HOW DO YOU KNOW IF AN OFFER IS LEGITIMATE? Total results: 27 Pages: 1 | 2 [ 2] |
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-10 19:07 I Recently received a job offer but am not sure how legitimate it
is....apparently there are ready to pay half of it before and the rest later so
there are asking for my personal details ....so they can send me a check.
this is my first job offer and i am excited and a bit desperate but i dont want
to do anything that i will regret later ! HELP |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-10 19:17 Hiya Presciosa and welcome to Jurgita! It's great to see yet another aspiring
YORKSHIRE talent here!
In response to your question here I guess you just have to act as cautiously as
you can, ask for the offer to be outlined in writing and perhaps read this
through with maybe family to ensure you know exactly what you are getting
yourself into!
I think often we learn by our mistakes in life and learn to view everything with
suspision perhaps doing that from the outset is the wisest way for you! Yes, it
does take the sparkle off things a little, but when all the i's are dotted and
you know it's legit then you can enjoy the offer!
If you need to chat more about it please add more detail or your concerns ok?
alternatively if you wish to keep it from view here and want a little more
advice please feel free to message me here and I will endeavour to help more!
Best wishes and much success from
MIKE! |
|---|
|
|---|
 ID: 182744 Posts: 1814 | Date: 2007-08-11 03:17 There are a few things you can do to protect yourself.
First: You don't need to give out private information to receive a check. Your
name and the same mailing address you would use for your regular business
dealings is all they need.
Second: Who is sending you the check? Does the company or person check out? What
references do they have? This is really important if the check is coming
international. A local check, if there is any funny business, can be detected
and traced almost immediately.
Third: If you deposit a check, do not touch the money until the bank has assured
you that the funds have cleared and are irreversible. If a check bounces and you
have withdrawn the money already, you have to pay the bank back yourself.
Remember, international checks can sometimes take up to two months to clear or
for the bank to know it is bogus.
Fourth: Do not accept a check to pay for plane fare or where
you have to give them a portion of the money from the check back to them to pay
for anything...particularly taxes or fees. This is a scam. The check will bounce
and whatever you mailed back to them, you lose because the bank takes it from
you.
Fifth: There are safer, more guaranteed ways to receive money. A certified check
is one way. Your bank gets immediate assurance from the other bank that the
check is good. Western Union or some other money transfer system that does not
require your personal information except your name to be required. When you pick
up the money, the sender gets a notification that you have the money. This way
the sender has proof against you if you fail to perform. So, it becomes fair for
both sides. Postal money orders can also be used and are guaranteed funds. Wire
transfers are the method I use when I have a non-agency model travel to me. When
using an agency, my fees are already paid in advance to your agency so you don't
have to worry.
Now...a 50% deposit up front to a model is not usually done unless the model is
being required to travel. Is this the case? If not, it is highly unusual to pay
a non-agency connected model in advance of a shoot.
Check your client out to protect yourself and DO NOT send any personal
information that can be used to scam you.
OK? 
Good luck Have faith that the universe will unfold as it should  |
|---|
|
|---|
 ID: 178685 Posts: 90 | Date: 2007-08-11 04:37 Hi Karl and Mike
Thanks for the good advice from both of you ~ its always good to know these
things as recently I have been offered to be in a fashion show in New York by a
jurgita member all expenses paid (allegedly) and will also pay me to go over.
Because I am only 15 in October and cannot go over unchaperoned my father will
be going with me.
They have said that they will pay for both of our airtickets and accomodation
and are even sorting out our visas and booking our airtickets for us at the
moment.
There's 20 models participating and it all sounds wonderful and Im pretty
excited to see NY. I just hope that I am not let down and disappointed if it
does turn out to be not what it seems. One can never be too cautious like Mike
says.
My dad has spoken to the person concerned over the phone so all we can do is
wait for notification that our visas and ticket are done.
Anyway will let you know if it is legitimate ~ the show is scheduled for 31st
August at Madison Square and I have to be there 1 week before. Will send photos
if it happens.
Good luck with your offer Presciosa and let us know how it all pans out !!
Courtney  |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 05:58 thank you so much for your responses, they have been very helpful as i was
completely in the dark about the whole thing.
And in response to your fourth question , i was asked to pay the fees for the
studio from the money that i would be given before completion of the job.
Having taken your suggestions into consideration i will take Precautionary steps
to make sure that the offer is legitimate!
thanks again so much for your help ( mike and Carib) |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 06:39 Mostly anything that u r asked to pay up some amount yet they r th ones supposed
to be paying u turns out to b a scam. If it all they were for real they would
simply deduct that amount from what they were intending to pay you. Hope u get
the point.
Am glad u didnt fall a victim to the scam
Courtney Congratulations, I hope it works out for you.
Carib n Mike nice input |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 08:45 Lucia M.:
Mostly anything that u r asked to pay up some amount yet they r th ones supposed
to be paying u turns out to b a scam. If it all they were for real they would
simply deduct that amount from what they were intending to pay you. Hope u get
the point.
Am glad u didnt fall a victim to the scam
Courtney Congratulations, I hope it works out for you.
Carib n Mike nice input
Thanx for the thumbs up Lucia! I would tend to agree with your comment above, if
something appears to be twisted around paying Studio Fees from your own pay-out
then intially this would appear suspect for me! I would definately like it
clarified and a NET AMOUNT to model stated!
I do hope both models here have found good genuine, opportunities. It's a mine
field out there!
I used age related models to what I do for the first time this year and clearly
stated to all that this was a first time for me, the agreement I had was that I
would send the samples out for them to do their own photo shots wearing them and
no payment involved they got to keep the samples and in addition I would use
their shots within that current seasons leaflets & my website with links to that
aspiring model! This way they got a first job to show on porfolio and I got some
nice current aspiring models photo'd wearing my pieces! We all win!
However, one of those people kept pestering my for an amount of money and still
is! They have stated very recently that their mother has ceased, which if true I
am very sorry to here, they still insist on me sending money to the mothers name
and account, it all seems very suspect to me and despite e-mails to clarify I
still do not get a clear answer and am only liasing with that young person, as a
consequence I had no alternative but to delete all of that persons photos!
So guys n gals I can sympathise with all concerns! Be careful and I wish you all
luck & fortune!
MIKE! |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 08:52 Karl Brilliant concise advice once again from you! |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 13:29 Presciosa L.:
I Recently received a job
offer but am not sure how legitimate it is.... There are a few danger signs
which are present in the majority of scams. The basic rule to apply is "If it
sounds too good to be true then it probably is."
Let's apply that:
Presciosa L.:
apparently there are ready
to pay half of it before and the rest later so there are asking for my personal
details ....so they can send me a check. That's danger signal number one.
The scam runs like this: They send you money, then you have to pay something
up-front. The problem arises because their cheque will not clear and then you
are left without that money, but you have already paid money (ostensibly for
some other part of the deal), so now they have some of your money and you have
none of theirs.
The infamous "Nigerian 419 scam" works that way.
Courtney L.:
I have been offered to be
in a fashion show in New York by a jurgita member all expenses paid (allegedly)
and will also pay me to go over. Because I am only 15 in October and cannot go
over unchaperoned my father will be going with me.
They have said that they will pay for both of our airtickets and accomodation
and are even sorting out our visas and booking our airtickets for us at the
moment. Without more information about it, this is a puzzling one. I mean,
why would they pay for you and your dad to fly to NY when there are plenty of
registered agency model available on the books of NY agencies for a fraction of
that cost?
I'm glad your dad's on the case of that one.
Presciosa L.:
I was asked to pay the
fees for the studio from the money that i would be given before completion of
the job. See my explanation of the 419 scam above.
Sorry to be the bearer of potentially bad news, but I'd rather you were aware of
the possible outcomes so you can't then be taken by surprise. And also you'll be
looking out for danger signals.
Put it another way, you'll be better placed to ask intelligent questions when a
real job does come along, but without having to make a potentially expensive
mistake of your own. |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-11 13:39 Hey Rick where have you been? it's been like a ghost town in forums the last day
or so!
With regard to Courtneys offer, that was my first thought, no disrespect to you
Courtney but financially and logistically why would they go to so much trouble
and expense! I hope Dad is clued up? |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 182744 Posts: 1814 | Date: 2007-08-11 15:02 Courtney L.:
Hi Karl and Mike
Thanks for the good advice from both of you ~ its always good to know these
things as recently I have been offered to be in a fashion show in New York by a
jurgita member all expenses paid (allegedly) and will also pay me to go over.
Because I am only 15 in October and cannot go over unchaperoned my father will
be going with me.
They have said that they will pay for both of our airtickets and accomodation
and are even sorting out our visas and booking our airtickets for us at the
moment.
There's 20 models participating and it all sounds wonderful and Im pretty
excited to see NY. I just hope that I am not let down and disappointed if it
does turn out to be not what it seems. One can never be too cautious like Mike
says.
My dad has spoken to the person concerned over the phone so all we can do is
wait for notification that our visas and ticket are done.
Anyway will let you know if it is legitimate ~ the show is scheduled for 31st
August at Madison Square and I have to be there 1 week before. Will send photos
if it happens.
Good luck with your offer Presciosa and let us know how it all pans out !!
Courtney
I know a bit about visas and, in particular, entertainment visas as I've both
promoted shows and hosted models from countries around the world.
First off, the United Kingdom is a visa waiver country. What this means is that
a citizen of the U.K. can travel to the United States simply by showing a
passport...no visa is required.
Incidentally, the closest point between the U.K. and the U.S. is less than a
mile. That would be here in the Caribbean where the U.S. owned island of St.
John, Virgin Islands is less than a mile away from the island of Tortola,
British Virgin Islands. Here, we travel back and forth between the U.S. and U.K.
by boat and most times only show a drivers license.
If you are going to work in the United States, U.K. citizens
are required to have the appropriate visa...with certain
exemptions. For instance, if I were to bring you to the Virgin Islands for a
show or to model, you would not be required to have an
entertainment visa because I have a licensed business in the U.K. in Tortola.
You would be traveling as my employee and your funds would be paid in the U.K.
by my U.K. company. Thus you would do no business in the U.S., just take
pictures or strut on stage.
But, most people don't have that. To be paid for the fashion show, you need a
type of entertainment visa. There is a subcategory of entertainment visas
specifically for models. Unfortunately, the quota for issuing these visas is
full through the end of 2008. Very specific exceptions can be made to allow
entertainers into the country above the quota limit, but those exceptions
usually are only given for superstars.
There are a couple more complications in getting an entertainment visa:
1) A bond has to be paid by the company or individual hosting you to insure that
you leave the country before your visa waiver is up (six to nine months is the
length of time you can stay in the U.S. on visa waiver). This bond is anywhere
from $10,000 to $100,000. I haven't seen a bond as low as $10,000 since 9/11.
2) The company hosting you has to be licensed and verified by
the Department of Customs and Immigrations and Homeland Security. This is a
tedious process involving lots of paperwork.
3) The model being brought in has to prove to the U.S. through past work that
he/she is a professional model and of such a caliber (i.e. fame or crowd drawing
power [demand]) that the show or event would be significantly impacted by the
absence of that model. Typically, an entertainment visa will not be issued for
an amateur model. Some exceptions to that are if it is for a traveling show or
worldwide competition like the Miss Universe Pageant and Ebony Fashion Fair, for
example.
4) The visa is two-sided. The U.K. has to certify you and issue a companion visa
on your end. All of the visa processing cannot occur on the U.S. side or be done
by you host. You have to appear before a certifying officer in the U.K. and be
sworn.
This isn't to say that models do not frequently come to the U.S. from the U.K.
and other countries to perform. They just are not strictly following the letter
of the law and are abusing the visa waiver program. This happens so often it
isn't funny. I, personally, advise against using the visa waiver to enter the
U.S. for something as prominent as a fashion show using international models.
Getting caught gets you deported and black listed from entering the U.S. for a
long time plus you can risk jail time and hefty fines in both countries.
Make certain the individual you are dealing with in New York has experience in
dealing with customs and immigrations matters. You did not say when you were
contacted about the shoot. By my experience, three to six months notice is
required to try and get papers in order.
Good luck and I wish you well!
(BTW...how long you gonna be in New York? Concept art has been market tested and
things are almost in place for the U.K. shoot I discussed with you earlier.) Have faith that the universe will unfold as it should |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 182744 Posts: 1814 | Date: 2007-08-11 14:59 Presciosa L.:
thank you so much for your responses, they have been very helpful as i was
completely in the dark about the whole thing.
And in response to your fourth question , i was asked to pay the fees for the
studio from the money that i would be given before completion of the job.
Having taken your suggestions into consideration i will take Precautionary steps
to make sure that the offer is legitimate!
thanks again so much for your help ( mike and Carib)
Thanks for the
!
Any time!
Now...my very strong advice DO NOT pay the studio fee from any
money sent to you! First and foremost, even if this deal is legitimate, that is
potentially tax fraud on your part if you do not handle the
money correctly. You are supposed to pay taxes on any income you earn. If a
check is written to you, that entire check is subject to taxation. (There are
ways around that but unless you know your tax structure well or can afford an
accountant, it is not worth the risk.) Once that check is cashed, you own the
tax liability on the whole amount. Say your check is for $1000 and the studio
requires $500. You pay taxes on the $1000 and then later the studio pays taxes
on their $500 earned. Unless you have a business license or, during the course
of the year accrue significantly more expenses that you can write off, you would
not be able to deduct and earn a return on the taxes paid on that $1000.
Second, if the check is bogus and you cash it and give the studio the money,
what obligation is the studio under to refund you the money when the bank
demands you repay it? Also not worth your reputation to set up a deal with a
studio and then cancel.
An experienced or legit company will deal directly with the studio. If the
company is not familiar with studios in your immediate area, the company might
ask you to recommend several studios to them. That's all you
do! Recommend. Let the people who are hiring you deal with the studio directly.
The studio likely will have more experience dealing with remote reservations and
also have on hand more investigative resources than you do.
Get back in touch with your sponsor and tell them to make the studio
arrangements and studio payments directly with the studio, not with you.
(Another very good reason for this is suppose you get a quote from the studio.
Maybe you don't describe everything in full to the studio or they don;t explain
all of their charges properly to you. Suppose the tog uses more or the studio's
equipment or time than anticipated. If you are the one who handed over the cash
for the studio and signed papers, you are the one the studio will bill for any
additional charges. And when you try and get reimbursed, your sponsor will
rightly say, look...you told us this price and that is what we budgeted. Also,
what are the liability issues? You book the studio and you are
the person of record who is liable for any damages to the studio during the
shoot. NO. Much simpler to let your sponsor negotiate directly with the
studio.
- - - - - - - - - - -- -
I should note one other thing which may or may not be related: With the
exception of cheese cake glamour shoots, most shoots take time to plan out. When
I same time, I mean months. Commercial and advertising shooting for more than
local publication goes through a substantial web of processes between the time a
model is initially solicited and when market research, concept, concept
drawings, concept vetting and testing and more are complete before a model
actually gets into the studio. This is a lot of the type of shooting that I do.
An idea is formed, based on demographic response to certain model types, a
groups of models will be selected from portfolio or casting call for review. The
models who make the cut in the judgment on the reviewers are contacted and made
offers. If the offers are accepted, those faces go to art and public testing.
Art is amended and retested. When final story boards are done based on what
research says will have the best public response, then the model can pose for
the shots. I say this to point out that if someone tells you they want you for
an antiperspirant ad and wants you in the studio ASAP, take a second look. Yes,
it could be legit, but a little research into the product for a product shoot
can tell you whether or not something is on the up and up.
For instance...U.K. Indulgence does is lovely jewelry sets. He is not big
business and as yet isn't targeting huge distribution. He can call and say let's
do shoots tomorrow and you know it is fine since he operates in a
low-competition market niche that doesn't require huge advance prep to guarantee
sales. But someone says they need you to model for Timex Watches and wants you
in the studio tomorrow, here's your advance. Doesn't happen,
people! These may be two extreme examples from opposite sides of the
spectrum, but I think you get the picture. Most real life encounters will be
somewhere in between. Have faith that the universe will unfold as it should |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-12 06:00 wow! after having read all that i feel like i have just had a crash course on
scams and how to avoid them...this information has proved very valuable and will
definately help with future decisions although for now i will have to deal with
the disappointment....but as Rick said i 'll be better placed to ask intelligent
questions when a real job does come along!
thanks a lot Rick, karl and Mike  |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-12 21:24 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF AN OFFER IS LEGITIMATE?
Ok a slight change of direction here, but still relating to the topic theme and
more particularly to all Jurgita members!
Has anyone here been e-mailled by people representing TOOSPOILED.COM?
It seems a couple of aspiring actresses that I know of were overjoyed to receive
e-mails from different people representing that place, who said they were
scouts! Aparently they are all scouts, hundreds of them and they all offer the
aspiring youngsters their scout code so that they can access the site!
This makes the individual thing that they have been scouted and the code is
special to them only, NOT THE CASE! iti s purely a recruitment to get more
members for their site!
Not a crime, but not good ethics I think, I had to explain to two eastern
European girls, who initially wanted to tell me the GREAT NEWS, but were then so
disappointed that it was only that!
I noted at another site 6 members that were enrolled as Scouts for this place,
hey you just register as a Scout I guess! here I have noted similar, so please
if someone approaches you as a SO CALLED SCOUT from TOOSPOILED.COM, please just
be aware that they are just an agent adding people to a talent site!
Oh and if anyone under the banner of that operation would like to state
differently and state their qualifications as a Scout then I would be happy to
hear from you right here!
It is not a scam, but it prays on the aspirations of the young and hopeful,
giving false hope by calling yourselves SCOUTS!
Best wishes from
MIKE! |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 178685 Posts: 90 | Date: 2007-08-13 14:54 Hi again Mike, Karl and Rick !!
Phew lots to take in especially from Karl. Sorry Karl but I failed to mention
that my father and I have South African passports (my mother is the only British
one in the family) hence my father and I both have UK settlement visas in our
passports and can only apply for UK citizenship next year but thanks for filling
me in on all the other visa types which pertain to this industry...mind
boggling. Does that fact that we have SA passports change things slightly Karl??
IF (big IF..my mom believes that this is such a scam but my dad and I are hoping
its not) all goes through, we will be leaving for US on 21st August with the
actual fashion show scheduled for the 31st August. If this falls in with your
dates then let me know and we can most certainly plan further Karl.
Yes Rick and Mike it does seem weird that they are prepared to pay for my dad
and I when there are so many cheaper options by using the local models. Like I
say its all unfolding and I will certainly keep you all updated as I think its
good to sieve out these scammers (if they are) by keeping everybody in the
know.
Lets see what happens next and I'll update in this forum as I know.
Thanks for all your care and interest in us gullible young, aspiring
models...and oh yes Rick my dad is VERY clued up when it comes to things like
this and very much a straight talker so I wont have any problems there.
Will be back with the latest!!  |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-13 20:39 I'm sure with you dads help it will all go brilliant Courtney! I wish that for
you very much, we are just over cautious friends here.
Please don't say helping us gullible young aspiring models, it is not so much
gullability (Is that a word? or something that a gull can do lol) it is life
experiences and the wish to pass that on so that you and others do not have to
experience the wrongs in this world!
wishing you great success and yes please keep us all up-dated!
MIKE! |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 178685 Posts: 90 | Date: 2007-08-24 15:48 Hi everyone and NO New York never happened afterall.
After I finished with my last post in this forum these people came back to me
and said that the show in Madison Square has had to be postponed due to them
having problems with all the models' visas and would be a week later. My first
reaction was how can such a show at Madison Square be moved by a week so easily
when Im sure they must take such preparation and at the last minute?? Anyway, to
cut a long story short, they have now come back to me and GUESS WHAT
>>>??? Yes you guessed it Karl (and Mike, Rick) dah dah dah
dahhhhhh...everything is ready to go, the airtickets, the hotel accomodation and
the visas BUT they want me to make them a payment of £ 300 into their bank
account by tomorrow otherwise nothing happens...ha ha ha you can put your
crystal ball away now Karl !!
Anyway I had to let you all know that they were a scam and here is who they
are..look under John Jasi also known as 'Bytesize' in jurgita ID No 202461.
Sorry John if you are reading this, I really didnt and so hoped it wouldnt come
to this but you have disappointed me and probably many other aspiring hopefuls
and it is really so cruel. Sorry it had to end this way but I also have to let
my fellow models and friends know about you.
Hope you have learnt by what you have done and know that jurgita is always one
step ahead.
Thanks to Karl, Mike and Rick for your great advice and hopefully we can all
learn another lesson in life and turn another chapter.
Bye for now |
|---|
|
|---|
| Date: 2007-08-24 16:25 Oh god Courtney I'm so so sorry for you.
You can see by your responses here that we all really hoped it would
turn out to be ligit,
despite the words of caution!
It is a pity that you had to go through all that and as you say, they falsely
got your hopes up.
Another Chapter in life true, well you show great character, maturity
and a positive attitude in the way you have written the above posting, I admire
you Courtney. I am certain that the other members here will also voice
that same respect for you!
Best wishes to you from
MIKE. |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 182744 Posts: 1814 | Date: 2007-08-25 02:22 Aww, Courtney. So sorry it didn't pan out.  However, I agree with U.K. regarding your bounce back,
no-one-gets-me-down attitude. You deserve A-1 points for class! You've
risen a notch in my score book for your professionalism and lady-like manner.
You are right about Madison Square Gardens. Shows do not move a
week. That place is so booked, it isn't funny. Plus there is a
sizable deposit to rent the place which is rarely refundable - especially over
something like visa issues. Whew...the logistics involved in postponing a show!
And the monetary losses! New promotional, tickets, contracts with vendors,
security, rearranging insurance, hotel bookings, customer refunds, support
staff, etc., etc., etc. The show biz saying is: The Show Must Go
On!" You always have contingencies and back-ups for no-shows. Visa
problems...you go find local talent...quick. But, the show must go on!
Interesting...his area code is a non-existent area code. Hmmm. And his address
is not written like a U.S. address should be. Bit of trouble with it. No New
Queens Road, but 112 Queens Road sits his office squat in the middle of a
T-intersection. Might be time to have the Jurgita Police look into this one. Have faith that the universe will unfold as it should |
|---|
|
|---|
ID: 182744 Posts: 1814 | Date: 2007-08-25 02:51 Sorry for posting again so soon, but I realized I did not answer an earlier
question of Courtney's.
No, Courtney, South Africa is not a visa waiver country. The
practice of apartheid left a bitter taste in U.S. mouths even after the
abolishing of the practice. It is just too recent in the memories of a lot of
people. It might be unfair to someone like you who is too young to have had a
say in those policies, but the after effects of apartheid still effect
diplomatic negotiations to this day.
Visa waiver countries are: Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
New Zealand
Monaco
Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
The Netherlands
Switzerland
United Kingdom
As a point of clarification...as I mentioned in a previous post you
can travel on a visa-waiver for business
purposes. If you are licensed, you can travel to the U.S. citing business
purposes but you must document your business activities and pay
any tax consequences. Just one more reason why it makes sense for a model to be
all proper and legal and register for a business or professional license.
Your mom being a U.K. citizen and you being under 18, you should be able to
visa-waiver under the umbrella of her passport. I'll double check that on Monday
with Immigration but I am pretty certain I have known minors to travel that way
within the Caribbean. Have faith that the universe will unfold as it should |
|---|
Announcement |
|---|
| From now on 50 activity points will turn into 1 credit, so you may earn credits as easy as never before !!!
All models and photographers are able to moderate photos! We will save a lot of time for moderators this way. Please read the short instruction on how to moderate and earn points very quickly.
Also, models and photographers can moderate part of the profiles as well! This is a fast way to earn some action points and credits! |
|---|
Total results: 27 Pages: 1 | 2 [ 2] |
Jurgita forum 
