Complaint Review: Makeup Artist Who's Who

Back in May, I received a call from LR (Linda Randall) who claimed to be a celebrity beauty industry makeup artist and guru who was offering opportunities to have an advertisement in a publication entitled: Makeup Artist Who's Who, which was to include a 40 city makeup artist contest and book launch gala in Las Vegas in the fall of 2009.

I was promised a 1/2 page ad in the book at a discount of $250.00 from $500.00 and then was told I'd receive a full page add for the $250.00 cost, complimentary tickets to the gala book launch and a personal invite to the Oscar (Academy Awards) gift tent in 2010. Not only was I told that someone would contact me for my information for the book (when I inquired in July 2009) but I could do some freelance work with no type of invoice or paper trail.

Once I realized I was getting the run around and made no further contact, I was recently informed by several colleagues in the beauty industry who had paid $500 or more in advertising in the book that the gala had been canceled 5 days prior to the event, the book publication was postponed to January 2010 and that both Cancer Schmancer and Stand Up To Cancer (proposed charity beneficiaries of the gala and book proceeds)were no longer affiliated with Linda Randall and Makeup Artist Who's Who. 

When I informed the company by email on Oct 21st I was entitled to a full refund to my Pay Pal account,  I received a call by Linda Randall who left a voice mail informing me that I would get my refund within 7 - 10 days. Then on Oct 23rd, Tom Randall of Bentley Global LLC, sent me an email requiring a signed copy of a rescission to be faxed or emailed in order to receive my refund (which wasn't mentioned on the previous voice mail).

Many of us believe these people are scamming artists and small businesses in the industry then contacting "celebrity" artists and well known cosmetic manufacturers in order to use these names to draw those striving to have a bigger presence in the industry. Even to the extent that some celebrity artists did not know their picture and press release were used without permission on the Makeup Artists Who's Who blog.