TCTalent/Wilhelmina Scouting Network ripoff the inside scoop from a scout they are dishonest thieves. rip-off! Indianapolis Indiana

One of my ex-co-workers just pointed out the front page of Ripoff.com... and showed me MUCH MORE information on the corporate ventures and background investigations of Wilhelmina's key players.

It is a star-studded "crook pot"--- at best...

Check it out...

If this doesn't get you to leave Wilhelmina Talent Scouting Network in the dust-- I don't know what will!

I too am an ex-employee of Wilhelmina (Orange County), who was treated the same way those in San Diego claim they were treated. 4 hours of training, replaced a weeks worth of training and trip to Orlando headquarters.

I became suspicious when I was told that it cost the models almost a gran to get on their digital network- "geared to the 21st century".
Well.......it doesn't cost a gran to scan photos and they certainly weren't offering to take those pictures ......so how do you justify spending a gran? Is that how much they charge to just be listed in their network? if so, why? ligit agents dont make money unless the model makes money-a percentage. Thats what motivates them to find them work. Yet Wilhelmina wants it all up front?

Also, if they are so 21st century geared, why are they still in the stone ages sending scouts out to malls, beaches and where ever, to essentially "cold call" on the beautiful. although it may be true that a person can be discovered anywhere, it is not likely they will get soaked for almost a gran (UP FRONT) in the process.

Also, Isn't it hokey for a scout to offer a business card with a scouting website address on it. I know if I were a scouted model given a website address,i would want to find a glamourous modeling agencies site there, not a help desk for scouts ...... whats up with that?????

JUST TO STATE "HOW" WILHELMINA LURES PROSPECTIVE TALENT SCOUTS AND PROSPECTIVE MODELS/ ACTORS/ ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PEOPLE INTO THEIR TRAP...

ACCORDING TO THE INFO. THAT WE WERE GIVEN AT OUR INTERVIEW-- AND DURING TRAINING...WILHELMINA BOASTS OF BEING THE "TALENT SCOUT" NOW FOR THE DALLAS COWBOY CHEERLEADER ORGANIZATION AND THE AMERICAN IDOL COMPETITION.

HUGE NAMES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY!!!

THESE MAY OR---- MAY NOT BE LEGITIMATE CLAIMS... WHO KNOWS. THE TRUTH IS THAT THESE ARE 2 ISOLATED INCIDENCES WHERE THEY CLAIM THEY ARE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PLACE "TALENT".

THE THING THAT REALLY "GOT ME"-- DURING OUR TRAINING AND THE 2 WEEKS THAT I WORKED IN THE FIELD... WAS THAT THEY COULD NEVER ANSWER THE QUESTION... "WHO IS HIRING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING A THOUSAND DOLLARS (AND $20.00 A MONTH) TO BE POSTED ON WILHELMINA'S WEB SITE?

I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT THE GROUPS THAT ARE LOCATED IN LA AND NYC MAY BE MORE LEGIT THAN SAY THE OTHER CITIES THAT WILHELMINA IS OPERATING OUT OF...WHAT LA BASED MODELING AGENCY IS GOING TO PAY TO HAVE MODELS DRIVE UP FROM SAN DIEGO-- WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN OVER-FLOWING INDUSTRY IN LA?

PERHAPS LA AND NYC WILHELMINA SCOUTING NETWORK-- IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET MODELS WORK...?

DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS...?

PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT "WHO" THEY ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PLACE IN "PRINT", "RUNWAY", OR OTHER TALENT BASED PRODUCTION WORK FOR MODELS, ACTORS, OR ENTERTAINERS.

THIS WAS THE MAJOR QUESTION THAT THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER.... EVERYTIME I MENTIONED IT, THEY WOULD AVOID THE QUESTION...

IF YOU CAN GET AN ANSWER OUT OF THEM... POST IT--- I WANT TO KNOW.

OTHERWISE... THIS $1,000 (AND $20.00 PER MONTH) IS A TOTAL BOGUS WASTE OF MONEY.

THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE STOPPED!

DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYONE WORKING FOR THE FBI OR OTHER INTELLIGENCE BUREAU THAT SEEKS OUT CRIMINAL FRAUD? IF SO-- IT'S TIME TO ACT...

THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE BEHIND BARS...

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW---

IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WILHELMINA WAS "DOWN FOR THE COUNT" AFTER REPORTING THEM TO THE BBB, AND WRITING THESE REPORTS....SORRY-- BUT THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE RECRUITING "NEW BLOOD"--- BY PLACING BOGUS INTERVIEWS ON CANDIDATE'S FROM MONSTER.COM.

I CONTACTED MONSTER.COM TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE SCAM THAT WILHELMINA IS RUNNING--- THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD "CHECK INTO IT"--- BUT DID THEY REALLY...???

APPARENTLY--- THE ALMIGHTY DOLLARS THAT WILHELMINA IS PAYING MONSTER.COM FOR ADVERTISING AND SOLICITING "NEW BLOOD" MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT TO MONSTER.COM-- THAN PROMOTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE LEGIT.

SHAME ON MONSTER.COM!!!

THIS IS REDICULOUS!

PLEASE HEED THESE WARNINGS--IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN "SELECTED" FOR AN UP-COMING INTERVIEW WITH WILHELMINA... SAVE YOURSELF THE TIME FOR A 6 HOUR BOGUS INTERVIEW...!!!

DROP IT LIKE A BAD HABIT...

AND GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE!

THERE ARE LEGIT JOBS OUT THERE... EVEN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA... YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THEM!

I had a scheduled interview with Wilhelmina for tomorrow, but after finding this site and reading all the posts & employee rebuttals, I immedately cancelled my interview!

Thanks to all who saved me the touble of getting involved with this company!

"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true!"

After responding to a legitimate looking ad on Monster.com, I was excited to be e-mailed by the "Vice-President" to interview in Oakbrook, Illinois. I thought it strange that it lasts 6 hours. In the e-mail I was told to research the company by visiting their website. After researching the company at other sites such as this, I won't waste my time or respect them by phoning to cancel.

THANK YOU for saving me from spending my valuable time and embarassing myself telling my family and friends about a great new job I got. I am very much against misleading others and it is ironic that I almost got taken in by this scam myself. I plan to notify Monster.com about their carrying ads for this highly unethical operation.
If more parents and young people would research these operations, they wouldn't have any paying customers. I now have a new reference when I think of the title "Interview With A Vampire".

After responding to a legitimate looking ad on Monster.com, I was excited to be e-mailed by the "Vice-President" to interview in Oakbrook, Illinois. I thought it strange that it lasts 6 hours. In the e-mail I was told to research the company by visiting their website. After researching the company at other sites such as this, I won't waste my time or respect them by phoning to cancel.

THANK YOU for saving me from spending my valuable time and embarassing myself telling my family and friends about a great new job I got. I am very much against misleading others and it is ironic that I almost got taken in by this scam myself. I plan to notify Monster.com about their carrying ads for this highly unethical operation.
If more parents and young people would research these operations, they wouldn't have any paying customers. I now have a new reference when I think of the title "Interview With A Vampire".

Was just curious...

When we enlisted the people that have attended the "meetings"-- we were suppossed to have been paid $10.00 per person that showed up that evening or Saturdasy (for those models/actors/entertainers-- that made it past the scrutiny of Zury White... and his HUGE, OVERLY ROBUST, DOMINANT, and SELF IMPORTANT EGO).

Will we get paid for this? Or if we quit-- do we no longer have a right to have compensation?

If you know-- please correspond and let me know!

Just to let you know...

I worked a total of 2 weeks and was quickly the top recruiting "Talent Scout"-- bringing in over 12 people for the "meetings" with Zury White-- and the Wilhelmina Group.

I became very suspicious of the company after questioning them about their pay structure.

3 Talent Scouts met for lunch following one of our scheduled "meetings". I was one of the 3.
After pulling our collective stories together... we all decided that it was not in our best interest to be involved in this company.

Then -- we all three vowed to go home and do some "homework" on the company.

One person e-mailed us reports from this website-
www.ripoffreport.com/view.asp?id=51805 - and there was another site listed with information at http://transconscam.com/

Both sites confirmed what we three suspected... that this Wilhelmina Talent Scouting Network is a complete HOAX and SCAM.

I wasted no time-- and decided to contact the Better Business Bureau-- and was given information that substantiated our findings... the BBB agreed that the "Modeling Industry" is typically known for this type of press-- and that they are difficult to "regulate".

Please--- if you are reading this for the first time-- take action and stop working at this company. It is nothing but a complete WASTE OF TIME... and you will not be Paid your "Base"-- because the corporate headquarters will use that as a "Carrot"-- to get you to keep "mushing" forward... only to rip the rug out from under you-- when you DO reach BASE.

Head these warnings... and GET OUT!!!

Annonymous San Diego "Ex-- Talent Scout"

With each report, more and more of this picture unfolds for us all. First of all, lets name our local culprit: Zury White, Director of San Diego scam operations. Is that his real name? Who knows? What car does he drive and license plate number? Im sure the FBI would love that information when the time comes. I urge all who have been victimized to gather this information on the operation centers. This one bit of information will lead authorities right to their personal doorsteps, I assure you. Do not post it here, email a copy of this Rip-off Report to the FBI with a letter and links leading back to this paper trail.

Mr. White re-opened the San Diego office 2 months after it (TC-Talent) was shut down by the local DA following a TV report by a local station. Typical scenario goes: Hire a group (2-4) and get them on the street Recruiting quickly. If they learn too much and start asking questions, fire them. If they attain salary level, fire them. Mr. White and the "corporate side" are making seriously silly amounts of money with this process

And by the way Anonymous, we were the 2-3 others hired that you spoke of. We also quit 2 days into the program. I hope you quit too!

Yes-- I agree with the other reports...

I have some things to add to the reports:

After finishing a 4-5 hour "interview process" with Wilhelmina Talent Scouting Network-- I was hired as a "Talent Scout".

I, along with 2 others, received 2 hours of training-- and then our group of Talent Scouts were handed business cards and were told to write our own information on the back of the card... they told us to make sure that we did not leave a personal number for the "talent" to be able to contact us in the future.

This was a little "fishy"... why couldn't they contact us directly?

Then-- to top that off-- we were given cards with a person's name on them "Marie Spears". When asked "who" Marie Spears was... the trainer stated that she was a regional director with the company.

Later that week-- at one of our business meetings, I decided to pose the same question again-- only this time-- to our director-- himself.

He stated that Marie Spears was a "made-up" name that defined the "territory" in which we were all scouting-- San Diego and Southern CA.

---------------------------

Bogus Pay Structure for "Talent Scouts"...

It was never clearly defined during the first day of our training and interviews-- exactly how much we were going to get paid. Somehow the subject came up several times-- and always was redirected by the director.

The subject of "base pay"-- was discussed--- and it was disclosed that when we, as individual talent scouts, brought in 25 paying customers (at $1,000 a pop)-- we would get a base salary of $600 per week. In order to keep this base salary-- we would need to be responsible for bringing in 5 additional people each week thereafterwards.

This sounded reasonable at the time...

When I asked about this later--- while in a business meeting with the director of the San Diego branch... he revealed that his last group of talent scouts were given this same promise-- and when they actually met the requirements to be paid "base"... the Wilhelmina Corporate offices decided to drop "Base" altother.

This resulted in the Sales force being angry-- and within a short while-- all of the sales force "Quit".

Thus--- Wilhelmina Talent Scouting Network-- began a strong campaign on Monster.com-- to bring in New Talent Scouts... (My Bunch, and then 2 or 3 others).

Apparently-- they have a huge "turn over"-- so it is not surprising that everyone QUIT.

Their pattern is to immediately advertise with Monster.com-- and bring "new blood" on board-- that has not heard of the scams in any way, shape, or form.

This process just keeps repeating and repeating...

I only hope that someone can do something to correct this in time to save people from being "Scammed".

I also recently responded to a Monster.com add for full-time talent scout work by calling the local San Diego office. A rude male who asked for my credentials in the industry, then huffed when I told him I had none greeted me on the other end of the phone. Still, he scheduled me for an interview that would last from 10am to 4pm. Orientation I thoughtnot so, as the other posts will mention here.

Day one: The offices were small, carpets and walls dirty and coffee stained, loud music blared, model pictures covered the walls, the secretary was bursting out of her blouse and I was quickly ushered into a room of 25 other people who wanted the job as well. We watched Zoolander for 30 minutes while the rest of the candidates filed in then saw a 10-minute Wilhemina promotional video. After a few group exercises we were shown the Scout Compensation package, which was a joke and prompted two people to stand up and walk out. I should have taken that hint. We were brought in one by one and interviewed by the director then escorted off the premises if you were not selected.

Day two: Three (including myself) scouts showed for training which involved one-on-one role-playing and the dos and donts of scouting. One hour later we were given cards with the office address, a toll free number to corporate and a fictitious name of a VP of New Faces on them. We were to write down our own personal cell numbers, email and local office numbers on the back for handing out. Next, we were taken to a local shopping center to test our new skills. We then returned to the offices for an open call interview of newly scouted talent. This was a very humiliating experience for the people coming in and some definitely did not have what it takes to be in the industry. I too quickly began to see the scam unfolding as the director told the nots that they could be print models. I scouted the rest of the day and came up pretty short as my guilt began to build.

Day Three (Fridays): I attended a corporate conference call that afternoon and listened to some kid give a team spirit speech with incentives reaching into the thousands for whomever could bring in the most by the end of the Memorial weekend. After the speech we were ordered to hit the streets and report in twice daily with our status. Myself and two other scouts met in the parking lot as we left the office and decided to go for lunch and discuss the entire venue. Needless to say, by the time we had all put in our observations the answer to our questions was obvious.

This scam is a complete waste of everyones time and money and should in my opinion be shut down permanently by the justice department. These franchise operations are at best uncontrolled thieves praying on the innocent looking for a new life. I am lucky that I had only taken time off from a permanent job to test the water and gain some street experience. I only hope that this reaches others looking for a quick ride to fame and fortune, because there is none.

I too worked in this office. I was actually there for about two and a half months. I am so mad at this company I am doing my very best to get the word out to Indianapolis to get them out of town. I know exactly the director you are speaking of and befriended her somehow so I know many of the inner workings of this company. I would really like to talk with you about when you worked for her and what other scouts were there with you. If you do end up reading this again, and feel comfortable getting in touch with me I believe there is a way for you to reach me through this site. Like I said, I am working very hard to take down this office in Indy. This city is to good to be scammed out of thousands of dollars and the scouts that are there now I feel horrible for.

Dear Anon,

You are in a unique position to really shine the light of truth on this operation. I'd stick around a little longer just to gather more facts and then call 60 minutes or 20/20. If they don't bite contact your local television watchdog group--they may give you a camera to go under cover.

Or maybe you could "scout" a reporter and the two of you could do a "killer" expose'.

Nonetheless, thank you for warning the readers of the Rip-Off report.