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Models Direct Scam


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I am the latest victim of models direct and I am taking action against this god awful company, I am looking for feedback from those who have also been "conned" by them as I am also taking my complaints to the trading standards company- I am not letting these people get away with taking money from people the way they do and give NOTHING in return.

Let me explain to you my situtation..

 

I foolishly fell for their "3 years contract", along with a spot in their image magazine and advertising space on the front of their website. In total, I paid £173.

That same day I spoke with some people regarding this and they told me that something did not sound right, and that decent modelling agencies would NOT take money from you upfront.

After chatting to a few people I decided to look online and I was blown away with what I found. The feedback from people was shocking- and I'd litterelly just fallen for it too.

 

The same day I emailed them and told them I did not wish to be a part of it. I did not log onto their site- I completely stayed away.

I called my VISA company to see if the money had been taken, but it was still "pending"....

5 days later, the pending payment dropped back onto my credit account and I naturally assumed that models direct had listened to what I said in my email in regards to cancellation and were kind enough NOT to take my money..

 

A day or so later I received a call from someone called "Jane", I was not a very happy person and I admit that I did raise my voice a little during the call so I may have misheard a few things or FAILED to hear what she was telling me... The ONLY thing I caught her say before I started shouting was "I'm not aware that we said we were not taking your money, as far as we are concerned we are still charging your card"- by this time I was furious.

I had written them 2 emails on the day of subscribing which was 6 days prior to Jane calling me, and during that time the payment I had made did not complete, so I think its save to say that ANYONE would assume that they did not intend on taking the payment?

 

After I spoke to this "Jane" woman, I contacted my VISA company, explained the situation and told them to block my card;

And as far as I was concerned that was the end of that.... models direct couldn't take the payment, right?

Well, WRONG!

 

A month later, in between receiving emails from them inviting me for a "free trial" to their site, I got a statement from VISA that was higher than expected, infact, it was quite a bit higher.

I called them up and asked what was going on- well, to my surprise, a payment of £173 had been found on my statement, which means that when I was requesting my card to be blocked on the night I received the call from Jane, they obviously got straight onto it and charged the credit card, depite my efforts to stop this from happening..

 

Technically this is classed as fraud since the first payment dropped back onto my credit account and I did not authorize a second.

 

I contacted models direct- they told me to write to them so I did. After I did this they then sent me another "refund request" form and said it would take 30 days for them to get back to me.

Well, to my surprise, I received a cheque from them this morning to the value of SIXTEEN POUNDS.

When questioning the company about this, they said it was because I did not cancel my contract within the required time frame. But if you look back on what I just said, because my first payment did not successfully complete AND, with the "free trial" emails they kept sending me, I was not aware I even had a contract with them until I saw it on my statement.

 

I am absolutely FURIOUS. These people took my money without my permission and have the NERVE to insult me with a £16 refund.

I am now taking his further and would love support from those who have also been bitten by these (EDIT).

 

Sorry to have rambled on a bit but needless to say I am not in the best of moods.

I am also reporting them to watchdog. This is how companies are getting away with taking peoples money..

 

(EDIT)

Edited by freakyleaky
Removed swearing and email address. Please read the site rules before posting.
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I wish it were that simple.

I tried to cancel within 5 minutes of "paying" and assumed that they had listened to my request, since I didnt get an email back or anything, and as the first authorized payment did not complete successfully, I assumed I'd hear no more from them.

 

Now because I didnt find out until my VISA statement came that they did infact take the payment a second time WITHOUT my consent- they are telling me that because I waited more than 30 days to cancel IN WRITING, that Im only entitled to £16. I didnt even know I had a contract until my VISA bill arrived.

Anyone would assume that as they didnt complete the transaction the first time around that none of it had actually gone thru. I didnt dream for one minute they had stored my card details and made a second request for my money.

They got me by the short and curlies. (so to speak)

 

But you say in your 1st post that you e-mailed them to cancel, right?

 

Presumably you have a copy of this, therefore you have proof that you used your statutory rights under the DSR to cancel, yes?

 

Therefore, you have cancelled the contract within times, they had no right to then implement a contract you had not agreed to, and have no right to take the money.

 

So yes, it is that simple. Write to them giving them 14 days to refund you in FULL and tell them you'll take them to small claims if they don't. If they don't, then sue them.

Edited by jlh
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi there,

 

 

Sorry to hear you've been ripped off by 'Models Direct'. I was a few years back. Gave them two tacky photos of myself in no particular way and they rang me up, e-mailed etc telling me how there are clients due to it being the summer etc.

 

No doubt I coughed up £116 or whatever it was. Gutted for you, especially given that you've done everything required yet they have the nerve to give you £16!

 

Notice how Models Direct never use surnames. Just who are these 'people'. Notice how it is always 'option 3'...the others take you nowhere, except a hefty phone bill. Notice how the photos look rather American.

 

I am investigating them privately, and stacking up evidence. Believe you me most of what they say or do does not add up. You just need an eagle eye. Their days are numbered...hopefully the current recession will condemn them to further failure. I know we're all strapped for cash but they cannot continue to rob others of theirs.

 

A gentleman called Clive Hurst (an actor and member of the actors' union) is the ONLY person trying to do something about this. The man should be knighted, and we should join forces with him. His website is www.anactor.net. On the contrary, Models Direct have tried to produce a smear campaign against him, which is rather sad, such as publishing his address and telephone number! Is that supposed to be threatening? A pathetic job done there!!!

 

We have a right to freedom of speech.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm also one of the unfortunates who have been conned by Modelsdirect!!

Payment of £126 just gone through 2 days back and i couldnt do anything about it.

 

On the 14th of feb 09 i was just uploading some my sons pictures on facebook who was 5 months old then.

Being constantly told by everyone how cute and photogenic he was ,i was thinking of making him a baby model,

 

so i just searched 'Baby modelling' in google and the first website i came up with was of Models Direct.

The website seemed quite impressive,

specially the client list (including BBC,Eastenders, BabiesRUs,etc.) as well as all the comments of former models.

 

so i thought just applying wouldnt do any harm and probably he wont get selected in the first go

i uploaded my sons pictures.

 

After 2 days a lady called SUMMER called me and said how cute my son was and he had been shortlisted!! and now she will send it to the National Panel selection and if selected he would be sent a registration pack.

 

i received the pack after 3 days and i was so excited and on top on the world that my son was selected.

there was a contract in it which was asking for £126 for a 3 year period.

 

i called them up and this time talked to a lady called RUTH who wasnt very helpful and wasnt clearly answering any of my queries.

 

totally new to this modelling world, never realised that how on earth did we receive a contract when they havent even seen my son in person!!

 

Being a first time mum i didnt even get time to research about this company and was convinced that we have to pay administration fees when we sign the contract

 

i filled the form with my card details and sent it out. on the 24th i received an email that now i could register my details online but couldnt log in for further 2 days !!

 

money was deducted on the 2nd of march. till now i have received 2 emails that his profile has been viewed.

 

then i felt something fishy so decided to research ( but unfortunately its too late now!!) and found your blog.

i have complained to watchdog and will be doing so to the trading standard.

 

they have just demotivated me in building up my sons modelling career.

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  • 6 months later...

I submitted a couple of photo's of my daughter to their website, and recieved a phone call 2 days later to say her application would be considered by a national board of judges and I would hear if she had been accepted in the next couple of weeks. I was also told that not to take it personally if she wasn't selected, as they might be looking for a particular look, and that they were very busy at the moment with a lot of children on their books. To my surprise, just 2 days later I recieved a letter to say "Congratulations", she had been offered a place with them. This initially set off alarm bells as it surely couldn't have happened that quickly. The next day I had one of their representatives on the phone, saying how well she had done, and I must be very proud of her etc etc, and now 'all' I had to do was pay the £126.00, and they can start promoting her. I found it strange that they never mentioned the fact that there were actually 3 choices of packages, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, and of course the 3 year deal is the most expensive. Within the phone call she must have mentioned the fact that I should sign the paperwork and send the money as soon as possible. I started to feel something was very wrong, and did some research into Models Direct and was horrified at what I found. I don't think I have come across one positive comment. I am very relieved that I haven't signed up with these crooks!!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Guys;) I havn't posted on here for a while but have been noticing the negative commets on Models Direct when doing recent searches. Unfortunately I have been through the same story and parted with cash for the 3 yr deal (LOL) for my 14 yr old daughter whos is realy keen on modelling, no work has been offered - there are no hits on her "E" portfolio at all (apart from the 2 times I looked at it in April this year !). We don't even get any e-mails off them, stating that my daughter has been put forward or turned down for jobs (whatever). We get e-mail stating thta the "Company" has been approached for Models but nothing specific to her. It is more than a shame and has made me very angry TBH - she was motivated to do this - which is good right ? just to get ripped off !!!! and she still asks me what is happenning with it - poor thing.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been conned by Models Direct. I did leave a review on Google Maps warning everyone to avoid them and I warned everyone on Yahoo Answers.

Basically, I signed my daughter up when she was about three months old, I paid £128 for a three year contract. They seemed very professional and they told me she was very photogenic with beautiful features but two years later still no work.

I have read reviews about them since stating that they are a [problem] I wish I had come across this at the time.

I have sent Models Direct an e-mail complaining to them, they did reply by letter and they even offered to upgrade my daughter to a celebrity status worth £75 but I sent them another e-mail refusing this offer and telling them that I still believe they are a [problem] because they should not be charging their clients just for registering them, they should be charging the companies who are taking their clients on for work.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I feel so stupid, stupid, stupid as I have stupidly been taken in by the fancy website & the glossy paperwork from Models Direct. I contacted them at the end of last week online with some photos of my 9 month old daughter. A few days later I got a call saying how they were very interested in my daughter & how she was so gorgeous & photogenic blah blah blah & me being a gushing mum, lapped it all up. They were going to pass her details on to the "national selection panel" & I would hear by the end of the week. The letter came today saying they were delighted she has been accepted & I couldn't have been any prouder. I went online tonight & accepted the contract tonight & paid the £126 which "when broken down into months is only £3.50 a month for 3 years". It all seems too good to be true & I was really happy until I typed models direct into google & I am faced with all these pages saying it is a [problem] etc & how many people have been ripped off. Of course they said they cant guarentee my baby would get any work but now I look at it the other way, they could easily sign up every child saying they are gorgeous etc & not actually ever think they will do any modelling work. I feel absolutely gutted as it is so nice to hear other people think your baby is gorgeous & now I realise they are just feeding the same lies to everyone to con them out of money. I have emailed them tonight to cancel & if I do not hear from them tomorrow I will hound them constanly until I have written proof that it is not going ahead as my Visa company say the payment is already pending!!!! Even although I have in writing them saying no money will be taking in the 7 day cooling off period once you join!!!

Wish I had done a bit more research but never in a milion years did I expect there to be so much negativity on a company which came across as very good.

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Theres was a piece about this company on BBC Radio1 News last night as I was driving home from work.

 

New laws have been brought in to make it ilegal for these companies to charge fee's to sgn models onto their books, however it will not be in place until next October.

 

The story was based on Models Direct & low & behold when they were asked they wouldn't speak on the record however they did make a statement.

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Your not stupid! Many of us have been taken in by them, mostly proud parents who wanted to show off our beautiful babies to the world. Thats what these con artists do, they rip off vulnerabe people they should be ashamed of themselves!

 

I wasn't even told about a cooling off period! They told me that every modelling agency charges a fee and cannot guarantee work and that with Models Direct I wouldn't need an expensive portfolio like with most modelling agencies, they would do all the work to get my daughter a modelling career.

Anyway I've learned my lesson now, its a shame I can't get my money back. Hope you get your money back, I've heard a lot of people have been receiving problems with this cooling off period, basically they're told they have to confirm in writing and by the time they get a reply Models Direct tell them its too late! Make sure you keep all correspondence.

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To all those people out there that have been conned by Models Direct and to those who are thinking of joining and haave been sensible enough to check it out first!!......

8 years ago I came back to Norwich after many years away and went to the Jobcentre to find a job. They gave me a vacancy at Models Direct and I was offered a job there by Damian O'connor, the owner. I was taken on as a booking co-ordinator and was told I would be responsible for selecting models and actors for assignments and also would be contacting advertising agencies to promote the models. It didn't take me too long to work out that this was a huge con and his only interest was taking money off people with promises he had no intention of keeping. There is no National Panel!! You could be the ugliest non-photogenic person in the world and you would still be selected!! I did a count up of people (and animals!) and there were 30,000 people onthe database that had paid all that money to be there. During the time I worked there I had on average 6-10 assignments to fill a week. It was ridiculous and obviously as soon as I spoke to Damian about it I became 'unsuitable'!! I really hope that one day this man gets his just desserts.......... He pays 'Jane' really well to lie and she has no scruples unlike some of us.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi,

 

I made an account with Model Goals and they negotiated me into having a photoshoot so i could get some portfolio pictures and i had to pay £50 refundable deposite, i cancelled the shoot days before and asked for a refund. They were very slow and not giving any information but after several emails i managed to get info that the contract etc has been cancelled with them and that the refund may take up to 30 days. I emailed them after 31 days and this is how it goes

 

I emailed " Its been a month, refund my money back today"

 

and wow they didnt take several days to reply but just couple of minutes to say

 

"Read the email that you have just sent me and using your common sense, how do you think im going to respond.

Do not send me an ill-mannered email like that again"

Elliot Dawkins

Model Placing Executive

------

This did not give me any confidence that my money will be refunded and i emailed him back a very nice and kind email asking if they require any further details so they could refund my money and i have not had any reply.

 

What should i do and where should i turn to to get my money back?

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I desperately require an email address in order to contact them and cancel my payment. They do not indicate an email address on their website, and are not answering calls either. Pleeeeease, any advice??? Which email addresses did other people use??

 

Thanks.

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Models Direct

 

Contact us

  • UK: 0871 224 6000
  • International Talent Ltd, 1 Hornet, Hurricane way, Norwich, NR6 6HJ, England
  • © 2010 Models Direct - Registered Company No. 2971147

Sorry, I can't find an email contact at this time.

 

Lex

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OK, I am working on an old thread here for an email addy, I'll get back to to you soonest.

 

Lex

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I desperately require an email address in order to contact them and cancel my payment. They do not indicate an email address on their website, and are not answering calls either. Pleeeeease, any advice??? Which email addresses did other people use??

 

Thanks.

 

The email I used was [email protected]

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Try this one, this is the editor of Models Direct mag.

 

Gillian Bendall

Email: [email protected]

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Please don't rush, take time to read these:-

 

 

&

 

 

This is always worth referring to

 

 

 

 

 

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How about getting a list of all the people who have been 'conned' by these guys, and looking at the possibility of launching joined claims against them, for your money back?

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