Trans Continental Talent ripoff Lawrenceville New Jersey
I am SO EMBARASSED to have been scammed like this, but I feel better that there is more and more investigation going on about this company. I signed up as a model and got my hopes up from their promises of great exposure as well. I have not gotten one decent offer about anything to do with modelling that I couldn't have found out about without Options (mainly things like handing out promotional material for cell phone plans).
I have been somewhat suspicious all along, but figured this may make me some money on the side, and at least I would have some good pictures at the end of the day. Well, the pictures are decent, and they're online, but the point is that no one ever will look at them and I'll never even make up the difference of what I would have saved by going to a better photographer (I only had one choice of photographers).
I lost over $1200 and I have a few pictures to show for it. For myself, I've chalked it up to "live and learn," but the modelling industry certainly doesn't need additional bad press and this kind of experience must leave a bad taste in any aspiring model's mouth.
It's a lot of money and I can just imagine how a lot of girls try to come up with it from their savings. It's sad and infuriating. What can we do to stop this???
Stephanie
Annandale, New Jersey
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Jay
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
just an idea....
#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, December 06, 2002
People we need national exposure to this and as great as the ripoffreport is bigger exposure would do so much good. Someone who has been hurt by this company. I am talking about one of these moms who have shelled out 1200 bucks on one of their kids or just a younger adult who has done the same. Try reaching out to some large media outlets who take up causes for the people. A couple of them came to mind.
Why not try Clark Howard, an AM radio host. He is nationally syndicated and is a consumer advocate in his own right. Contact info for him that I found:
Station Address:
Newstalk 750 WSB
1601 W. Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Phone numbers:
Call toll-free: (877) 87-CLARK
In Atlanta, (404) 872-0750
Fax number: (404) 607-TALK
Or maybe Bill O'reilly of the Fox News Channel. There is contact information for him on their home site.
I am thinking that the local tv reports are great but a few national stories would go a long way to get the word out and increase pressure on the company to either clean itself up or else...
Jay
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
In response to Chad
#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, December 06, 2002
Well, Its not just the structure Chad. Sure there is no structure at all. This company has so many problems it isn't even possible to count them. They never fix the problem. They change their name or come up with some lame new department within the company. The latest is that they have employees in the head office working as "outreach" and "agency relations" which is supposed to solicit agencies to use the site. What a joke!! This company has made such a bad name for itself, rightfully so, that what decent agency out there is going to fall for it now? None!!! They will be using the same 2nd rate agencies and some companies that fall for it years from now.
chad
jersey city,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Just the way you said
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, December 05, 2002
paul the data base is like that but you have to be a registered agency. Just the way you said it -
its like that but the whole structure is wrong
within the company.
Paul
Longwood,Florida,
Model Database
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, November 11, 2002
I know some one who previosly worked for the company. This is a model data base, not an agency. I believe that with only a few modifications this company could be everything it purports to be. If you try to view anyone on the site you have to have a password, good idea for security. How do you register to get password? Can models find out how many 'hits' their pictures have had? If you could just enter requirements, age range, height, weight, vital statistics, general location and view list of results, contact TCT (or whatever they call themselves this week) and use TCT to either contact or forward details of jobs. Then it would be down to specific models to negotiate.It only needs to be more easily available. I used to be a member of a photographic club. We always needed models,just to get used to working with people. Maybe not the most glamorous work but it could be a start I have no connection to TCT or any of its priorincarnations, I have to work for a living!