I Got Talent Scam? Please Help!!?

[Brittany]

I was at an I Got Talent audition because my little sister wants to be an actress, when the CEO saw me and asked me to show him some pictures of myself from my phone. I did so, and we talked for a while and he ended up offering me a paid modelling scholarship. He asked me if I'd like to model for Maxim because he's always providing them models, and said all I have to do is email him some head and body shots, eat healthily and tone everything, and he'd set up a shoot. We then went into my sister's audition and she was accepted by them, but my parents had to pay a large fee for her. The man doing the audition then offered my little brother a modelling/acting scholarship as well.
I was on their Facebook page and saw a lot of negative comments, and began to wonder. Right now I'm 50/50 on the issue given the fact that I was offered a paid scholarship, but then again my parents have to pay a ton of money, and we don't have the funds to be ripped off. (Plus I'm very excited and don't want to have my hopes up for nothing haha)
If anyone has any experience with I Got Talent, or just a rational opinion about this please respond, this is all happening very quickly and I'd hate for it to be too late before I know anything.
Thanks so much!

[mathmad]

Like SCAM! Do you know how many professional models are knocking at the doors just wanting a job? Thousands. Models are a dime a dozen. These people are just preying on your hopes and dreams. Never pay anyone for a job, they pay you. They go around the country milking people of their hard earned money. Just say to yourself, "How likely is it that 3 people from the same family would all get "scholarships"?"

I say again, scam, scam, scam, scam!

[Cogito]

Mathmad is right, I'm afraid.
If you have to pay anyone anything upfront it's a scam.
Your parents have been scammed out of all that money.

No genuine agent ever asks for any payment whatsoever.
They take a percentage of their clients' earnings from acting/modelling work which they found for them - so if they don't get you auditions, they take nothing from them.

No professionals ever hire beginners, and no agents ever accept kids unless they've had many years of training at an accredited acting school and also have loads of experience.

All your parents can do is try to get their money refunded - but I very much doubt they will.
Sorry.

[Kittysue]

NO legitimate agency charges upfront fees for any reason An agency ONLY makes money after they book their models or actors on a job then take their 10-20% commission. Period

There is NO such thing as a scholarship for a model or talent agency

Did you even think of calling Maxim yourself to see if they really book models through them?
Their phone number is 212-302-2626