeen models from
the U.S., Canada, and around the world —selected
from your votes and photos. Go shopping with them,
get to know them, follow their careers and leave messages
on our forum.
They claimed: "Top 17 Model Receives Major Modeling
Contract," but they did not say which modeling agency.
Do you find that strange? Ask them for the name of the
agency and call the agency to confirm they are not lying.
Even if it is true, that would only be one success story,
which is not a lot to go on. What is their success rate?
If 1,000 aspiring models sent their picture to the website,
and only one got a contract, the success rate would be
0.1%.
You mentioned you were asked to travel to Las Vegas.
The website promoted a vacation in Las Vegas: "Take
a fashion vacation with SeventeenModels.com."
The second website address you provided, The Fashion
Pages, thefashionpages.com, described itself as providing
a "viable alternative to modeling schools, talent
conventions, etc."
Then it was "Welcome to The Fashion Pages —where
our first priority is to provide straight answers..."
So where exactly are the "straight answers?"
The text read:
- You don't need to go to a school to become a model,
there are alternatives to attending talent conventions —and
it doesn't have to cost anything just to be seen by
a scout or an agent. A true professional can tell a
lot from a snapshot. Further 'testing' is recommended
only if you already have an agent, or you are likely
to have one in the near future.
What is their point?
The website had four sections: the Locations, the Studios,
the Work, and Men's Page.
The Work page showed pictures of different women and
underneath it said: "Subjects have included: Christy
Turlington, Bridget Hall, Elle Macpherson, Daniella Pestova,
Anna Nicole Smith, Kate Moss, Hunter Reno, Nikki Taylor,
Rebecca Romijn Stamos, Tyra Banks, Ingrid Seynhaeve,
Heather Locklear, Jenny McCarthy, Jacqueline Smith, Jaime
Pressly and Beiron Anderssen."
All it looks like is the portfolio of a photographer
or makeup artist. Not a modeling agency.
You concluded your letter saying you wanted to get involved
if it is a "legitimate agency."
They do not claim to be an agency. They do not look
like an agency. So I think it would be safe to conclude
they are not a "legitimate agency," but you
could write to them and ask exactly what they are, and
see if you get a "straight answer."
If they are a modeling agency with a good reputation
they will be listed in the Better Business Bureau.
https://www.bbb.org/
Dear Modeling Scams,
Why does your reply/portrayal of seventeenmodels.com
and the Fashion Pages have such a negative spin?
Seventeen Models is primarily a shopping portal and "we
are not an agency" notices are at the bottom of
each and every page.
And the parent that wrote in to you was asking a couple
of questions about an annual trip to Las Vegas, not something
that either company does every day.
Both websites are very clear about what they do, neither
company has ever claimed to be an agency, they are staffed
by very nice and caring people and both companies have
an excellent reputation.
Heather B.
Official Spokesperson
Heather B.,
You claimed the response to the question from a visitor
put "such a negative spin" on your website.
How is this claim not "spin"?
Your subject line referred to the post as "journalism." That
is obviously your attempt to spin the issue. Since when
is an internet forum post called "journalism"?
You are now saying there is a disclaimer on your website.
The question by the visitor was asked months ago, when
it was not clear either to her or me that your website
was not claiming to be or acting like an agency.
When did you add the disclaimer? Even the text at the
time of writing now is extremely small and barely legible
fine print.
There is a disclaimer on this website which says the
accuracy of information is not guaranteed because other
websites are subject to change without notice.
The person who wrote was under the impression you are
an agency. She said: "This would be something that
we would like to do, if this is a legitimate agency."
If you had made it clear your website was not an agency,
she would not have asked the question, and your website
would not be mentioned on this website.
You said: "Seventeen Models is primarily a shopping
portal." Why is your web address say nothing about
shopping and looks like the web address of an agency?
Most agency websites include "models.com." How
is it not misleading?
Your website address looks like an agency address. The
parent said you have an "International Model Search." Agencies
also have international model searches. At the top of
your home page at the time of writing there is a graphic
that says "Open Call." Agencies obviously have
open calls.
You said: "And the parent that wrote in to you
was asking a couple of questions about an annual trip
to Las Vegas, not something that either company does
every day."
What's your point? It's irrelevant if the annual trip
is "not something either company does every day." The
parent asked a question about the trip to Las Vegas.
Perhaps you would like to explain why the parent was
contacted to go to Las Vegas at her expense for a photo
shoot that would cost $595.
"We were asked to travel to Las Vegas, at our expense,
and pay an additional $595 for two photographers and
a make-up artist."
Are you selling professional photography services to
aspiring models BEFORE they are signed by a legitimate
agency?!!!
To Whom It May Concern:
I was just wondering about seventeenmodels.com.
I am going to get my picture put on their website. They
are like a modeling scout, and they will show my
pictures and comp card to the largest agencies
in New York, which they say they work with on a regular basis.
Is this something from which I will definitely
benefit?
I am already signed with two agencies here in MI. I
am going to NYC in February, and the lady I talked
to at seventeenmodels.com (over the phone) said I have
a lot of potential as a model, and I have a very marketable
look for NYC.
I know they are not an agency.
Please give me as much information as you can.
Thanks so much,
B.K.
B.,
Are there any costs associated with this? Did they say
which people they know? Does their website quote any
industry professionals?
There is a cost of $95 for them to put my pictures on
their website, because they are only a place for agencies
to scout.
The lady I talked to said that they personally show
some of the girls pictures to the agencies in person,
and she told me I was on the top "targets list."
They claim to have helped such models as Jamie Pressly.
They claim they will show the photos to the agencies
in NYC such as Wilhelmina, Elite, Ford, and Next.
They also have two other websites: www.thefashionpages.com & www.swimweardaily.com.
Go to thefashionpages.com and go to the bottom of the
page, click on the little blue camera, and the username
is model, password: xxx.
There they show all of the people who have supposedly
been discovered through seventeenmodels.
Thanks again and hope to hear from you very soon.
B.K.
B.,
They should not charge you to have your pictures on
their website until you get work. It doesn't cost $95
to put your pictures on a website.
They've said a bunch of stuff which you cannot verify.
They want upfront fees. These are red flags.
You can go directly to Elite, Ford, etc. You don't need
to pay anyone or go to anyone else.
Anyone who is as good as they claim to be doesn't have
to charge upfront fees. They can make money after you
are discovered earning the scouting finder's fee!
Finally, you said, "I am going to NYC in February." If
you are going there, why would you want to use someone
else who wants your money? The agencies in New York have
free open calls.
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