Lilibeth Qfn

Scammed a minor

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Scammed a 16 year old out of her own money. Took photos, said she was going to make it then took her into a room (alone) made her sign a contract and then asked her to pay £600. When she said she couldnt afford that they asked her what can you afford and made her pay that instead.
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Loss:
$170

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: Just don’t

Maile H

Scammed out of money

I went to have a shoot in 2015. I was told I was accepted and told to pay £100. I did this, with them planning to take a further £600 afterwards. My portfolio appeared on the website but the website completely disappeared after a few weeks.
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Loss:
$100

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: Don't do it.

Anonymous
map-marker Birmingham, England

Scammers

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I was invited to a sign up meeting for my son. Where they wanted do a test photo shoot. I was jot told about any costs involved at any point. After signing the contract which the lady cleverly kept me talking and distracted i saw the agreement when in the car an called immediately to cancel but they didnt agree and said i was liable for the photoshoot. Totalling £600.
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Anonymous

SCAM Model Agency

On 4th October 2015 I was told that my daughter had been selected to be a Blackberry Model after a photo shoot at NYC Studios, Beehive hill Manchester. They said in order to be a ‘Blackberry Model’ she would need a portfolio and wouldn’t be accepted unless she had one. We paid £2000, we have nothing to show for this money. The portfolio never came, calls never answered and my daughters pictures never uploaded to the fake site I was given. I still feel sick about the whole thing. How could that woman sleep knowing we didn’t have that money and that she was ripping us off!! Disgusting people. SCAM
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Anonymous

Scammers

I toke my daughter for a test shoot, but they started asking for £500 for her to be on their books. I said no stright away as i know thats not how it works. Then they dropped the price down to £150 and still said no. They where not happy at all and asked us to leave.
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Anonymous

I was scammed

I took my daughter for a 'test' shoot in 2015 got roped in to paying a deposit then being put on a payment plan for a portfolio.

When i tried to call i never got an answer or return call

I then googled the company to find lots of people saying the same

I cancelled my dd, the company then wrote to me twice demanding payment and threatening debt collectors so i emailed them saying i was aware of the scam and that i would love for them to take me to court over it as i would be happy to obtain evidence from other victims to take with me to court... never heard back!

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2 comments
Guest

In was scaled of 565 £ in 2015 told my daughter had a modelling contact. Never herd from them since

Guest

I also got scammed in 2015 by blackberry models, they dont have a website or any contact so i lost my money

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Anonymous

Waste of money and time

Me and my mum went to black betty models and applied and since my birthday is coming up they picked me and said this would be like a gift from them. I was so excited. We took some photos and everything and a women said wow you should be a model. You have the night and everything. I was so happy then they asked for payment. About £500. They five us the pictures and didn't spoke to us since. I also went to two other places who did the same thing. It's not fair. Worse birthday ever.
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Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised
Anonymous

£600 for nothing

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Same experience, paid 600 and was scammed. Fake company wanting money and nothing else
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Reason of review:
Problems with payment
Lio Wsa

Scammed

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I went for a photo shoot at what I thought was called 'Blackberry models', however after looking them up, noticing my photos weren't even on the website that was provided, I saw a number of complaints saying it was a scam and that the company now had a new name 'New York City Studio I was charged £475 for the photos taken on the second of July 2015 and as nothing has come from it and it appears I have been ripped off I would like to be refunded for this immediately. You are handled professionally in order to make this look like a genuine business but you will be charged an outrageous fee with the promise that you would flourish in the future and make much more money back

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Loss:
$601
Pros:
  • No part
Cons:
  • Awful customer service
  • Scam
  • Wait
Reason of review:
This is a scam and I'd like to be refunded

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous

Fake company

they called me for photo shoot and paid the money. I even made the online portfolio and then they were like we will call you when we get job as per your suitability and nothing happened.

They just took the money and then nothing happened. If i look at the online portfolio in their website, my portfolio doesnt exist anymore. there is nothing i can find and paid 2000 pounds. its all waste of money.

Do not apply at all even when they offer a job or test shoot. These all model agencies are just to make money and then disappeaer with the money. They gave me photos in CD and even that CD doesnt work anymore so everything is fake basically.

If you really interested in modelling, build your own portfolio. Even the list of jobs they show on their website is fake.

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Loss:
$2000
Reason of review:
Absolutely poor service and nothing as said while doing photoshoot

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Birmingham, England

Blackberry Models - Modeling Service Review from Birmingham, Birmingham

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I haven't paid at all. I paid the £100 deposit a few weeks after so I could get my photos. I haven't paid since and they've sent me letters but I think they're bored now. The fact the company is a scam means if they bring you to court (which they won't do because they will be laughed out of court with all the evidence on this site saying they're scammers, the quality of the photos, the sexual nature of the photos that were taken of me where the dude had me in my 6 inch stilettos in a bikini when I wanted to go barefoot... and the 'managers' disgusting comment of me looking like a young Abi titmus (I later found out she's a *** star who I look nothing alike, mind you. I have piercings, tattoos and coloured hair which she had none of...) they're highly a scam and won't chance being in court as their whole company is illegal and they're doing illegal activity which means that they actually owe the hundreds of people they've scammed out of money, their money back. For the people that didn't receive the photos it's a non receipts of goods and they're actually in (I can't think of the word now because I've had my wisdom teeth pulled today so my mind is a bit blank) but basically they're in the wrong under consumer law as it's an illegal activity that they're doing, pretending that they're a modelling agency and telling every one that they're now a model and putting their photos on a site that is no longer active. If you have mental health issues that helps also as legally they actually couldn't make me sign anything as my mum is my carer due to my ADHD, which I told them so they're also in breach of their contract before I even signed it. I legally couldn't understand what was going on and lot of people may not be able to. You never actually sign a contract with the modelling agency as you sign a piece of paper saying that you're happy for them to get you modelling jobs. Now if they've not done what their job description does then the modelling agency firm stance is void because they've not acted accordingly. Also you can say that you didn't understand exactly what the terms and conditions were because they left out the fact that you won't get a job and their photographers aren't professionals by anyone's standards. They talked really fast and brushed over the actual terms and conditions and didn't give you efficient time to read through all the paperwork that they shoved your way before insisting and pressuring you to sign the contract you haven't had time to read through. What you paid for were edited professional images and if they were anything like mine (doing photography myself) they were far from edited other than two quick photo shopping of the colours which you could do on your phone to turn a photo into black and white and sepier, they were far from what the terms of the deal offered you. So there for they're in breach of their contract anyway. If enough people bring this up with trading standards about what they're doing, you could all actually probably take them to court and have them shut down and your money given back/they give you your money back anyway if you threaten to take them to trading standards with the other hundreds of people that have written about their scam and that most will stand up and tell the trading standards, also. All you need is a few screen shots of the proof of the people's reviews which I'm screen shotting a lot of right now and you've got enough evidence for a strong case.
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Reason of review:
Bad quality
1 comment
Guest

This was the London blackberry models and was in a dank basement. I should have known, seeing the door outside as I took a pic and uploaded to Facebook with "it's in a basement, this'll be interesting" and I only done it for a bit of fun..

Anonymous
map-marker Manchester, England

DANGER BIG SCAM!!! HIDEOUS SCAM!!!

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Stupidly i took my son to a shoot at the NY studio in Manchester in 2015. He was accepted by Blackberry and i was pushed into buying an apparently necessary portfolio, which the woman (who was as fake as the company) said was needed as my son needed a portfolio to add to their website. I paid a hefty deposit (they don't give you time to think, it's very decide now, this is the only chance, you have to sign now or else tough) and for the last 12 months paid the rest off in installments. We got a confirmation email and an apparent contract. Indeed I was able to upload pictures onto their website and create my sons profile so he was 'live' for all to see. After the confirmation email they were impossible to contact and now a year on their webpage has disappeared and they no longer exist. I originally saw the 'ad' for them on social media with apparent glowing reports, sadly it was too late when i delved deeper and saw the other hideous but sadly true reviews they received. I see now that companies under different names are advertising on popular social media (would not surprise me if this was not them under a different name, they probably change name or whatever every year or so to fool people and slip out of the trap). The short and long of it is: once you go to the shoot they have you trapped. They will accept anyone and you will get carried away, of course you will, why else would you be there? You have a dream and they seem to be the ones who can help. It is not true, please people follow your dreams but please be careful as you could end up a lot lighter in the pocket and have gotten no where. I believe the way they get out of the money for the photo issue is: you agree to buy the photo's, you sign an agreement and as i recall at the time, the debt is not with Blackberry Models it is with another company, so you owe them after saying you will pay for the pics. The only thing that you sign with the model agency for is so that they can get you work or try to get you work, which they of course do not do as it is all a scam.
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Loss:
$900
Cons:
  • Everyting
  • Scam
  • Photographer attitude
Reason of review:
Being scammed and having money taken for nothing!!

Preferred solution: Full refund

2 comments
Guest

I was approached by blackberry, did buy photos but I'd had passed experience so photos that they wanted £1000 for I paid £150 which I was glad about as I have never heard from them in 12 months. Once again I was approached by another agency which are using the same studio didnt bother attending as I think it's a joint scam

Guest

The same happened to me and sadly that's right you agree to buy the pictures so they have you in that way, basically it's just a scam way to sell pictures.

And of course all models need a portfolio and you're sat there seeing these lovely shots of yourself or your child and you get persuaded to go ahead and indeed you take on the debt. You take on the debt believing it will be beneficial to buy them to help your career. But no actually you are just buying pictures end of story.

It's the false pretenses that got me, it's the lies and deceit.

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Anonymous

Blackberry Models Scam Review

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I toke my son last year to London under the Agency name of blackberry models After taking 40 odd photos of my little boy age 4 then tried telling me if you pay £350 today your son will be the face off many named shops and tv adverts you also get photos and a portfolio made for him ect. Lucky enough I didn't pay a penny.. however I want to know what that company have done with the photos of my son!!!!
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Reason of review:
Pricing issue
Anonymous

Blackberry Models - Modeling Service Review

Had the same thing in London took my son who was two at the time to have his photos taken then met with this man.. telling me he was a natural and very confident and his hair colour was so sort after but I needed to buy these photos and we would get put on the website. He also told me I would receive a follow up call and never did.. the disk never worked.. I asked him and told him it's a lot of money to pay out and wasn't 100% sure if I should do it but he made me feel so confident. Feel absolutely gutted....
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Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised
1 comment
Thorne Slc

the same happend to me and they change the name now and it is MODELS UNIVERSAL this bastards should go in prison !!Let's share to everyone !

Obryan Cdw
map-marker Surbiton, Kingston Upon Thames

Conned, like everyone else.

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So my story is the same as everyone elses, pretty much. I sent photos in to a sponsored link on facebook, I thought "why not, it will be fun".. Didn't think much of it, until I got an email the next morning that they were interested in me and wanted me to attend a shoot. So luckily enough for me, I had the next day off, and I live relatively close to London, 25min commute so I thought, WHY THE *** NOT. I've not done anything like this before and I wanted to start something bold and new, for confidence etc. I can't remember the exact details, but I arrived on time (They made a point about punctuality etc) and eventually, after a bit of hassle, I found the "basement 208" studio. Which was, literally a basement. A doorway quite out of the way in London's brick lane. Somehow at the time I didn't think anything of it. I'm quite reserved and shy in my personality so I bet they fed on that. I walked down the stairs and at the foot was a reception desk in a small room, the woman gave me a form and asked for my ID, which I thought yeah cool, that's what would be expected. I wasn't waiting too long, but eventually got seen - the whole shoot, as new and enjoyable as it was, just didn't feel "right" but I put that down to me being nervous. Although I did have a bit of a laugh and a chat with the staff. After the shoot I waited and waited, I did go and grab some food and said I would come back (I really wish that I didn't) because when I came back then I was shimmied into another room, with a camp Australian guy (His name is Jordan if any of you have had problems) He did the typical camp "OH YOU LOOK AMAZING" and the whole positivity to endorse the sale, "you don't see this happening much" "you just come alive" blah blah. Now next thing I know he's showing me other "clients" and all the jobs they've got from blackberry models, considering that it was founded this year, they have made hundreds of aspiring model's dreams come true.... I wish I had alarm bells but I was still quite hesitant. So then, like everyone else I see - up comes a price list, like £99 for 5 photos, 299 for 20, etc, and the most expensive I saw was £1999. Long story short, he advised that the best portfolio option was one for £1299. but it's a lot of money so today we can do it for £999 - and this one gets you your portfolio shoot from today plus 12 printed photos of blackberry's choice to start for your portfolio plus this comes with a leather bound folder ("which I accidentally gave 2 to one client before and had to pay blackberry £250" he goes on to say) A lot of flaring with his pen and notepad and clicks with his mouse, I got drawn into agreeing that his recommendation was the best. So because nobody carries ludicrous amounts of cash around in their pocket (come on, we live in the real world, we're not toffs) I agreed to pay a deposit and then pay monthly installments. Upon signing the contract, I did ask about when I got the photos - "oh they need to be chosen and they will be developed and sent to your address" the *** even had the cheek to invite me to some sort of party which they were going to after the studio closed (by then it was around 5.45pm) I leave, feeling elated, relieved, somewhat proud of my achievement of the day. A few days later I get an email to some link to set up an account, and a call saying welcome/which was cut short as I had been on the tube and went in a tunnel - when I tried to call back, no answer. So fast forward to November (2 months after the shoot) the first payment comes from my account. No sign of the photos that were supposed to be sent to me. So I google how to contact, because no reply from emails, no answer from the phone. Due to the misleading sale and no effort on blackberry model's side to rectify the point of sale, under consumer law - if the sale is not as described, they must make an effort to rectify the situation. Anyway in December I spoke to the police and called my bank and explained the situation and cancelled my direct debit as per their advice. I was told to gather as much information on the company as I can. Which I'm sure you all know is like *** in the wind. So I look up to see if anyone else has "blackberry complaints" and I see this, get sick to my stomach... I haven't considered writing a review until now, but I've got letters and calls from FIS/Ezipay company (which I haven't responded to as I am trying to gather as much evidence I can before I start to fight my ground) In the weeks after cancelling my direct debit, I contacted citizens advice bureau, the ombudsman and action fraud, I am gathering as much information as I can, times, places, receipts, transaction details, personal details (Jordan/Abagail). If more of us can join in with all of this information - their company is misleading and fraudulent. What I agreed to on the point of sale was not what was sold to me. I got a *** cd with some photos and expected to pay up to £1000 for it?? Clever *** put "photos" as the nature of goods being sold too so when it comes to it I will only have my word... unless someone else has had the same situation and they had the pricelist (perhaps a photo or screen grab) Ezi pay are saying I am liable to repay costs, but they aren't getting a penny out of me and if it goes to court I am definitely not backing down. The Creditor, on the contract is ezipay, who have taken a loan for Basement/BB, and under the conditions, it's us who pay as far as I can understand, but the terms of sale in my eyes have been broken by basement208/blackberrymodels and they well know it. Apparently my account will default and I will get a bad credit rating but that's a small price to pay for being stupid enough to think that this was a credible company and that I was getting what I was believed to be paying for! Anyone else with this issue contact me on this forum or daleymc@***.com. I would like to know what your outcome was or what you have been able to do.
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Loss:
$1000
Cons:
  • Prices
  • Lies
Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised

Preferred solution: Full refund

9 comments
Guest

We too are going through the same thing. This was Manchester instead.

As soon as we had missed 2 payments fis was on our case. Rang them and told them I was seeking advice and got told to ring in the morning. The guy while pleasant sounded quite panicked FIS we know your part of the scam because it's gone on to long.

Your getting no more money from me. I'm willing to go to court.

Guest

*UPDATE*

Persistence pays off it seems,

Upon overseeing my dispute and I believe trying to contact the other party, FIS have closed my account and I'm not required to pay the collections, although they said nyc/firefly may contact me but I'm sure they won't as I've not had any contact with them since October 2015. No mention of getting my money back that I paid but at least it's all done now and a lesson learnt

Krystofer Aga

If you paid with credit card, you can cla it back through your credit card company. I got every penny back.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Krystofer Aga

(Author) I paid with debit and I've managed to stop further payments, FIS/ezipay accepted my dispute so they're not following any more payments from me, but didn't mention if i could get reimbursed - the blackberry models Facebook, phone, website etc are all out of action too

Guest

Almost identical story for my daughter. With FIS as well.

Report to action fraud and ombudsman. I stopped direct debit and we are told it's still being investigated.

Guest

uk.collections@***.com or uk.collections@***.com were emails that I've corresponded with

Guest

In addition to this - I've spoken to some other people in my situation and with FIS who are acting on behalf of a company called firefly (which is not mentioned in the contract at all) so I've been advised to send my copy of the contract with my concerns in an email - which the chap reluctantly gave out to me - I will post if anyone requires it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1125659

Hello bud

Exactly the same thing has happened to me, feel like such an *** , need to stop the monthly payments to "firefly" aswell. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1126108

I've raised a dispute and requested their copy for my contract which I have given my reason to believe it's inaccurate and had been unfulfilled and if that is the case then they must rectify or refund me - author

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Sriya Hcy
map-marker London, England

1 Year Wasted!

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Back in May 2015 I became a model for Blackberry Models located on Brick Lane in London... I was ecstatic ofcourse! Jumping with joy for the following week! But then I realised I wasn't on their website as promised I would be. Then I realised that I wasn't receiving anything. No upcoming work, no confirmation emails, no replies at all. I paid £200 for a set of photoshoot photos. I gave £200 to an agency that promised me future jobs. And in the past 15 months has never contacted me. I gave £200 to a 'company' that are robbing people of their dignity, their pride, and their money! It is clear that this business is no more than a name. A name to conceal the theft and scamming of those who take advantage of innocent individuals desire to become something more!
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Loss:
$200
Cons:
  • Prices
  • Scam
Reason of review:
Pricing issue

Preferred solution: Full refund

About

Summary

Blackberry Models is a large modeling agency. It was founded in 2015. Its headquarters is based in London, United Kingdom. Blackberry Models represents female and male models, babies, teen, and children of all ages. The main focus of Blackberry Models is to develop careers of their clients. The agency also specializes in supplying celebrities, actors, reality stars, and after dinner speakers for different events. The agency fulfills model bookings, photographic shoots, glamour assignments, and fashion shoots. Blackberry Models has a number of studios around the United Kingdom. .

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