Abstract: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Nowhere is this universal adage more applicable than in the world of show business, where scams devised to appeal to the hopes and dreams of aspiring actors exist around every corner. Most seasoned actors have conditioned themselves to gloss over casting scams. They know what to look for and they recognize the red flags: empty promises of instant stardom, amateur phrases like “no experience necessary,” and guarantees of work or representation. But for young people who are just starting out in show business, the difference between the legitimate and the bogus is not so obvious, and scammers know that aspiring performers make the easiest prey.

Originally published in Show Business. View PDF here.