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*** Warning: Content of an explicit sexual nature. ***
Recently, Gumtree adverts for "undraped models" were being used to try lure unsuspecting women into sending topless or nude photos.
A victim of this scam, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent us the following information:
"About a month ago I replied to an ad on Gumtree looking for “undraped models” for an art exam, the pay being R1000 for 3 hours of work.
"Not only are we having money problems, but I have done nude modelling before and really enjoyed it, as long as I don’t feel exploited or manipulated etc.
"I don’t have a problem with nudity generally, so I replied and mentioned I had done some alternative modelling, and would be interested.
"The full text of the ad was the following:
"We are seeking young females to pose as 'undraped' models for an upcoming fine arts exam at a local educational institute. Payment will be R1000 for approximately 3 hours work.
"Please send your name and age to us, and you will be contacted for photographs. Please note that all applicants will be screened to see if their physique is suitable.
"Feel free to reply if you have queries."
Below is a screenshot of one of these ads, which has since been deleted:
The model who reported this ad later discovered that it had been posted in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Johannesburg, but, at the time, was not aware of this.
She continues;
"Now there were some red flags in the advert which I am embarrassed I did not pick up on, for example that the advert mentioned a local educational institute, but did not mention a name.
"And that they would want one to send photographs? I was not sure if that was normal or not. I was also to discover that they meant nude photographs.
"So two nights ago I received a whatsapp message from a number I did not recognise.
"There were a number of times that I felt uncomfortable and should have asked if it was “legit” or just cut short the conversation, but I was eager for the job and thought maybe I was just being paranoid. I suppose I now know to trust my instincts better."
The model first felt uncomfortable when, after sending a requested picture, she receive the response, "Nice tits", which seemed to her extremely unprofessional.
The conversation very quickly escalated to a point where the model realized she had fallen prey to a scam, one intended to coerce nude images out of women and engage them in a sexually explicit conversation.
This is not the first time we've heard of scams being run through Gumtree, sometimes with devastating results.
The model, though upset and embarrassed, decided she was not going to simply take this.
"So, I decided I was not going to let him get away with it. The sheer arrogance of him, he used his real number to whatsapp me. I googled his cell number and I discovered he is a student at UCT."
The model reported the user to Gumtree, who took the ads down and deleted his account immediately. We contacted Gumtree to ask how often this occurs, and what advice they have when it does, and they responded.
"This is a very unusual case. We more often encounter disputes over the ethics of service providers or payment queries - less than 1% of ads are found to be suspicious or fraudulent, and these are investigated and removed very quickly if found to be inappropriate.
"We advise all our users to spend some time reading through our general safety tips before transacting online. When applying to any job ad, always exercise caution. Research the company in question, and if responding to an interview, do not meet at a private residence - always meet at the employers' office.
"If the employer states that he/she runs a home-based business, elect to meet in a public place, such as a coffee shop. We also advise our users not to divulge too much personal information (e.g. ID numbers, credit card numbers or banking details, home addresses) when transacting online.
"When replying to ads claiming to be from a modeling or acting agency, look out for possible red flags that it may not be a legitimate offer.
"A professional agent or agency will not ask you to pay them upfront, or to pay them for head shots or a portfolio. They will also not request that an inexperienced model (that still has to learn a lot about angles and posing) send them nude or suggestive photographs.
Look the agent or agency up online before responding and acquire references if possible. Caution should also be exercised as a top priority - if a situation makes you feel uncomfortable, walk away. There are plenty of legitimate agents out there who may very well be willing to give you a shot.
"If an advert is in any way fraudulent, flag the ad immediately. If you suspect that an ad is not legitimate or if you need advice, always alert a Gumtree service agent via email or live chat so that we can assist you.
"The agents are on call 24/7, and able to advise you. If you were the victim of a crime, it is important that you report it to your local police station immediately in addition to alerting us - we fully cooperate with law enforcement."
The model has since filed a complaint with UCT, notifying them of their student's activities. UCT has responded well, and are investigating the matter. There will be a student tribunal and disciplinary action.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Recently, Gumtree adverts for "undraped models" were being used to try lure unsuspecting women into sending topless or nude photos.
A victim of this scam, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent us the following information:
"About a month ago I replied to an ad on Gumtree looking for “undraped models” for an art exam, the pay being R1000 for 3 hours of work.
"Not only are we having money problems, but I have done nude modelling before and really enjoyed it, as long as I don’t feel exploited or manipulated etc.
"I don’t have a problem with nudity generally, so I replied and mentioned I had done some alternative modelling, and would be interested.
"The full text of the ad was the following:
"We are seeking young females to pose as 'undraped' models for an upcoming fine arts exam at a local educational institute. Payment will be R1000 for approximately 3 hours work.
"Please send your name and age to us, and you will be contacted for photographs. Please note that all applicants will be screened to see if their physique is suitable.
"Feel free to reply if you have queries."
Below is a screenshot of one of these ads, which has since been deleted:
The model who reported this ad later discovered that it had been posted in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Johannesburg, but, at the time, was not aware of this.
She continues;
"Now there were some red flags in the advert which I am embarrassed I did not pick up on, for example that the advert mentioned a local educational institute, but did not mention a name.
"And that they would want one to send photographs? I was not sure if that was normal or not. I was also to discover that they meant nude photographs.
"So two nights ago I received a whatsapp message from a number I did not recognise.
"There were a number of times that I felt uncomfortable and should have asked if it was “legit” or just cut short the conversation, but I was eager for the job and thought maybe I was just being paranoid. I suppose I now know to trust my instincts better."
The model first felt uncomfortable when, after sending a requested picture, she receive the response, "Nice tits", which seemed to her extremely unprofessional.
The conversation very quickly escalated to a point where the model realized she had fallen prey to a scam, one intended to coerce nude images out of women and engage them in a sexually explicit conversation.
This is not the first time we've heard of scams being run through Gumtree, sometimes with devastating results.
The model, though upset and embarrassed, decided she was not going to simply take this.
"So, I decided I was not going to let him get away with it. The sheer arrogance of him, he used his real number to whatsapp me. I googled his cell number and I discovered he is a student at UCT."
The model reported the user to Gumtree, who took the ads down and deleted his account immediately. We contacted Gumtree to ask how often this occurs, and what advice they have when it does, and they responded.
"This is a very unusual case. We more often encounter disputes over the ethics of service providers or payment queries - less than 1% of ads are found to be suspicious or fraudulent, and these are investigated and removed very quickly if found to be inappropriate.
"We advise all our users to spend some time reading through our general safety tips before transacting online. When applying to any job ad, always exercise caution. Research the company in question, and if responding to an interview, do not meet at a private residence - always meet at the employers' office.
"If the employer states that he/she runs a home-based business, elect to meet in a public place, such as a coffee shop. We also advise our users not to divulge too much personal information (e.g. ID numbers, credit card numbers or banking details, home addresses) when transacting online.
"When replying to ads claiming to be from a modeling or acting agency, look out for possible red flags that it may not be a legitimate offer.
"A professional agent or agency will not ask you to pay them upfront, or to pay them for head shots or a portfolio. They will also not request that an inexperienced model (that still has to learn a lot about angles and posing) send them nude or suggestive photographs.
Look the agent or agency up online before responding and acquire references if possible. Caution should also be exercised as a top priority - if a situation makes you feel uncomfortable, walk away. There are plenty of legitimate agents out there who may very well be willing to give you a shot.
"If an advert is in any way fraudulent, flag the ad immediately. If you suspect that an ad is not legitimate or if you need advice, always alert a Gumtree service agent via email or live chat so that we can assist you.
"The agents are on call 24/7, and able to advise you. If you were the victim of a crime, it is important that you report it to your local police station immediately in addition to alerting us - we fully cooperate with law enforcement."
The model has since filed a complaint with UCT, notifying them of their student's activities. UCT has responded well, and are investigating the matter. There will be a student tribunal and disciplinary action.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
