Actors are being hit in a new job scam, according to the latest Federal Trade Commission scam alert. Claiming to represent casting agencies, con artists are texting prospective “clients” about auditions for significant shows, such as the new season of Ted Lasso.
“Are you still available for the open casting call tomorrow?” the fake agent will ask.
If you say “yes,” you’re likely to get opted into a “virtual audition” that is really a high-pressure sales pitch for a photo shoot, fake acting class or offer to hold your place in line at a bogus casting call. Naturally, you must pay in advance for these services.
Notably, this con is part of a growing wave of employment scams quietly spreading across the U.S.. These cons exploit Americans searching for extra income amid a tight job market and rising living costs, says Abigail Wright, Senior Business Advisor at ChamberofCommerce.org.
Scams mimic real offers
The Federal Trade Commission reported more than 20,000 job scam complaints in just the first half of 2024, quadrupling the total reported in all of 2023. And, unfortunately, the burgeoning “gig” economy makes some of these fake job offers seem legitimate.
Indeed, many job scams mimic job offered through legitimate gig work sites, such as Airtasker, Backstage and Outlier. For instance, victims are often asked to complete simple tasks for relatively small amounts of money. They’re shown fake dashboards, displaying their earnings, and they’re often paid small amounts in the early stages of the con to build trust, says Wright.
In other cases, they’re asked to make an upfront payment to get access to jobs.
“These scams succeed because they mirror legitimate remote work structures,” says Wright. “They prey on people who aren’t looking to get rich—they’re just trying to stay afloat.”
Acting scam
Actors are particularly vulnerable to job scams because they’re accustomed to paying in advance for services aimed at securing work. Backstage, for instance, charges an annual fee to get access to its daily job listings. These listings can be found elsewhere for free. However, Backstage conglomerates information from a variety of sources to make it easier to apply. ExtrasManagement, meanwhile, offers a similar service for background artists and movie “extras. And Actors Access encourages actors to sign up to subscription plans to make it easier for casting agents to find them.
However, says Aaron Marcus, founder of the website HowToActAndModel, all of these sites have a significant web presence and can explain what they’re charging for. Con Artists, on the other hand, rarely have websites and you can’t find reviews of their services on legitimate sites like TrustPilot, Reddit and SiteJabber.
Instead, they use high-pressure sales tactics and threats, such as “you’ll never work in the industry if you don’t sign this right now!” says Marcus, who was subjected to this very con.
“Scammers know how to push your buttons,” says Marcus. “Actors need to do their due diligence before they sign a contract or pay for a service.”
Breaking in
Marcus, who has more than 1,000 acting credits, also notes that anyone promising overnight success is full of baloney. Acting is exceptionally difficult to break into. And most actors will find that even if they get regular work, they may need a side hustle to make ends meet.
That said, many side hustles serve a dual purpose of helping you earn money between gigs and hone your skills.
What platforms do that?
U.S. Ghost Adventures
U.S. Ghost Adventures enlists freelance thespians to give walking ghost tours in more than 60 cities nationwide. To audition for a position, you’ll memorize a script and make a video of you delivering the tour material. The site pays $25 to $50 per hour, plus tips.
Viator & ToursByLocals
Likewise, Viator and ToursByLocals are travel sites that invite freelancers to design and operate their own local tours, whether that’s visiting historic sites, stars’ homes, or creating foodie itineraries where guests can sample bites from your favorite eateries.
With these sites, you design the itinerary and write your own script. You’ll also determine how many people can participate in each tour, when the tours operate and what they cost. The sites merely take a commission from your earnings when customers book your trip.
Fiverr
Video and audio content is booming as a way of marketing products and services. That’s causing companies and “influencers” to seek help preparing and presenting their scripts. You can offer your services as a voice-over artist; acting talent; or as a purveyor of “user generated content” through Fiverr — a broad-based platform for online services.
You set your own rates and specify what you offer. Fiverr simply takes a commission on your sales.
ArrayCrew and StaffMeUp
Neither ArrayCrew nor StaffMeUp offer acting positions. But they staff all of the other behind-the-scenes positions, from lighting, costumes and makeup to directing and set design. If you want to watch other pros hone their craft, while providing a paid service, both sites are worth signing up for.
LessonFace & Wyzant
You’ve probably taken dozens of acting classes over the course of your career. LessonFace and Wyzant give you the opportunity to coach others in your craft. You can teach one-on-one or group lessons in acting, dance, music and many other topics. Again, you set the rates. The site takes a commission on bookings.
