I've recently become aware that my website, http://www.selizabethphoto.com is linked on talent6.com
After doing some digging I found out they have ripped my casting calls on craigslist onto their website without my knowledge or consent.
Please do not register or pay talent6.com for their casting services, they are a fraudulent website.
Have a good evening and safe browsing everyone!
Showing posts with label scam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scam. Show all posts
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
scam watch
Since putting myself out there as a photographer and as a model I've been running into increasing numbers of scams and just general shady people. There's one in particular that I want to bring to light, so I'm writing this in hopes that in the future when people google search the "company" this entry will come up.
A month or so ago someone I know tipped me off to a listing on craigs list looking for fashion photographers in the portland area. I responded saying I was interested, and heard back from someone with the email @fpi4models.com telling me they liked my work and asking if I would be availbe that tuesday or wednesday. I emailed back say I should be, just need to know the location and time of the shoot. I googled the company "fpi4models" (fashion photography international 4 models) and got one hit back from a model wondering if they were for real, as well as their website.
So I went on their website... they're "efolio" is full of work that I'm quite sure is stolen. It's poorly laid out, the copyright notices on the images are partially cut-off, they have no contact info. To top it off the address at the bottom of the website says they're based in New York, but when I did a whois.net look-up for their domain it's registered to someone in North Carolina. WTF?
whois.net domain information for http://www.fpi4models.com
Basically this what I think happens. They find hotographers to "hire"... then they put out castings for models. The models reply to the castings and are told "we like your look but you need a better portfolio, here is a list of photographers to contact. Get a quote from them and we'll pay for half"
So the models are given a list of photographers to contact. Model pays anywhere from $100 to $1300 to "build their portfolio". Now, fpi4models is paying half this bill, but I think in reality they're just having that money funneled back into their pocket through the photographers that they rope into this. Then the model ends up with a shitty portfolio, and never hears from this place again.
I never heard back from them, but just tonight got an email from marilynwunder@fashionphotosinc.com about some FABULOUS new way to make money with your photos. I googled fashionphotosinc.com and to my complete unsuprise their website http://www.fashionphotosinc.com/ has the same content as fpi4models.com
whois.net domain information for http://www.fashionphotosinc.com
You'll notice that both websites are owned by a man named Clifton Roberts. He also appears to be connected to musicvideomodel.net, a website which also produces hits on google of models wondering if it's a scam agency. Whois look-up of that website shows it's registered by someone named Murvin Headen, but is also located out of North Carolina.
So, if you're contacted by any of these agencies or see them listing castings, my advice would be to stay away! From the shadiness of this whole mess I'd say it's not worth your time.
A month or so ago someone I know tipped me off to a listing on craigs list looking for fashion photographers in the portland area. I responded saying I was interested, and heard back from someone with the email @fpi4models.com telling me they liked my work and asking if I would be availbe that tuesday or wednesday. I emailed back say I should be, just need to know the location and time of the shoot. I googled the company "fpi4models" (fashion photography international 4 models) and got one hit back from a model wondering if they were for real, as well as their website.
So I went on their website... they're "efolio" is full of work that I'm quite sure is stolen. It's poorly laid out, the copyright notices on the images are partially cut-off, they have no contact info. To top it off the address at the bottom of the website says they're based in New York, but when I did a whois.net look-up for their domain it's registered to someone in North Carolina. WTF?
whois.net domain information for http://www.fpi4models.com
domain: fpi4models.com
created: 26-Aug-2008
last-changed: 26-Aug-2008
registration-expiration: 26-Aug-2009
nserver: ns57.1and1.com 74.208.2.9
nserver: ns58.1and1.com 74.208.3.8
status: CLIENT-TRANSFER-PROHIBITED
registrant-firstname: Clifton
registrant-lastname: Roberts
registrant-organization: Fashion Photography International
registrant-street1: 534 William Hooper Cir
registrant-pcode: 27278
registrant-state: NC
registrant-city: Hillsborough
registrant-ccode: US
registrant-phone: +1.9192593935
registrant-email: cliftonleeroberts@gmail.com
Basically this what I think happens. They find hotographers to "hire"... then they put out castings for models. The models reply to the castings and are told "we like your look but you need a better portfolio, here is a list of photographers to contact. Get a quote from them and we'll pay for half"
So the models are given a list of photographers to contact. Model pays anywhere from $100 to $1300 to "build their portfolio". Now, fpi4models is paying half this bill, but I think in reality they're just having that money funneled back into their pocket through the photographers that they rope into this. Then the model ends up with a shitty portfolio, and never hears from this place again.
I never heard back from them, but just tonight got an email from marilynwunder@fashionphotosinc.com about some FABULOUS new way to make money with your photos. I googled fashionphotosinc.com and to my complete unsuprise their website http://www.fashionphotosinc.com/ has the same content as fpi4models.com
whois.net domain information for http://www.fashionphotosinc.com
Domain Name.......... fashionphotosinc.com
Creation Date........ 2008-12-18
Registration Date.... 2008-12-18
Expiry Date.......... 2009-12-18
Organisation Name.... Lycos, Inc.
Organisation Address. 2421 Clay St SPC 23
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. Sacramento
Organisation Address. 95815
Organisation Address. CA
Organisation Address. UNITED STATES
Admin Name........... Clifton Roberts
Admin Address........ 2421 Clay St SPC 23
Admin Address........
Admin Address........ Sacramento
Admin Address........ 95815
Admin Address........ CA
Admin Address........ UNITED STATES
Admin Email.......... clifton.roberts@musicvideomodel.net
Admin Phone.......... 347-767-3302
Admin Fax............ +1.7814667060
You'll notice that both websites are owned by a man named Clifton Roberts. He also appears to be connected to musicvideomodel.net, a website which also produces hits on google of models wondering if it's a scam agency. Whois look-up of that website shows it's registered by someone named Murvin Headen, but is also located out of North Carolina.
So, if you're contacted by any of these agencies or see them listing castings, my advice would be to stay away! From the shadiness of this whole mess I'd say it's not worth your time.
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