Is the $5000 Modeling Job Offer too Good to be True?

I joined a modeling website and have been approached by several freelance agents offering me to prepay me if I am interested in doing a photo shoot for them. Some of them ask for information such as my address, while others want to mail me a check, before the date of the shoot, for $5000.00 and then give $500 to the photographer the day of the shoot.  It is a lot of money, are these offers legit?

First of all, when I approached my agent about something like this he immediately said it was a scam. I myself used a very well known free modeling site and was overwhelmed with how many “offers” I got in the first week. Even I knew that if some “agent” is looking to send you money before a shoot…that is a total scam. No one in legit modeling world would pre-pay a model before a gig. Secondly, if anyone asks for your address and/or bank information, this should make you put up a red flag. Not only could you be susceptible to identity fraud, but what if there is some crazed person out there who will actually come visit you on your doorstep? That terrifies me enough to know not to give anyone my address on-line.

Really read and examine what is sent to you. I’ve noticed that most of them use improper English grammar in their form letters. If a legit business person approaches you, especially for a job offer, proper etiquette and grammar are a golden rule in the business world. I also noticed I was personally getting so-called “job offers” from agents who say they work for famous Men’s magazines and I am being considered for the cover. Now, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that these Men’s magazines have never ever used a model over size 6. So, if I am a plus-size model, are these magazines breaking their mold and using a plus-size girl? I wish that were true, but we all are very aware that it is not.

One big red flag is the amount of money these “agents” talk about. Magazines are hurting right now and anyone offering you $5000.00 before even meeting you for a magazine shoot is someone who doesn’t know the business. Most magazine shoots for plus-size models are in the range of $250-$800 depending on what is being shot. Yes, in the hey-day of plus modeling the top earning models got paid in the thousands per shoot…but most of this money comes from contracts like Liz Claiborne, Jones NY or Lane Bryant. In this day and age the magazines don’t have huge budgets…it is their clients or advertisers who have the money.