From time to time, we hear about incidents in the entertainment community in which fake “casting directors” contact people, offering paid acting jobs, travel coverage, and accommodation expenses. In many cases, they send a large upfront check, only for the recipient to later discover it is fraudulent.
Unfortunately, scams do happen. One of the best ways to prevent these adverse experiences is to educate yourself. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
How to Spot a Casting Scam
When browsing casting calls, or if you receive a message from casting professionals you have not worked with before, keep an eye out for the following red flags:
Weak grammar or unusual wording.
Many scam messages contain poor grammar, awkward phrasing, and little to no entertainment industry terminology.
Prepayment.
A legitimate project will not offer to pay you upfront before you have done any work. Scammers, however, often offer advance payment to gain your trust.
Never send money back to someone who sends you a check. A typical scam works like this: they send you a check for $1,000-$2,000, ask you to deposit it, and then request that you send a few hundred dollars back for expenses such as makeup artists, insurance, wardrobe, or travel arrangements. The check later bounces, and you lose the money you sent.
Identity theft.
Scammers sometimes use the names of real people and legitimate companies. They may even send links to real websites belonging to the people or companies they are impersonating.
Always check the sender’s email address. If it does not match the company they claim to represent, that is a major warning sign. Use Google to research the company or person contacting you, and check what other people in the entertainment community are saying.
You get cast without auditioning.
Being hired without an audition or meeting is a serious red flag. While real projects may occasionally cast actors or models online without meeting them first, scammers commonly claim they want to hire you immediately without any audition, interview, or proper verification.
A Few More Tips to Protect Yourself
Check carefully what is required of you before attending an audition.
Verify the audition location. If it is in a hotel room, bar, private home, or another unusual location, consider avoiding it.
Take someone you trust with you to the audition whenever possible.
Do not hesitate to say “no” to anything that makes you uncomfortable.
Never share sensitive personal information, such as your Social Security number, banking details, or copies of personal documents, unless you have verified that the opportunity is legitimate.
Research the person, company, and project thoroughly. The more careful your research, the better protected you will be.
If you think you may be dealing with a con artist, or if you have already been scammed, please contact us at support@allcasting.com and consider reporting the incident to your local authorities.
