The modeling business appears exciting and gorgeous from the outside. And while that is often the case, there is a darker aspect that most people either don't notice or want to ignore. Becoming prepared to work with a group of people you have never met or spoken to is a huge aspect of becoming a model. If you are a model who is booked through an agency, you are relying on your agent to conduct their due diligence to make sure the photographer or client is reputable and that the workplace is secure when you arrive.

On the other hand, if you're a new or freelance model, it's your responsibility to do your research to ensure that any agency meetings, booking requests, and photoshoot requests are with a legitimate business or individual and that you won't be taken advantage of or placed in a risky situation.

It's important to consider your safety as a model. I'll discuss scam prevention strategies and booking safety measures in this post.

Although there are many professionals in the modeling field, sadly, many of them are attempting to take advantage of models, especially if they are inexperienced or overly eager. Additionally, it is even more important for models to constantly be on high alert and on the lookout for scammers because it is so simple to appear authentic online or on social media. So, in order to keep you secure, here are some things to watch out for.

Personal Safety

Always let someone know your intended destination, who you'll be meeting, and an approximate arrival time when you have plans to attend a casting call, get hired for a job, or schedule a joint picture shoot with a photographer. It's always a good idea to let folks know where you are, even if it's someone or a team you've worked with before.

If you notice a casting call online or hear about one from a friend, make sure the casting is real and that the casting is taking place in a public area. Consider the scenario where a photographer, agency, or prospective client requests a meeting. In that situation, you should make sure the meeting site is at an actual office address or similar open space, like an eating place, and not a private residence or a remote location. By not checking it, you can be falling for a fraud and endangering your health.

Although in some situations it is considered to be unprofessional to bring an acquaintance with you on set when it’s a paid booking set up by your agency, if you feel uneasy about the booking for any reason, you should ask to bring someone with you. Likewise, if you’re a freelance model or if it is a collaborative situation where you set up the project outside your agency, you should always bring someone with you to set instead of arriving alone.

Another way to ensure your safety, especially on set, is to discuss your boundaries prior to the project and stick to them. If your agency represented, they should already be well aware of your boundaries and not send you to any bookings that would violate them. However, if you’re freelance or setting up projects outside your agency, it’s crucial that you thoroughly discuss what you are and are not comfortable doing so that the lines are clear before you ever arrive on set. If, once you’re on set, the production team tries to push you outside your comfort zone despite having those boundaries set; you have every right to stop the project and leave if they are not willing to respect you.

Internet Safety

If you receive a casting or booking request via email, before responding or clicking on any links in the email, make sure that the email is legitimate and not a scam. Check things like the sender’s email address, how they address who the email is to (do they use your name?), and pay close attention to the body of the email. If there are spelling and grammar mistakes, misuse of the English language, a sense of urgency (“Please respond ASAP”), or they promise to pay large sums of money, you can guarantee it’s a scam email. Also, check the email signature. If they sign off with just their name and don’t provide any company contact info, that is a red flag.

When you are texted on social media by someone claiming to be an agency, agency scout, photographer, or brand ambassador looking for models to work with, the best thing to do before ever responding to them is to do a deep dive into their social media profile. Do they have the agency information and website link listed in their bio? Where does that link take you when you click it? How many followers do they have? How many posts do they have, and how long ago was the first one posted? Are they tagging the models, style teams, and brands in all their posts? These are things to look at when attempting to verify an account.

After checking their social media accounts, look up their website. If there isn’t a website, that is red flag #1. Once you find their website, check to see that it’s professional looking. The information about the brand/company/agency is on there and easy to find, and contact information is available.

While it’s not entirely unheard of- agencies rarely reach out to models on social media.

Another major red flag is if anyone asks you to send photos in lingerie, partially nude or fully nude, especially if you’re under the age of 18. There is not one legitimate reason for anyone to ask you to send these types of photos. Many don’t realize that if you send photos to someone, you no longer have control over what those photos are used for or where they get posted. That is why you should never send them to anyone, no matter how they try to justify why you need to send them. If someone keeps pushing for you to send those photos, especially if you have declined to do so, you should immediately end communication with that individual. Under no circumstance will an agency ever request pictures of you in lingerie, partially nude or fully nude.

Falling for one of these scams could potentially put you in an unfortunate situation. If you click on any links within a bad email, you risk being hacked. If you provide any personal information, send inappropriate photos, or agree to meet someone who isn’t who they say they are, you could be putting yourself in physical danger. The best thing to do if you’re contacted online is to send the message to your agency, if you have one, so they can do some investigating. If you don’t have an agent, call the agency / photographer / brand that reached out to you and verify it is a real message that came from them or someone from their company. With so many scams happening, they will completely understand and appreciate that you called to verify.

In the modeling industry, you are your biggest advocate, and you can never be too careful about your safety. Do not hesitate to research and dig for more information, especially if your gut is telling you something isn’t right. Agencies and brands will always be more than happy to verify the legitimacy of their messages because they know the dangers that are out there and the lengths people will go to scam others. Never be too eager for a potential booking that you put your safety to the side!