Modeling Scams

Bogus Websites

Infamous Modeling Scam Company, hereafter IMSC, claimed supermodels use IMSC's services. As proof of this, they show prospective clients the supermodels on their website. It is part of the company website tour during their marketing presentations. Aspiring models are shown the web pages of the supermodels and their vital statistics before being asked to sign with IMSC.

We were told during the open call that these supermodels subscribe to IMSC's services and are in their network because they also want the exposure...

 

And that being in the same "network" as these supermodels would give an aspiring model like me some credibility and a fast track to a successful career. They also mentioned that these models chose to be in the IMSC network because they know what's real or not.

 

The video that they show during open calls featured Christie Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and more -- who wouldn't want to be in the ranks of them? Yeah, I fell for it.

In one published news report, the reporter wrote about the IMSC presentation and sales pitch to a group of aspiring models at one of their meetings at IMSC's Norfolk, Virginia franchise. Mars was the 23-year-old IMSC "talent executive."

Mars gives the group a brief cybertour of the IMSC Web site. He points out where the famous models are featured.

It was not only the IMSC talent executive, but also the IMSC franchise owner who said supermodels were using IMSC: "Even they can always use more work."

Which supermodels could use more work? The list included Tyra Banks and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. Tyra and Rebecca are both represented by the prestigious modeling agency, IMG Models, in New York.

Nadine Johnson, the public relations representative for IMG Models, was informed of the way IMSC was using the supermodels for promotion.

"What? This is an outrageous situation! They have no business using our girls to promote their business."

But the featured supermodels on IMSC's web went much further and far beyond just Tyra Banks and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. It included:

Linda Evangelista
Amber Valetta
Claudia Schiffer
Laetitia Casta
Daniela Pestova
Valeria Mazza
Mark Vanderloo
Stephanie Seymour
Tyson Beckford
Marcus Scheckenberg
Michael Bergin
Nikki Taylor
Jodie Kidd
Naomi Campbell
Karen Mulder
Liv Tyler
Mary Cullen Weeden
Maayan Keret
Guinevere Van Seenus
Tatiana Sorokko
Nicole Beach
Nadege
Dana Patrick
Tracy Baudy
Jill Connick
Tasha
Shana
Jane Powers
Ling
Sabrina Barnett
Daria

An IMSC senior vice president told reporter Joanne Kimberlin the IMSC franchise owner must have made a "mistake." She said the supermodel pictures and information was not on IMSC's website, it was an outside link. Then she said the link had been removed.

However, the supermodel pictures on an IMSC website were seen more than a month after the senior vice president said a link had been removed (see above list). There is no indication the supermodels were ever on another site, or that there ever was just a link.

IMSC used a numerical address for the pictures (XXX.XX.XXX.XX). This allowed them to have a website without their company name. Website addresses are typically in letters (or letters and numbers), but they can also be set up in numbers only.

When XXX.XX.XXX.XX was visited, the first thing that came up was a web page entitled, "Welcome to IMSC."

Then the exact same flash animation intro seen on IMSC started.

Someone who heard and accepted the line about supermodels using IMSC had posted in an internet forum the web addresses IMSC used to present supermodels, and these all started with XXX.XX.XXX.XX.

e.g.,

XXX.XX.XXX.XX/viewmodels/supermodels/claudia.htm

Six of the entire list were checked, and each page showed a picture of a supermodel, her vital statistics, and the agency which represented her.

e.g.,

Claudia Schiffer

Measurements: 35.5-24.5-35.5
Height: 5'11
Hair Color: blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Shoe Size: 7 1/2
Birth Date: 8/25/70
Birth Place: Dusseldorf, Germany
Agency: Elite Model Management

The use of supermodels is corroborated by a woman who publically posted her experience on October 4, 2001, in an internet forum. She was scouted by IMSC , and said the same thing: IMSC used pictures of supermodels as part of its commercial presentation. But first there was an evaluation.

This "evaluation" consisted of asking me what my shoe size and measurements where. They then asked me to stand on my tiptoes against the wall with my arms out. She then asked me to sit down again. The rest of the interview, about 30 minutes, was spent showing me the website. I knew what they were doing right away. This entire process was a glorified sales pitch. They showed me supermodels on their website.

The interesting thing about the story was the woman who told it said she worked in travel sales. There she was, a saleswoman by trade, receiving a sales pitch. "I work in travel sales and you can’t sell to a salesman," she said. She felt their selling techniques were illegal once she checked and found out IMSC was not affiliated with the supermodels with whom they claimed to be affiliated.