So I work as a commercial model and booked a job through a freelance modeling app. I had worked a few jobs through this particular app before and on one occasion (over a year ago) was never paid by a client for a job I did. This was a major red flag but through COVID times I continued using the app out of sheer desperation I suppose.
Fast forward to 3 days ago. I booked a gig that was posted as a “shoot” but it turned out to be a scam. They locked my belongings in a hotel and had the models that were hired pass out flyers on the street for brand ambassador work. I didn’t sign up for that and it was pouring rain. The post stated it was an upscale indoor event where we would greet people at a door for guest list but clearly not so.
15 minutes before the nightmare shift ended they “fired” me for not smiling and said they were not going to pay me for the 7 hours I worked. I contacted the app I was booked through to try and get paid (which was supposed to happen immediately after the shift) and they said this client can do whatever they want and they were not going to enforce payment.
Out of principle having this happen twice through the same app is obviously unacceptable. Small claims is a waste of time in my opinion, how else would you approach this ?!
Also I realize that in retrospect it was absolutely idiotic on my end to continue booking through the app but what’s done is done haha.