TRANSACTION DATE: AUGUST 13, 2011
NAME OF MERCHANT: IN MODEL MANAGEMENT (LORNIK PRODUCTIONS) LORRAINE NICKEL
LOCATION OF TRANSACTION: BEST WESTERN PLUS 131 LAURIER ST, GATINEAU
AMOUNT OF DISPUTE : $150.00 Authorized payment of $188.00 (in which we did not agree to and it was added by her later)
Upon applying for a job online we had received a response for my three year old daughter to take part in a modeling gig. My wife and I, went to the modeling agency (a rented hall at Best Western Gatineau) and met her “agent” and we were told that she had potential, as well as the fact that we had to pay a “registration fee” so we can continue with her job application. We were also told that we needed to give them my daughters social insurance number (but we did not as we got the feeling it was a scam) by the agents mother Renee. We were then confronted by many individuals telling us that this agency is fake and that the lady was a professional scam artist by the name of Lorraine Nickel. I decided to call a lawyer and inquire, and we were now 100% sure that we had fallen into the trap of a scam artist. Luckily, there is a 10 day period after the initial purchase in which we can get a refund. The downside is, since she is a scam artist, she has not responded to any of my emails and there is no phone number to contact her at. She has also copied my credit card number plus the three numbers on the back (security), therefore I am afraid that she might use my credit card without my permission since she did copy the credit card number.
The reason we had paid her considering I had a feeling she was a scam, was because she threatened to reject our daughter’s job application if we did not pay her at least half the amount by that night. We agreed to pay, hoping it was not a scam and to avoid losing a potential job for my daughter. I was unable to leave such a great opportunity for my daughter to get such an amazing career, therefore we paid less than half the amount (using our credit card) and promised to pay the rest when they find her a modeling gig in cash. Whilst looking at the contract, my wife noticed something that was not there when my wife initially signed the contract. She (Lorraine Nickels) altered the contract where my wife initialed that she was going to pay the rest in cash and authorized herself (Lorraine Nickels) to take the remaining amount from my credit card instead of the cash. The pre authorized payments are to come out of my account two weeks from August 13th, 2011. Coming to the total of around $333.00. She had attempted to get me to sign with there own photographer to take pictures of my daughter, but my wife and I refused. She said that these were “registration fees”, no modeling agency asks for “registration fees” . Plus the fact that she pre authorized herself to take money out of my credit card in two weeks is beyond what we had agreed to. No services will be provided, therefore I am asking for my money back before she gets away with scamming another individual.
The reason she authorized herself instead of waiting for the cash, is because many people find out she is a scam once they get home (similar to my wife and I). After searching as to whether or not individuals need to pay for modelling agencies. Once they find out that she is a scam, they want there money back. She usually sets up for one day at a low budget hotel and leaves, leaving no address, no contacts - and no refund. She does not wait for the rest of the payment (therefore she takes anything - even a small deposit). So once she found that there was room around my wives initial to pre authorize herself to take the rest, she took the chance not knowing that this is considered stealing.
There have been many suits against this company or Lorraine Nickels filed under the Consumer Protection Act Ontario for services not provided, and the fact that she does not respond to any emails and many other reasons revolving around her scamming people out of there money as well as authorizing herself to use people’s credit cards. My wife has attempted to contact her with the email she provided at no avail.
I want my money back, and my daughters pictures!!
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