Complaint Review: M&T Modeling - Nationwide

Before I go anywhere or buy anything I always check out the reviews.  This company had a very terrrible review.  In fact, many called this company a scam.  This company currently (Feb 14, 2015) is in ottawa, ontario Canada.  An advertisement went out that they were with Disney and that they were looking for fresh new talent.  Interested of course I registered and then did my homework.  I went there knowledgeable and aware. 

When we got to the registration, you sign in which I am unaware of any company having you sign in which made me suspect them right away as this was now a way for them to keep your signature.  Then when entering the ballroom, you get an application form.  With this application form there was information at the bottom that you had to guarantee you were not a professional model or actor and not a member of the media.  I wonder why they were so worried about this that they had to include it in a disclaimer at the bottom.  This is a red flag.  But guess what i didnt get into the ball room for the audition with my 5 year old because the guy who refuse to give me his name and none of them were wearing name tags to identify themselves refused to answer my question of why they were taking my picture with my ID.  He claimed it was for the safety of the children and I disagreed with him because there were adults that were auditioning and they were forced to show their ID and they were of age.  Another red flag which didnt sit well with me.  Still at the door I asked him if he knew about the Privacy Act of Canada.  He told me it was for security again. Recognizing his accent I asked him if he was american and he was and so I told him again that him taking photos of me with my ID is contrary to the Privacy Act as he refused to tell me what it was about and how he was using the information and when I probed for more he told me that I couldnt go in any longer.  But when I asked why he told me I refused to follow the rules and I told him he refused to follow an act of Canada which what he was doing was against the law.

I started to walk away but the girl that was standing beside him as he went to get security told him I still had the application, he walked over to me and pushed me and pushed his way into my sons school bag taking out the paper that I put in there but he claimed it was the property of the agency which again was another red flag.  But the info was not on the application but was in the booklet they were handing out.  But what is worse is that he assulted my 5 year old son to get to this paper he pushed him on the floor and hurt him and when I went to get the paper that they gave to me and put in my bag back from him he pushed me and what I went to get was the paper and he turned quickly so I didnt get the paper back so I got a new one from the table and went to the elevator where he proceeded to verbally assult me. While scarring my 5 year old.  He was a bully and there is something that he was hiding to go to this much trouble to get the documents back.  When you open the pamphlet you can see that the costs are 3 months for $1950, 6 months for $2900, and then if you want a career then it is 9 months at $5900 and guess what there is a payment option and then there is a 12 month option of $7900 with a payment option with that at $9085.  I now know what they were hiding.  The fact that they are only advisors not an actual modeling agency.  As MOdeling agencies are free to register and only get paid when they book you to real jobs.  These are Americans coming into Canada Trying to frudelently exploit parents that would really love to have their children in a real audition.  But there seems to be a cost of for this and there is no guarantee.  What you get for the costs are things you can find on line already for free. 

It is rather important to make a complaint with the Better BUsiness BUreau, Consumer and protections Bureau, the Competition Bureau because they are fraudlent seeling you somethign then taking off with no intent of following through with what they promised.  Trying to find this company on the internet or a phone number to make a formal complaint against them is impossible.  Theya re hiding their true identidy.  They are big time scammers.  Called Disney and they are not affiliated with this company and they certainly would charge people for auditions.  Please note again that this company is an advisor only not a model and talent company.  They wont find you a job.  THey advise you on how to find one but they do not do the work for you.

 Do not be scammed by this company claiming to do magically things for you.  They paid for the pictures and the reviews of persons that are in the pamplet and they can not be trusted.  Please keep your money they are agressive and when people question them they dont like it because they know they are being dishonest and stealing from people that work hard for their money.  Consumer beware.  I knkow we want to trust in people that say they can do great things for us but remember there is no cost to getting an audition and giving an agency your photo dont blindly give people your private info and payment because poof they will be gone because there is no forwarding address and they refuse to really identify themselves.

Becareful......and go with the gut after red flags.  Now this isnt the end of my story because as I left the guy followed me out and threatend and bullied me when he clearly knew he was in the wrong.  In addition, CBC news was outside interviewing individuals that were coming from the audition, they were doing their own story on this frudulent company who claimed to be with Disney even the hotel where they were holding the auditions stated they were with Disney.  Once I gave my horrible story the new person told me that this company is suppose to be taking money but I couldnt really tell her at that time how much since I didnt read the pamplet but the sick thing is that I was flaborgasted at the amount of money they were asking for.  And CBC wouldnt have done a story if there was no story.  They were there because they heard of the scam and after investigating knew that they had to warn the public.  Lets stand together united to get rid of these types of scammers that play on peoples emotions and wallets.

I didnt stay long enoght to use my credit card but there was about 900 people that showed up guaranted there was more before I left.

Good luck