Casting Scam

One of the reasons all Portland actors should subscribe to the PDXBackstage mailing list at http://go.to/pdxbackstage: notices like this one (forwarded to the mailing list by local SAG rep Mary McDonald Lewis)-
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ALERT: CASTING SCAM!!

AFTRA has received a report that Fisch Industries Global, Inc., a company representing itself as a casting agency for AFTRA-covered programs, is asking performers to pay money to be applied to AFTRA 's initiation fee and/or dues.

THIS IS A SCAM INTENDED TO DEFRAUD PERFORMERS! All performers are warned that no outside company is authorized to accept payment of initiation fees or dues to AFTRA. If you are asked to sign a contract with a company that holds itself out as a casting agency, production entity, or talent agency, and asks you to pay them any portion of your or someone else's AFTRA initiation fees and/or dues, please contact either the AFTRA National office in New York or the AFTRA Los Angeles Local immediately, so AFTRA can notify the proper authorities.
In New York : Megan Capuano, 212-532-0800
In Los Angeles : Jean Frost, 323-634-8100
Please forward this Flash to your fellow performers.
For more information, please visit www.aftra.com .
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Sadly, there are plenty of people out there just waiting to take advantage of performers with stars in their eyes... remind me to tell you all sometime about how I got involved with the Faces International scam back in the 80's... sigh...