Don’t Get Scammed: Red Flags To Watch Out For
Mar 6, 2019 22:58:41 GMT -8
Rebekah Amber Clark, h0m3st4r, and 4 more like this
Post by Lady Stardust ★ on Mar 6, 2019 22:58:41 GMT -8
[Editor's Note: This article has been updated from its original form to reflect more recent scams going around.]
Intro
With every creative field, there is always the risk of a few dishonest individuals or organizations attempting to take advantage of people’s dreams. These can range from industry people who make a career out of extorting money from newer actors, to predatory "agencies" or casting companies, to straight-up scammers who have nothing to do with the industry but use it as another avenue to swindle their victims. Whether in jobs, classes, or online services, it’s important to know what to watch out for in order to protect yourself as much as possible.
Things to keep in mind
- Some scams are very well orchestrated. They make every effort to fly under the radar and avoid raising suspicion, causing people to be completely blindsided if a seemingly legit client suddenly disappears without paying. This is why it’s important to use your best judgment and make sure contracts are in place for jobs with significant amounts of work or money involved, and to be aware of what to look out for.
- Just because one of these red flags is involved doesn’t automatically mean the project is a scam. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a client being unaware of how certain procedures are supposed to work. If the project doesn’t seem sketchy otherwise, it can be worth at least attempting to educate and/or negotiate where appropriate.
- If you think you may be the victim of a scam, ask trusted peers or mentors for a second opinion. Chances are they may have seen the same email circulating or know someone who has had an experience with that "agency" that's not really an agency.
Remember to trust your gut instinct! If something seems to good to be true, it often is.
Known voiceover scams
"Commercial game show host advert project"
This one has become so prevalent in recent years that it is deserving of its own entry. The scammer will use a variety of throwaway email accounts under different names. They will claim to have found your contact info from your website and that they are in need of a voice actor for a "commercial game show host advert project" who must be in a good "mental and emotional state of mind". They claim they will pay a reasonable rate and that the voice actor can be located anywhere because they will rent a studio close to you. The supposed "studio rental" is where the scam really happens. In this specific case, the “client” offers to pay you more than the agreed amount for the job so that you can send the extra money “to pay the engineer”. This is nonsense. If the client is setting up studio time for you to record a job for them at a location they specify, it is their responsibility to deal with the associated studio rental fees, including paying the engineer. It also makes fundamentally no sense to pay that extra money to the voice actor and hope they pay the appropriate people, rather than just handling it themselves. But the reason for this is because the check they’re sending with the larger amount is absolute bogus, and when the bank refuses it for fraud, it’s YOU who will be out the money that you sent. This is a classic overpayment scam and there is no "job". Avoid at all costs!
A supposedly well-known company, studio or agency contacting you out of the blue with a job offer.
While it's not unheard of that a talent may be approached directly by a major company for contract work, be very wary of a sudden email claiming to be from a major anime studio or national agency offering vague promises of work, especially if you've had no contact with anyone from their organization in the past and no reason to expect an email from them. Sometimes the scammers will use LinkedIn to find names of actual company representatives to impersonate, but often it's someone who would have nothing to do with hiring voiceover artists, such as a recruiter or HR manager (see below). If they open with talking about bank details rather than an audition/recording process, that's a red flag. If they ask you to add them on WhatsApp or Telegram to discuss the "job", that is another red flag - while some clients particularly outside the US do occasionally use chat services to communicate with contractors, this is not how major companies in the US operate, and it may be a ploy to steal your financial information. A good way to identify legitimacy is to closely check the email address. A legitimate organization will have a company domain that emails are sent from (@companyname.com), not a Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo address. Be aware of fake domains that look legitimate but are not actually official, and cross-reference with the company's official website if need be.
A recruiter or HR manager offering a full-time VO job with benefits.
This simply isn't how voiceover works. But scammers don't always understand that, and may make fake job postings asking for a "voiceover artist" that offers a generous salary with paid time off and benefits! In reality, voiceover is freelance contract work. You get paid per job/session completed, not some specified monthly/yearly salary (doesn't every actor wish they had guaranteed income?!) "Paid time off" is also a joke because as a voice actor, your "time off" is whenever you don't have sessions or auditions coming in. And because voice actors are not employees, a recruiter or HR manager typically has nothing to do with hiring them. This is usually outsourced to an external casting director, freelance casting service or marketing agency. Again, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
A lengthy and generic "audition" asking you to narrate random or seemingly incoherent sentences.
There are all types of projects and scripts out there, but beware of overly vague auditions that ask for a large sampling of random phrases or sentences. The goal is quite possibly "AI farming", in which the scammer grabs a sizeable recording of an actor reading assorted copy in hopes of training text-to-speech algorithms using the actor's voice without their knowledge or consent. While not all auditions will provide details due to the confidential nature of certain projects, you have a right to ask questions as to what type of project you're actually auditioning for and how the recordings would be used. Again, trust your gut if something seems off.
An agency asking for a "membership fee" but with no real track record of bookings.
There are stories of actors approaching or being approached by an agency who offers to sign them immediately without even hearing their demos or having a meeting. Most legitimate agencies - even regional ones - are highly competitive, and only take on actors who fill a specific need on their roster or whom they reasonably believe will make them money. So if an agency offers to sign an actor no questions asked, it's worth a bit of scrutiny - especially if they ask you to pay some sort of subscription fee. In general, an agency makes money when their talent makes money - they will take a commission from jobs they help book for you, but they shouldn't charge you upfront. Some actors have reported that there are smaller regional agencies which do charge a "listing fee" to help keep their overhead costs down, but do not agree to pay this unless you can vouch that the agency is 100% legitimate. There is at least one "agency" that asks hopeful actors to pay a subscription fee to a casting service owned by them in order to access auditions (and while auditions do appear, there are reports that they seem to be bogus castings not connected to any actual job). It's not unheard of for agents - especially those that also handle on-camera bookings - to require that actors to subscribe to Backstage and/or Actors' Access to be submitted for casting breakdowns, but these are legitimate, verifiable third-party services not owned by a specific talent agency. If an agency you submit to claims to charge a listing fee, but you see friends/peers listed on their site, feel free to reach out to them and ask for their honest experience (Have they booked or received callbacks with this agency? How do they feel about the quantity and quality of auditions they are getting?)
Paypal chargeback scams
This one isn't super common, but it does occasionally happen to creatives such as artists, streamers, and yes---voice actors. In this situation, the client and talent agree on payment for a job, to be paid via PayPal. The talent completes the work and delivers it to the client, who then pays (usually promptly, and sometimes even upfront!) However, the client then initiates a chargeback via PayPal or their bank, claiming the transaction was "unauthorized". Many times, banks will side with the cardholder even in the face of evidence, leaving the actor out of a payment plus a penalty fee, while the client still makes off with the recordings. While it's not always foolproof, having clear proof that prices were agreed to and services were rendered can help in dispute resolution. Using PayPal's invoicing system - commonly used by artists for commissions - may provide an extra layer of evidence to show that the client did indeed agree to the charges.
Using an audition as a final recording
This is still fairly uncommon, but it does worry a lot of actors, especially those who participate on pay-to-plays or other online casting sites. Commercial clients will often post a full script for an audition, particularly if the script is short. Now, just because a client posts a full script as the audition copy doesn't mean they're trying to do anything unsavory - many times, they simply assume this is how it's done. If a client were to be unethical, however, they could theoretically take someone's audition recording and use it as the actual spot, and the actor might never find out. You generally don't have to worry about this with auditions from verified sources (such as agencies or private casting rosters), but if you're not sure the client is trustworthy, it's okay to read an excerpt rather than the full script, or to slightly change a line to different wording. Audio watermarks, however, should be avoided as they are considered distracting and annoying when reviewing auditions.
Red flags (things that aren't necessarily scams, but could be)
Making grandiose promises of future endeavors if you’ll work for them for free or for low pay “just this one time”.
While every creator wants their project to succeed, it’s important that their goals have some basis in reality. Beware of anyone who makes a bunch of lofty claims of how successful they’re going to be in the future without anything to really back it up. It’s okay if you decide you want to do a favor for someone because you believe in their work and/or are passionate about the project, but if someone refuses to pay you because they promise it’ll be “well worth your while” in the future when the show gets on TV or the game goes to major consoles and sells millions of copies…chances are they’re not being realistic and are just looking for people who are willing to work for little to no money. This can be especially a problem for young and inexperienced actors who end up agreeing to poor working conditions in hopes that it will someday land them in a TV show or movie or console game. It’s up to you whether or not you’re okay with the terms involved, but don’t fall for promises that aren’t based in reality.
Offering a huge payout for a job with no evidence of past work and no clear source of funding.
Everybody loves money, and the idea of a job that’s willing to pay well over industry standard seems like a dream come true. But the alarm bells start ringing if it’s a virtually unknown producer or “company” with no track record of projects and no real indication of where, exactly, they are getting this surplus of money to pay people. For example, if an indie game is offering a gigantic sum of money to their actors that goes well beyond what even a reputable studio would offer…do they have publishers already locked in? A successful crowdfunding endeavor that provided the funds needed to pay their contributors? Artwork, scripts, and other assets already in place? VO is generally one of the last assets to be added into a game, so if they are making big promises to their voice actors but have nothing to show for their work otherwise, that’s a red flag. Now, the possibility is always there that it’s a very wealthy person just trying to make a project with their own personal funds, but it’s very important to get as much information as possible and also to make sure a contract is in place. Which brings us to…
Refusing to use a contract for jobs involving large amounts of money and/or work.
Refusing to disclose how your voice will be used even after an NDA is signed.
Sure, there are exceptions for top-secret government projects or something which involves extremely sensitive company trade secrets, but for the majority of day-to-day voiceover work, clients should practice transparency about the usage involved. For example, is this a game? A show? Paid ad placement for social media? Will the voice be used to train AI or text-to-speech algorithms? The use of code names is fairly common in fields like gaming and is considered an acceptable method to help prevent leaks, but if a client refuses to tell you anything at all about how your voice will be used/distributed even after you offer to sign a non-disclosure agreement, it warrants further scrutiny. The NAVA AI Rider can help protect you if you suspect the client may wish to recreate your voice using AI technology.
A client or company with no verifiable identity.
Attempting to prevent you from working with other clients in the future.
Sometimes, noncompete clauses can be in place for development staff in order to, for instance, prevent a developer on one game from also working at competing company and giving away insider information. However, these clauses generally don’t and shouldn’t apply to voice actors. As a freelance talent, you shouldn’t be prohibited from working on other projects even if, for example, it’s a game with a similar style or general plot as a game you already worked on. (In some cases, contracts may state that the character is the company's intellectual property and you cannot perform that specific character for a project that is not theirs, which is reasonable, as long as it only applies to their IP and not your voice in general.) Brand conflicts are a thing when it comes to commercial work, but that’s best handled by an agent. Be VERY wary of any contract that attempts to lock out potential future work for you as a freelancer, and challenge this clause if you see it. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of people using developer contract templates and genuinely not realizing that it shouldn’t apply in the case of VO.
Asking to use payment methods that are unconventional for VO work, such as Western Union, Moneygram, etc.
Requiring your social security number, birthdate, or other sensitive personal information for a small indie job.
Your SSN is very personal information that should be kept secure. It’s true that you will have to fill out W9s for legit employers and studios for tax purposes, but you don’t need to be giving it to Joe Schmoe online (with no company backing or accounting department) to PayPal you $100 for an indie game. Even if the person asking for it is trustworthy, e-mail databases can get hacked or people can be careless when it comes to keeping these forms confidential. If you are located in the United States and regularly run into situations with online clients that require your SSN to fill out a W9, consider applying for an EIN instead.
The client is more preoccupied with asking for your financial info than discussing the specifics of the job or audition.
If the client can hardly even tell you what you're supposedly being hired for, but they immediately start talking about getting tax forms or bank info right off the bat, it's okay to take a step back and evaluate what's going on. And if it's just an audition rather than a job, they shouldn't need any of that information upfront.
Talent rosters that will only consider submissions from actors who have paid them for classes or demos.
Some actors do naturally catch the attention of a casting director when taking a workshop, and that's OK! There are also "casting director showcases" which are generally seen as a legitimate method of getting in front of someone who can provide you feedback and may potentially consider you for future auditions. But if a casting director or studio insists that their roster is only to be comprised of actors who have taken classes or gotten demos done with them, or they guarantee you a spot on their roster if you do so, this is unethical behavior. A good casting director should aim to cast the most fitting actor for the role, not give preferential treatment to those who pay them for coaching or demos.
"Model & Talent Agency Classes"
There are some "modeling and talent agencies" that claim to encompass everything, including print, on-camera, and voiceover, and they offer fancy course packages which supposedly train you for all facets of the industry. They may even provide headshots or demos as part of these courses, or try to sell hopeful actors on going to an overpriced conference to get in front of managers or casting directors. However, when more research is done, it is difficult to find much work that such an agency has actually procured for their clients---they seem to be more in the business of selling workshops, headshots and conference offerings than taking care of the people already on their roster. While you may end up learning something in these courses, chances are your money is better spent on targeted voiceover classes and getting your demo done by a reputable professional who is aware of current industry trends and expectations.
Constant excuses about why payment hasn't been delivered.
Sometimes, things happen. Maybe their accounting person changed hands or the client ghosted them on payment or they really are dealing with some personal matter that has kept them offline. Some grace and understanding can be extended for life circumstances, but at the end of the day, they still have a business to run and they owe you the agreed-upon compensation for the service you provided. Many online invoicing services allow for automatic follow-ups when an invoice is overdue, and if that doesn't work, you can send an email inquiring about the payment status for the job (note that nonunion jobs can and do pay up to net-90, but if you had a different agreement in place or it's been past 90 days, it's certainly okay to follow up.) If you have a regular client that you routinely have to chase down for payment on every job, you may wish to evaluate whether it's worth it for you to continue working with them.
Payment disputes with actors on previous projects.
If other actors have or had issues tracking down payment from this particular client on past or current projects, tread very carefully if you wish to proceed. Unless they've fully resolved previous issues and are since committed to doing better, chances are they're not suddenly going to change their ways. Go in with both eyes open and make sure that you don't deliver hours and hours of work for someone who's going to bail on payment.
General tips to protect yourself
- Go in with a watchful eye and trust your instincts when it comes to clients you've never worked with before.
- Talk to other actors. If something seems fishy, get a second or third opinion. (If you're concerned about NDAs, you can redact any identifying information about the project or client.)
- Beware of inconsistencies in the job description, terms used that show they don't know how voiceover works, or things that don't seem to add up (What even IS a "commercial game show host advert project?")
- If an email is supposedly from a major company, note anything unusual in the email address or communication method used.
- Know that it's OK to ask questions if something about the job, usage or pay isn't clear to you. If the client is concerned about confidentiality, offer to sign an NDA.
- Never accept more than the agreed amount for a job with the understanding that you are to send back the excess or pay it to someone else.
- Beware of clients that are extremely pushy in their communication (scammers don't want you to take time on your decisions and realize it's a scam)
- If you are working independently on a large job (such as an audiobook or other long-form narration) for a client you've never worked with before and can't fully verify their legitimacy, you may consider either asking for a portion of the job to be paid upfront as a deposit, or for the payment to be delivered in installments as project milestones are completed.
- Use invoices when necessary to help guard against chargeback scams or payment being sent to the incorrect account.
- If an audition is from a source that can't be verified (such as posted on a Facebook group or pay-to-play site), consider reading only a portion of the audition script to guard against your audition being used as the final product.
- Ask for a contract before any work is to be delivered.
- When possible, try to get language included in your contracts that prohibits the reproduction or training of your voice using artificial intelligence algorithms. The NAVA AI Rider is a great template for examples of language you can use. In some cases, you may need to work out a compromise with the client on the wording to be used.
- NAVA also has an article on scams/red flags - check it out here!
Got any other red flags you think people should be aware of? Leave a comment below!
Articles are updated over time as industry trends change, and the information may differ from the originally published version. Resources in this community are provided freely, but if you found them helpful, please consider buying me a coffee!
I’m a female voice actor with a High pitched, normal and robotic voice and I can also do British accents! I do murder drones and I could try any other and I can follow scripts! Send me an email if you need me! (Mahatareq09@yahoo.com)