2 Years ago I wrote about my experience with getting what seemed a too good to be true makeup job offer with Instyle magazine.
What it turned into was a big let down to start with, then a very scary realization: that in the least my credit card and identity could of been stolen…to the extreme of I could of been caught up in human trafficking or dead.
Since then I get weekly comments (136), phone calls, emails and DMs from other makeup artists all over the world who are getting the same emails.
I have been interviewed by the CBC, by cosmo online and, cited on hercampus.com.
People Magazine and Plus Magazine have both put out a warning on their websites that these are not the way that they hire artists.
The list of who the scammers are impersonating editors from the following magazines has grown to:
- InStyle
- Vogue us(but contacts stylists in the UK, EU and AUS)
- People
- Plus magazine
- Marie Claire
- Glamour
- Seventeen
- Allure
There are probably more, the phone numbers and addresses change but they always say New York. They offer 2000$ for a photoshoot and say they will cover all travel. BUT they want to you to buy a whole makeup kit from a private brand (they have also stolen this persons identity).
DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY. PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINES DO NOT CONTACT YOU THIS WAY ABOUT A SHOOT.
What to look for in a email that might be a scam:
- is not directly mentioning you or your profile, just “hi”
- says things like “we are shooting in your area”
- coming from a non business email like a gmail or hotmail account
- grammar is off
- look for inconsitentcies. I saw one the other day that kept going between using “USD 2500$” and “2,5000 USD”
- lack of logos
Still not sure? Google and find a different way of contacting that person, email their website, DM them on twitter/facebook/instagram/snapchat. Ask them, they probably already know but if they don’t they need to know so they can also report it.
They have now also tried this new trick of “showing you their ID badge” which is some bullshit they made on Microsoft Word 95 and stealing someones pictures from their social media.
Have you gotten a email like this? Don’t just delete it! Press Report! Did they give you dates, places and times like they did in mine? Report it even more!
National Human Trafficking Hotline CONTACT THE HOTLINE 
1-888-373-7888
Call the RCMP, the police, let your friends know!
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca)
- RCMP Scams page (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.htm)
- Competition Bureau (http://competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html)
- OPP fraud prevention (http://www.opp.ca/ecms/index.php?id=133)
Just deleting it doesn’t make it go away. You’re maybe 1 of 1000 girls they’ve messaged, maybe 50 answer and end up believing the lies.. so what you’re not #51 right? What about the other 50? Report it.
When reporting use this website trace Ip address to learn how to find their IP address in your email, its really easy! That way you can give it in your report and they can find where the emails are coming from.
