AN 8 MINUTE READ.
Many young, aspiring models, with dreams of entering the modelling industry, are susceptible to being taken advantage of by those who claim to be a “Modelling Agency”. They tell you that you’re “a natural” and that you’ll “get loads of work”, but this is the way that they entice, manipulate and eventually scam you. As an 18 year old, who was too naive to even think someone could be capable of something like this, I fell victim to this scam. Thankfully, I did not have any intentions to be a model so this situation did not discourage me, as I’m sure it has done for others; I was just getting into photography at the time so I saw this as an opportunity to learn about the industry and potentially network. I would have lost a total of £650 but after figuring out that it was a scam, I ended up only losing ~£300. I say only because I have seen articles about people who have lost thousands to these fake modelling agencies, so £300 doesn’t seem too bad (it still hurts though, lol.) So, here it is: the time I got scammed by a “modelling agency”. Oh, and, just a heads up, you’re going to be facepalming for most of this post. Enjoy!
The story starts in May 2017 when I received a DM on Twitter from someone called “Chantelle”, which I’m pretty sure was just an alias. Chantelle said they were a modelling scout for an agency called “Face Models UK” and asked me if I’d be interested in modelling. Looking at the message now, they didn’t even say “Hey, Jakira…” so it was probably a mass message and that should’ve screamed SCAM! to me – I’m very disappointed in myself. They told me to visit their website and that if I was interested, all I needed to do was fill out an application form and send a photo of myself. I decided to go ahead with it as I figured I had nothing to lose (joke’s on me because I really did; £300 to be exact!) I’m not sure why I asked for another website link (I think the website they gave me did not have any of their “models” on there, which is what I was looking for) but note how in the second screenshot, when I asked if Chantelle has a website, they didn’t reply until I asked again, a few months later.
Here’s the screenshots from my conversation with Chantelle:
After applying, I received a phone call a few hours later from someone at Face Models UK, congratulating me on passing the first step of the application. I also remember them asking where I’m “originally from” and when I said that my parents are from Bangladesh, they wouldn’t stop complimenting me. I remember feeling really uncomfortable about it, actually. I wish I took this uncomfortable feeling as a sign to not go through with it but, sadly, we arranged a date and time for my “test shoot”. I’m sorry that I keep putting everything in quotation marks; it’s because, spoiler, EVERYTHING IS A LIE and I just have to emphasise that!
My test shoot took place on May 28th 2017 at Younique Look Photography studio, close to Liverpool Street Station. As I entered, there were 2 receptionists at a desk to my right who took my name and told me to take a seat in the waiting area, which was straight ahead. The venue resembled that of a hair salon and it also had a downstairs area, where the photography studio was. There were other people also waiting for their session, including teenagers and families. A few meters away from the waiting area was a vanity, where a MUA and Hair Stylist were glamming another “potential model”. The stylists seemed like genuinely nice people (or just really great actors); they were chatting and laughing with me and I remember feeling happy with the way they did my hair and makeup.
When it was finally my session time, I was met by the studio’s Photographer, who also seemed really friendly. To this day, I wonder if these people were in on the scam or if they were really just as clueless as I was. I was asked to bring multiple outfits to the test shoot, so I sported a few different looks and we shot in different locations around the area. I’d say the shoot went well.
When the shoot was over, I was asked to wait in the waiting area for someone to come and discuss contracts with me. Eventually, I was invited into an office where I was greeted by Steph, who was basically like the middle-man between potential models and “agencies”. Together, we went through the photos from the shoot and, from what I can remember, the photos weren’t great. I remember Steph saying “this one’s nice!” and I just smiled and nodded because I was too afraid to say that I disagreed. At the time, I thought these shots were free so I really couldn’t complain. After going through the photos, Steph told me that Face Models UK would like to offer me a contract, even though I had no prior modelling experience, to which I (stupidly) said I was interested. Steph said that I’d have to pay £650 and I was taken aback; I was confused as to why I was being asked to pay when I was offered this opportunity for what I was led to believe was free of charge. Steph told me that I have to pay for the agency to create an online portfolio for me and to provide training and work. I asked if I could take some time to think about it but they emphasised that if I do not pay today, the contract will be cancelled and my photos from the shoot will be deleted. I know what you’re thinking, why didn’t I just walk out? But I was alone, with no prior experience with something like this, I was feeling pressured and I didn’t know what to do. So, I agreed. Steph asked me if I wanted to pay the £650 fee in full but, thankfully, I asked to pay in instalments (which saved me from losing an extra £400). Steph handed me a document, which I signed on the day. I paid an initial payment of £75 on the day and was expected to pay the remaining balance of £575 over the course of the next few months.
Here is the document I was given, which I still have to this day as a reminder to not be an idiot:
It was an A4-sized piece of paper, outlining the payments and some brief terms and conditions. They also felt the need to emphasise that they “are NOT a modelling agency”, which I can’t stop laughing at now that I’ve noticed it. Steph wrote everything in pencil and scribbled on the sheet; I don’t know about you but that is disgustingly unprofessional to me. They did not even sign their print name, so I have no idea what Steph’s full name was, if that’s even their real name, or have any way of looking them up. They also told me not to bother with signing my full print name. Steph told me that they would send over my images to Face Models UK and that someone would be in touch with me for my “modelling contract” and the production of my portfolio, etc. Spoiler: they never contacted me. It wasn’t until 4 months of silence from this supposed agency that I finally decided to do some research.
I searched through the website links that “Chantelle” had provided me with and, to my surprise, I found a photo of Pamela Reif. Pamela is an IG Model that I had been following for years so seeing her photo on this website was so tragic that it was funny. Except, her name wasn’t Pamela, it was “Terri” and she supposedly lives in the UK, even though I know that Pamela lives in Germany. I thought “This is it, this is my proof that this agency is scamming people!” so I contacted Younique Look Photography in an email, telling them about what I had found, that I wanted to stop working with Face Models UK and that I wanted a refund. “Face Models UK” had never even contacted me, ever, and still haven’t to this day. The fact that I let this happen honestly blows my mind. I’m convinced that Younique Look Photography were behind all of these fake modelling agencies because they were the ones that provided these “agencies” with a studio to do these “test shoots” in. Younique Look Photography responded to my email, saying that I will not get a refund (how convenient!) but that I can have 10 of my images. So, basically, I paid £300 for 10 crappy images but I never received those images and they blocked my email address. I feel so sorry for me, lmao.
During my research, I found that The Mirror actually sent a reporter, undercover, to Younique Look Photography’s studio. You can read the article HERE. It also has a photo of Steph, the demon who decided it was cute to scam an innocent 18 year old. Thankfully, Younique Look Photography is now permanently closed but because of this, I don’t think there’s a way for me to get my money back so I’ve never bothered to pursue it. Also, my emails from them have now disappeared so that’s a lot of evidence that I have lost, which sucks.
Anyway, that’s the end of this tragic story of how I got scammed by a fake modelling agency. I’ve felt so dumb writing this and I want to punch 18 year old me. For anyone who is as naive as I was, this is just a reminder to you that REAL modelling agencies will NOT ask for payment from you and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Also, always take someone with you to something like this; if my mum was with me, she would have dragged me out of that office. Please be aware that there are people out there who will try to take advantage of you, especially if you are young and vulnerable.
Stay safe & please don’t get scammed,
JK ♡