We all want a shred of hope that there is something better for our kids, and of course most of us feel our little angel is the most handsome/nicest etc, but its just evil to play on that hope the "poor" parent has (and I mean "poor" both in terms of economics as well as in terms of pressure to do better for your kids).
Just wrote the letter below to the Kiosk leasing VPs at Westfield mall and sent a similar note to the Stamford Center mall. (The site where I found the Westfield email addresses - if you are also so inclined to write to them is here: http://www.westfield.com/corporate/property-portfolio/united-states/specialty-leasing/ )
These people in the modeling Kiosks are just trying to make a buck too - but how can they live with themselves and sleep at night?!?! There is so much information online about the tricks, scams, and high pressure sales they use once they get you in their web of lies... So just say "no" at the get-go! Don't let them "catch" you! Keep on walking when they come up to you at the mall! I think a part of getting this deception and flim-flam scam to stop, is the malls not giving them space/opportunity to catch you!!!
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To Whom it may concern,
I am writing this in regards to the tv auditions/modeling agency booth kiosk at the Trumbull CT Westfield mall - there is a ton of information available regarding complaints of this same company under different names (interface, Industry Models & Talent Studios) and they are also at some of your other CT and New Jersey mall locations.
This is an organization with well documented complaints to the Better Business Bureau and the Departments of Consumer protection. The are primarily a SCAM company that lures parents into their offices and corners and cons them into paying $500-$1000 or more for photo packages in the hopes of getting their children into modeling. These companies have a tiny percentage of "clients" that they occasionally can pass off to real agencies so they can then claim to have success stories - but the majority of their services are of the bait and switch nature and are deception based with the only intent of parting consumers from their money for little or nothing in return except frustration and dashed hopes after being scammed by a con-artist.
And this should be no surprise to your company as it is all old news, complaints against these companies are very well documented and available online and elsewhere - and yet your malls continue to allow these SCAM artists to corner large numbers of your more naive customers. And although they may be getting through a loophole by no longer being legally allowed to speak to or get personal contact information from underaged children without a parent present, they have no hesitation to coax or pressure a parent in front of a child who has a hope of a career in TV or modeling.
The perception we, your customers, have of Westfield Malls is that you are guilty by association for helping these horrible companies to take advantage of us and our children!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE break your leases with these companies and remove them from your malls.
(here is an old link to one of many stories about this type of scam. http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/interface-complaints-conn-consumer-protection-cracks-down-on-new-jersey-photo-firm-that-targets-children)
I beg of you to remove these types of flim-flam scam artists from your malls. This soils the reputation of your company and you will lose consumer trust and dollars by allowing these people retail space in your malls.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely
Mrs Sandra Vasquez
Norwalk CT
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