Fashion opportunities can be exciting—and scammers exploit urgency, prestige and unfamiliar industry practices. A directory badge is not a substitute for your own checks.
Before applying or paying
- Confirm the organizer’s legal name, website history, physical venue and working contact information.
- Call the venue through contact information you find independently.
- Check whether claimed fashion-week or brand affiliation appears on the official organization’s own site.
- Demand a written description of every fee, refund rule, deliverable, schedule and selection process.
- Search the organizer’s name with “complaint,” “scam,” “refund” and “lawsuit.”
- Use traceable payment methods with dispute protections; avoid gift cards, crypto and wire transfers to strangers.
Red flags
- Guaranteed jobs, representation, press coverage, sales or celebrity exposure.
- Pressure to pay immediately or secrecy about fees.
- Requests for passwords, banking credentials, Social Security numbers or full identity documents too early.
- Castings in private residences or hotel rooms without verifiable professional context.
- Requests for nude or sexually suggestive images unrelated to a legitimate, documented job.
- Messages from lookalike domains or personal accounts that cannot be verified.
- Claims of “official” affiliation unsupported by the official schedule or rights holder.
At in-person castings and events
Tell someone where you are, arrange your own transportation, keep your phone charged, protect belongings, know exits and leave if conditions differ materially from what was represented. Minors must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or legal guardian.
If something goes wrong
Stop contact and payment, preserve screenshots and receipts, notify the payment provider, report the account or listing to us, and contact local authorities when safety or fraud is involved. In the United States, reports may also be filed at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Our labels
Verified organizer means limited identity or organization evidence was reviewed. Official schedule requires evidence of authorized schedule status. Independent event is not presented as officially affiliated. Paid participation required highlights disclosed fees. Unverified community submission has not completed verification. Labels can become outdated and do not guarantee conduct.