TCT /TRANS CONTINENTAL TALENT/OPTIONS TALENT/E-MODEL = DECEPTIVE $ HUNGRY CON-ARTISTS! MOM TOOK THE BAIT & TCT SCOUT REALED US IN, BUT TALENT EXEC. SAYS "GOOD-BYE & GOOD LUCK! " CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA

Hello Good Scout,

Wow, I see there hasn't been any activity on this line for about a year. Hmmm...

I never did do a follow up about the meeting, the last day I went in. There had been an interesting chain of events.... but long story short I had very specific questions for the manager holding the meeting after I had done my research. Funny enough she started to verbally stumble and her usual contained self became very shaken. It all was enough that all the scouts walk out that day with me and didn't return.

Since that point I felt like a shmuck for sometime and then eventually moved on and haven't looked back, until now. Oh yeah, TCT did pay me and the other scouts I worked with but all of our checks were short of more than half of what we were due. To be honest, we were actually supprised to have received anything at all from that company. Something is better than nothing? or perhaps no pride in dirty money....

On another note, this Sierra Baumann (if that is a real name... lol)I am sure that this is someone that benefits from the scanalous type of robbery so of course you would want to promote it. It is all a joke to me Sierra. Like I had said in my other response, once you have looked into the executive structure of the company and have found them to have previous criminal records (fraud backgrounds lol)how much faith should one place into such a company...? Seirra? As far as I am concerned the records speaks for itself. Don't need little ol' me to point out the obvious. Yeah, let's hire an ex-con embezzler to do our accounting honey... (example) (sarcasim)

Anyway, enough said.

Thank you Ripoff Report for providing a space to place such grievances.

Have a good day all.

Dave Elliot still continues to direct scouts to malls and Wal-Mart specifically telling them the best times to go. Now he is taking his show on the road so that the new scouts can bask in HIS presence and be edified by HIS personal guidance. (Besides, it gives him a better chance to sample the "talent.")

Amanda learned the hard way. It is too bad she couldn't have gone underground and contacted me to work against the scam. We are developing a covert communication system. Contact me at [ripoffreport.com will provide the contact].

Be sure to include good contact information and someone will contact you. Watch for our coded messages.

I only worked with the Tampa Location for a little over a week, as a "scout". I had a nagging feeling which was blinded by the hope and want of the oportunity to be real.

After a week, not sure exactly what prompted me other than this nagging feeling I had and a lack of information, questions I had not getting answered, I had a need/feeling, to get on the computer and do a reference check of this company, Wilhelmina Scouting Network, aka Wilhelmina Scouts, aka WSN, TCT,Transcontinental Talent, Why Scouts, Why Models, e-models, Options Talent, etc.

They have actually had around 20 names when you look at the "exec structure" and follow the line on it. Anyway, I can not even convey the feeling that came over me upon reading the endless bad reports on this company. Then I decided to do searches on the exec structure including Lou Pearlman in hopes of finding maybe something good to go on.

I can not say that I found any positive info, the only exception to this would be the sites which were created by this company. I just want to say how badly I feel for anyone I scouted.

I feel incredibly used, because I am a good person and feel pretty disgusted with having been even associated with this thing. I hope if anyone I scouted reads this they can find it in their hearts to forgive me.

I would like to say to anyone who reads this and/or ever meets a scout tell them to research the company on the web, to draw their own conclusions. I am almost positive that most scouts do not know any of this info and need to be hinted at, to look in the right direction. I wish someone would have told me.

IF YOU MEET A SCOUT INFORM THEM, BECAUSE CHANCES ARE THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS. Scouts are actually good people being used to promote this thing without knowledge of the full story.

The few scouts that I have met are good people and were just as heart broken as I when this info came to light. It feels really rotten to be a person that brought people into this company.

I wish I would have known from day one but I guess I should be glad that it was ONLY a week.

And yes, so far between what I have read on the web compared to what I have seen working there I can't say I have seen anything different. I have only seen all the similairitys. Sad huh? I feel like I have a sticker on my head that says "SUCKER" and any scout I have had the chance to speak to has had the same reaction.

Once agian I am really sorry to everyone I scouted and I plan to work hard to bring my communitys awareness up on this as part of my amends for having been part of this company.

The company still thinks that I am working for them, so at this point I am not even sure if I am going to get paid the little amount I supposedly have coming to me. We have a "meeting" tomorrow and I plan to go, haven't quite figured out how I am going to go about all of this quite yet. But if anything worth saying does happen I will be sure to post it and let all of you know. Lastly I would like to note, I did find this job on Monster.com and because I THOUGHT that was a reputable company, it lending trust in my mind to working with WSN.

I now know Monster.com is aware of this company and problem but is not taking it off. Now that I am job searching once again.. I will not be using that site, without a doubt.

You might want to ask your friend what kind of jobs she got. Most likely she will respond with demonstrating jobs at local supermarkets which are available to anyone.

By the way, I believe Dateline did a piece on this telling the story of a girl who signed up with the service and was never offered a job where her picture would be taken but demonstrator jobs.

And the talent searches they hold, like the top model contest, the winner gets a $50,000 contract with TCT not other agencys. TCT actually pays for the agencies trips and expenses to attend. Who wouldn't want a free trip?

Let's face it, these people are scum!

Just to let all the complainers out there (who sound like disgruntled employees)that the talent on the site do get requests. Just spoke with a girl yesterday who has already been contacted by an agency. She had been on the site for 2 days.

The woman gave me a business card with the name of the VP of new faces on it, an address, which happened to be downstairs from my place of employment, and a time on the back for an open call. Well, I looked up TCT on the BBB website and got to read about all the complaints that TCT had received. So I decided not to attend. Well, last week I was approached again by a different woman.

This time I was asked if I had ever heard of Wilhelmina. I assumed she was talking about Wilhelmina modelling agency, but she wasn't. Well again I took the business card with time and date of open call.

When I got home I noticed that the same VP of New Faces was on the business card, just different company. I also noticed that it wasn't Wilhelmina Models but Wilhelmina scouts. I felt that the woman misrepresented herself by asking if I had ever heard of Wilhelmina. When I went into work the next day I noticed the Wilhelmina sign posted outside of the TCT office. I looked them up online and the website looked exactly like the TCT website I had seen the first time.

For anyone that wants to be a model: modelling agencies usually have open calls, but not like the TCT open call. Most agencies have walk in days, where with a regular photo you can walk in and get "discovered" or not, regardless it costs nothing. if you're interested log on to an agencies website (ie Wilhelmina Models) and you can get info on when and where they are holding open calls or how you can submit your (regular) photos to their agency. Be weary of any agency that asks for money up front.

I appreciate you all telling about your negative experiences with Trans Continental Talent. I just responded to their "scouts wanted" listing on Monster.com and plan to let Monster know about this site. I will not pursue any business with them. Bless you all for having the guts to tell your side of the story and helping the rest of us avoid the ripoff!

I spent my entire day today at a TCT "Interview" in Dallas. I walked into the door and noticed all of the people. I immediately asked if everyone was here for the "interview" and told that we all needed to learn of the company and job before an interview would be completed. I sat down, to play the same silly "pick a model and name your agency" game as mentioned earlier...sat thru the interesting but time consuming and time wasting personal introductions and was basically yelled out for not bringing my resume with me. I thought they would have a copy of my resume since I had submitted it to them...my bad.

We were then introduced to a gentleman who says he played football for the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals. He could have played but in my personal, unprofessional, but very football knowledgable, opinion, he was much too small. (Practice team....maybe). What peaked my interest was the amount charged for a website to help high school athletes be seen by colleges. I am the mother of a high school junior hoping to win a college scholarship, I know the anxiety. But to charge $995 to "build" someone's website, is absurd!!! AND then to charge them $19.95 to maintain the site, when we should all know that maintaining a site is FREE - virtually no work involved!!

The question was asked what colleges were signed to view the sites, NO answer given. I asked specific questions about placing additional information on the site (40 time, width of the reach, other important, vital statistics) and was told that I could put videos on the site. GREAT!

I spoke to a friend of mine who owns a similar type of company (sports promotions) and found out he charges $195, but not for the website, but the time his company invests in actually meeting with these kids and testing them. anyway, i now feel like this is a ripoff and will not be back to stat "hell week".

About a week ago i saw an add for a model scout and i figured well, i can do that! I have some experience in the entertainment industry so i knew i had to be careful. I filled out a small questionaire and recieved a letter from susan matthews (which i was later told is the head or human resources in the florida corp. office.)

She replied saying that she was in need of a great individual like myself to represent the company. I was then told to be at the sacramento office at 10am the following wed. I didnt give tct any more thought that week. The day before my interview i checked out the web site and found a consumer report that came up within that same search of tct talent. I read about the name change that the company had over gone MULTIPLE times, this caught my attention.

At that point i knew this most likely wasnt going to be serous but i decided to go through the motions to see if i was wrong. At the interview there was 15 other people that all seemed to suffer from some type of self esteem issues. Each person was excited to be there and when the talent manager left the room i asked if anyone had checked the background of the company, all replied no. Only one other person knew of the name changes, and they only knew of emodels, that is because the local phone book has emodels as the name of the company.

I then told them of options as well. At that point that is all i knew about the history of the company so i went on with the interview. We created a mock agency and picked 3 talents we would want to represent our company. All seemed well. We were then informed of what scouts do and what they need to look for. Then came what was being offered. It is amazing how sweet they make the deal seem!

the manager that informed us she had only been there 8 months and she too started as a scout was clear that this it was not an agency and did not garuentee someone to make it big. She then poured the sugar on with all of the press and good points to going through the company which sounded like bull to me.

She went on to say what a rip off barbizon and John robert powers is, which can be true, but that same statement i later found in the offical press release from tct. THEN CAME THE SALARY: FOR THE FIRST MONTH U HAVE TO HAVE 25 PEOPLE ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE RELEASED. COMMISSION IS AS FOLLOWED: 1-3 PP 20 EACH
4-6 50 EACH
7-9 75 EACH
10 + 100 EACH--- REMEMBER THIS IS FOR EACH ENROLLED- WE WERE THEN TOLD WE NEED TO RECRUIT 160 PP PER WEEK BECAUSE 20% OF THOSE COME TO OPEN CALL AND ONLY 30% OF THOSE WILL ENROLL- AFTER THE FIRST MONTH YOU GO ON SALARY FOR 600 A WEEK PLUS COMMISSION.

WELL, I CALLED TOYS-R-US AND WAL-MART TO LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE SOLICITING TCT SCOUTS IN THEIR STORES. THE TOYS-R-US MANAGER SAID THEY ALLOWED SOLICITING. WHAT??? WAL-MART TOLD ME IT'S NOT ALLOWED BUT THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN STOP IT IS IF A CUSTOMER COMPLAINS TO THE STORE MANAGER SO THEY CAN FIND THE SCOUT AND KICK THEM OUT OF THE STORE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY NEED A PHYSICAL PROFILE OF A TCT SCOUT WHEN THEY ARE IN THE STORE, OTHER THAN THAT, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THEM IF THEY LOOK LIKE CUSTOMERS RIGHT?? ALSO, THE WAL-MART MANAGER SAIF HE WOULD INFORM HIS EMPLOYEES AT THE NEXT MEETING ON MONDAY OF THE TALENT SCOUTS BUT SAID IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO STOP. THEN HE ENDED HIS SENTENCE BY TELLING ME "WELL AT LEAST YOU CAN LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE" WHAT'S THAT I ASKED?? "YOU MUST BE REALLY GOOD LOOKING TO KEEP GETTING STOPPED".

WHATEVER DUDE! HEY, I'M NO UGLY DUCKLING OK BUT I'M NO CINDY CRAWFORD EITHER. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING STOPPED EVERYDAY AT THESE TYPES OF STORES. I JUST HOPE AT LEAST HALF OF THEM HAVE COMMON SENSE TO LOOK INTO THIS COMPANY BEFORE PAYING ANY $$, LIKE ME.

MAN! YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO FLIP OUT, WHEN YOU HERE THIS ONE!!!! THIS REBUTTAL IS FOR FRANK TOELLI OF THE EDITOR'S STAFF AND "THE FRAUDCHICK@AOL.COM-ETHICS.

I WAS IN TOYS-R-US TODAY SHOPPING FOR MY DAUGHTER WHEN LOW & BEHOLD, THE SAME FREAKIN LADY WHO APPROACHED ME IN WAL-MART LAST WEEK, CAME UP TO ME AGAIN!!! ALL WEEK, I HAD BEEN KICKING MYSELF IN THE YOU KNOW WHAT, TELLING MYSELF I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN HER CARD!!! SO IT WAS STRANGE THAT SHE APPROACED ME A 2ND TIME.

I RECOGNIZED HER INSTANTLY AND WONDERED IF SHE EVEN RECOGNIZED ME??? I JUST LET HER TALK, BUT KEPT THINKING TO MYSELF, IF SHE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER MY "OH SO BEAUTIFUL FACE" FROM LAST WEEK, JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE IS SHE APPROACHING EVERY DAY TO NOT REMEMEBR MY FACE IN LESS THAN A WEEK?? AND WHAT'S WORSE IS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THEY SCAMMING WEEK AFTER WEEK!

WELL, THIS TIME I MADE SURE TO TAKE HER CARD!!! SHE'S OUT OF THE CARLSBADB OFFICE TOO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AFTER SHE WENT ON HER WAY, I FOUND HER TALKING TO ANOTHER LADY SO I DECIDED TO CREEP UP AND LISTEN IN. AFTER THE TALENT SCOUT LEFT, I WENT UP TO THE POTENTIAL VICTIM AND TOLD HER ABOUT MY DEELINGS WITH TCT TALENT. I TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS JUST APPROACHED BY A WOMAN WHO HAS APPROACHED ME TWICE IN ONE WEEK!!! HOPEFULLY, I AT LEAST WAS ABLE TO SAVE ONE PERSON FROM BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE AND I MEAN RIDE!!!

I WISH THERE WAS MORE I COULD DO!! I ALSO WENT UP TO A TOYS-R-US EMPLOYEE AND SHOWED THEM THE CARD FROM THE TALENT SCOUT AND TOLD THE EMPLOYEE TO LET THE MANAGER KNOW IT'S SOLICITATION AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. I WILL TRY CALLING THESE STORE WHERE I WAS APPROACHED AND TALK TO THE MANAGERS. I WISH THERE WAS A WAY I COULD TCT FOR HARRASSMENT!!!!!! I FEAR GOING INTO THESE STORES NOW. WRITE BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS. THANKS ALOT.

People we need national exposure to this and as great as the ripoffreport is bigger exposure would do so much good. Someone who has been hurt by this company. I am talking about one of these moms who have shelled out 1200 bucks on one of their kids or just a younger adult who has done the same. Try reaching out to some large media outlets who take up causes for the people. A couple of them came to mind.

Why not try Clark Howard, an AM radio host. He is nationally syndicated and is a consumer advocate in his own right. Contact info for him that I found:
Station Address:
Newstalk 750 WSB
1601 W. Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Phone numbers:
Call toll-free: (877) 87-CLARK
In Atlanta, (404) 872-0750
Fax number: (404) 607-TALK

Or maybe Bill O'reilly of the Fox News Channel. There is contact information for him on their home site.

I am thinking that the local tv reports are great but a few national stories would go a long way to get the word out and increase pressure on the company to either clean itself up or else...

Hi, I just read your report about TCTalent..

mom...i guess we can call you. And everyone else out there. "Mom"....how are you bashing the company if you didnt sign up? How are you doubting the product if you didnt even try it. You have no grounds "mom" to say anything negative about the company. We offer a service, a service for agencies, casting directors and talent (models, actors).

We advertise potential models and actors on our website so they can get work from our clients, which for the record "mom" really are our clients. Now whether or not the potential talent get work is not something we can help. We cant tell potential models "no you cant come on our website because you're too ugly, or fat" or whatever it may be. Who are we to say that they dont have potential.

We arent the people hiring the models, we are the people trying to give them exposure. Now we do try to up they're chances by holding events like we did with the cruise to the Bahammas and our trip to Cancun Mexico. Now if you go on our website tctalent.com and you click on cancun icon and then click the callback icon you will see how many of the models got callbacks from very well-known agencies.

End result was we had a very high call back rate. Another thing is talent who dont update their comp cards probably dont get work because they have to put some work into it too. You cant keep your open call picture on there the whole time and expect to get alot of work..if any at all. If someone is not model material we cannot tell them that because we are not ones to judge..like i said earlier.

So I'm not going to apologize for helping people with their dreams or giving them some hope. And I'm not going to tell people "im sorry your too ugly to model" because that would be crushing their spirit, and their dreams and probably their self esteem. So..for all of you out there bashing our company, especially you "mom" because you didnt even TRY it, try not to hate and put negative little comments out for everyone to see.

Or if that is the kind of thing you like to do..then go right ahead and occupy your time. But in the meantime, let the models on our site right now get work and go to fun events like cancun and fashion rock so they can get discovered and maybe have a little bit more hope of fullfilling their dream. Thank you very much honey. And if you have a rebuttal go right ahead and write it because i cant wait to see it.
Sincerely, An honest employee.

Rachel,

The Editor is correct neither Wal-Mart nor Best Buy condone solicitations on or around the premises of the stores. I have contacts at corporate level for both companies; I will send them to the Editor to get to you. If you take the time to make the call I assure you they will do something.

Good Luck,

Dear friends,

I was hired by TCT Talent/Edge Sports to be a sports "scout." Let me say that the responses to the main rip off report are all true. I am sorry for what the so-called executives put you through.

A federal agency such as the FBI should look into this racket--seriously. This is an international scam. TCT is currently recruiting on Monster.com for Jerry McGuire. Oh, really?

I seriously doubt that Jerry McGuire would hawk Web pages. If any of you out there are curious about TCT Talent or have been scammed by this company--don't consider it at all. Stop, reassess your position, and find a legitimate company.

My story is that of the hiring process. I responded to a Monster.com ad for a modeling agency--TCT Talent. The company promoted itself as an agency in need of so-called talent scouts. TCT would be hiring for modeling, music, and sports scouts.

You had to take a preliminary test that comprised of selecting the most attractive person to see if you had what it took. I passed. Then it was on to an interview in Phoenix.

The first round of interviews was comprised of selecting people who had a pulse and who could think on their feet. The hiring managers were a bunch of hoity toity women in suits who looked like they were model rejects.

In essense, we the scouting recruits were on a casting call ourselves. I had to endure listening to people who believed they were something special and talked insipidly about their former "careers" and contacts.

I felt, if I have to put up such a fuss to be considered for a job, then the job must be half way legitimate. After going last, after listening to a room full of insipid stories, the hiring lady abruptly said that she would call out the names of people the staff had selected. I was picked.

I was picked as a sports scout only because I had mentioned that I like sports. That's it. That's my big qualification for being a sports scout. My degree is not in sports, but yet I was qualified to see which people were deemed talented by me.

Those who were left over after the first interviews were discarded. Lucky them! They didn't have to endure the second round of interviews.

The second round, at least in my part, had to do with sports scouting. I had a bad feeling at the pit of my stomach after a slovenly male of about 50 years rolled out a projector and started BSing us 12 people about sports.

Then one lady kept asking questions such as, "How much will we be paid?" and "How do we earn our commissions?" She was ignored by the hiring lady and told to listen to the pitch. Then we were made to watch the "business" of selling Web sites to high school kids.

We, the recuits, with no scouting credentials were to find high school kids at sporting events, accost them, and ask them to hit their mommies and daddies up for the price of $1000. Our money?
All necessary fees had to be paid by us the "scouts."

We, the scouts, had to just get butts to the "on call"--which was just a pitch to sell the freaking Web site.

The lady who had questions during this video presentation asked to see the hiring manager and within two minutes, the potential scout headed for the door like a bat out of you know where.

Another bad sign.

I was hired, but I never did show up for work.

On the way home I felt scammed by the promise of being a scout. It's a job that sounds neat, but one without merit. What Edge Sports (a part of TCT) is a seller of very expensive Web sites. The scouts are noting more than shills for executives who are scam artists.

I thought to myself after being hired, Can't I set up my own Web site for $100? I got my degree in computer sciences after all. I should know the cost of setting up a Web site.

TCT is an over-priced way of setting up a personal Web site that is in no way a guarantee of getting discovered. The so-called scouts are just joe shmoes who may know that Carmen Electra is better looking than Phyllis Diller.

My advice to those who want to get discovered is to not go to TCT scouts or be associated with Edge Sports in any way whatsoever.

After reading the Rip OFF Report I am glad I never ripped anyone off.

Dear friends,

I was hired by TCT Talent/Edge Sports to be a sports "scout." Let me say that the responses to the main rip off report are all true. I am sorry for what the so-called executives put you through.

A federal agency such as the FBI should look into this racket--seriously. This is an international scam. TCT is currently recruiting on Monster.com for Jerry McGuire. Oh, really?

I seriously doubt that Jerry McGuire would hawk Web pages. If any of you out there are curious about TCT Talent or have been scammed by this company--don't consider it at all. Stop, reassess your position, and find a legitimate company.

My story is that of the hiring process. I responded to a Monster.com ad for a modeling agency--TCT Talent. The company promoted itself as an agency in need of so-called talent scouts. TCT would be hiring for modeling, music, and sports scouts.

You had to take a preliminary test that comprised of selecting the most attractive person to see if you had what it took. I passed. Then it was on to an interview in Phoenix.

The first round of interviews was comprised of selecting people who had a pulse and who could think on their feet. The hiring managers were a bunch of hoity toity women in suits who looked like they were model rejects.

In essense, we the scouting recruits were on a casting call ourselves. I had to endure listening to people who believed they were something special and talked insipidly about their former "careers" and contacts.

I felt, if I have to put up such a fuss to be considered for a job, then the job must be half way legitimate. After going last, after listening to a room full of insipid stories, the hiring lady abruptly said that she would call out the names of people the staff had selected. I was picked.

I was picked as a sports scout only because I had mentioned that I like sports. That's it. That's my big qualification for being a sports scout. My degree is not in sports, but yet I was qualified to see which people were deemed talented by me.

Those who were left over after the first interviews were discarded. Lucky them! They didn't have to endure the second round of interviews.

The second round, at least in my part, had to do with sports scouting. I had a bad feeling at the pit of my stomach after a slovenly male of about 50 years rolled out a projector and started BSing us 12 people about sports.

Then one lady kept asking questions such as, "How much will we be paid?" and "How do we earn our commissions?" She was ignored by the hiring lady and told to listen to the pitch. Then we were made to watch the "business" of selling Web sites to high school kids.

We, the recuits, with no scouting credentials were to find high school kids at sporting events, accost them, and ask them to hit their mommies and daddies up for the price of $1000. Our money?
All necessary fees had to be paid by us the "scouts."

We, the scouts, had to just get butts to the "on call"--which was just a pitch to sell the freaking Web site.

The lady who had questions during this video presentation asked to see the hiring manager and within two minutes, the potential scout headed for the door like a bat out of you know where.

Another bad sign.

I was hired, but I never did show up for work.

On the way home I felt scammed by the promise of being a scout. It's a job that sounds neat, but one without merit. What Edge Sports (a part of TCT) is a seller of very expensive Web sites. The scouts are noting more than shills for executives who are scam artists.

I thought to myself after being hired, Can't I set up my own Web site for $100? I got my degree in computer sciences after all. I should know the cost of setting up a Web site.

TCT is an over-priced way of setting up a personal Web site that is in no way a guarantee of getting discovered. The so-called scouts are just joe shmoes who may know that Carmen Electra is better looking than Phyllis Diller.

My advice to those who want to get discovered is to not go to TCT scouts or be associated with Edge Sports in any way whatsoever.

After reading the Rip OFF Report I am glad I never ripped anyone off.

Dear friends,

I was hired by TCT Talent/Edge Sports to be a sports "scout." Let me say that the responses to the main rip off report are all true. I am sorry for what the so-called executives put you through.

A federal agency such as the FBI should look into this racket--seriously. This is an international scam. TCT is currently recruiting on Monster.com for Jerry McGuire. Oh, really?

I seriously doubt that Jerry McGuire would hawk Web pages. If any of you out there are curious about TCT Talent or have been scammed by this company--don't consider it at all. Stop, reassess your position, and find a legitimate company.

My story is that of the hiring process. I responded to a Monster.com ad for a modeling agency--TCT Talent. The company promoted itself as an agency in need of so-called talent scouts. TCT would be hiring for modeling, music, and sports scouts.

You had to take a preliminary test that comprised of selecting the most attractive person to see if you had what it took. I passed. Then it was on to an interview in Phoenix.

The first round of interviews was comprised of selecting people who had a pulse and who could think on their feet. The hiring managers were a bunch of hoity toity women in suits who looked like they were model rejects.

In essense, we the scouting recruits were on a casting call ourselves. I had to endure listening to people who believed they were something special and talked insipidly about their former "careers" and contacts.

I felt, if I have to put up such a fuss to be considered for a job, then the job must be half way legitimate. After going last, after listening to a room full of insipid stories, the hiring lady abruptly said that she would call out the names of people the staff had selected. I was picked.

I was picked as a sports scout only because I had mentioned that I like sports. That's it. That's my big qualification for being a sports scout. My degree is not in sports, but yet I was qualified to see which people were deemed talented by me.

Those who were left over after the first interviews were discarded. Lucky them! They didn't have to endure the second round of interviews.

The second round, at least in my part, had to do with sports scouting. I had a bad feeling at the pit of my stomach after a slovenly male of about 50 years rolled out a projector and started BSing us 12 people about sports.

Then one lady kept asking questions such as, "How much will we be paid?" and "How do we earn our commissions?" She was ignored by the hiring lady and told to listen to the pitch. Then we were made to watch the "business" of selling Web sites to high school kids.

We, the recuits, with no scouting credentials were to find high school kids at sporting events, accost them, and ask them to hit their mommies and daddies up for the price of $1000. Our money?
All necessary fees had to be paid by us the "scouts."

We, the scouts, had to just get butts to the "on call"--which was just a pitch to sell the freaking Web site.

The lady who had questions during this video presentation asked to see the hiring manager and within two minutes, the potential scout headed for the door like a bat out of you know where.

Another bad sign.

I was hired, but I never did show up for work.

On the way home I felt scammed by the promise of being a scout. It's a job that sounds neat, but one without merit. What Edge Sports (a part of TCT) is a seller of very expensive Web sites. The scouts are noting more than shills for executives who are scam artists.

I thought to myself after being hired, Can't I set up my own Web site for $100? I got my degree in computer sciences after all. I should know the cost of setting up a Web site.

TCT is an over-priced way of setting up a personal Web site that is in no way a guarantee of getting discovered. The so-called scouts are just joe shmoes who may know that Carmen Electra is better looking than Phyllis Diller.

My advice to those who want to get discovered is to not go to TCT scouts or be associated with Edge Sports in any way whatsoever.

After reading the Rip OFF Report I am glad I never ripped anyone off.

WELL, IT'S ME AGAIN, THE MOM WHO POSTED THE "MOM WHO TOOK THE BAIT" REPORT.

IF THIS IS NOT PROOF THAT TCT TALENT SCOUTS ARE EVERYWHERE, THEN YOU MUST NEED TO BE SCOUTED OUT YOURSELF TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS!

TODAY MY HUSBAND AND I WENT TO WAL-MART. THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO SMILED AT US AS WE WALKED BY HER. SHE HAD NOTHING IN HER BASKET. AS WE TURNED THE CORNER THERE SHE WAS AGAIN SMILING. WE THEN STOPPED AT AN ISLE TO GET CONTACT LENSE SOLUTION AND AS WE TURNED AROUND, THERE SHE WAS WITH HER EMPTY BASKET SMILING. THEN SHE SAID "EXCUSE ME" AS IF TO GET OURT ATTENTION THIS TIME. WE THOUGHT SHE WORKED THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO ASK US IF WE USE COUPONS OR SOMETHING. THEN SHE LEANED OVER AND TOLD MY HUSBAND, "SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL" THEN SHE ASKED ME IF I HAD EVER DONE ANY MODELING. I SAID NO THEN BEFORE SHE GOT THE NEXT WORDS OUT OF HER MOUTH, I KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO TELL ME SHE WAS WITH SOME MODELING AGENCY OR SOMETHING AND SURE ENOUGH SHE STARTED TELLING ME HOW SHE WAS A TALENT SCOUT ETC... AND I INTERRUPTED HER AND ASKED HER IF SHE WAS WITH TCT TALENT? SHE SAID YES, THEN I TOLD HER I WASN'T INTERESTED. THEN SHE WAS OFF WITH HER EMPTY CART SMILING. IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN 2 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST TALENT SCOUT CAME UP TO ME AND MY DAUGHTER IN THE BEST BUY STORE WHICH IS IN THE SAME PARKING LOT! THIS IS JUST PROOF THAT TCT SCOUTS ARE OUT TO BRING IN AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE! THEY MAKE COMMISSION I'M SURE WITH WHO THEY BRING IN. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, I'LL POST ANOTHER REPORT SOON I'M SURE, AND WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW MY NEXT INCOUNTER GOES WITH A TCT TALENT SCOUT. FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T BEEN SCOUTED OUT YET, IF SOMEONE APPROACHES YOU OR YOUR KID IN A STORE OR ON THE STREET, THE THINGS TO LOOK FOR ARE LIST THEY BREAK OUT WHEN THEY WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN. THOSE LISTS WILL HAVE NAMES OF OTHER PEOPLE THEY HAVE STOPPED THAT DAY. DON'T FEEL SPECIAL LIKE YOU WERE JUST PICKED OUT OF 1 IN A MILLION PEOPLE BECAUSE CHANCES ARE, THE TCT SCOUT WHO APPROACES YOU HAS ALREADY APPROACED DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE YOU! BE PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS, ARE THEY WITH TCT TALENT ETC... DON'T GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS OR REEL YOU IN.

I am a former employee of Trans Continental Talent, formerly Options Talent Group, formerly e-model.com (the list goes on!)

I write this in the hope that I can help people to avoid being taken advantage of by this company.

When this company arrived in Australia earlier this year, I checked up on the company and found a lot of bad press via the internet.
As a new employee to the company, this alarmed me and so I asked my "Office Director" for some clarification regarding the reports, (which I printed and gave to him). He said it was nothing to worry about and told me to concentrate on my job and "relax".

Talent Scouts were given one day's training and then sent out onto the streets with instruction to bring in people from all ages and descriptions. It was clear from day one that it was a number's game and that secure employment and pay were based on performance to "get them in and get their money".

Talent Executive's were trained for a day and a half on high pressure sales tactics to make people feel that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that they must subscribe to immediately or be sent away for a year before being given another opportunity. It was soon realised that this pressure method was not going to work with Australians and that the company should consider partial payment options for those who needed it.
This was finally approved but was only to be used in extreme circumstances.

Talent Executives were instructed to tell talent that the best agencies and clients were using our talent yet staff were not given any names of such agencies and told that it was a confidentiality issue that would prevent us from revealing this information. Meanwhile, from time to time we would hear a whisper about an agency who had registered with our company. Sometimes this information was passed on under pressure to a parent of a talent who showed doubt in our company's integrity.

Then of course, despite being asked not to, some parents would contact the agency in question who would tell the parent that they in fact have nothing to do with the company.

As staff we were heavily reprimanded for revealing the information and often told "that agency now refuses to deal with us because that parent called asking questions."

Some of us staff called these agencies who told us this was a blatant lie and that they had not registered with our company nor would they.

Hello?? does anyone smell a rat here?

Staff were trained to hone in on doubt and respond by saying things like - "Your daughter is perfect for a casting request we have received, I can't guarantee anything but I would love to put her forward for it and see how she goes"
Doubt is suddenly replaced by excitement and a young woman's hopes and dreams are raised to an unrealistic height that we have absolutely no control of whatsoever.

As for the service and product you receive for your money...

During an open call you as talent are told that by purchasing a comp card with TCT you will be seen by over 1000 registered agencies and clients around the world. That figure was originally over 5000 agencies and clients around the world! The figures are out on many statistics actually but lets get to the costs.
In Australia, the going rate for a digital comp card with TCT is $544.50 this includes one photo. It is then $21.95 per month to stay on the website and each additional photo that is purchased costs $15 each.
(I was told that the price would increase around Australia by the end of the year to $595.)

In the US photographers are quite often contracted to build a portfolio of photos for the talent's comp card. Here in Australia, the photos are taken by the staff with a digital camera and poor lighting. The quality is usually so bad that most photos end up black and white or sepia but the staff will tell you that they look more professional that way.

Then your comp card is placed in an alphabetically listed database on a site that contains over 30,000 comp cards.
And let me tell you another fact.
The staff at each TCT office throughout the world will tell you that they do not accept just anyone onto the site...not true!
If you have the money, beleive me they will take it even if you are butt ugly!
They will simply tell you that there are advertising agencies out there looking for someone just like you to feature in a real ad about real people.
Ask for statistics on how many people get called into a casting or audition let alone how many have done any paid work. The response will vary depending on whom you ask.
I was never given any substantial evidence to answer these type of questions and I worked there!!

Be realistic folks, if you're not over 5"10 then the fashion side of modelling is going to be very difficult for you to get a look into.
If you want to be in print (catalogues, TV commercials, etc) you need to have good skin, good teeth, even features and be height/weight proportionate. And even then there are no guarantees you will even get a casting or audition.
As for acting, forget it unless you have had some training or experience. TCT will tell you that they can put you forward for extra work. You can register for free with a local casting agency and provide them with a black and white headshot of your self and if they get a request for extras there is more chance that you will hear about it from them than through TCT.

Beware folks! And that is coming from someone who got sucked in as a staff member.
If you are happy to part with $544.50 up front then $263.40 per year every year after that to be placed on a website that offers no guarantees and has changed its name over four times in as many years with a history of fraud within its infrastructure and countless claims from disgruntled talent and former staff.
The choice is yours.
But do yourself a big favour and call some local modelling and casting agents or advertising companies in your town first and ask if they have heard of or been associated in any way with Trans Continental Talent.

TCT does not book work for talent - these other people do!
So if these people haven't heard of TCT or worked with them, what are you paying for?!!!

Knowing what I know today, I wouldn't go near TCT as a talent or staff.

Good luck to you all.

IT'S ME AGAIN, THE MOM WHO WROTE THE LENGTHLY REPORT ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH TCT'S TALENT EXECUTIVE. IN RESPONSE TO THE X-EMPLOYEE WHO WALKED OUT (THE ONE WHO WROTE THE REBUTTAL TO MY REPORT) AFTER RECEIVING NO ANSWERS, I APPLAUD YOU. THAT WAS VERY COURAGEOUS AND BOLD OF YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO TAKE A STAND. MY WORDS WERE SENCERE AND I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO ENLIGHTEN A FEW OTHER PEOPLE.

I WANTED TO ADVISE YOU AND EVERYONE, THAT SHORTLY AFTER POSTING MY RIPOFF REPORT (ABOVE), I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MANAGER AT THE OFFICE OF THE OPEN CALL MY DAUGHTER AND I HAD ATTENDED. HIS 1ST COMMENTS TO ME WERE THAT HE HAD READ WHAT I WROTE AND NOTICED I DIDN'T HAVE A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.

HE AGREED THAT WHILE ALOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE TRUE (THE NEGATIVITY AND BAD PRESS), HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ALOT OF THE THINGS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE UNTRUE AND THAT EVEN COMPANIES LIKE "DISNEY" HAVE BAD PRESS. REALLY? ISN'T DISNEY A CLIENT OF TCT? OR SO I WAS TOLD BY THEIR TALENT EXEC.

ANYWAY, HE WANTED TO ASSURE ME THAT HIS OFFICE AND EMPLOYEES ARE EXCEPTIONAL AND THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME AND MY DAUGHTER AT ANY TIME IF I REALLY BELIEVE IN THEIR SERVICES. SO I TOLD HIM I'D CONSIDER IT AND WILL TRY TO SAVE UP THE $800 AND WILL CALL HIM WHEN I HAVE THE $. HE SAID OK AND THE CONVERSATION WAS OVER.

ABOUT A WEEK HAS PASSED AND THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE I THINK THAT THIS OFFER IS TOO UNFAIR AND IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT OF ME TO TAKE HIM UP ON HIS OFFER. EVEN IF I CAME UP THE $ TOMORROW, NOW I'M WONDERING WHY ARE THE FEES $800 NOW WHEN THEY WERE $500 IN AUGUST?? WHAT'S THE REAL PRICE?

THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY OTHER UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND PARENTS WHO FEEL THE WAY I DO WHO HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY I AM BEING OFFERED. ALSO, IF I WERE TO GO BACK TO THIS OFFICE IN 6 MONTHS, I HAVE NO GAURANTEE THAT THEY'LL REMEMBER WHO I AM AND HOW DO I KNOW IF THE MANAGER WHO CALLED ME WILL EVEN STILL BE THERE? HOW MANY OTHER PARENTS HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE $ AND ARE TOLD THEY CAN'T INTERVIEW AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS?

I HAVE TO STICK BY MY ETHICS ON THIS ONE AND I FEEL THAT THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOWN THE DOOR THAT REALLY DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY I AM BEING OFFERED. IT WOULDN'T DO JUSTICE TO ALL THAT HAVE BEEN UNJUSTIFIED.

I FEEL TCT STILL NEEDS TO MAKE MORE IMPROVEMENTS AND PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION UP FRONT TO "TALENTS" OR PARENTS ABOUT THEIR PRICES, POLICIES AND HISTORY.

SO, AS MY WAY OF SUPPORTING OTHER PARENTS IN THEIR QUEST FOR ANSWERS, I WILL FIND ANOTHER AVENUE FOR MY CHILD TO BECOME THE LITTLE STAR SHE WANTS TO BE. THANKS.

I am a Scout with TCTalent or was until this evening.

I was preparing to hold major talent nights at many clubs here in Las Vegas and had approval
from all involved.

Then I recieved an E-Mail from an associate who suggested that I look into this wed site, taken back by this, because of all the hard work and people who trusted my word, and I myself beleiving that the concept offered by TcTalent was solid, I logged in to find some of the most disturbing comments regarding this company, that I was trusting to help people with their dreams, just put me into a tail spin.

I decided to print out some of the comments and take them into tonights open call to find out some answers, and of course, I was told to pay no attention it just was a few that feel this way.

Questions that were asked is why the price since August has almost Doubled? No real answer just quality that TCTalent Offers. ($495.00 to 795.00)

Why are Comments being made that agencies that are told to us that use TCTalent are claiming they do not. No Real Answer.

Several other question were asked but not one solid answer to ease me, so myself and an other Scouts walked out.

To the Woman who found out before she paid money I am grateful, for myself I believe the concept is good it is just to bad that TCTalent does not understand that all we have in this world that is worth any value is OUR GOOD WORD!

Thanks to all out there for letting me read these comments and know that this Scout still knows the value of her word and I walked away with it still good.

I am a Scout with TCTalent or was until this evening.

I was preparing to hold major talent nights at many clubs here in Las Vegas and had approval
from all involved.

Then I recieved an E-Mail from an associate who suggested that I look into this wed site, taken back by this, because of all the hard work and people who trusted my word, and I myself beleiving that the concept offered by TcTalent was solid, I logged in to find some of the most disturbing comments regarding this company, that I was trusting to help people with their dreams, just put me into a tail spin.

I decided to print out some of the comments and take them into tonights open call to find out some answers, and of course, I was told to pay no attention it just was a few that feel this way.

Questions that were asked is why the price since August has almost Doubled? No real answer just quality that TCTalent Offers. ($495.00 to 795.00)

Why are Comments being made that agencies that are told to us that use TCTalent are claiming they do not. No Real Answer.

Several other question were asked but not one solid answer to ease me, so myself and an other Scouts walked out.

To the Woman who found out before she paid money I am grateful, for myself I believe the concept is good it is just to bad that TCTalent does not understand that all we have in this world that is worth any value is OUR GOOD WORD!

Thanks to all out there for letting me read these comments and know that this Scout still knows the value of her word and I walked away with it still good.

I am a Scout with TCTalent or was until this evening.

I was preparing to hold major talent nights at many clubs here in Las Vegas and had approval
from all involved.

Then I recieved an E-Mail from an associate who suggested that I look into this wed site, taken back by this, because of all the hard work and people who trusted my word, and I myself beleiving that the concept offered by TcTalent was solid, I logged in to find some of the most disturbing comments regarding this company, that I was trusting to help people with their dreams, just put me into a tail spin.

I decided to print out some of the comments and take them into tonights open call to find out some answers, and of course, I was told to pay no attention it just was a few that feel this way.

Questions that were asked is why the price since August has almost Doubled? No real answer just quality that TCTalent Offers. ($495.00 to 795.00)

Why are Comments being made that agencies that are told to us that use TCTalent are claiming they do not. No Real Answer.

Several other question were asked but not one solid answer to ease me, so myself and an other Scouts walked out.

To the Woman who found out before she paid money I am grateful, for myself I believe the concept is good it is just to bad that TCTalent does not understand that all we have in this world that is worth any value is OUR GOOD WORD!

Thanks to all out there for letting me read these comments and know that this Scout still knows the value of her word and I walked away with it still good.

I am a Scout with TCTalent or was until this evening.

I was preparing to hold major talent nights at many clubs here in Las Vegas and had approval
from all involved.

Then I recieved an E-Mail from an associate who suggested that I look into this wed site, taken back by this, because of all the hard work and people who trusted my word, and I myself beleiving that the concept offered by TcTalent was solid, I logged in to find some of the most disturbing comments regarding this company, that I was trusting to help people with their dreams, just put me into a tail spin.

I decided to print out some of the comments and take them into tonights open call to find out some answers, and of course, I was told to pay no attention it just was a few that feel this way.

Questions that were asked is why the price since August has almost Doubled? No real answer just quality that TCTalent Offers. ($495.00 to 795.00)

Why are Comments being made that agencies that are told to us that use TCTalent are claiming they do not. No Real Answer.

Several other question were asked but not one solid answer to ease me, so myself and an other Scouts walked out.

To the Woman who found out before she paid money I am grateful, for myself I believe the concept is good it is just to bad that TCTalent does not understand that all we have in this world that is worth any value is OUR GOOD WORD!

Thanks to all out there for letting me read these comments and know that this Scout still knows the value of her word and I walked away with it still good.