International modelling agency scam is a reality in the industry with individuals falsely setting up an establishment and posing as legit! These type of agencies are set up worldwide attracting innocent and naive hopefuls who are desperate to become a model yet when followed up may loose a substantial amount of money or be put in considerable danger. The realities are that those who prey on young girls or boys may be driven by sexual intent and therefore, need to be extremely cautious when navigating through the industry.

False agencies may approach you via social media praising looks and stating that you have the potential to become a successful with their help of course. They will act extremely professional and seem appealing to many yet this is their ploy to get you to agree to meet them. Some may even offer to fly you out to a foreign country for an appointment or catwalk show or ask for your to transfer a large amount of money however, it is very important to ignore these requests. Never respond to a message on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram of this sort as legit modelling agencies will not need to approach talent via social media platforms. They are inundated with hopefuls trying to be signed to the agency and therefore, do not need to scour the Internet for potential. Organisations who supply models for the likes of Vogue, Elle Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar will not use social media outlets to find suitable talent. It may be worthwhile to ignore the message completely and platforms do allow for you to block and report accounts that you do not wish to have contact with. Aspiring models are in a very vulnerable position yet acting with caution is wise to avoid danger and remain safe.

Never fly to a foreign country to meet a man or woman that you do not know as the reality is they may try to trap you into sex trafficking with little hope of contacting your family again! Always confide in your family and friends of your actions to gain advice and support. Their love for you and their life experience will be able to hopefully spot a scam artist immediately. Never put yourself in a dangerous position as it is simply not worth it. Operating through the correct channels will be no quick fix like their approach seems yet it will be legit and trustworthy. Also, if a company asks for a large sum of money to be transferred always research the organisation first to find their success stories. It is more than likely that someone else has been scammed and has written a bad report of their experience somewhere online. Few agencies ask for money prior to meeting up or producing results so be extremely wary. Many will receive the money and not contact you again leaving you out of pocket.

It is important to not be fooled by an international modelling agency scam whose main aim is to deceive you. Predators will seek young individuals who are flattered by their comments and who believe their spell, which can be very convincing. Scam artists are very good at talking the talk and using the correct jargon aimed to impress. They will promise to deliver and say all the things that you want to hear yet it is up to you to put your safety first and act cautious. Do not be gullible and simply believe their story check out their version of events first and remain safe. Your safety is more important than your ambition to succeed as a model. Read Amy Willerton’s story as to what happened when she openly trusted a message on her social media account and flew to another country, which could have ended up much worse if she didn’t act quickly when realising the danger.