Fake casting scams trade on dreams of success to steal personal data or acquire sensitive images you’d rather not be made public, usually with the motive of lining the scammers’ own pockets. In a digital-first world in which scams are increasingly canny, learning how to avoid them is a necessary part of every new acting career.
The good news is that scammers typically leave telltale signs they aren’t legitimate, and there’s a whole industry at your back ready to help you avoid being ensnared. Here’s what you should know to stay safe.
1. Asking for payment
Castings are never pay-to-play, yet scammers often exploit an actor’s desperation to get their big break by compelling them to pay some sort of fee to secure a booking. Such fees are commonly disguised to provide a thin veneer of legitimacy, with fake expenses including:
- Headshots
- Casting or agent fees
- Insurance
- Registration
- Access to prime castings
Sneakier scammers may send partial payment, and then claim you’ve been overpaid and request reimbursement. Their original payment bounces from your account, and you never hear from them again.
2. High-pressure tactics
A fake casting agent knows that piling on the pressure by indicating a golden opportunity is about to slip away can prompt people to disregard red flags.
“Just as with timeshare scams, you are often approached out of the blue and find yourself subjected to exaggerated and high-pressure sales pitches,” John Peerless of the Trading Standards Institute told The Stage. “Common sense can go a long way, but these people know you have dreams and that can make you vulnerable. If an offer seems too good, relies on shortcuts, or is accompanied by excessive selling, that is always a bad sign.”
3. Nudity or sexual activity
Requests for nudity or any form of sexual activity are undeniable red flags.
“You should never be expected to undertake any scene involving nudity, intimacy, or any form of sexual activity for an audition,” according to Equity. “Nor should you be requested to provide photographs or video in advance where you are partially dressed or nude, [or] be asked to self-tape fully nude or partially nude.”
4. Personal details
Scammers can use personal information to facilitate further scams, such as financial fraud or identity theft, or simply sell it on for profit. Be wary of any casting that requires lots of personal information before you are cast or know much about the audition.
Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, for example, have both warned the public about casting scams posted on social media claiming to hire extras. Each asked for personal details that could then be misused.
Be careful what you share too. As a rule of thumb, your acting CV should include your phone number and email address, but not your home address.
5. Unsolicited messages
Legitimate castings tend to come from industry-recognised sites or through an agent, but a fake agent’s casting may come to you directly through an unsolicited text message, social media DM, or email.
“You never know where your big Hollywood break will come from,” notes the US Bureau of Consumer Protection. “But it probably won’t start with an unexpected text message about a virtual casting call. That’s likely a scam.”
6. Unconventional venues
Auditions should be held in recognised work spaces. If a casting agent asks you to audition anywhere else, the casting itself may be fake or the “agent” may have an ulterior motive.
“You should avoid any request to attend an audition in someone’s home or hotel bedroom, or during the evening,” according to Equity. “The venue may be in a hotel meeting room. If so, ring the hotel in advance to confirm that the venue has been booked for an audition.”
7. Dodgy emails
The warning signs of a fraudulent email or direct message are fairly well known.
- Poor spelling and grammar
- Suspicious links
- Messages from generic webmail accounts (such as Gmail or Hotmail) rather than company domains
- Email addresses included in the email subject (a common method of bypassing scam and spam filters)
Your head may recognise those red flags, but your heart may still be lured by the promise of a big break – especially if you’re desperate to land an acting job. Be smart and remember that such hopes are what scammers are attempting to exploit.
8. Vague details
According to Backstage, a casting notice should include:
- A brief description of the production, including the title, type, and a short synopsis
- Dates and locations for production
- A list of creative team members or production companies
- Rate of pay and contract type
- The area from which talent is sought
- A brief character breakdown
- Any specific submission instructions or requirements
Scams are typically much more vague. They may say a production is “shooting near you” or “involved with a top studio,” or they may simply be casting an unrealistically wide net.
“[Fake castings] are open to anybody, right?” warns acting coach Denise Simon. “Real casting jobs are specific; they want something specific.” Equity cautions actors to “be wary of casting notices that do not identify the rate of pay or where the work is not offered under an Equity contract.”
How to verify a casting call
Actor, singer, and producer Helen Raw, who boasts an industrywide reputation for exposing scammers, strongly advises actors to do their research. “Ask questions, google these folks,” she tells The Stage. “Anyone professing to be experienced in the industry will have some sort of digital footprint.”
Follow her lead ahead of your next acting audition. Green flags include:
- An office address with a listed company telephone number
- Listings appearing on professional platforms
- A comprehensive, professional website with examples of work
- Registered business on Google
- A presence on social media
- Casting directors who are members of the Casting Directors Guild or Casting Directors Association
- Positive reviews written by real people (bots may write reviews riddled with grammatical errors)
Green flags when dealing with student filmmakers include:
- A copy of their institution’s policy guidance on safeguards for auditions
- Emails from their institution’s domain (such as @lfs.org.uk for the London Film School)
- Name and contact details of a course leader who can verify the audition
Bear in mind that social media messages may impersonate individuals who actually possess these green flags, so be particularly wary of those. “The more ‘credible’ the name you are searching for, the less likely it is that their first approach to a performer is going to be on a social media platform,” John Byrne writes for The Stage.
Remember: If you have any lingering doubts about a casting notice, contacting Equity is always an option.