Models will likely end up naked on porn sites after fake Honey Birdette scout 'tricked them into taking their clothes off' for Skype photoshoots, police warn
Police have warned several young aspiring models they will likely end up on porn sites after a fake Honey Birdette scout tricked them into sending nude images.
Jordyn Hagan Gaunt, 18, was contacted on Instagram by a woman claiming to be a representative from the lingerie company seeking models to sign for contracts.
The woman, who had the same account name as a family friend, told the Sydney teenager she would need to participate in a 'sexy' casting call via Skype to be considered.
Jordyn Hagan Gaunt , 18, was contacted by a fake Honey Birdette scout seeking models to sign to contracts
'When the instructions were typed out on the screen on Skype, they asked me to take off my underwear so they could see my body type and parade around the bedroom naked,' Ms Gaunt told the Daily Telegraph.
'I had never done a modelling shoot before... the person asked if my boyfriend was around and if we could make out on camera.
'I said 'no' and felt really weirded out and said I was going to switch off the call. They told me not to worry, I had done brilliantly and I was shortlisted for a contract.'
Despite the odd requests, Ms Gaunt was convinced the recruiter was her friend's mother, whose daughter models, and urged two of her friends to also take part.
Days after her audition, Ms Gaunt's friend, a 19-year-old from Wollongong, also fell victim after being encouraged to strip naked over Skype by the fraudulent casting director.
The teenagers along with several other young women, have now been urged by officers to keep an eye on porn hubs for the images from their shoots.
'The police officer told me, 'Prepare for the bombshell, you're going to end up on porn sites',' she said.
'I'm terrified men will be perving on me on porn sites that I haven't agreed to go on, I feel so stupid and hate the fact I recruited friends.
The woman, posing as Ms Gaunt's family friend, asked her to get naked during a 'casting call' over Skype
Ms Gaunt said she wanted to warn other young women not to be as 'foolish' as she was in falling for the scam.
She said police told her there was not much they could do as it is difficult to trace anonymous offenders online.
The teenager said she now realised the decision was naive and hoped speaking out will prevent it from happening to others.
Honey Birdette founder Eloise Monaghan said the company only uses models from agencies and slammed the scammer's actions as disgraceful.
The casting call scam has reportedly been doing the rounds for at least three years.
In 2017, a man warned his Facebook friends to be weary of messages from so-called recruiters after learning of the con.
'So there is a scam going round that apparently has been done before,' he wrote.
'It consists of photographers and models being contacted to do a Skype casting call for Honey Birdette Lingerie and offering $5,000 for the successful chosen models.
'I would urge any models on my friends list to change your passwords.'