Consumer Information

logica · #1 (**permalink**) 29th September 2009, 10:48 PM

i was called by this company called lovin models a while ago who made me come in the studio for a photoshoot. They did my hair makeup and took photos. Then the man at the end was telling me i had to buy photos for £1800 so i can be featured on there website as a model. He told me if i pay him the money then i will be guaranteed to be featured in the topshop adverts. Im new at this but thought it sounded wrong so i approached topshop later.

This is what they sent me >>>>>>>>

_______________________________________

Dear~~~~ ,

Thank you for your email received 8 August 2009.
I can confirm that we do not work with this Modelling Agency , and a professional modelling agency will not ask for any money to sign up to them.
We use the larger modelling agencies like Storm etc- if you are looking to get into modelling then I suggest contacting one of the larger more reputable agencies.

Regards,
Arcadia Group Customer Service

So now i call the agency and they dont ever call me back!! I also know the studio is used for makeovers cos my cousin was called in for it. They told her she won a compitition with GMTV so she contacted GMTV and they said >>>>>>>

They do not hold any competitions from Lovin Studios and have never heard of them. They also said that the studio were using there name without permission and they were going to contact them.

Finally i googles them and saw lots of stuff about them - they tell people they work with Cosmopolitan, Vogue, MTV and other studd. I dont know why they are still open and I have reported them to trading standaras aswell as watchdog.

Can anyone else tell me if they been there or whos the best person to contact regarding there fraudulent behavior?

they are called lovinstudios (dot) co.uk, lovinmodels (dot) co.uk and lovinmakeover (dot) com

hrh · #2 (**permalink**) 2nd February 2010, 01:05 AM

hi

The same thing happend to me i paid £1250 for portfolio thats 25pics=£50 each! what a rip off plz complain to watchdog and trading standerds, they are still operating and coning people every day with fake hopes!

Lovinmodel must be caught ! the guys called keith or kevin ect.. we need to get our money back

sabrina · #3 (**permalink**) 5th February 2010, 05:42 PM

Hi.

I'm really glad that you brought this to my attention. I ended up paying £1200 for a "portfolio" in July. They told me that as part of the contract, they would post 2 of my portfolio pictures onto their website. In September/October I rang them and asked why my photos were not on the website and they said that there was a problem with the website. I am still not on there, it is now February. Anyway, I have just rung consumer advise and this is what they told me.

*write to them via letter informing them that they have "breached the contract" and outline the way in which they have done so (in my case they have not put 2 of my pics on the gallery). Also outline the date of the contract and just a general overview of what happened on the day and what your expectations were. Somewhere in the letter, state that you wish action to be taken within 14 days eg all, some of your money back etc.
*Get a certificate of postage from the Post Office to prove that you sent them a letter
*If you paid by credit card, ring the credit card company. Apparently if you buy goods/services over £100 and you are dissatisified with the goods/services tehre is law for it under Section 75 of the consumer credit act 1974. This means that the credit card company has "equal liability" so it makes them partially responsible for the bad service of the goods.

Hope this is useful to you. If you know anyone in the same position, PLEASE PLEASE tell them the above. They can't get away with it any longer!!!

hrh · #4 (**permalink**) 5th February 2010, 07:38 PM

Hi sabrina

Thank u for your advice and sorry to hear the samething happend to u! I got ripped of in march 2009 after paying them in three seperate payments in cash from December 2008,even they knew i had No money and as a student i was skint-They said i dont have to pay anything at frist bla..bla...I hate them!!!!my photos are up on the website and the guy told me it was an emergency and i had to have the portofilo inorder for their client to see and i would get my money back in march.when I would be used on a new magazine and also a wellknown one..The sad thing is i knew i was being ripped off and i had no one to turn to as it as Embarrassing. when I got my portofilo in his dark office non were air brushed and were are bad quaility, when i asked ?-he said "we cant lie"-then why have i ended up paying for somthing i didnt get? havent heard from them scince that day about anything and any jobs...couldnt weight 2 rid of me...I remeber once hearing some1 having an argument behind the loud music about the same thing..No agencey takes money upfront like they have done!...Do i contact consumer direct about this to be sure ?
lovin model is still there doing what they did to us every day they have to be stoped ASAP!!!

sabrina · #5 (**permalink**) 10th February 2010, 11:36 AM

Hi,

It might be best for you to contact consumer direct because you paid by cash and I don't know what the procedure is for that. Or you can try writing them a letter as outlined from the previous thread and then see how it goes from there. Best of luck,

Sabrina

hrh · #6 (**permalink**) 10th February 2010, 04:21 PM

Thank u sabrina! i did that last night via email to consumer direct...whish me luck :-)

cheers

sabrina · #7 (**permalink**) 11th February 2010, 11:41 AM

No probs,

Hope it works out for you.

hrh · #8 (**permalink**) 24th March 2010, 08:25 PM

Guess what iv been told to write in them twice: on the second i should state im taking them to court to claim back my money. Ever since iv written to them some one using a private number keeps on pranking me and calling me and not talking,every week and via voice message heavy breathing and laughing.I know its that guy and lovinmodel. I got 1 just now..

hrh · #9 (**permalink**) 24th March 2010, 08:26 PM

They should be stoped....ASAP.

sabrina · #10 (**permalink**) 24th March 2010, 08:33 PM

Ok, thanks for letting me know. I still haven't sent my letter. I've been busy but I defo will now you've just told me that. I don't know what action you should take really. Maybe ring your phone network and try and prove that it is in fact their number. Then possibly ring consumer direct again to see what action to take next. I'll send my letter ASAP and will keep you posted and let you know if they do the same thing to me. Or maybe I'll go down there and sort em out! (lol)