Modeling Agency News: American Modeling Industry Headlines

"A talent agency with a record of complaints on the Mainland is starting to generate similar outrage among Hawaii consumers. Concerns have been raised about the large enrollment fee and business practices of Trans Continental Talent Inc. that recently started operating locally under the name of Wilhelmina Scouting Network.... Dowd said the Florida attorney general's office hasn't ruled out a possible criminal investigation of Wilhelmina Scouting or its affiliated companies, but she would not provide further details. "We have some concerns that run deeper than the consumer protection issues that we've begun pursuing," she said."¹

1. Sean Hao, "Talent agency's tactics under fire," Honolulu Advertiser, May 21, 2003.

Controversial model scouting company opens in Greensboro

"Be on the look out for people saying you could be a model. A controversial talent scouting company has opened an office here. WFMY News2’s Lechelle Yates explores this company's technique for making your face famous in this 2 Wants to Know Consumer Alert. Chris Bullard thinks he has the look. So he went to an open casting call for models at the Greensboro office of Trans Continental Talent / Wilhelmina Scouting Network."¹

1. "Controversial model scouting company opens in Greensboro," WFMY News-2, May 21, 2003.

Recruiters take pitch to local schools

"Just how high is the price of fame? Recently in an exclusive NewsChannel 5 investigation, we went undercover to show you what the Wilhelmina Scouting Network is doing to convince people they can be a star. Now, we've found the company has even been going after students while they're in school. NewsChannel 5 investigative reporter Jennifer Kraus talked with students and their principal who say they've learned a valuable lesson."¹

1. Jennifer Kraus, "Recruiters take pitch to local schools," WTVF-5 Nashville, May 8, 2003.

Company makes questionable claims

"A Wilhelmina commercial boasts, "We've found talent that's graced the pages of the world's leading magazines including Vogue and Cosmo. And our actors have appeared in many major movies." Here's how it works: You pay them a thousand bucks and they put your picture, any picture on their website. And Wilhelmina claims plenty of its clients are getting discovered this way. Marcela Gomez signed up her son, Este because she says, "You think, wow, we have a chance." He was on the web site for a year. And how many jobs did he get during that year? Gomez says, "None." Yet, Wilhelmina prominently features Este on its web site as one of the company's "Success Stories." Gomez wonders, "For what? They didn't do anything for us."¹

"On its Nashville "Success Stories" site, Wilhelmina shows off pictures of several who they say got modeling jobs. But not the kind of modeling job you're probably envisioning. What these "Success Stories" did was pass out baked bean samples at Fan Fair. Terrance Hurd, owner of the Hurd Agency, a local talent agency, says, "I've never had anyone come to me and say I want to go stand outside and pass out stuff, you know."²

"And when we sent our undercover camera in, we heard Wilhelmina claim to have ties to one of the fashion world's most recognized faces. The recruiter announced at the casting session, "How many of you have heard of Cindy Crawford? Famous supermodel. Works with us all the time." But Crawford's agent, manager and publicist all tell NewsChannel 5 that Crawford has never had anything to do with the Wilhelmina Scouting Network."³

"deep within the company's own annual report, NewsChannel 5 discovered that three key consultants have been convicted of fraud and two others have faced court orders for supposedly misleading aspiring models in another talent-related business. The company though doesn't see that as a problem. Wilhelmina spokeswoman Michele Presley who works out of the company's corporate office in Orlando told us: "Nobody working here, of the 625 employees, nobody, not these gentlemen, not anybody else has ever been accused of any wrongdoing in association with this company."⁴

1. Jennifer Kraus, "Company makes questionable claims," WTVF-5 Nashville, May 1, 2003.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.

Complaints Spark Probe Into Local Talent Agency

"Local talent scouts often approach well-dressed women, men and children at shopping malls and other places, Unit 5's Dave Savini reported, telling them they can be successful models or actors. "But hundreds of people complain they were sold on the dream--until they got the bill," Savini said."¹

"Savini's sources told him the scouting agency is run more like a telemarketing company, and more important than a person's measurements and appearance is whether or not they have a credit card number handy. "I basically realized that I was scamming people," a former TCT scout who worked in Miami told Savini. She and other Chicago TCT insiders told Savini they were ordered to scout for people who looked like they had money."²

"As of this morning, we have 465 complaints," Jackie Dowd, Asst. Florida Attorney General, told Savini."³

"The company also is affiliated with consultants with criminal histories," Savini reported. "Three of them--Dave Elliot, Alec Difrawny and Cortes Randall--have been convicted of fraud. Two others have been sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for unfair and deceptive acts with a modeling company." Michelle Presley, a TCT spokeswoman, told Savini that those crimes and lawsuits had nothing to do with the current company and said TCT has a good track record, claiming they have more than 145,000 customers who have not complained."⁴

1. "Complaints Spark Probe Into Local Talent Agency," NBC5 [Chicago], May 6, 2003.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.

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