Tyra,
I am a highly motivated, recent college graduate pursuing a career in the media industry. I have spent the past five years dedicating my life to contemporary media and journalism, and I will stop at nothing when it comes to accomplishing the goals and dreams I have set for myself.
Since my graduation I have applied to hundreds of positions in either reporting, spokesperson, modeling, and even behind the scenes work. With lots of good feedback and many potential employers seeing my resume as a promising start to a successful career. My enthusiasm and motivation to make it to the top has only sky rocketed even more.
About a month ago I was doing my nightly job search on the internet when I came across a casting call for a NBA All-Star Week Model/Spokesperson. Immediately I got my info together and sent in my picture and bio. The casting call stated "only one picture per person due to the over whelming amount of applicants" .. Naturally, I thought it was a long shot that I would get chosen, but still optimistic, I eagerly waited a possible chance.
The very next day I received a message stating I had made the final 10 girls for the position and a conference call interview would help them decide if I was the girl for the job. Later that evening I called in to the conference call where about ten other girls gunning for the same position waited to see what this was all about.
We were asked a trivia question about basketball, and told about how the position would include our expense paid trip to Orlando for the entire All-Star week along with a pretty big chunk of change for the position. The moderator, Jason, told us how last years Spokesmodel did such a great job she now works full time for the NBA and that we too could have some career breaks at this highly covered event. He briefly went over minor details of what the week would entail, and proceeded to ask us each to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about why we think we would be a good fit for the position. All the girls seemed to have a good chance, with a strong resume, but I was confident my background in sports reporting, and being on camera had set me apart from the rest enough to land the position. After all the interviews Jason told us we would find out in the next 48 hours if we were chosen, and 4 girls would be picked total.
Through my total excitement and shock, I still had questions and concerns about what exactly this was all about. I wondered what they would have me wearing, where I would stay, who exactly I would be representing and so on. As much as I wanted to just call and ask all of these questions, I also wanted to make sure I didn't come across to them that I wasn't paying attention or wasn't serious about the position. I decided to text the assistant Latoya after the call and just tell her thanks for the opportunity and gave her the link to my website so they could see some of my work.
The next night, Latoya text me back and informed my that their team loved my website and thought I was a perfect fit. she said my natural ability on camera and my knowledge of sports set me apart from the rest of the applicants.
I soon got a call from Jason, who congratulated me and told me a little bit more about what I would be doing. Also he assured me I would get all of my info and all my questions would be answered when I talked to corporate. He also said to have my modeling agency contact Latoya and she could get the next few things set up. I told him I did not have an agency and asked him what he suggested I do as far as choosing one.
He told me he wasn't really allowed to suggest or prefer specific agencies, however there was a New York modeling agency that I could simply register online to and that would avoid having to find an agency.
After weighing my options and speaking with an agency, I decided paying the 60 dollar fee to register on the "New York Modeling Agency" website since the All-Star week was coming up so quickly. Jason said that would work just fine and to give him my username for the association and he would take care of the rest of the stuff for me.
Over the next week and a half I decided to only tell my closest friends and family about my huge break, since nothing was 100% just yet. My parents urged me to cover all my bases and make sure everything was legitimate before committing to anything. I made many phone calls seeking advice, and also called both Jason and Latoya getting all of my information straight as far as who exactly I would be representing, what I would be wearing, where I would be staying, and when I would find out more info.
They were not always the most informative and helpful when I called, but they always assured me they wanted to help the best they could they were just so busy with all the planning and that I would most definitely hear from "Tayna Dickerson" soon, the "Liaison of the NBA who was handling all the expenses."
As time passed and I continued to have difficulty communication with both Jason and Latoya, I started to have a gut feeling that something wasn't right. I went on the modeling agency website they had me register on and searched through all of the newly added members and found some girls that also were excited about their new All-Star week position. I messaged all of these girls, and learned that they too were waiting to hear more and starting to get frustrated about the lack of communication.
From this point forward I knew something was not right. I called Jason and started asking many questions I thought he should be able to answer easily, he could not.
After some digging and phone calls, I found some reviews online about scams on the internet that sounded HORRIFYINGLY similar to my experience. My heart sank.
All of my hard work and dedication, and all of the time spent and practicing and working on my talent was now not only made a mockery of, but now i'm faced with Identity theft concerns, bank account issues, fraud, the list goes on and on.
After making some calls and reading enough postings, I came to the conclusion that this was in deed - 100% a scam. I called Jason to confront him and just sort of confirm what I had just found. He was completely calm, and tried to act confused when I started questioning him and this entire deal. For a lack of better/ appropriate terms I RIPPED INTO HIM about how sickening it was and how many hopes and dreams he has crushed just to make a quick 60 dollars off all of these innocent girls.
Jason hung up... and since then I have been doing everything in my power to protect myself and to fallow the right steps to get this idiot not only off the internet but arrested for what he did.
What I am here to ask you is to inform all the aspiring artists out there, or anyone for that matter, the dangers of these scams, and just how good they are a becoming professional con artists. I am a smart and motivated individual. I have always been a more cautious person and even somewhat paranoid about anything anyone is ever trying to sell me.
The completely fooled me.
It's embarrassing, disgusting, heart-breaking, and really discouraging.
I think everyone needs to be better informed at how to distinguish who is the real deal and who is just trying to screw you over.
Luckily my dive for success is way too strong for this one bump to stop me from pursuing my dreams. But I do see it as an opportunity to warn anyone else out there with my drive and ambitions to please be careful at who you are working with, and if it doesn't feel right... it probably isn't.
Sincerely yours,
Hailie Meyer
HailieMeyer.commoreless
The Tyra Banks Show
Other (ended 2010)
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Why Did You Dump Me?
S 1 : Ep 1
Aired 10/13/05
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