“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

That phrase, in the acting industry, is worth more than a $20 million-dollar, big-budget film contract. If you haven’t experienced a scam yet, you soon will! There is almost no place like the entertainment industry for con and scam artists. That’s partly because people can scam you out of your money legally by taking advantage of your dreams and inexperience in the industry.

The scams come in all forms, all shapes and sizes, and from all directions. You can even go to a reputed photographer or agent and find he or she trying to lure you into an acting class, sell you something, or simply being dishonest—all for the sake of making a buck. And for the scammers, there is almost no police involvement, little legal action one can take, and virtually no punishment.

There are many scams out there, but we’ve picked a few doozies to show you for the next few weeks. Here’s one of our all-time favorites.

Scam #1 – “Suckers Wanted”
You see an ad in the paper from what sounds like a reputable agency. In the ad, they rattle off about how they have launched the careers of so many famous people or have booked an unbelievable amount of jobs for their talent. Now, their ad claims, they are looking for new talent and new faces. And, what gets you even more excited: they claim you don’t need any experience. All you have to do is go to their office for an interview and you will have a chance to be a big star.

Dead giveaways to look for:
• First, reputable agencies don’t have to put ads in the paper. They are so inundated with headshots from promising actors; there really is no need.
• Second, when an “agency” claims to have launched the careers of famous people, it usually isn’t true, at least not the way they are portraying it. They may only have had some brief affiliation with that celebrity, brief affiliation with that celebrity’s agency, or could just be making the whole thing up. Usually, when an “agency” tells you things like this, it is to get you to dream about stardom—just long enough for them to take your cash.
• Third, most actors need at least some acting experience before going to an agency for representation. Although, there are some exceptions, it is very rare that an agency will work with people who have absolutely no experience, let alone invite inexperienced actors in for consultation. Real agencies need experienced actors who can perform well at auditions and get booked for parts. Once the actor is booked, only then can a legitimate agency get paid.

Part 2: Get Discovered---At the Holiday Inn???

Part 2 of our series on acting scams brings us to unlikely place to get discovered…your local Holiday Inn! Or Ramada Inn! Or Motel 6! It really doesn’t matter which hotel it is, the scam remains the same! Same scam, different hotel.
These scammers do such a great selling job, it’s hard to tell they are scammers at all. They look and appear legitimate, complete with radio and television ads, professional “talent agents” in attendance and the promise of fame for the chosen few. But, if you look closely, you’ll see that neither your success or fame is what they are really after.

Scam #2: Calling All Suckers!
Here’s the set-up. You are driving in your car, when you hear a commercial from the ________ Model and Talent Search. They claim to have launched the careers of many famous people, even naming names. According to them, they are in town to scout talent. Everyone, of course, is welcome because (they want you to believe) everyone has a chance to be a famous model or actor.
Whether you go out of curiosity or a genuine belief that this is your chance to realize your dreams of fame, the point is you go, along with everyone else in town. After “evaluating” everyone’s talent, they announce that they will call those with whom they have interest.
To your surprise (and delight), you get a phone call! You've been selected. They ask you to return for further evaluation. When you arrive to the callback, you see some familiar faces. In fact, they are the same people you saw on the first go round. They called practically everyone back who attended the first meeting.
Now, they tell you, since you have so much talent and potential to be famous, you should go to their model and talent showcase, which is to be held in New York or some major city. You’ll get the chance to showcase your talents in front of “casting directors” and “talent scouts”. Your big break! Cost: Only $1200—not including your plane ticket, food and other expenses.

Dead giveaways:
1. Generally speaking, reputable model and talent agencies don’t really have to go on a “national tour” to find talent. The get stacks of headshots and comp cards each day and many times have more talent than they need. Further, reputable agencies don’t ask for money up front.
2. On the second call back, you might notice that they called just about everyone to return. Why? Because they can make more money from 1000 people than the can from ten. The more people they can convince to come back and spend money, the more money they can make.
3. Anytime someone in the entertainment business asks for money to help make you a star, close your purse and ask questions. There are many more people who sell dreams rather than fulfill dreams. As long as you are eager to become famous, they know you will do almost anything, including throwing away your money on scams like these!

Author Resource:-> Charles Todd is a staff writer for Audition Central. Charles has written numerous articles on the art and craft of acting. In addition to being a writer, Charles is also an actor and director.

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