I think my studio did something BAD!

[LilyLaineXXX]

I recieved an email from a studio I was working for and instead of blind copying our addresses it was mailed to ALL of us where we could ALL see each other's email addresses. I was never told my personal email address would be released to ANYONE including other models or whoever the hell he sent that out to!!! How should I know they are all models or not?

Anyway, I have contacted the host server, asked him to only blind-copy me in the future, and will no longer be working for him. But he owes me money as I am literally 3 dollars under my minimum pay-out from him. And I feel like this is wrong! Is there anything I can do?

[BritishBecky]

If you are sure you want to leave the studio (which may or may not also mean not working for the same website anymore)

Email him stating that you are unhappy because of the breach of privacy and wish to leave the studio. Tell him that as the breach was his fault, you expect the account to be settled straight away (paid asap). Minimum payout shouldn't matter as you are just terminating the arrangment altogether.

If he refuses to pay you because of minimum payment (or other studio shit) tell him that you will be letting the websites know that he has breached the privacy of his models and is also refusing to pay you. If he still doesn't pay, definitely tell the site because he shouldn't be in business to mess models around. Also report the studio here, and other forums.

Am I a bitch?

[roast]

^Brilliant

Or try to get over the minimum payout, ask him to leave the studio promptly after receiving payment. If he ties you into some shitty "you cant leave us" agreement that you may or may not have agreed to, raise hell. Professional hell, but raise it anyway.

Tell him you will post about him before you do, and tell him you will let models know not to sign with him and his again if he refuses to either pay you or release you from the studio to work that site independently or through another service. Show him the various forums/sites you'll do this on. If he isn't a moron he'll know itll be the kiss of death,.

[ModelJolie]

Let us know how it goes. I mistakenly signed up with a studio before I found this forum. I am now learning it is better to sign on with the actual site instead.

[ManyRoses]

Definitely have a look over the contract that you originally signed. Most studios have either a minimum term or a non-competition clause (i.e., you cannot work directly for the site within x amount of time of leaving the studio) to prevent girls leaving as soon as they figure out that they are being screwed (basically). However, it should also have a little disclaimer stating that your personal information will not be disclosed.

Write an official e-mail stating that you are leaving the site because the contract has been broken. Include the clause about personal information and a reference to the e-mail (you have kept the e-mail, right?). Request an immediate payout (again, pretty much every contract will state that if you leave the site you will be paid out entirely, no matter if you have reached minimum payout or not) and quote (from the contract) the length of time that payout should take. Work out from this what the last date is within this time period, and state that you will expect to receive payment NO LATER than this day.

You should be find to just leave - but this gives you good legal footing, should you ever need it. GOod luck!

[TheBrownFox]

I recieved an email from a studio I was working for and instead of blind copying our addresses it was mailed to ALL of us where we could ALL see each other's email addresses. I was never told my personal email address would be released to ANYONE including other models or whoever the hell he sent that out to!!! How should I know they are all models or not?

Ugh, that sucks. I hope you're able to get that worked out.


I recently signed up to cam on Chaturbate (haven't cammed on there yet though), and I really don't like how they post the top models' weekly earnings...WTF? It's nobody's business how much they earned unless THEY (the models) choose to tell people.

[LilyLaineXXX]

I am FURIOUS and I really hope you guys can help me here.. He DID send me a check for a semi-random amount considering it isn't the minimum pay-out (which I didn't reach) but it isn't the FULL amount of what I made. I didn't know he had sent this when I first posted this. Then after telling him I did not want to work for him anymore because of how he handled the situation, he told me to "enjoy your other slow sites" and then stopped payment on the check he sent me!!! Is this not issuance of a false check?! Seriously this is work I did 2 weeks ago! WHERE do I go from here?! I don't want to start beef, I don't want to make a HUGE ordeal over anything, I just want what I earned! Ugh why did I not find you guys before I signed up with him?! Thank goodness I am free to work elsewhere but I really need help on where to go next with this whole him pulling the stop-payment on our check. Doesn't that cost him a fee to do that? Shows how much of my money he's keeping! Such a slime ball ugh! He won't answer when my boyfriend (who performed and earned with me!) calls him.

[LilyLaineXXX]

I am even more lost considering I never even signed a contract OF HIS. I stumbled onto his site when I was first thinking about camming, and signed up with him. All he made me do was email him my ID and some "sexy enticing" pictures and then he signed me onto the site, told me my log-in, etc.. ugghhhh I think me being SO SUPER naive to the industry when I first started about 2 months ago has officially fucked me over.

[sweetheather]

whoa whoa whoa, you never signed any forms?

I'm sensing legal problems...

[LilyLaineXXX]

Yeah it was a form on his site that I filled out. Like a contact me form. Then he emails back, asks for my ID card, or anything government issued, 3-5 sexy pictures, and a stage name. Then he called me, got on my computer like to where he could download stuff and control it by using a remote with my IP or whatever, and downloaded the software and pressed "ok" on like everything for me. The whole time he was on the phone "explaining" and my NAIVE STUPID IGNORANT NOOB self let him do all this. The only contract I "signed" was by pressing "OK" on his broadcaster's website...

LADIES HELP! I feel so used and freaking stupid! I did not know any better. Ughhh. Like Oprah says, when you know better you do better!

[sweetheather]

OMG woman, so you never yourself signed or digitally signed anything? This is a legal issue

[LilyLaineXXX]

I think at one point I did technically press an "OK" like a digital consent.. for the MAIN website that was broadcasting the content, not the studio itself.

[Sinistress]

Wow I think I am in shock lol.

I have never heard of such a thing in all my years of doing this.

[LilyLaineXXX]

I know girl. I am a ridiculous example of WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN STARTING OFF CAMMING!!!

[Sinistress]

Oh I'm not holding it against you. I've just never heard of such a thing.
I actually had a similar experience when I first started tho.

I started out on niteflirt,except I had the whole phone interview,don't believe I signed anything blah blah

It only took me like a few days tho to think to myself...who is this person paying me...I had to still go to niteflirt to log myself in and out. I don't think they were a very coordinated scammer.

So I just dropped em and went to niteflirt to make my own account. Been working for myself ever since.
But yea,those of us who just hop right into shit do some dumb things at first.
Course when I started I don't think there were places like this for girls to go "read up first"

And if there were I honestly didn't take the time to look anyway. I had made up my mind what I wanted to do and darn it I was gonna do it lol

[LilyLaineXXX]

AllI'm pissed and just going to tell all the other NOOBS out there to freaking READ READ READ READ READ READ before you EVER go on cam!!! If it weren't for you guys telling me to go directly through SM and not through IM, I'd be in the same boat. Now I'm at SM making awesome money and so this frail ass check that fell through doesn't matter. I just hate getting burned. But I guess it happens in this industry..

Oh and such a smart guy, giving me his personal house address on the check he sent me. What a GENIUS. Just because you put DBA on your check doesn't make you a BUSINESS. Seriously wtf was I smoking when I sent this guy my shit? lol Damn.

[MistyRose]

Yeah it was a form on his site that I filled out. Like a contact me form. Then he emails back, asks for my ID card, or anything government issued, 3-5 sexy pictures, and a stage name. Then he called me, got on my computer like to where he could download stuff and control it by using a remote with my IP or whatever, and downloaded the software and pressed "ok" on like everything for me. The whole time he was on the phone "explaining" and my NAIVE STUPID IGNORANT NOOB self let him do all this. The only contract I "signed" was by pressing "OK" on his broadcaster's website...

LADIES HELP! I feel so used and freaking stupid! I did not know any better. Ughhh. Like Oprah says, when you know better you do better!

My skin is crawling while reading this.

[taylor_sweet]

WOW ok ummm message me!!!

ok i am with a studio and yes i love my studio lol... but wtf that studio is a piece of crap.... he even did the controll ur pc type thing no he had no reason to do that!! my studio didnt jeezus... What site is it??? there possibly are ways around it if im not mistaking!

[LilyLaineXXX]

He is resending a check. My boyfriend is in full throttle war mode pulling out all his legal knowledge and scary mouth-piece.

[SarahTime]

What is the studio name? And what is his website address? What site were you camming on thru his studio?

[tinydancer23]

was this ? holy fuck. this is shady as hell. i am SO sorry you're going through this. *hugs*

[LilyLaineXXX]

I'm not risking some crazy defamation of character lawsuit over this and now he is resending a check. If you guys want a heads up because for some god unknown reason you are considering signing for a studio instead of a website directly, I will let you know what to expect if you PM me and ask. It was working for Flirt4Free or VS though just so you guys know and go STRAIGHT THROUGH THEM if you want to work for them! Which I hope you are all doing anyway and I am the best example of this right now!

[LilyLaineXXX]

*****it was a studio for them, not them, just to make that clear*****

[roast]

^It was through F4F and he told you good luck on slow sites? wat.

I kid, I kid.

It isnt defamation of character if it is true but hey prioritize your own $$ first before letting people know. Ive fought like a rabid animal for $40 for a site that suddenly decided to fall off the face of the earth, so slim check or not I hope you get it

Unfortunately if he did or still does have remote access to your computer - he probably has had access to personal information of yours, so Id be concerned about outing him as well... particularly as his response to you leaving his service was snarky (presuming your email to him was not snarky) and he even conceived of applying on model's behalf by gaining access to their computer. Who does that?

Yes the decision to agree wasn't a good idea but spilled milk is still spilled. My question is who the hell thinks to make that a part of their business venture? It certainly expedites the "gimmie your money, dont slack on me camgirl" process, so it makes "sense" but it is still a foul pimp hand. Im really saddened that people agree to it enough for him to have a thriving business. The recession can fuck up anyone's judgment but he must think really low of camgirls to institute that kind of signup procedure. Fuck him.

I hope, at least, someone sees this and thinks twice if they run into it in the future: dont affirm this business model, it promotes privacy-eroding co-dependency. If you must have a studio, please please please realize there are many others that dont request this. Ideally sign up directly if you can - or if youre in a country where you cant or want a dailypay service: please search around, read here, ask here, or at least take a moment before pressing "submit".

Ugh this industry needs just a TOUCH of regulation. Just a TOUCH. Independent contractors my cock.

Hope this gets sorted fast. Lesson learned on your end obviously - but I hope he shits a brick and it fucks him back in the ass.

[MeganElise]

If it's streamate good luck. When I quit my old studio they wouldn't give me my last check which was( my minimum was 50) $196. When I told Streamate about it they told me it wasnt their problem.