Summary
Two elderly individuals, Judy and Roland, were scammed by fake modeling agencies asking for money upfront in exchange for modeling opportunities that never existed. They paid hundreds of pounds for fake photoshoots and jobs that were promised but never materialized. PayPal's "friends and family" payment method was exploited in these scams, limiting their financial protection.
Key Facts
- Judy Corker from Manchester fell for a scam where she paid £500 for fake modeling photoshoots.
- The scammers targeted older people interested in modeling by claiming there was demand for mature models.
- Judy was falsely led to believe she had a job with a cruise company and paid £300 for more fake images.
- Roland Parker, also scammed, lost over £1,000 on promised modeling jobs.
- The scam used PayPal's "friends and family" option, which does not offer buyer protection.
- Judy received a refund by using PayPal's "goods and services" option and reported the fraud to the authorities.
- National Trading Standards warns against paying money upfront for job opportunities.
- The actual studio in Manchester confirmed the modeling claims were part of a scam.
