MODELLING SCAMS

Suckers are not born a minute, but dreams are. We all dream of fame, fortune and glory, and for teenage girls, all three are rolled into one tenacious fantasy: the dream of being a fashion model. What are you going to do if your agent says you're fat and tells you to lose weight? You're not fat and you know it. Your friends think you're thin and maybe your mother feels you're too thin. But the agent explains you need to be slimmer to get bookings. What if you try to shed some kilos but can't?

MODELLING SCAMS: Is that great offer a fake? (www.modelingscams.net)

Thousands of young women are interested in modelling and get scammed every year, but surprisingly few books have been written about modelling scams. In fact, you would be lucky to find half a dozen books ever written on them in general or about one of them in particular. The bad news about the modelling industry is: it is full of scams. The good news is: education can keep you from avoiding them.

SCAMS: Spot fake modelling agencies. (www.ehow.com)

The Internet has become a force for both education and relevation. Some sites help you learn what scams look like, while others specifically name which one are frauds. www.ModelingScams.org emphasizes modelling scams in the United States, but very similar if not identical schemes are found in South Africa and other English-speaking countries, as well as virtually every other country that has models. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Take some time to learn the history of the modelling industry so you can avoid big mistakes or small ones.