On January 8th through the 10th of 2009 I worked for a client that I was booked through from PromoModels.com.
I have worked as a promo model many times before for other companies and had no issues and this was a great gig. My wife was pregnant with our first child which was due in 1 month and we needed the extra money. I worked for a tradeshow in the freezing cold weather and the pay for 3 days was $1,200 USD ($400 a day, for 9 hours of work each day). I got sick doing the work, but didn't care because we really needed the money for our baby on the way.
I worked the event, the client already paid promomodels.com for my work. I spoke with the other model who worked with me and he was not paid either. Kelly Miller (Account Executive) booked the job and afterwards Emily Smith (Business Development Manager) handled the rest. I sent emails after the job, still no reply about payment. Finally, 2 months later on March, 13th, 2010 I received this email from Emily...
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Emily Smith <
[email protected]> date: Sat, Mar 13, 2010 at 5:29 PM
to me
Hey John, Promomodels filed for bankruptcy. I am no longer with the company either. I am really sorry for all of this-I did not have any idea. The best I can do is give you the name of the owner and you can try and track him down to personally sue?? Lucas Beddows and he lives in San Diego. I am out of a job and pay as well. So sorry and good luck to you. You are very sweet and I am so sorry this happened.
Emily Smith
Business Development
ManagerPromo Models
www.promomodels.com
[email protected]
619.888.2141 | office
858.408.3371 | fax
__________________________
promo models | looks.talent.nationwide.
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Okay, why if she is out of a job and pay, why is she still replying to emails from that email address? or even wasting her time replying back to anyone, when she is not getting paid to do so? This sounds so fake.
I send Emily a reply asking to speak with her about this and asked what her phone number was, notice she says that she says they disconnected her cell phone, yet she does not provide her own, because she wants to move on with her life and find a new job. If I worked for a company that screwed people out of money and owed me money, I'd be calling everyone want to start a lawsuit. Not sitting at the office that just ripped me off and write people emails about it. Why is she working at the office on a Sunday evening after the bankruptcy was filed?
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Emily Smith <
[email protected]> date: Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 4:48 PM
to me
Hey John, Unfortunately my work cell was disconnected when the bankruptcy was filed and I dont want to tie any work related issues to my personal cell as I am just trying to move on with life and find a new job as of now. Hope you can get what is owed to you as it is truly horrible. I am really sorry that this happened with the company, again, I didnt have ANY idea and am in a rough situation as well and owed back pay as well.
Best of luck to you sweetie-
Emily Smith
Business Development
ManagerPromo Models
www.promomodels.com
[email protected]
619.888.2141 | office
858.408.3371 | fax
__________________________
promo models | looks.talent.nationwide.
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Lucas Beddows, the crook and con-artist who runs www.promomodels.com also runs www.onpointmarketing.com which has the same layout as the promomodels.com site.
The domain was created on 01-Jun-2003, then it was updated on 08-Apr-2006, it expired on 01-Jun-2010, but was renewed again and they changed webhosts on 24-Jun-2011, the next expiring date for the domain promomodels.com is 01-Jun-2017. This means when they renewed it back in 2010, they renewed it again for another 7 years. It is clear that promomodels.com has not gone out of business and they still continue to rip off models and give clients who hire these models a bad reputation, because some models may think it was the client was at fault because they were not paid. Promomodels.com receives payment in advance before the model is sent to work the event. They/he take the money and send models out to work, all while Lucas Beddows continues to live his extravagant lifestyle. If he is scamming models then he is without a doubt scamming the IRS as well.
promomodels.com was also listed on ABC News 10, their i-team reported that he was living in a really expensive house on the beach.
Read more at http://www.10news.com/news/local-modeling-company-closes-doors-doesn-t-pay-models