ComplaintsforJohn Casablancas Modeling & Career Center

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  This business offered Modeling and acting classes. The recruitment person said they would be my agent and they completely disappeared after I signed the contract. Further more we were told to listen to our coaches (the most important detail) yet every class we had different coaches with different instructions That were contradictory to the previous classes. Not only did I invest ****** in makeup and products I also was double charged twice. I complained several times to the help desk and basically was told to pick and choose what advice I wanted to take. This is a class that made no sense to me so I cancelled back in early December. I took 7 classes and they said I took 8. They are telling me I owe the ****** now in late March and that they are turning me into collections. I am so furious I had planned to get all my money back but I was ok with bygones being bygones. But this is ridiculous I feel they broke the contract by lying in the first place. Saying I had an agent which was untrue and when I couldnt contact them days later I should have realized it was a scam and never start classes.

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My daughter started J Casablancas on 03/24/2022. She attended a few classes, all remotely. We were told that there would be some in-person classes but we became aware that she was struggling with the online classes. My daughter received a neurobehavioural diagnosis and we were advised to immediately cut down her screen time and after-school activities. This also meant having to put in place a new learning support schedule during and after-school. This new schedule meant it left little time for much else. The 2 hour online classes proved to be too much for her to manage so we canceled our account. Since then we have been hounded first by The National Educational Acceptance, who I contacted numerous times. without joy. The phone number on the letter does not work, nor does the email address on their letter. I have now been contacted by The. United Credit Collections debt collector has informed me the fee has now increased to $832.49. This, along with the new diagnosis has all been extremely stressful. Bearing all this in mind I would please request that the total liabilities be waived/removed on medical and compassionate grounds and that this matter be closed.

  Customer response

  01/09/2023

  I have paid off the debt at a reduced fee. 

  This matter is now closed and I thank you very much for your support. 

  
  

  Kind regards,

  
  

  *******

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I would like to cancel my contract with them and a refund for my money, I signed the contract and paid on November 13th which they took out $295 for the first payment and it is November 15th. It is within the 3 day period and I haven’t even started my first class, so they have plenty of time to refund my money. I texted ***** and emailed them asking them for a refund, but they gave me no information on how to go about canceling or how I would receive my refund.

  Business response

  12/01/2022

  A refund for $295 was issued to Ms. ******** account on November 22, 2022.  Unless we hear further from you, we will consider this matter closed.

  Thank you.

  ***** ****

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I joined **** Casablancas because Ive anted to pursue a career in modeling. When they asked for payment they said theyd only need a one time payment of 295$ for classes. I only attended one class yet my parents card was still being charged.Then weekly they asked for 71$,and then charges 71$ from my moms card without permission. I left the company after that,and now theyre saying I owe them 355$.

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  To BBB

   

  From *********************

   

  10/1/22

   

   

  I received the attached complaint; however, it is not a complaint for my business.

   

  The customer has an issue with another company in *****.

   

  This is not our customer.

   

  I think they must be looking to contact a **** Casablancas office in ***** and I will happily forward this to that location.  Each ******************************* office is indecently owned and operated.

   

  Meantime, please remove this from my account as I cant help this person.

   

   

   

  Sincerely,

   

  *********************

  President, **** Casablancas of **.

  ************

  Customer response

  10/06/2022

  The contract

  https://na3.docusign.net/Signing/?ti=a55f75bea36e472290af5db29e476af0

  Customer response

  10/13/2022

  Please See Attached

  Business response

  10/20/2022

  We have reviewed our records and we can not find a customer by the name of ************************  If she could provide us with an account number or a copy of her contract we will be able to assist her.  

  Customer response

  10/21/2022

  I went under the name Aira Starlight. I only attended one of their classes yet you are trying to force me to pay a fine I cannot pay.

• Initial Complaint

  10/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I worked with a representative called ******************* she told me everything the agency had to offer and offered a contract in the contract it states if I canceled in terminated within 3 days of when the contract is made I can cancel and get any fees paid back she had me pay a $295 registration fee the same day I signed the contract I sent her a message saying I didn't think I could keep up the payments because since I had thought about it and I was going to cancel. A few days later she tells me that they don't give fees back I sent her screenshots of her own contract stating where it says if you canceled within 3 days you would get all fees paid back she started to ignore me I sent her another message a day later stating I would send a demand letter for the money back she still ignored me since they breached their own contract I had to dispute the transaction with my own bank. It seems like a lot of people have issues with this company not giving people their money back it seems like a big scam. They kept $295 of my money and I never even started with their agency.

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  We have reviewed this complaint.  This is not from one of our offices.  We will forward it to the appropriate office.  

  Customer response

  10/12/2022

  A representative reached out to me and said they would mail my money back to me in the form of a check, waiting on it in the mail. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I **** ****** have joined and hope to get a chance doing acting. My last class with this aganece the woman that did the class said there is more con than pro. She also said that sometime the money not worth it and she turn jobs down. I received a letter them threaten add it to my credit report. I am looking for a refund from them.

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  Thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention.  We are in the process of reviewing the class and will get back to you as soon as we have reviewed the class and exactly what was said.

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  We are at a loss as how to move forward.  We are looking in to this to find out exactly what was said.  The fact that Mr. Daviau "rejects" our response that we are reviewing the class to confirm what he has said doesn't make a lot of sense.  It is our desire that if something was wrong, we want to correct it.  Simply making a statement and demanding his money back without allowing us to investigate it is not in the spirit of the BBB and how we understand it operates.  

  If *** ****** wants us to discontinue our investigation we will and consider this matter closed.  

  We await his response. 

  Customer response

  10/13/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  You can listen to the last class I did with the lady. She said more. Cons than pros. She said she rejected a lot of offer because the money wasn't worth it
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was notified about my Granddaughter for this Modeling agency. We were told no up front fee would be needed. On my call back interview first thing they start talking about in needing training which required money. Rude sales person discount me when I called them out. This is a scam don’t be fooled. I wish they would close them down! On these zoom calls you don’t know where they are calling you from!

  Business response

  09/22/2022

  We have received the statement submitted by *** ****** regarding her granddaughter.  It appears there may have been a misunderstanding regarding *** ****** experience with our employee.  We apologize if *** ****** feels she was misguided or misunderstood in the process.  *** ****** is not in our program and no agreement or money exchanged hands between *** ****** and our company.  We wish her and her granddaughter the best and hope she finds what she is looking for. 

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to her concerns.  

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company has the worst customer service. They are very unprofessional and the biggest scam to low income families with hopes for their children to have a successful future. They lure you in and plant seeds of hope that child will have a promising acting/modeling career. Then charge you $75 weekly for poor service and at inconvenient times. I tried to keep this up and communicate that my family was experiencing hard times. In return they slapped almost $400 bill to credit report. I owed then nothing. I was paying them for me spend money on gas driving 25 minutes away to spend time here away from work for my child to not be attended to. There was no proper training or a personalized experience while attending. I've asked to please not charge me this. My family has suffered enough. Hoe can I be charged this and I already can't and couldn't afford to pay you weekly for something I later found out wasn't going to happen anyway

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  The account is over 5 years old and numerous attempts were made in 2017 to assist them with their enrollment.  All communication was ignored and until this notification from the BBB, we have never heard from or had a response from ******** *******.  This account was turned over to a collection agency in 2018. 

  Our years of service would greatly discredit everything stated in this correspondence from ******** *******.  At this time, we suggest ******** ******* contact the collection agency that has had the account since 2018.

  We shall consider this matter closed unless we hear from your office. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The sales representative who they call "casting directors" told me I was on a class per class basis and didn't tell me about bow the cancellation policies worked at all. I attended and paid for 11 classes I went to and decided I no longer wanted the services so under the pretense that I was on a class by class basis I stopped paying and going. Little did I know that I was being subjected to paying $497 for classes I never attended or went to and I was lied to by the director who signed me up. Customer service said they can't do anything about it and that since it's a contract I'm stuck paying g for a service I never received after misleading and deceptive sales practices. With threats of a collection agency and my credit being affected I have now paid $497 to this sham of a company with misleading sales reps. I am appalled when she said they care about their customers but did nothing to get me out of this outlandish balance I was told would never happen. They rob you and lie about contracts with high pressure to sign fir mediocre acting classes. Please be aware and also know it'll take 10s of calls before anyone even answers or checks their emails.

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  We appreciate the opportunity to respond to ** ********'s correspondence to your office.  Although we are unaware of the statements *** ******** makes in his correspondence to your office we do have a copy, as does *** ********, of the contract he signed, that clearly states what happens if you discontinue your training.  *** ******** was only charged what the contract states based on the percentage of classes attended.  He was not charged for all the classes or any additional amounts.  The reason we have contracts is so that everyone understands what is expected of them and there are no misunderstandings.  

  We hope this helps the understanding of the situation and appreciate the opportunity to respond to the BBB. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My daughter has been taken classes with you since October 2021. We have paid over $2,000 for the online classes. When we interviewed with the recruiter, I specifically asked if she needed a SSN. She does not have one. My husband and I are here on TN visas and our children are not allowed to have a SSN number. The recruiter (cJohn Casablanca will not give me her name) specifically said not to worry she didnt need one since agencies hire people from all over the world all the time. Now that she is done her classes, she is trying to register into the portal she is supposed to register in and he says very clearly that she absolutely need a SSN to continue.I have tried to contact **** Casablanca several times by phone and email. It took a very long time, and I had to be very persistent for them to finally talk to me. They said they will not reimburse me because she has already taken the classes. Because of the wrong information they gave me, we spent thousands of dollars and she cannot work in the industry. We would not have registered her if they had told us from day 1 she needed a SSN. This has been a very frustrating process.

  Business response

  06/08/2022

  We are in receipt of the correspondence concerning ************** and her daughter.  We have spoken to the person she enrolled with, the Agency Director she talked to, and the **************** People she spoke with, and no one is aware of any requirement on any portalwhere she was required to give her Social Security Number (SSN). 
  
  It is our understanding that ************** has asked extensively if an SSN is required to work in the ************* as an employee and that answer, to the best of our knowledge would be yes.  However, talent may work on work **** in the **** and in other countries that do not require a US social security number. Additionally, we do not offer legal advise regarding immigration status and work status.  We are a training center that offers programs to learn the skills of the entertainment industry which is clearly stated on all of our paperwork.  
  
  We would also like to point out that the contract signed by ************** clearly states that she was enrolling for training. That John Casablancas Centers is a training center and does not promise jobs at the completion of their courses.  Additionally, **** Casablancas does not hire talent but refers people to agencies for potential representation. 
  
  Regardless, of these facts it is our desire to resolve this situation in an amicable manner.  ************** did contract for a training program and 100% of that training program was offered and completed.  The educational knowledge can not be returned, and it seems only fair that we at least be paid for a portion of that training. 
  
  In an effort to resolve this in a timely manner we will agree to a 50% return of tuition paid by ************** in exchange for a signed Mutual Release releasing us from any further obligations to ************** and her from any further obligations to our company.  We believe this is a fair and equitable resolution to this unfortunate situation. 
  
  We shall await a response from your office. 

  Customer response

  06/08/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

   

  What are the next steps? 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********** *****

  Customer response

  06/22/2022

  I have agreed to the resolution. I have not heard back from the company.

  Business response

  06/30/2022

  We will send Ms. ***** the Mutual Settlement and Release Agreement and upon receiving an executed (signed) copy back issue her the 50% refund.  As we do not retain credit card information, we will also need the full credit card number from Ms. ***** of the credit card ending in 1655 to issue the refund.  We will communicate directly with Ms. ***** at the email address she supplied the BBB, *****************

  We appreciate the BBB assistance in bringing this situation to an amicable conclusion. 

  Customer response

  06/30/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********** *****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩