Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Child modelling - Should I ask for refund?

225 replies

greenbean789 · 19/04/2016 12:27

Yesterday I did something irrational and impulsive, which is not like me at all. I paid £710 to a child modelling agency on the spot, and I never even had any aspirations for my children to be models. I don't know what happened to me.
I saw this ad on Facebook last week about child modelling and sent some pictures of my 2 DSs.
The next day I received emails from the agency saying that they are interested, and I should book an assessment session urgently, and that I have a priority (stupid me, thinking that it was due to my DC being super-cute).
I duly booked, excited, and yesterday had the photo-shoot. After the photo-session I was congratulated, saying my DC have great potential and the agency wants to sign them up. It all sounded like it was a big success for all of us, being chosen out of many people, bla- bla, etc.
All I needed to do was to buy one-off copyright.
I was then given a list of options, and I offered my card on the spot to pay. I had some warning bells ringing, but wilfully silenced them.
My husband is very upset that I had fallen for a scam. It the contract I signed there is a clause saying there is no refund.
I don't know what to do, to fight them and try to get the money back ( will have to read up on trading regulations for that) or wait that some offers will materialise and I can earn the money back. (They gave me a list of 14 other agencies to contact and some pictures). Do you have any experience of working with modelling agencies? Can you share your stories?
I know I was beyond stupid and vain, and maybe deserve it, but I did not even have all the money needed and used some from my overdraft .

OP posts:
Original poster
greenbean789 · 22/04/2016 03:06

I know a lot of people here are saying that I got what I paid for, what I am complaining about and what I should be getting refund for, I went there myself, I got the pictures and used their time, I signed the papers, I gave my details, etc. I play it all in my mind, trying to find justification for their actions but can find none.
Surely it is wrong to deceive someone just because you can? Surely they shouldn't be getting away with it?
I offered to pay some part of the money for their studio time or admin fee or pictures in my email, asking them to return the rest. I do not want this scum near my children even if they find fantastic opportunities, so surely it would be fair to return the fee for the service we will not use? still waiting for reply.

OP posts:
Sadmother · 22/04/2016 03:35

You won't get any money back. They don't guarantee your children jobs. They prey on parent's vanity that their children are something special.

Tram10 · 22/04/2016 04:37

There is a whole other thread on MN (maybe parenting) with a lot of people who were scammed in a similar situation to you, have a search for it, it could be the same company you were scammed by.

Seems the modelling agency 'work' under several different names.

The affected parents have pulled together a pressure group to try to get their money back.

Good luck.

HermioneJeanGranger · 22/04/2016 04:46

Unless you can get your bank involved, you won't get a refund. You just paid for an extremely expensive photoshoot.

CrackerChops · 22/04/2016 05:05

Well slap me on the arse with a damp chamois leather....£710?! Shock

I'm sorry you've been scammed, and I hope you manage to get some of the money back, but I honestly wouldn't hold my breath. Good luck, and don't fall for anything like that again!

MsJamieFraser · 22/04/2016 05:44

how did you pay, get your bank involved ASAP

IWantMyMumSheWouldBeProud · 22/04/2016 07:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IceMaiden73 · 22/04/2016 07:09

You won't get a refund, you agreed to their terms

X

pearlylum · 22/04/2016 07:14

It wasn't deception though.

Sorry you were just being gullible, a hard lesson.

Coconutty · 22/04/2016 07:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThatsNotMyRabbit · 22/04/2016 07:20

It's so easy for them. Vain parents with more money than sense must be so easy to scam. Bit of flattery goes a long way.

pearlylum · 22/04/2016 07:27

rabbit- that's it unfortunately. Every mother feels her children are the most beautiful kids in the world.

Most of us apply some reasoning filter to make sure this doesn't affect or judgement.

lougle · 22/04/2016 07:28

You won't get your money back. There's no protection in law for paying more than something is worth (unless it was described falsely). It's called 'a bad bargain' in tort. There's no protection for 'a bad bargain'.

IWantMyMumSheWouldBeProud · 22/04/2016 07:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JuxtapositionRecords · 22/04/2016 07:50

Ok op so who are they??

mouldycheesefan · 22/04/2016 08:42

How were you deceived?
What element of the service you paid for did you not receive?
You were naive and gullible yes, you made a bad decision yes, undoubtedly they rely on others doing the same. But technically they are likley to have provided you with what they said they would.
Send the pics to proper modelling agencies and take it from there. Your children may earn you back the £720.
I personally wouldn't want my children to work at a young age but I can see that some kids would genuinely love it.

MrsBlimey · 22/04/2016 09:01

Surely the deception is that they were acting for or were the modelling agency itself, rather than just a bog standard photographer?

Hope you get this sorted. Citizens Advice Bureau is excellent at helping with these kinds of issues and their website is pretty useful too.

Thanks
RunnerOnTheRun · 22/04/2016 10:56

I do not want this scum near my children even if they find fantastic opportunities

There are NO fantastic opportunities, are you still believing they will be looking for deals for your children?

Original poster
greenbean789 · 22/04/2016 11:08

The thing is that they represented themselves as model agency and offered free assessment. I went there in the mistaken belief that it would be free and my children would be assessed if they have potential or not. When I was presented with a price list, I panicked and paid (went for the cheapest option). I felt that I had to pay and I had no other choice. I felt like if I did not cough up the money it would be like leaving a restaurant without paying for a meal. The difference of course, is that when you order in the restaurant, or buying in a shop you know that you are going to pay and how much it costs prior to ordering your food or buying your groceries. In my situation I was led to believe that it would be a free test shoot, but after being presented with a bill (price list) I felt guilty for using their facilities and time and paid. By the way, as I said, I went for the cheapest option (thought I was saving my face) which was £595, but when they brought out the card machine the price all of a sudden shot up to £714, which they said was VAT. I still cannot believe that I did not see through them.

OP posts:
WhiteBlueDaisies · 22/04/2016 11:25

It all sounds awful, poor you OP. Some of the replies you've received have been quite shitty, MN isn't generally a fan of 'child modelling'.

FWIW me and my siblings were members of an agency as children and worked. It's great fun! My children are only young (3 and 1) but I would let them join up when older if they wanted to.

I think you've been treated appallingly, but don't feel too bad because these people are experts at ripping people off! I hope you manage to get done of your money back, but unfortunately I think it's unlikely.

Sallyingforth · 22/04/2016 11:54

I do not want this scum near my children even if they find fantastic opportunities

I presume you wouldn't want them near to other MN children either, so please name the firm. Provided you have only spoken the truth here, I don't see that you can come to any harm by naming them.

Waltermittythesequel · 22/04/2016 12:40

but after being presented with a bill (price list) I felt guilty for using their facilities and time and paid

You quite clearly chose to pay though. Obviously there was an option to just walk away and you didn't take it.

There was no scam. Just, as PP said, slimy business people taking advantage of parents and their high opinion of their children. And that's not a dig. Everyone think their children are amazing.

Quook · 22/04/2016 13:17

I'm not sure why the OP is being slated for this. She admitted they were foolish in the OP. I'd contact trading standards.

The OP was deliberately misled and was pressurised into buying the stupid pictures. She was daft to fall for it but lots of people do.

Original poster
greenbean789 · 22/04/2016 13:18

I think it is debatable, as the whole deal was presented on the premises that they will potentially represent my children (sorry for the pan), among other things. I now do not want their services any longer, I do not want their pictures too. I should be able to change my mind, by law, within certain timeframe. I offered to pay for the use of their time.
The analogy would be that you got a quote for the builder, but decided not to use their services. They had voluntarily offered to take free measurements and give you some ideas and a list of suppliers. But on discovering their credentials you decide not to use them. You offer to compensate for their time they took for taking measurements and giving your ideas. Instead, they want the payment for the whole job they haven't carried out and the services they haven't provided?

OP posts:
Original poster
greenbean789 · 22/04/2016 13:23

I forgot to say, the post above is the reply to waltermiltersequel's post.

OP posts: