Kids.com Justourkids.com Scam - Dishonest - Ripoff - and they use your most prized posession - your children Nationwide
My story is not unlike any other complaints on this company. They lure you in telling you how adorable your child is. "I'm sure you get a lot of compliments, and those people don't compliment every child they see." Must be true!! They told us that "they can't gurarantee work, but they would be suprised if Ethan didn't get work." Well, suprise . . can't work if you don't return phone calls!!
Maybe my story differs a little. I called to complain about the picture they posted and the category he was in. They wouldn't let me speak to the person who interviewed us but assured us they would take care of it. Nothing . . I called back also asking when we could expect some auditions. They sent us on one. There were about 100 kids there for one print ad seeing only the baby's bottom. In our interview, we were told that Kids.com has such a great relationship with these agencies, there would normally be no more than 20 kids at an audition, unlike the normal "cattle call."
These people operate out of New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. Minneapolis based WCCO is doing stories on them now. We need to get this out nationwide. We went to the NJ office, and WCCO reported that one lady in NJ got her money back after calling attorney generals and filing complaints.
Like the other lady said, don't be embarrassed to come forward. You think the world of your child and would like everyone else to see that. Where's the embarrassment in that?? What we need to do is make sure that other parents aren't taken advantage of. Read the 2 reports from WCCO. Here's the website - http://wcco.com/iteam/local_story_047162841.html
Here's a quote from the WCCO report - "While ownership has changed, the I-TEAM found out that Kids.com is connected to a company the Federal Trade Commission put out of business in 1999, National Talent Associates. The FTC accused National Talent Associates of misrepresenting potential earnings, connections and job prospects." This isn't new for this company!!
If you have been scammed by this company, first call the Attorney General. Then, post on this site. We can work together and get the word out. If we can get our money back, great. We really need to get the word out. Check Ebay - mistyrs is me. Together, we can put an end to this.
Also, if you worked with Kids.com and had a good experience, please post that as well. I would love to see some sort of "success" story.
Thank you
Misty
Watertown, New York
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
S. N
Brooklyn,New York,
U.S.A.
It's a shame help is out there if your looking
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, November 23, 2005
I was contacted recently by kids.com and did research on the company. I called first and was told to call back at 2:30 pm to speak to an agent. I made no further contact with this agency because something just didn't feel right about this company. I visited the website limited information. I don't know how old these pictures are. I found this website through my uncle and he told me to read all of the complaints made against them I am an advocate for children and I don't like what I'm seeing. If I could assist in any way, I would like to. There exploiting new parents and newly born children and something needs to be done. My major concern is how do they get your information. I need to know if it's the hospital's or if you take the hospital pictures is it the company that the hospital deals with. If you stop the process before it starts you can stop Kids.com in their fraudrent tracks.
Jose
Hollywood,California,
U.S.A.
ELIOT SPITZER V. LARRY BAGWELL
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, October 29, 2004
IN THEORY IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO SEND COMPLAINTS TO THE FTC, BUT IN REALITY IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
LOOK AT FTC PERFORMANCE IN ADDRESSING OTHER MODELING AGENCY SCAMS AND TALENT SCAMS.
THE EMODEL / OPTIONS TALENT / TRANS CONTINENTAL TALENT / WILHELMINA SCOUTING NETWORK SCAM, WHICH ANOTHER ROR POSTER NOTED WAS SIMILAR TO KIDS.COM, AND WAS A NATIONAL SCAM, LASTING FROM 2000-2003, WAS ABOUT 10 TIMES WORSE THAN KIDS.COM, YET THE FTC DID NOTHING.
COMPLAINING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF WHICHEVER STATE YOU ARE IN AS WELL AS THE STATE WHERE KIDS.COM IS BASED (NJ) IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT SO FEW PARENTS HAVE COMPLAINED, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.
AT LAST CHECK, THE REGULATED BUSINESS SECTION OF THE NJ ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAD RECEIVED ONLY FOUR COMPLAINTS AGAINST KIDS.COM; THAT IS ABOUT ONE COMPLAINT A YEAR.
THAT IS NOT GOING TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF PENNSYLVANIA TOOK ACTION AGAINST AN ADVANCE-FEE MODELING SCAM A FEW YEARS AGO AFTER RECEIVING ABOUT 22 COMPLAINTS. IF YOU CAN GET YOUR COMPLAINTS IN, RAISING THE 4 TO 22, YOU COULD GET THE NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION.
THE PROBLEM HERE IS MOST PARENTS AREN'T SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE THEY WERE SCAMMED OR THEY ARE NOT UNSELFISH ENOUGH TO FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO KEEP OTHER PARENTS FROM BEING SCAMMED.
YOU SIGNED SAYING YOU'RE FROM NEW YORK STATE. ELIOT SPITZER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW YORK, IS EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE IN GOING AFTER FRAUD. IN THE NEWS THERE IS CURRENTLY A HEADLINE, "Spitzer's Anti-Fraud Crusade."
SPITZER, INDEED, RECENTLY WENT AFTER ANOTHER TALENT SCAM, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD RECEIVED VERY FEW COMPLAINTS.
A WEAK ATTORNEY GENERAL NEEDS MANY COMPLAINTS TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION. A STRONG ATTORNEY GENERAL NEEDS ONLY A FEW.
SEARCH GOOGLE FOR THIS June 30, 2004 SPITZER PRESS RELEASE:
MONTGOMERY CO. MAN ACCUSED OF PERPETRATING TALENT AGENT SCAM
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against a Montgomery County man who scammed dozens of actors into believing he was a talent agent and casting director for major motion picture studios.
Eric Charles Roselli, also known as Eric Latham, of Amsterdam, is accused of fraud, deceptive business practices, false advertising and violations of a state law that prohibits advertisements for show business employment opportunities when an advance fee is a condition of employment.
"This individual pretended to be a movie talent agent and nearly convinced many people to pay in advance for an opportunity to appear in a movie," Spitzer said. "But his claims were not substantiated and my office is now seeking restitution for those who were victimized."
THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST KIDS.COM WITH THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
THE REPORT ON SPITZER'S WEBSITE SAID DOZENS OF ACTORS WERE DECEIVED IN AN ADVANCE-FEE SCAM. ONLY SEVERAL COMPLAINED: "Several actors recognized Roselli's offer as a scam and reported it to Spitzer's office."
KIDS.COM HAS DECEIVED FAR MORE THAN DOZENS OF NEW YORK PARENTS IN THEIR DISPICABLE ADVANCE-FEE SCAM. IT IS MORE LIKE THOUSANDS. (THE MN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SAID IN MN ALONE ABOUT 2,700 PARENTS WERE CONNED.)
oag.state.ny.us/press/2004/jun/jun30a_04.html
Call the Attorney General's consumer help line at (800) 771-7755 or visit the office's web site at oag.state.ny.us.
THE AG WEBSITE PROVIDED A CONTACT; THE SAME PERSON CAN BE CALLED TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KIDS.COM ADVANCE-FEE SCAM:
Attorney Robert Vawter of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau.
STOP READING. START PROTECTING CHILDREN. CALL ROBERT.
Misty
Watertown,New York,
U.S.A.
more victims needed
#7Author of original report
Mon, March 29, 2004
A lawyer in MN who is working the class action lawsuit there is working on finding someone in NY/NJ area to represent us in a class action lawsuit against Kids.com. If you have been scammed, get in touch with me thru this web site. Contact Rip-off Report with your information by filing a Rip-off Report on your situation.
Also, file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission. They are the ones who closed down NTA back in '99. They mailed me a letter after I filed a complaint and said that they will keep it on file but will not investigate unless they receive more complaints of a similar nature. So, if you've been scammed . . forward it on!! Copy and paste this into your browser - https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01 - that's the FTC complaint on-line form.
Misty
Watertown,New York,
U.S.A.
more victims needed
#7Author of original report
Mon, March 29, 2004
A lawyer in MN who is working the class action lawsuit there is working on finding someone in NY/NJ area to represent us in a class action lawsuit against Kids.com. If you have been scammed, get in touch with me thru this web site. Contact Rip-off Report with your information by filing a Rip-off Report on your situation.
Also, file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission. They are the ones who closed down NTA back in '99. They mailed me a letter after I filed a complaint and said that they will keep it on file but will not investigate unless they receive more complaints of a similar nature. So, if you've been scammed . . forward it on!! Copy and paste this into your browser - https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01 - that's the FTC complaint on-line form.
Misty
Watertown,New York,
U.S.A.
more victims needed
#7Author of original report
Mon, March 29, 2004
A lawyer in MN who is working the class action lawsuit there is working on finding someone in NY/NJ area to represent us in a class action lawsuit against Kids.com. If you have been scammed, get in touch with me thru this web site. Contact Rip-off Report with your information by filing a Rip-off Report on your situation.
Also, file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission. They are the ones who closed down NTA back in '99. They mailed me a letter after I filed a complaint and said that they will keep it on file but will not investigate unless they receive more complaints of a similar nature. So, if you've been scammed . . forward it on!! Copy and paste this into your browser - https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01 - that's the FTC complaint on-line form.
Misty
Watertown,New York,
U.S.A.
more victims needed
#7Author of original report
Mon, March 29, 2004
A lawyer in MN who is working the class action lawsuit there is working on finding someone in NY/NJ area to represent us in a class action lawsuit against Kids.com. If you have been scammed, get in touch with me thru this web site. Contact Rip-off Report with your information by filing a Rip-off Report on your situation.
Also, file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission. They are the ones who closed down NTA back in '99. They mailed me a letter after I filed a complaint and said that they will keep it on file but will not investigate unless they receive more complaints of a similar nature. So, if you've been scammed . . forward it on!! Copy and paste this into your browser - https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01 - that's the FTC complaint on-line form.