So, I did my shoot and about 30 minutes later I was called back into the studio and told I had been 'accepted'. However, the woman who I was talking to said that I would probably need a portfolio and I could do one there however it would cost me a lump sum of ￡600. She then went on to say that I can pay for this monthly and it worked out at around ￡11 a week which I thought seemed reasonable so i agreed to it.
Later that day, I received an email from Adora Models saying congratulations and that my test shoot had been very successful and to email ASAP. So I did. They then emailed me back saying that i just had to fill in some details and email them between 8 and 10 of the images which had been taken to finalise the contract. They said I would receive a courtesy call within 24 hours which I received and the woman on the phone said that I would be emailed a link with my profile, which I have not yet receieved.
Is this a scam? If it is, can I get my money back? I have already paid ￡60 upfront.
Thank you.
If you did the shoot you cannot get any money back. You paid for a service, a photo shoot. You did the shoot. You have no grounds to get your money back if you went. You had every right to either not show up to the shoot, or to decline buying photos,
If you signed a contract or even verbally agreed to pay ￡11 week then you are legally obligated to pay that money and cannot get out of it. If you don't pay they can sue you and will win as you did the shoot and agreed to buy the photos
That is a very common scam seen all over tv where they set up a modeling service or agency, give you some outrageous fee for "makeup and photography cost", take your money, perform some services to make it look legit, then run. Their offices are usually only rented for a month or two, and there's no way to catch them. Be thankful you only paid 60. Do not contact them again.
I don't think that this is a scam as it probably says in the small print that you need to buy a portfolio etc. from the company...and also that they don't guarantee that you'll get any work. Quite honestly though if you have the right look then any agency worth it's salt will take you on and pay for your portfolio and get you working right away. There are a lot of companies actually selling portfolios dressed up as photoshoots you should look carefully at the contract and ideally get out of it, take it to the C.A.B. or to the local Trading Standards office and get them to look at it .
If you want to continue with modelling a facebook page is as good as any portfolio...look at Jessie de Lancey- Wheeler's on there, it's a good way of starting
The only thing that is certain right now is that you are out 60 quid. time will tell as to whether or not you ever get called for anything.
possible...but unlikely.
