Orange Model Management review: A modelling scam 4

I got my money back in full from them when they were apple models. Here is what I emailed them. It may be of help to anyone else. they did'nt even query the money it just went back into my account.

"Ive been trying to phone but it's no suprise that the phone goes directly to voice mail. Just to let you know I've reported Metro Photography and Apple Models to trading standards and they agree that I have a case. You are fraudulently conning people via your "platform" Apple Models into having a photo shoot on the pretence they could have a career in modelling. Both companies are actually registered at the same address and are owned by the same person but no reference is made to this. I've done a bit of digging and the man that owns these two companies used to run a similar scam but got shut down.

So how do you scam people? An innocent person sends a photo to Apple models, a platform that sells itself on being legitimate and trustworthy and a contact to all the big modelling agencies. Apple then phone to say that they like the photo and invite the innocent to have a photo shoot as they may have what it takes to be a model. The studio happens to be Metro, which take photos for free with a £50 no show no refund booking fee. Metro are very quick to say not everyone is successful and if so they get their £50 back and no charge for the shoot. What really happens is that they tell everyone they have been successful and that they need to buy the photos for a lot of money if they are to get taken seriously in the modelling world.

I came with my 10 year old son. He had the shoot and was told he'd been successful. I had my guard down that day and you fleeced me and my husband for over £800 which included 45 images on a disc, a printed glossy portfolio and some printed cards. whilst I received the images on the day it's been nearly 4 weeks and I've not received the calling cards or the printed out portfolio of the photos. I very much doubt I will.

Metro and Apple feature a lot in discussions about modelling scams - I only wish I'd done my research beforehand. Your representative told us apple would be in touch since my son had been successful but of course they haven't. The whole thing is a ruse to get people to buy your photos since there's not much money in photoshoots without a purpose and modelling is the perfect enticement. Technically you may argue that you've done nothing wrong since we have paid for a product but you are immoral in how you go about this. In my case you haven't sent me all I paid for so you are illegitimate.

I will try and get the money back don't you worry but if I don't I am fortunate I can take the hit, unlike some of the poor victims you fleece. When I was there on that Sunday I saw young boys and girls hoping to break into modelling and your staff all knew that none of them would. They must have be laughing behind their backs at their gullibility. These poor young things who have no money are being fleeced by you for often £1000 or more. You are breaking their hearts and their dreams and financially conning them. These are young naive victims and you willingly prey on them.

I'm ashamed to say I paid £800 for a set of dreadful photos. Yes they are awful and there must be only 4 decent ones. The "make over" for some of the shots was truly laughable and you made my son look ridiculous. At the time I did not say anything as I thought they were professional people doing the work and they knew what they were doing. On reflection I doubt that and think its quite possible they were actors trained to play the part!

Your staff tried to persuade us that we needed a website - all in for an eye watering £1600! My guard was down that day but thank god I wasn't completely conned that I agreed to that. My husband was very wary but we did this all for my son and the worst bit was he was in the room with us. I now see why the "advisor" was emphatic that he should come in too. I'm normally someone who smells a scam but your staff are trained well.

So where do we go from here? Well trading standards has logged my complaint and will be referring it on. I'm not expecting to receive the printed portfolio or cards which we paid for so by my calculations that puts you in breach of contract and I can pursue you that way too. I want my money back for the printed product that I've still not received so if I don't hear from you and get this sorted I'll be letting trading standards know. I'm within my rights to ask for a full refund as I'm still within the 28 day cooling off period. Even if I wasn't I'd still be pursuing you for all the above reasons. I worked at the BBC for many years and have a lot of industry contacts and im sure they'd be very interested in a story like this. Over to you."

I got my money back with no arguments - all £800 of it after being fleeced in March 2016 when they were still Apple models. I've attached the email here for you to see. I hope it helps others as they are a shocking scam.

If the file has not uploaded contact me and I'll send it you you as if it helps others to get their money back I'd like to help.

Last year they also took my daughter pictures and claimed that she was successful so that i had to pay them total of 600 pounds. my daughter was very serious about modelling and wanted to do this so i gave it a try not knowing that i was being scammed. since last year i have been trying to contact them yet the call goes straight to an answering machine. i have sent them an email but they still haven't contacted me.
I am going to report them to trading standard agency in order to get my money back
Very disappointed