Explore Talent Ben Scam, phone bank, rip-off Las Vegas, Nevada

If you want to continue to lose your money, join this page. I was a telemarketer for ExploreTalent and left because their practices are far from honest.

First, if you are really interested in finding auditions, all the notices ExploreTalent posts are found in local magazines, nationwide casting papers, etc. These listings are FREE or the cost of the subscription to the paper (Which is usually less than the website's convoluted price).

Second, all phone marketers were required to call ourselves "Talent Agents" until someone reported the company, and now we are "Talent Advisors". Still, very untruthful. When you call, the phone is answered by the "receptionist" who sits at the podium at the end of a long row of phones - Her line tells her which telemarketer is offline and she sends it to your "special account executive" or your "talent advisor" - at that time, we are not to let you off the phone until you have purchased a package. We are given tactics such as "I know you don't have the money right now, but you can sell your X-Box, isn't that worth $300? And think of all the money you'll make after you get this job! You'll buy a million X-Boxes with it."

When the report came out that Ryan Seacrest had told one of the American Idol contestants that his proudest moment was buying his mother a house, that became one of our tactics. "How proud will you feel when you give your parents the keys to their own home?" "My parents are divorced." "How perfect for you! You'll be making a lot of money and they'll see how beneficial it is to get back together!" - These people had an answer for everything.

Third, if you do sign up for any of their subscriptions (Currently ranging from $199 for one year to a '30 day trial' for only $29.95) - they forget (although required to tell you) that this is an AUTOMATIC renewal and there are no refunds. If you use a debit card, and your payment is refused - you are sent to collections.

If you have never seen or heard of a phone-bank boiler room: ExploreTalent has six rows of twelve cubicles, each cubicle has a phone and computer. When you call, we ask your name, and pull up your account. Think your account is secure? Your password automatically signs you in on our computer, and we can look at all your information - then we use the seach option at the top right of the screen and use the information that pops up to entice you. "James Cameron is taking submissions right NOW! You'd be perfect for the role. Actually, you'll be perfect for many roles, but we need to get your information submitted right NOW! It's project #(Whatever)" - You're excited! You sign up! They transfer the call to verification, stating we're going to submit your information for this project right now, but that you also "need to get on and start submitting yourself to projects as well." You transfer to verification, we close the screen and go on to the next call. Nothing is submitted on your behalf.

You may hear that we will be there for you. Call anytime during regular business hours with your questions. If you are sent to us with questions about your account or any casting - we are giving stock answers how to make sure you don't try to cancel your account. If you do, we give a mock apology and remind you there are no refunds.

And, if you try to unsubscribe from the website before your subscription is up, you will receive many phone calls each day to convince  you to continue your subscription. This is a separate phone bank on the other side of the room. If the person on the phone loses more than three subscriptions in one day - they are fired. So, you know they are very high-pressure sales.

Oh, one last thing, the person you spoke to who was so excited for you and will be there for you? Most of the people hired are ex cons who couldn't get another job, or people who are desperate for a job. There are no jobs in Vegas, and most of us are taking what we can get - but the turnover for the company (the rate they replace their employees) is almost 75% a month.

Save your money! Internet Search for Backstage Newspaper or Variety News, or check your local newspaper. EVERY single job posting on Explore Talent was entered by a data entry team in California paid minimum wage to do what you could do for free.

Break a leg with your acting career!