[NEohioPAL]ALERT--CASTING SCAM--AFTRA ACTORS PLEASE READ

[Ben Topping]

I receive this warning (below) from a credible list-service I belong too. 
Seeing this is a national concern and these rules are pretty standard for 
ANY UNION like AFTRA, I thought it might help someone. Please pass it along.
Take care,
Ben Topping
http://www.bentopping.com

--------------------------------------------------
>From: Brian Dragonuk <bdragonuk at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: BDragonuk-owner at yahoogroups.com
>To: Brians Acting Newsletter <bdragonuk at yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: [Dragonuk Connects] ALERT - CASTING SCAM -- AFTRA ACTORS PLEASE 
>READ
>Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2005 14:08:56 -0400
>
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>
>ALERT - CASTING SCAM
>
>AFTRA has received a report that a company representing itself as a
>casting agency for AFTRA covered programs, is asking unsuspecting
>performers to pay money in advance, that the company alleges will be
>sent  to  AFTRA towards  payment of  the union initiation fee.   THIS
>IS A SCAM.  Performers should note that no outside company is
>authorized to accept payment of initiation fee or dues that are
>payable to AFTRA.   If you are asked to sign a contract with a company
>that holds itself out as a casting agency, production entity or talent
>agency, and you are asked to pay the entity any portion of what would
>otherwise be payable to AFTRA for initiation fee or dues, please
>contact either the AFTRA National office in New York, or the AFTRA Los
>Angeles Local immediately. The proper authorities will be notified..
>
>Contact Information:
>
>In New York: Megan Capuano (212) 532-0800
>In Los Angeles: Jean Frost (323) 634-8100
>
>
>                            
>************************************************
>
>Press Release
>
>
>AFTRA WARNS PERFORMERS OF POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP SCAM
>
>
>Also Informs NY, NJ, and CA Regulatory and Consumer Agencies
>
>
>Los Angeles, CA, September 30, 2005—The American Federation of
>Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) has issued a warning about a scam
>intended to defraud performers. Upon receiving a report that Fisch
>Industries Global, Inc., a company representing itself as a casting
>agency for AFTRA-covered programs, is asking performers to pay money
>to be applied to the union's initiation fee and/or dues, AFTRA
>immediately posted a warning on its website (www.aftra.com) and sent a
>notification to its members. The notice warns all performers – members
>and potential members alike – that this is a scam and no such
>relationship or process exists. Further, AFTRA is asking any performer
>who is approached by any company that represents itself as a casting
>agency, talent agency, or production entity, and asks for a payment
>towards an AFTRA initiation fee and/or dues, to contact the AFTRA
>offices in either New York or Los Angeles. AFTRA will then notify the
>proper authorities. AFTRA does not have any arrangements with any
>outside companies to collect performers' initiation fees and/or dues,
>and any attempt to collect money on AFTRA's behalf is unauthorized and
>fraudulent.
>
>In letters sent to the New York State Consumer Protection Board, the
>New York Department of Consumer Affairs, the New York City Better
>Business Bureau, the Newark Attorney General, the California
>Department of Labor, Actors' Equity Association, and Screen Actors
>Guild, Megan Capuano, AFTRA's National Director of Agent Relations,
>reported this "aggressive scam intended to defraud performers," and
>stated, "In any industry, but particularly in the entertainment
>industry where performers are often the target of unethical and
>unscrupulous behavior promising stardom, this type of behavior is
>dangerous, inappropriate, unethical, and illegal. AFTRA takes all
>claims of this nature very seriously and seeks to prevent future
>abuses of this kind. We remain committed to doing what we can to
>educate performers and members of the public about these types of
>misrepresentations."
>
>AFTRA's website alert provides contact information, including email
>links, for the AFTRA National and Los Angeles Local Agency
>Departments.
>
>About AFTRA
>The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists – affiliated
>with the AFL-CIO – is a diverse national union representing over
>70,000 professional performers, broadcasters, and recording artists in
>32 Locals throughout the country. AFTRA members work as actors,
>broadcast journalists, dancers, singers, announcers, hosts, comedians,
>and disc jockeys in all aspects of the media industries including
>television and radio, sound recordings, commercials,
>non-broadcast/industrials, interactive games, and the Internet. For
>more information, visit AFTRA online at www.aftra.com.
>
>
>
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