Bad Experience with Paid Model

[Geoffp]

Hi all,

Please see this:

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=292958&highlight=naomi&page=3


I’m afraid I’ve had a similar bad experience, the quick outline of which is as follows:
Model was pre-paid in cash because she said she was broke, and a shoot date and time were agreed upon.

This was confirmed the night before the shoot; but in the morning, a she cancelled due to “issues”. I was left with the bill for the location, which was rented and had to scramble for a replacement model.

She then broke off e-mail communication on an alternative date, responding only after being chased for a response. Twice in the course of dealings she offered alternative shoot dates which I had said very early on were inconvenient: Fridays, weekends and public holidays.

Finally she named a date – Aug 8. Location was booked, and model was informed. Then 2 days before the proposed shoot, a reminder e-mail was sent to her.

However, there was no response to SMS and then call, 30mins and 20 mins before shoot respectively. Then 15 mins before shoot, an SMS was received to say that the model forgot to say she was overseas (I am curious which country) and to re-arrange for Monday (Aug 13).

I responded by asking for a refund by noon on Monday Aug 13 as I had lost faith that the model intended to carry out the shoot.

I will inform the Model by e-mail and SMS that I have posted here. I will include my intention to make a police report if I do not receive my refund and cost of studio by 5 pm on Monday Aug 13.

A police report may do me no good in terms of getting my money back.
But it so not going to do the model any good either

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The sequence:

Fri July 6
Model is pre-paid (after exchanges of e-mail)

Tue July 10
Parties agree by e-mail to July 23 shoot

Sun July 22
Model confirms shoot by SMS at night

Mon July 23
Model cancels shoot by SMS in the morning, because of “issues”. Asks me to take a rain check. And that she’d pay for half the studio rental next time. I respond (SMS): I prefer a definite date to a rain check.

Mon 23 July
Mailed her at night to try to fix new date, proposing Monday, Aug 6

Tue 24 July
Sent e-mail chaser asking for response

Wed 25 July
Sent e-mail chaser asking for response

Thu 26 July
Sent e-mail chaser, now including that I’d assume model has no intention to fulfil or refund

Fri 27 July
Model responds , offering Aug 9, a Pub Hol when I had made clear much earlier was unacceptable along with Fridays and weekends. I respond immediately. Model suggests Wed Aug 8.

Sat Jul 28
Knowing that Aug 8 is eve- of Pub Hol and may be inconvenient, I offer to change to Aug 7 and ask her to check her diary.

Mon Jul 30
Model requested by e-mail to confirm Aug 7 or Aug 8

Tue Jul 31
Sent e-mail chaser noting that location has to be booked.

Wed Aug 1
Model confirms of Aug 8. (Location is subsequently booked and model informed)

Mon Aug 6
Email reminder sent to model

Wed Aug 8
30 minutes to shoot time – no response to SMS; 20 mins to shoot, no answer when I ring. 15 mins to shoot, I get this : “Hi geoff I’m so sorry I forgot to inform u I was overseas. Can we rearrange Monday?” I reply that I want a refund by noon on Monday (Aug13), plus rental for location.

 

[deckard]

bro, hope you get your money back!

 

[Static]

Ok noted.

Hope u will get ur money back without going thru police

 

[Galdor]

That's not very ethical on the model's part. :thumbsd::thumbsd::thumbsd::angry: Hope you can get back the money soon.

 

[bowwow]

BBBOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! to the model...

 

[Sion]

May we innocently know who she is?

 

[subiaco]

If she said that she was broke, that should have started bells ringing already.

 

[airforce1]

Sorry to hear about it. Another con artist in the making. Thank you for being upfront. I hope you get your money back.

 

[SilentWave]

After reading that thread, I wonder how many people that the model has done this to. How unprofessional. I'd be pissed off even if it were a TFCD.

 

[vince123123]

From that thread, it seems like in post #42 the same thing happened to another Clubsnapper?

Perhaps you may want to post more identifying information about her, name, email, sms, bank account no. anything. You'll need these anyway when you make the police report.

 

[scandisk]

just curious....did the TS actually had the chance to talk to the model ??

 

[Canew]

Wed Aug 8
30 minutes to shoot time – no response to SMS; 20 mins to shoot, no answer when I ring. 15 mins to shoot, I get this : “Hi geoff I’m so sorry I forgot to inform u I was overseas. Can we rearrange Monday?” I reply that I want a refund by noon on Monday (Aug13), plus rental for location.

Since she was overseas, did you, TS, notice that the ringtone is different. For most countries, including Malaysia, the ringtone is different. Hence, one could tell that the phone is roaming overseas.

 

[night86mare]

Eeyer, so evil and unprofessional!

 

[Geoffp]

Hi all, thanks for comments.

Updates:
Model has responded to e-mail. There must be Internet access where she is abroad.
She has asked for my acct number to deposit the refund by 8pm on Monday since she is busy, "thanks and sorry". Busy? But Monday was her suggested reschedule date. I will respond to the request for acct number.

Answers to questions
1) I think no need to name model etc. The link given in my first post should have enough identification including name and e-mail. I have the details for a report. Internet searches have returned enough info. Anyone can get it.

2) Did I talk to the model? We met face to face when I handed over money. Apart from that, SMS and e-mail. As for the last incident, I called but n one would pick up; so I could not talk to her.

3) The ringtone that was surprising considering she was abroad. Sounded no different than from if the person was in Singapore. So it must have been a foreign country in which the ringtone is the same as Singapore.

 

[vince123123]

Maybe she's still in Singapore? hehe. Anyway refund or not, I'd say you still have the right theoretically to claim damages from her (your unused studio costs etc). But I suppose you should be satisifed with just the refund.

Ah I just saw that your original post asked for both refund and studio costs. Is she going to do both on Monday? Or just refund?

 

[AReality]

Singapore is not that big. Words get around quickly.


.

 

[estel]

Hi all, thanks for comments.

Updates:
Model has responded to e-mail. There must be Internet access where she is abroad.

In almost every case, it's trivial to find the location of the sender from the originating IP address, which is available right from the email header. Here's a link for you to read. http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/9/29/31457/0519

Good luck. Sorry to hear about your trouble.

 

[Canonised]

3) The ringtone that was surprising considering she was abroad. Sounded no different than from if the person was in Singapore. So it must have been a foreign country in which the ringtone is the same as Singapore.

Is it Alaska? .... :think:

 

[wrx_sti_22b]

How does she look like? Se-ka-li come out looking like Mo Siao Ling / Patricia Mok... then you'll be gald you got refunded & never do the shoot anyway... :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[Godzilla Invades]

A lesson well learn here.

There are plenty of models and others that are desperate for money. They will try all methods.

First rule is "Don't pay anyone in advance (this include assistant photographers, models, MUAs) until they finish their job. And when I say finish means completed with at least some standard.

If you take pity on them, then who will take pity on you? You have to take the full rap to make sure everything is in order but normally if the model does not respond the night before, I will look for alternative liao.

Kiasu it maybe but if I was an organiser it will reflect bad on me. Respect those who organize model shooting.

If I was shooting for an ad, my client will not pay me any money because the model did not turn up. Plus if you did rent the studio, you will have to use it.

The model that the TS found must be a new model. Normally, experience models will never do silly things like that. I am guessing the model is not local as well.