REGINA – A recent scam has a Regina modelling agency warning potential clients to be careful.
Last week, a 26-year-old Regina man was charged with extortion for allegedly trying to solicit models for an ‘adults only’ website.
It’s alleged that the man befriended three women in their late teens and early twenties through a social networking site. There, he posed as a modelling agent and asked for provocative pictures. After receiving them, he tried to extort his victims for more intimate photos and videos.
Lisa Marie Schwartz has seen scams like this before. She runs Edge Agency, a Regina company that finds and recruits models.
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“If we’re interested in somebody we will approach them directly and give them a card so that they can do follow up research,” she said.
Police say sexual exploitation has been made easier with the increase in technology. And it’s not limited to the young.
“Internet luring or exploitation of children using the internet is very serious because they are so vulnerable. But even adults can be victimized,” said Elizabeth Popowich from the Regina Police Service.
Social media experts say it’s now easier for people to post more and more of themselves online. The problem arises when those posts fall into the wrong hands.
“Don’t put the bikini photos online. That’s an easy one. Or put your permissions up on Facebook too, but even then, I wouldn’t trust those either. If you don’t want people to steal your photos, don’t put those photos online,” said Jeph Maystruck, a social media and marketing consultant.
Schwartz suggests that potential clients do their research before sending out personal information.
“Do your homework to find out more about the company, rather than I think just being excited about the idea of modelling and jumping into it,” she said.
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