The Model Site Scam
I’ve seen this scam going on for as long as I can remember. I’ve known models who were victims of this scam. And I’ve personally helped models who were victims of this scam.
This scam is more prevalent in the adult and fetish industry, but it can be used in other industries as well. The general scam consists of the photographer convincing the model that he will build her website in exchange for modeling – I like to call this Time for Web Services (TFWS).
The conversation goes something like this:
Photographer: Wow! You’re a natural at this. Do you have your own website?
Model: No. But my friend’s brother’s girlfriend designs websites and she said she’d build me one when she gets around to it.
Photographer: You could make some real money if you had a website. How about if we trade? You model for me and I’ll build you a website.
Model: Great!
Photographer: Sweet! Let’s get started now. Take off you clothes, and see that banana on the table…
Okay, so that may have been a little exaggerated. But you get the idea.
Now this portion of the scam fluctuates a bit, but for the most part what happens is the model doesn’t sign a model release and the photographer uses the photos on his website where members pay to see her photos – therefore, the model doesn’t know the photos are on the site because they are in a password protected area.
Usually the photographer will stall the development of the model’s website, telling her that he needs more photos to help fill up the sites gallery – therefore, making the model work with him more.
As time progresses the photographer will pacify the model by showing her some of his finished work on her website; perhaps registering a website name for her (another scam to watch out for) and then showing her that her website – although not close to complete – is live and on the Internet.
The photographer will stall and stall until the bad blood between the photographer and model will become so bad that she decides to not work with him anymore and ultimately stops calling him. This is exactly what the photographer needs, so he continues to use photos of her on his website, which he shot for free, and the model has nothing for her hard work.
Now, I’m not at all saying that a mutually benefical relationship between a photographer/website developer and a mode cannot happen. On the contrary, I’ve worked with several models, and went on to build and managed their website in exchange for them modeling for me. This is something that can work perfectly for everyone involved… but you have to be careful.
