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Trans Continental Talent AKA Wilhelmina Scouting Network MAYJOR RIPOFF! BUSINESS RIPOFF FROM HELL! This company misrepresents themselves, lies, scams, and even commits FRAUD. Orlando Florida
This company misrepresents themselves, lies, scams, and even commits FRAUD. After being scouted and attending one of their 3+ hour long open call meetings, I received a phone call by Shayna (sp) one of TCT's talent executive. It took Shayna a lot of talking and convincing but finally after an hour on the phone I decided becoming a model is a dream of mine, I did not want to lose out on a "opportunity" as all the TCT representatives called it, so I gave Shayna my debit card and credit card information, I wanted her to split the payments as specified.
About the 2nd day of my enrollment I got my first "open call." The open call was held in Miami. TCT gave me a five days notice for the job, fortunately it was enough time for me to make the open call, and luckily I had a friend who lived in Miami, otherwise I would have never found the place the open call was being held at, because TCT only gave me an address and a phone number that led to an automated voice system which stated the same information TCT did.
When I arrived at the open call, I realized that it was not specifically a TCT open call, but that everyone and anybody was there. I had been told by TCT representatives that agencies / companies looking for a model would specify what they needed to TCT and TCT would contact the model for that position. That was not the case here.
That company was not expecting me, speifically, to be there. I was upset that I had driven 200+ miles for something that was advertised to the public. I didn't receive a call back on this supposed job. A couple weeks went by and I wasn't recieving many open calls as Shayna (TCT talent executive) said I would when I signed up with her over the phone.
The open calls I was receiving were for DUMB open call jobs, that had nothing to do with modeling in the first place, for example I actually ended up getting a job that consisted of me passing out promotional items at a HARDWARE STORE. TCT called it "promotional work." What's even worse, I started getting open calls for what seemed to be modeling jobs, with only a days notice by e-mail, sometimes even less than a day. By this time I was very upset with TCT and the LACK of service they were providing me. I tryed to complain to TCT over their 1-800 number but after being placed on hold for 5, 10, even 15 minutes and then being hung up on.
I decided to send them a notice through email clearly stating that I was receiving my open calls with very short notice and requested that they send me my open calls with more advance notice. A couple weeks passed and got any kind of response from TCT in regards to my notice. That's when I decided to cancel my membership.
Again I called the 1-800 number and after 2 or 3 attempts and on May 6th, 2003 I finally got through. I rescinded their authorization to take any further money from my debit card and credit card accoutns. I explained to the TCT rep that I was very dissatisfied with the company. I asked for a full refund of the $59.83. The TCT rep said: "I cannot give you a refund for all three months, I can only give you a refund for the month of June. I said: "why not?, TCT did not provide me with the services they said they would and I want my money back, why should I have to pay for services I didn't even receive?
She then began to explain that if I wanted to cancel I would have to put it in writing with in 30 days and send it to the corporate office in Orlando. I said: I never new that, because no one ever told me that, and she said that it was in the brochure and I needed to look at it. I don't ever recall anyone from TCT telling me that and I KNOW IT WAS NOT IN THE BROCHURE. In other words this lady was telling me TCT was going to keep my money from the month of May but yet, not provide me any services for that whole month! I was furious and I told her to give me a refund for what she could at that time, and I would deal with the rest later, b/c I was now determined to get my money back. All she said was "okay" and that ended the call.
Well I now found the original brochure given to me in my room and I read over ALL of it carefully and NO WHERE on the brochure does it state anything about sending out a 30 days written notice to cancel membership or that any pre-paid monthly fees will be returned on a prorated basis. Again I was very upset, the TCT rep over the phone lied to me, and made no kind of effort to give me the refund that I deserved. I decided to give them the written notice they wanted anyway.
Before I sent the letter to TCT I discovered that TCT had also made an UNAUTHORIZED charge to my credit card account causing me to go over my limit and getting charged a over limit fee of $35 dollars. I sent my letter to TCT by regular mail and certified mail My letter clearly stated that I want a full refund of the $795 one time enrollment fee, the $59.85 quarterly maintenance fee, along with the UNAUTHORIZED charge of $59.83 plus the $35.00 dollar overlimit fee charged to my credit card account.
The TCT corporate office in Orlando has recieved my letters on May 27th 2003 and I still have not been refunded my money! I feel now it is time to seek legal action, as stated in my letter to TCT. Any help you can give me to get my full refund and put this SCAMMING company to rest is greatly appriciated.
Tamara
palm beach gardens, Florida
U.S.A.
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