Tory demands action on talent scout scam

Published Wednesday 6 June 2007 at 17:20 by Nuala Calvi

A new up-front fees scam involving wannabe performers being passed between agencies and charged hundreds of pounds by both has prompted the shadow minister for consumer affairs to demand government action.

Young hopefuls hand over sums as high as £180 to a talent scouting company who promises to pass on their details to talent agencies. They are then contacted by a second company charging a similar fee to get on to their books. But the companies are working together, with each owning both a talent scout and talent agency and handing over details to their opposite number, so applicants pay twice.

Shadow spokesman Mark Prisk told The Stage: “The evidence I’ve heard is that related businesses are conning people by double charging them. It starts by one company charging a finder’s fee, but it turns out very often it’s a friend’s business or in the same premises, so it isn’t a genuine transaction. It’s very similar trading names coming up time and time again at the same addresses, which shows it is an organised con. I’m particularly appalled this con is based on people’s hopes. Very often parents are shelling out for two or three children at £200 a time.”

Prisk has tabled an Early Day Motion calling on the government to fulfil its promise to prosecute rogue agencies and “close the legal loophole which allows this fraudulent activity to continue in the entertainment industry”.

He is also writing to the Department of Trade and Industry on behalf of a group of young hopefuls who paid up to £2,000 each to so-called talent agencies and received no work. Their stories were brought to his attention by Equity councillor Clive Hurst.

Fifteen-year-old Beth Ward attended an event by one talent scouting agency, who charged her £179 for a “free photo shoot”. She was contacted by two agencies, both asking for a further £150 to represent her.

She told The Stage: “I was put up against a wall and a Polaroid was taken of me - that was the free photo shoot. The woman said I had potential and I was just what they were looking for. I was told if I wanted a portfolio I had to pay £179 up-front. We asked if we could think about it and they said no - it had to be done there and then.

“They promised you could get your money back, but only if you didn’t get application forms from another agency. They’ll always offer you an application form because the companies seem to be linked to each other. You won’t get your money back because they’ve done their job.”

Steve Weller went to a similar event where he was charged £180 for a portfolio. He was then contacted by a second agent asking for a further £150.

Weller said: “I got half a dozen poor photos on a CD sent to me, done on the day by someone who looked like they’d never handled a camera in their life. It’s just a money-making scam.”

The Department for Trade and Industry is consulting on proposed changes to the regulations covering entertainment agencies, which include introducing a “cooling off period” during which people who have paid money to be included in casting directories can ask for their money back.

A DTI spokesman said the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate was currently considering a number of cases for potential prosecution.