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Re: Let's Set The Record Straight (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Ha. Sorry but you're full of guano. Based on my experience with kids.com and that of countless other parents with the company, it has all the earmarks of a scam. That's why they are now being investigated by numerous state agencies, including the DCA in NJ. Parents who want to give away $595.00 for nothing are welcome to do so. Others may consider this epinion for what it is: one person's experience and take it at that. Your claim that kids.com is somehow inured from complaints because it is "management company" versus an "agency" is just empty semantics. Parents should stay away from the company, period.
Parents can check out the links and information available at sites like "www.easybackgroundcheck.com/justourkids.html"and decide for themselves as well.
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Oct 26 '05
12:29 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Your link doesn't do anything to address my experience with Kids.com and the reasons why it is so controversial. As it is, the complaints about "easy background check" have been discredited in the past. I have no problem using their information as it pertains to my experience with Kids.com, the subject of this review. Thank you.
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Oct 15 '05
8:03 am PDT
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You should read this site (Reply to this comment)
by phirstone
truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia
http://www.geocities.com/scamamodel/ScamAmodel.html
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Oct 14 '05
2:52 pm PDT
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truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia (Reply to this comment)
by phirstone
The truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, Scams, Model
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Oct 14 '05
2:51 pm PDT
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The truth about www.EZBC.com... Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, Scams, Model (Reply to this comment)
by phirstone
"The truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, Scams, Model"
Read this website:
http://www.geocities.com/scamamodel/ScamAmodel.html
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Oct 14 '05
2:21 pm PDT
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The truth about www.EZBC.com, Alpha Model Group, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, scams, model... (Reply to this comment)
by phirstone
"The truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, Scams, Model"
Read this website:
http://www.geocities.com/scamamodel/ScamAmodel.html
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Oct 14 '05
2:19 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by phirstone
The truth about www.EZBC.com, JRP, John Robert Powers, OTM, Alpha Model Group, AWT, Association of Working Talent, Barbizon, Wilhemenia, Scams, Model
Read this website:
http://www.geocities.com/scamamodel/ScamAmodel.html
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Oct 14 '05
2:15 pm PDT
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Re: Photoes never posted in last 5 months. (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting. Sorry to hear about your situation. You may want to consider taking the matter to small claims court (if possible) in your area. Some people have had success in that area. cheers
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Jun 20 '05
11:04 am PDT
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Re: Kids.com continues its questionable practices in Minnesota. (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting. Best of luck in getting your money back and beware of the "monkeys." I suggest wearing loose pants until the money is credited. cheers
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Jun 20 '05
11:02 am PDT
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Kids.com continues its questionable practices in Minnesota. (Reply to this comment)
by jcjddbj
Thank you Michael Doyle for your exceptional opinion. Reading your article is the first laugh we have had on our kids.com experience and the ink hasn't even dried on our signed contract.
My husband and I had an experience with the "kids.com" office in Edina, MN yesterday that was nearly identical to yours, as well as to many others. Thankfully, we researched our feelings of "did we just get hosed?" today, read tons of material, left messages with the MN class action lawyer's office, and thanked God we haven't seen any monkeys so far (after giving birth to my first child, I don't need anything coming out of anywhere anytime soon, especially flying monkeys!).
So today, after our initial anger, shock and humiliation, we realized we did indeed got hosed, and we personally delivered a cancellation request notice of our contract in writing to their Edina office. Their contract states you can cancel within 3 days as long as it is in writing. We got a receipt from the person at the desk who accepted it, and will hope and pray that the initial charge is quickly and painlessly reversed. Our credit card company told us to deny the charge on our statement if it appears and is not credited back. Assuming all goes well, we will not be visited by any monkeys in the future.
I can't recommend working with kids.com to others after our personal experience, as well as after reading documentation from similar opinion websites, news organizations, and the Hennepin County Court records. If someone reading this has paid the fee but feels taken advantage of now, I suggest doing what you can to professionally request a refund and to contact organizations to file complaints.
Please keep updating your information so parents can keep informed and know this is still an active issue. Minnesota is still investigating and people should continue to share their stories with the Attorney General's office at 651-296-3353 and the FTC at 877-382-4357.
Thanks,
Dawn
Proud mommy to little "A"
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May 17 '05
5:50 pm PDT
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Photoes never posted in last 5 months. (Reply to this comment)
by mspi
I am having a similar experience at st paul office.
We fell to justourkids trap around 6 months back and paid $595.00. That time we thought it might be a good experience to try this for our baby.
We travelled 30 miles to get the pictures clicked and they never bothered to post the pictures even after around 6 months have elapsed.
We talked to the local office in st paul today (03/22/05) and told the lady that I wanted to cancel the contract since they had not fulfilled the terms of the contract by not posting the pictures for such a long time. The lady asked us to write a letter to the corporate office (which I am going to do pretty soon). After an hour or so, we got a call from the local manager at justourkids.com and he said that it was a business error and he was willing to extend the contract by 6 months. But since we now feel that this all is a fraud, we were not interested in extending the contract and we insisted to get our money back. To that , the manager was rude enough to tell us that we will loose our $595.00 in that case.
We have anyways not utilized their services yet. All we have gotten is wastage of time, money and effort and frustration. I have decided to take this matter at the highest level possible.
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Mar 22 '05
3:41 pm PST
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Re: kids.com is a company in good standing with the industry (Reply to this comment)
by snizfondue
Yeah... okayeee.... You probably work for Kids.com
If you have PROOF that they're "in good standing with the industry" would you mind providing it?
Thanks.
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Nov 21 '04
4:48 pm PST
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Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by snizfondue
I, too, was scammed by Kids.com aka JustOurKids.com. About 2 years ago, we went to their office with the hopes of securing modeling and/or commercial acting for our then 4 year old daughter. If any of you have had dealings with Kids.com, you know the story from there.
Well, it's been 2 years and $595 later and, of course, not a job in site. I've called them and they run one lame excuse after the next about why she hasn't been called for any work. It's such a bunch of baloney!
I've been doing research about Kids.com on the web and have come across many complaints against them. It's a real shame that parents have been put through this.
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Nov 21 '04
4:35 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting. Hope you're able to get some satisfaction in court. cheers
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Jun 17 '04
12:38 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by erinamondo
I also was scammed by KIDS.com, I will spare you the letter, office visit, sales pressure, postdated check story, because it happened almost identically (to the tee) to the other previous stories. The only difference is I grew impatient very quickly of waiting for the phone to ring. So I took matters into my own hands and started snapping away with my own little camera, and mailed the photos off to every agency in the area. Within, 2 weeks, we had 2 calls for agencies wanting to send my daughter on auditions. The first one she went on she got the job!! It was for target!! Two years and about 12 paying modeling gigs later, that I secured, I still have yet, to receive any phone calls or contacts, about possible auditions or jobs from kids.com. I paid them $600, to do the job that I ended up doing better myself for free!! I live in Minnesota where the news expose was conducted and aired, and I do believe there may be a class action suit coming up, but I already filed a suit against KIDS.com in small claims court, it is coming up at the end of the month, and I will update! I really would like to get the $600 I was scammed out of to invest in professional photos to forward to one of the legitimate agencies we're now working with. I really think its disgusting what Kids.com is doing, and I don't know how they sleep at night. I encourage everyone that was ripped off by KIDS.com to do the same.
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Jun 10 '04
3:59 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Well, you have your opinion. I have mine. FYI: The ezbc site responded to this other site's allegations with this:
http://www.ezbc.com/hammond.html.
Ezbc site makes clear in their response that the list offered by “Jim Hammond” is misleading and gives the reasons why. The response seems reasonable to me.
People are free to make up their own mind. My review is based on my experience with the justourkids company. People are free to take it for what it is: my experience.
If people feel that $595.00 for a web site listing of their child is a fair deal, they are free to enter into an agreement with the company. I had a different experience with them and was able to get my money refunded. Other parents that have contacted me or other sites are reporting that they have NOT been so fortunate.
I encourage any parent to check out the company (any company for that matter) before agreeing to its services. If I had checked out the firm earlier I wouldn't have gone with them. This epinion is written solely to tell others of my experience with them and to encourage people (consumers) thinking about entering into the child modeling industry to perform the proper due diligence before agreeing to anything.
I really don't think the firm would be as controversial as it is if parents weren't having second thoughts and problems with its services.
FYI: a class action law suit has been filed against kids..com in Minnesota. It can be looked at here:
http://wcco.com/content/local_story_085164715.html
Further stories about the firm in Minnesota can be found here:
http://wcco.com/homepage/resources_search_results.html?sections=all&SearchableText=kids.com
There is also this story from the Philadelphia Inquirer which raises many of the same issues noted in my review:
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/7915313.htm?1c
I believe there is more to the kids.com story than you are willing to acknowledge. You are, of course, free to write your own review about your positive experience with the company if you so desire.
Thanks for commenting.
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May 06 '04
2:43 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by gotajob67
you don't know the meaning of the word research...
try reading this
http://www12.brinkster.com/modelfacts/
Modeling Facts
Facts About The Modeling Industry
This site was created to bring you the true facts about the modeling industry. Apparently a website by the name of www.EZBC.com , run by Robert Noll the owner of Monster Talent Management has been misleading many people. Robert Noll has been involved in dealing drugs and identity theft (see article below for more details)
We bring you this site to give you a little more information about the author of that website. His name is Robert Noll and he owns an agency by the name of
Monster Talent Management. The company is also half owned by Ricardo J. Rivera.
Robert Noll is apparently trying to hurt other agencies by accusing them of charging up front fees while he himslef actually charges a lot more "upfront fees" than his competitors.
Private Investigators have found out that Robert Noll the owner of Monster Talent Management is the creator of www.ezbc.com. In fact he is an even bigger scam than his competitors because his company charges models up front fees.
His company Monster Model Management is also operating illegally:
Apparently the author is writing a book and plans on using all the e-mails that he has collected on www.ezbc.com as a way to sell his book.
The book entitled "Inside Becoming A Model" looks cheaply made and created. The author charges fees just like the poeple he is slandering.
He will appear in court for his illegal activities. This person is the same person who runs www.modelscams.org
This poorly written book by Robert Noll who runs Monster Model Management and created www.ezbc.com charged of drug distribution and known to be a person who has commited identity theft over the internet to hide himself from authorities and the modeling agencies he has attacked..
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May 06 '04
10:35 am PDT
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Re: Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting but I stand by my impression of this company and have heard from other parents with similar issues and stories. This was my experience with the company and my research about their origins has proven that my earlier suspicions were well founded. If you are so pleased with their services, feel free to write your own opinion. See http://www.ezbc.com/kids.html for an update about current investigations regarding the company.
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Mar 22 '04
2:24 pm PST
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kids.com is a company in good standing with the industry (Reply to this comment)
by hanson1882000
My son has been with kids.com for quite a long time with several jobs under his belt already.
Every parent we have spoken to regarding kids.com has nothing but good and positive things to say.
Many have been on multiple gosees and have gotten several big name jobs.
They are a management firm that specilize in children. There is no agency that supplies children in the quantities that kids.com does.
All the agencies I contacted do not want to be bothered with signing hundreds of children that constantly change every month. And the gosees that we go on are not open to the public. There aren't crowds of people.
If you feel you want to do this for your child I feel kids.com is your best bet.
Some people just aren't cut out for this industry.
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Mar 18 '04
11:00 am PST
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Re: Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by hanson1882000
I have been with kids.com for over 3 years and my child is still getting work from them. We have met hundreds of people in the industry who have nothing but good things to say about them.
Have you ever called anyone or done your homework?
Many parents whose child is with kids.com whom we have met are quite happy.
I met a parent the other day who got a call from kids.com after being with them for over 2 years and it was there first call and landed a movie stop.
This has been a very positive experience for my son.
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Mar 18 '04
10:37 am PST
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Re: justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting, but I stand by my opinion and have been contacted by numerous parents whose dealings with the company parallel my own. See http://www.ezbc.com/nta.html for more information on the NTA and Justourkids.com connection if you do not believe me. If you've been successful with them, count yourself lucky.
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Feb 04 '04
3:24 pm PST
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justourkids.com (Reply to this comment)
by gotajob67
I don't know how you can be so negative toward kids.com (justourkids.com), I have been a client for more than a year. Kids.com (justourkids.com) has been very honest and profitable for my child. Kids.com (justourkids.com) has nothing to do with NTA,or any other management firm. Apparently your kid was not good enough to represent. Stop with your missled opinions. Kids.com is OK.
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Feb 04 '04
8:20 am PST
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Re: Rating (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting. As for its placement, this is not a review of a web site but a child modeling/management agency. Kids.com's web site is a database of child photos only and they do not offer any e-commerce or other services on the site: only come-ons to curious and gullible parents. Epinions does not have "What you need to know about child modeling agencies" category, though they do provide links to child modeling agencies when searching (figure that out). As such, this is a category topic tangentially related to "children and self-esteem" so I'm fine with placing it here. And the "self-esteem" category is full of plenty of Off-topic stuff that hasn't been hit by the category police yet if you're interested.
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Jul 28 '03
9:09 am PDT
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Re: Hi there ... (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting. As for its placement, this is not a review of a web site but a child modeling/management agency. Kids.com's web site is a database of child photos only and they do not offer any e-commerce or other services on the site: only come-ons to curious and gullible parents. Epinions does not have "What you need to know about child modeling agencies" category, though they do provide links to child modeling agencies when searching (figure that out). As such, this is a category topic tangentially related to "children and self-esteem" so I'm fine with placing it here. And the "self-esteem" category is full of plenty of Off-topic stuff that hasn't been hit by the category police yet if you're interested.
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Jul 28 '03
9:08 am PDT
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Rating (Reply to this comment)
by merlot
I have to agree with Suzanne here. It seemed at the start as if you were going to discuss self esteem issues but towards the end it was more a review of the website/company.
You did an excellent job on this review, and placed in the correct category it would definitely get VH marks from me.
If you do move it to the correct category, please email me the link and I'd be happy to rate.
Michelle
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Jul 28 '03
8:52 am PDT
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Hi there ... (Reply to this comment)
by sblaydes,  in Kids & Family
I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry for my rating on this review.
I really think that you did a very nice job with this review, but... I didn't feel that it was placed in the correct spot. When I look at this category:
What Should I Know About Children & Self-Esteem?
I expect to read about what this has done/did to your childs(ren) self esteem. To me, I felt that it was more of a review on a company.
If you decide to move your review, please let me know. I would really like to have the opportunity to rate again.
Suzanne
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Jul 28 '03
8:49 am PDT
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Re: Glad you're getting all these suggestions. (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Brian: Yeah, I've been "hosed" pretty good on this one. And, like you I thought child modeling was a joke (and it is), but then I had E, and well...gullible is printed on my forehead for all to see. cheers
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Jul 28 '03
7:27 am PDT
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Re: Hate to tell you this (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Patti:
Sears would be a another review for me! Anyway, if your are satisfied with them, that's ok but consider yourself in a lucky group. Only 2% or so of their clients signed in a five year period ever get any work according to the FTC in previous action against NTA (1994 LA Times Article).
Number of clients: 23,310
Number of clients receiving paying work: 629
Number of clients receiving paying work over $500: 201
The contract you signed may be unenforceable as well, so contact a lawyer if you have any questions about the need to continue with them.
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Jul 28 '03
7:25 am PDT
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Re: Hate to rate this OT (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Thanks for commenting.
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Jul 28 '03
7:17 am PDT
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Re: Hi there (Reply to this comment)
by MiDoyle
Mary Tara: Thanks for commenting.
As for its placement, this is not a review of a web site but a child modeling/management agency. Kids.com's web site is a database of child photos only and they do not offer any e-commerce or other services on the site: only come-ons to curious and gullible parents. As such, this is a category topic tangentially related to "children and self-esteem" so I'm fine with placing it here.
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Jul 28 '03
7:16 am PDT
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