Barbizon Modeling / Barbizon International review: Rip off 7

Good thing they don't run an english school either because you would have failed. You don't know how to form proper sentences and make yourself look like an idiot in front of millions of people.

We had an awful experience with the San Francisco office in September 2009. We were made to believe our daughter was special and had a lot of opportunity. Our first clue that something was not quite right was our deposit hit our credit card within hours of giving the number to reserve the spot. No contract or registration was ever signed. I am so happy I did not say that I may want to pay the whole amount in order to save a few hundred dollars. Second clue was how rushed we were made to feel and the pressure that was put upon us to hurry up to 'get in' for the training by that weekend. Then the third clue was no returning of the phone calls we made to discuss what our final decision was. I have made 15 or so calls to my only contact at the San Francisco Barbizon office and have not receive one call back. This is not good business etiquette right here folks! This person knows who she is too and I would bet she is the one who wrote comment #6 on this posting. So, beware some good comments are probably posted by the sales folk trying to do damage control on the blogs. I for one am glad I took the time to read the blog comments; they were very helpful and dead on. Without this information, we would have probably gone through with it till end, spent a lot of money and then have nothing come out of it for my daughter. They don't tell you things like that you will have to pay for the sitting too but you do and it also costs another 1to2k to go to the big show if you go.

It has been about 5 weeks now since they took my money, I have not received even a courtesy call back and I have not received a refund. The charge is in dispute right now (which means I do not have to pay for it) and Barbizon's merchant bank is being contacted by my credit card to get the funds back. I am confident that it won't be a problem because if this happened to us, I am damn sure it has happened to many others so their merchant bank has got to be saying, 'here's another one of those'.

Chuck it up to life lesson learned. If you want to be a model - go to open call at any respected modeling agency. Most of them have them and many don't require professional photos.

We are going through exactly the same thing as you. I made the mistake of giving my card number to hold the spot pending our decision by the first day of class. We left our contact numerous messages stating that we decided not to enroll our daughter, but received a receipt in the mail charging the full price of the class! I even noticed that my card was charged within minutes of my phone conversation! We are also going through the dispute process with our credit card. Please keep us advised if you get a refund.

I agree that Barbizon is a total ripoff. The took $1600 of mine with promises of all kinds of things. The week schooling was a joke. The makeup was horribly cheap and total wrong shade for my daughter. In fact, my daughter could have taught the teacher a thing or two about makeup application. Then the promise of a photo shoot where they would make you a portfolio. It turned out that you only get one photo and if you want the rest...another $295! They lead you to believe the photoshoot is included in the $1600. The week training was novice and cheezy...a grade 7 class could have done a better job! Run and run fast from Barbizon...it is definately a money grabbing scam. Take a look at NBC's report with Matt Lauer...google it. Good luck all.

My neice has been signed with barbizon and they said she has a great unique look because she has natural red hair, naturally straigh teeth and now all they want is 2100.00 to teach her how to walk, put on makeup and do her hair...

*** i can do that for free.

there are noooooo guarentees ofjobs, if they were a modeling agency they would do your hair makeup and clothes...and pay you..my friend is a pro photographer who has shot covers of seventeen and other mags...he said its all a scam to get her money.

They did the same thing for my sister almost 20 years ago. She went no where and they kept wanting more money. Complete rip off

Yall all are crazii doeexz people trii 2 help yhu ! an yhur juzt makinq ztuff yup .. ii went daii did everthinq qo0d yall triipinq ;biishh

Huh happii "