Well - what can you say, I always knew that I had it in me. So today I got a spam message that introduced the ‘modeling agency’ OKM3 LLP. Instead of sensing the warning signs I thought I will be nice and joked with the sender if they do male modeling as well.
Low and behold they do - how nice! So the person sends me a message with an email to send a picture of me to, which I did. The person promptly replied saying how cool I looked and if only the Levis’ Jeans job would not already be finished. No alarm bells yet - can you imagine?
Anyways, so I ask what we should do in terms of next steps. And this is the reply I got:
Ok Stefan, for new models, you will have to pay a one-timed registration fee of S$38 nett.Next is portfolio, $488 including studio rental of 3 hrs, photographer and image-stylist.You will received 8 pcs of edited 4R photos and a CD.*Cos our portfolio is different from ours so I will need my models to have their portfolio shoots with us.I will show u the difference when we meet
Training next, I can’t possibly give my clients a model who dun know anything, so training is very important.My training fees is $888 ($100 per session for ala carte) which includes:1. Runway Coaching (Basic Cat walking and posing) - 2 sessions of 1 hr each2. Basic Make-Up - 1 session of 2 hrs3. Confidence and Charisma Building - 2 sessions of 2 hrs each4. Etiquette - 2 sessions of 2 hrs each5. Acting Skills - 3 sessions 2 hrs eachThank you![]()
Needless to say that by now all alarm bells went into over drive and I humbly declined citing high upfront cost. But the story continues. Next the person protested and how I could confuse upfront cost with a fair service charge (my words). So I took the trouble to find an appropriate website and forwarded it to her hoping to maybe enlighten her as to the questionable nature of her business.
The exchange went downhill from there (yes - I was surprised too!).
By the way: knowing your Chinese numerology the various prices all contain at least one ‘8′ and thus suggest ‘wealth’. Math however is clearly not their strong side since the overall package costs $1414:
Number 14 is considered to be one of the unluckiest numbers in Chinese culture. Although 14 is usually said as 十四 “shí sì,” which sounds like 十死 “ten die”, it can also be said as 一四 “yī sì” or 么四 “yāo sì”, literally “one four”. Thus, 14 can also be said as “yāo sì,” literally “one four,” but it also sounds like “want to die” (要死 pinyin yào sǐ). In Cantonese, 14 sounds like “sap6 sei3″, which sounds like “sat6 sei2″ meaning “certainly die” (實死).
Doh! At least change your unlucky pricing…



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