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DanielleDreams are big money-makers. With teenagers around the world pinning their hopes on becoming a model, singer or award-winning actress, it's understandable that scammers across the globe will see young ambition as an opportunity to make a quick buck. While the acting and model industries are rife with money-making scams (agencies charging upfront fees, huge costs for average portfolios), there's also a darker side which often goes unnoticed.

Scammers also lurk online. And a lot of the time, it's not the money they're after.

A few years ago, a 13-year-old friend contacted me about something which she thought 'sounded dodgy.' She had, through an MSN Groups website set up for aspiring models, dancers and actresses, been asked to send photographs to a person named 'Kelly', who claimed he was a casting director and model agent looking for a model for an upcoming company shoot. After Kelly asked her for photos a second time, the girl got in touch with me to see if I could check it out.

Kelly was not, in fact, a casting director. Nor was he a model agent. An MSN conversation with him showed that he was nothing more than a stranger preying on girls in an attempt to gain photographs. Kelly tried to lie by naming a non-existent company, claiming to have offices in big cities, though would not provide a phone number despite being asked several times. He soon went offline. The conversation, littered with Kelly's poor spelling and obvious lack of knowledge as to the modelling profession, was posted by myself on several sites as a warning to other youngsters.

Shortly afterwards, I received a shocking email from another girl. The 14-year-old, who I'll call Chris, had also been contacted by Kelly. He had told her the same lies - that he worked for a big company, liked her online profile and wanted to see if she'd make a good model for an upcoming Wal-Mart shoot he was working on. Flattered, Chris spoke to him and provided him with the usual innocent photographs.

But then he got more confident.

Kelly convinced Chris to go on webcam, stating that he needed to see more of her before he could decide whether to send her on the Wal-Mart shoot. Chris was persuaded to strip to her underwear twice in the hope that she would be worthy of the 'big break' that this so-called big-time agent was promising her.

When Chris came across the conversation with Kelly and I, she was disgusted and scared - the person she believed to be a professional was, in fact, nothing more than a pervert.

The trouble is, we can all be a little naive at times. The brightest of teenagers can instantly lose all sense of the dangers when their lifelong dream is being offered to them on a plate. Predators are extremely good at convincing youngsters that they're the next big thing – that is, if they send more photographs.

This whole issue may be overlooked in the industry - but it can prove more damaging than any money scam. And for teenagers who dream of being on the cover of Vogue or picking up an Oscar, it's often easy to lose awareness of an online situation and let the promise of fame take over. With plenty of sites and discussion groups set up for wannabe models and actresses to chat and share pictures and information, the internet becomes a seriously dangerous place, and such sites are an easy target for less trustworthy individuals.

However, there are ways to prevent this. Whereas we don’t always catch the culprits, we can stop it by being extra vigilant.

If you or your child is a hopeful model (or actress) and uses the internet for discussion about the industry (and to hopefully gain work), it's important that you stay safe. Here are some things which you MUST know about modelling and the web.

1. Model directories are NOT model agencies .

Despite websites such as OneModelPlace being extremely useful to showcase your portfolio, they are NOT agencies. Agencies involve you signing up with them, and getting interviewed, before they accept you on their books. Many model agencies DO have websites, but all booking enquiries go through the AGENCY ONLY, who will then contact YOU. By putting your portfolio publicly on the internet (not as part of an agency), then you are at risk of getting contacted by absolutely anyone who has access to it. Be extremely careful.

2. NEVER give out information - use a separate email address for correspondence.

As mentioned above, if you choose to go public with pictures, then do NOT give out any personal information. Whereas models do get genuine work from posting their photos online (quite often TFP (Time for Prints) shoots in which the photographer, sometimes new to the industry, gets a model to use, and the model gets free photographs), there is no guarantee that you will not get some dodgy emails. If you DO get them - delete them straight away. Create a separate email address simply for your modelling work.

3. Model agencies and casting companies are two different things altogether.

If someone online claims to be a model agent and casting director - be wary. Model agencies are different to casting companies. Some bigger, well-known agencies run both, but of course...

4. Reputable companies will NEVER use the Internet to recruit new models .

Ever. Of course, agency websites often do have online forms to fill out to request application packs and/or forms, but they will NEVER EVER scour forums or discussion sites to seek new faces.

Nor will they EVER, under ANY circumstances, recruit people over a webcam.

5. If something seems a little strange to you, tell someone you trust .

Whether it's a parent, sibling or friend - tell someone if you think someone online is not who they say they are. That person could help you. If you are a parent with an aspiring model for a teen, sit down and talk to them about it. A good idea is to insist that the email address set up for correspondence can be accessed by both parent and teen - thus making it safer.

6. Clothing chains and supermarkets go through AGENCIES, not the models directly .

Predators may start their gruesome chat by explaining they are looking for models for a shoot - usually that of a big clothing company that teenagers are fond of, in order to perk the youngster's interests. In Chris's case, it was Wal-Mart - a family supermarket. Sounds innocent enough, right?

Wrong. Under no circumstances will a large company ask a model herself to do the job. This is the job of a model agent. The company will contact agencies when looking for models for their new range, and will look for new faces on the agencies' books. NEVER on the internet.

7. Fact-checking is essential .

If someone on the net claims to be from a well-known company, ask for their name and department. Usually, a predator is likely to make something up - or go offline, noticing that you've guessed his game. But if this happens to you, immediately call the company themselves and ask for this person, explaining the situation. Do not believe ANYONE until you have cross-checked their info - even if they DO sound trustworthy.

Kelly used a made-up name (Spyco Casting) to trick girls on the net. However, he made the mistake of claiming to have multiple offices - though when Googled, nothing for Spyco came up. After being questioned as to how such a seemingly successful company had no listings whatsoever and no website, he tried to argue that it was a new business. He also 'didn't know' his phone number and had to get it from someone else, using the time to break off the conversation.

A new business with worldwide offices - yet no website or credits? And a Hotmail address? His story fell flat VERY quickly.

8. Remember the legalities

Every model will need sign a release form - ESPECIALLY if under 16. So an online 'scout' who fails to mention anything about the legalities of modelling and contracts is a definite no-no. Be sure to check out the legal information for models in your country - such as the minimum age for underwear modelling, glamour modelling and so on.

9. Buy a directory and search for a reputable agency

Here in the UK, an annual industry directory is available called Spotlight Contacts (www.spotlightcd.com, £10.99) Spotlight lists every industry contact from casting director to photographer to model agency. It's the industry Bible, and all the top companies are listed inside. Get hold of this (or one similar if available in your country) and apply to agencies that you know are reputable. Send in some clear photographs and apply the professional way.

Above all, just steer clear. By all means use the net to discuss your dreams, but keep pictures and other personal information to yourself. You never know – the fellow 16-year-old you might be sharing information with may not be a 16-year-old at all.

If showbiz is your dream – reach for it the professional way.

Danielle Symonds-Yemm is a 22-year-old student journalist from the UK, who worked in the acting industry a few years ago and being an internet user, started to notice these things. Please visit the authors’ website:

www.shesbadnews.net.