Modeling Agency News: American Modeling Industry Headlines

"An Action 9 investigation has found mounting complaints against the Orlando model scouting company Fashion Rock. More than 80 consumers have filed complaints with the Florida Attorney General's Office and the Better Business Bureau combined."¹

"Action 9's Todd Ulrich spoke with one woman who recently attended a Fashion Rock competition and whose complaints sound very familiar. Hundreds of young people have packed the Orlando World Center Marriott for a Fashion Rock fest with stars in their eyes. Some felt they had been chosen to be there after passing a telephone audition. After she "made it," Letoi Glover paid $1,000 to attend the weekend competition. "Did you feel like you were selected for something?" Ulrich asks. "Yes, definitely," Letoi replies."²

"Premier charged her $500 to shoot comp cards that models use to get work. Premier is not a licensed talent agency. Owner Christine Harris says she's a talent scout who wanted to "help" Letoi. "You helped her by charging her $500 for comp cards," Ulrich tells her. "She didn't pay me $500. She paid a photographer," Harris replies. The photographer was Christine's husband and, while the comp cards were professional, that's not what Letoi was looking for when she paid $1,000 to compete at Fashion Rock."³

"At the event, Letoi Glover saw the names of big name record companies, but just on boxes used to collect audition CDs. "Universal or Columbia or Arista Records, and there would be no one sitting at the table, just the empty box full of everyone's hopes and dreams," Letoi says. We did confirm some top modeling agencies have attended like Storm Models of London and Saatchi and Saatchi Worldwide. Some contestants do sign talent contracts, yet so many have nothing to show for all the money they've spent."⁴

1. "More Complaints About Local Talent Scout Company," Action 9 News, WFTV Orlando, July 27, 2004.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.

Orlando Talent Competition Misleads Would-Be Models

"Can I ask you about the scripts you're using to sell the contests?" Todd Ulrich asks while confronting David Elliot, the same David Elliot we found running the sales room two years ago at Options Talent, a controversial model scouting company under state investigation for misleading sales tactics. "Why don't you talk to Elizabeth Neff? She had all the scripts and everything," he replies. It's also the same David Elliot who has a criminal past."¹

"The Office of the Attorney General is investigating Web Style Network, which shares a web site with Fashion Rock, for alleged misrepresentation. So, how do these would-be models and singers hear about Fashion Rock? The company runs ads for modeling jobs on the Internet, many times on Google, which is also misleading. Fashion Rock is not actually hiring anybody as models. The ads direct consumers to the contest web site. Letoi Glover had paid Fashion Rock $1,000 to compete, because there was an audition, and a selection and she made it. "It makes you feel like you are one of the cream of the crop, and everybody there is, too," she says."²

1. "Orlando Talent Competition Misleads Would-Be Models," Action 9 News, WFTV Orlando, May 19, 2004.
2. Ibid.

Winning isn't everything: Musician awaits long-promised album contract

"Fashion Rock LLC has a history of "the reality not matching the promises," said Jon Sorensen, director of marketing and public relations for the New York State Consumer Protection Board."¹

"The economic crimes division of Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist's office started investigating Fashion Rock in August 2002, said JoAnn Carrin, communications director."²

1. Christina Killion-Valdez, "Winning isn't everything: Musician awaits long-promised album contract," Post-Bulletin, Jan. 31, 2004.
2. Ibid.

Nationwide Fashion & Talent Competition Offers Prize 'Contracts' but No Work for Contest Winners

"The New York State Consumer Protection Board ("CPB") today issued a consumer alert against "Fashion Rock," a nationwide fashion and talent competition, because previous winners have not received the modeling and recording work advertised by this contest."¹

"Fashion Rock, which is held at least four times a year, has been luring thousands of young people to Florida by offering prize 'contracts' that will launch their careers in modeling, singing, acting and dancing," said CPB Chairperson and Executive Director Teresa A. Santiago. "But after six Fashion Rock competitions, contest winners say that there hasn't been a single record released--or even one fashion layout produced--from any of these so-called prize contracts." "Fashion Rock should stop pretending to be a competition like 'American Idol.' When winners are eventually paid--and some have not been paid at all--these so-called 'contracts' are simply cash prizes paid in monthly installments with no work provided to the winners," said Chairperson Santiago."²

1. "Nationwide Fashion & Talent Competition Offers Prize 'Contracts' but No Work for Contest Winners," New York State Consumer Protection Board, Apr. 19, 2004.
2. Ibid.

Pearlman laments Church St. standoff

"Fashion Rock charges aspiring models and entertainers to compete at events where they might be discovered. It is not part of the state investigation, said Attorney General spokeswoman JoAnn Carrin. But she said it has been the subject of 52 complaints from people who "didn't like what they got for their money."¹

1. Beth Kassab, "Pearlman laments Church St. standoff," Orlando Sentinel, May 10, 2004.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-locpearlman10051004may10,1,4292144.story

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