Oops, didn’t preview so I missed your post gypsygirl31. Thanks for posting. You and dajah have direct experience. What was it that made you realize it was all BS?
For all of you posters who I didn’t mention by name, please don’t think I don’t value your input and advice… I just didn’t have any specific thoughts in reponse.
Several things tipped me off:
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They told me I should be able to find those 40 prospects a week at places I would normally be, like the mall, the grocery store, etc. Even in a large city like Chicago, I don’t see 40 potential models in a month, let alone in a week! And if I didn’t get 5 a week to sign up and pay for their service… well, they didn’t say, but implied they wouldn’t be happy.
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They offered to give me business cards to hand to prospects… with a fake name printed on them. I was supposed to write my name on the back as the prospect’s invitation to the open call. But fake names just made me suspicious.
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They have a 1-page, pre-scripted spiel to memorize and spout to total strangers in malls or nightclubs or grocery stores. It’s complete b.s.
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They don’t provide much, if anything, in the way of training that an actual model would need (things like instruction in make-up techniques, how to walk properly for runway modeling, etc.)
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I never witnessed one of the open calls, but they were bragging about something like an 80% sign-up rate, and how they can talk anyone into signing up.
I would second the recommedation for your daughter to contact a reputable modeling agency. Hope it works out for her! 
Another vote for scam, also from the gypsygirl side of the fence.
When I did it, the company was called “Options Talent” (I’m sure googling for that plus ‘scam’ would yield some results), and it was pretty much the same deal. (gypsy, were you “Sage Weston” as well?)
One note, the fact that they were Options Talent (and another name before that, and never you mind all the talk about them being bought by a larger company) is another sign of scam, IMHO.
Oh, and FWIW, my “prospective employer” had a much better line of bull than gypsy’s apparently did. Looking back, it’s kind of scary to think about how good she was.
When I Googled [Transcontinental Talent scam] I saw Options Talent as another one of the scam agencies.
I hope in this one thing, your daughter will realize that Dad might know something after all.
BTW, you might also direct her to this thread, unless you don’t want her to know your username.
Algernon, also make sure they don’t try to suck her in with making her pay for outrageous lessons. My sister was nearly caught up in this (not with TCT though) and they were going to charge ridiculous amounts to “teach” her. And they only brought these lessons up after she refused a deal similar to what is being offered to your daughter.
I would definitely take her to a real agency. Tell them ahead of time what is going on, and maybe you can even get the agent to debunk TCT for her.
Umm… it’s not a question of whether they’re a scam, it’s more a question of how long the founders will stay out of jail at this point.
I know that legitimate agencies like Ford or Wilhelmina will accept photos of your daughter and let you know if they are interested. She’s al little old (usually they like to start them younger) but if she’s got potential they’ll let you know. Also they don’t have to be professional shots, a polaroid will do!
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Also, ask them to tell your daughter about TCT if she won’t listen to you.
I actually worked for a ‘modeling agency’ for one day back in the 80’s. (In Fort Lauderdale.) Memory is blurry but they pressured people to drop a lot of cash on their ‘special in-house photographers.’ They fired me at the end of the day because I asked too many questions.
As has been stated here, legit agencies do not ask for money.
If she’s that interested, have her go to a local photographer and have her tell him she wants to do some head shots. Look around for a place that can put together a “comp card”.
If she’s dead set on using an Internet company for this, I would recommend www.OneModelPlace.com. A friend of mine actually got a few jobs out of it.
Be careful though… a lot of ‘risque’ magazines recruit from places like that.
Gypsygirl, I wonder if we were at the same presentation in Chicago. Were you in Oak Brook? I left at the lunch break of the orientation. I realized that they wanted me to trick people into attending a sales pitch meeting and took off.
Algernon, if you truly believe your daughter has what it takes to be a model, invest in some headshots and talk to a legitimate agency. Don’t deal with TCT. They’re bad news.
I talked to my daughter last night about this, and showed her this thread, as well as print-offs of many of the links you’ve supplied.
Her resolve to follow-through with TCT is wilting.
The stories of the scouts (or those who nearly became scouts), and the investigative news stories carried a lot of weight. She was able to dismiss the BBB reports I gave her previously because of the slick arguments that TCT made along the lines of “we’re not so bad, everybody gets bad BBB reports.”
The investigative news stories were, in her mind, more objective.
Thank you all for your help and assistance. I don’t have her completely convinced yet, but it was a lost cause until you posted. This is a great example of how “fighting ignorance” can have concrete real-life benefits.
Well, good—it sounds like your daughter has basic common sense. Take her to a legit modeling agency, and see what they have to say. If she’s tall and thin enough and has good “camera bones,” maybe she does have potential in that industry.