Victim Location 94401
Type of a scam Employment
I received an email from Iconic Pictures Production stating that were seeking models and actors for a fashion commercial shoot, so I expressed interest in it. The next email they sent was this:
"Thanks for your submission in regards to the casting call notice. We are casting a non union talent for an upcoming fashion commercial for C&A. No audition required. This is a fashion commercial and we cast via head shot, so be sure your head shot is current before applying.
Production Company : Iconic Pictures Production
Project type: Commercial
* Date: First Shoot date ( December 16th – December 17th ) or in case that is not a convenient day for you we can reschedule for ( December 30th – December 31st ) or January 6th 2018 – January 7th 2018 ).
* Time: Saturday shoots ( 9am – 4pm ) Sunday shoots ( 10am – 5pm )
* Location: The shooting will hold at a rented studio in your location – (we shall arrange a suitable Studio and convey its detail to you)
* Usage: TV, Billboards, electronic billboards, Internet/ Commercial.
* Compensation: $7,000, copy and credit. ( we reserve exclusive rights to the pictures and video taken on the day of the shoot for a period of 3 months)
* No level of experience is required. (Free Model Coach available upon request).
Our obligation in respect to this project is to generate some marketable commercial advertisement to feature our clients items, where all models will pose in various attires ( costumes ) and exhibit a commercial character to attract consumers’ attention. It is very simple and works the same as any typical promotional or commercial advert shoot.
Please check clearfully our shoot dates listed above and confirm your availabity so we can proceed with next step."
Notice that they have a quite a bit of typos in the email, which immediately sent red flags. Also, they were going to accept anyone without an audition, which is unheard of for that amount of pay.
The next email they sent made me even more suspicious:
"Thanks for the confirmation of your availability, We have received your submission and and will like to book you for the upcoming commercial. You will be receiving $500 out of your pay for the job as your advance booking fee to insure your engagement on the upcoming cast with us and balance will be payed to you immediately after the event and this is stated on the model release contract you’ll receive.
We will be responsible for your hair-do, make-up artist and transportation, except for your wardrobe/costume that will be shipped to you directly from a contracted fashion stylist in charge. Your wardrobe for the commercial will be shipped to you directly from a contracted fashion stylist. A check will be mailed to you from our client out of which you’ll deduct $500 for your booking fee and you’ll use the left over fund to pay for your wardrobe cost reason being that, the payment for your wardrobe has to be made or billed to your name as requested and acceptable business terms by the fashion stylist, to ensure a tallied customization and label to be printed on your costumes and your clothing measurements has to be forwarded to the fashion stylist.
Actors/Models may attend the shoot with their choice of Friends/Parents/Manager/Spouse/Guardian (maximum of two) and should not arrive the location later than 9:30 a.m to commence make-up and attend a brief introductory class about the proposed project and shoot starts by 10:15 a.m. This shoot is going to be fun as different acting characters maybe involved, which is the real sense of this project.
Attached to this email is a contract agreement i need you to endorse by printing it out, review and sign it, then email me back with a copy of the signed contract so i can commence with further arrangements.
I hope to read from you as soon as possible and we look forward to working with you on this project."
Attached is the contract that they had sent along with the email, which I have provided. Another red flag was that their payment system struck me as odd since all gigs that I have done in the past have paid after the work is done, not before. There were a lot of red flags and just being uncomfortable already with the emails was enough for me to decide not to work with them, so I did not give them any of my private information such as address or social security or account numbers.
I did more research and found their website: www.iconicpictureproduction.com, as well as calling their phone number (888) 449-0733, which was an automated system. Even when I called their admin phone extension to talk to a live person, there was an automated message stating that the admin was not there.
Please make sure that no one else gets scammed by this company. Thank you for reading this and for your time.