Two Dublin-based modelling agencies have issued warnings regarding attempts by an individual claiming to represent a talent agency to solicit revealing images from girls on social media.
In a post titled 'important' on its Facebook page on Saturday 1st Option agency said it had been brought to their attention that an individual is masquerading as a representative of the agency across various social media platforms.
It goes on to state this individual in question “is asking children, young girls and teenagers to send photographs to them, with a view to becoming a model”, and that parents of children have also been contacted through third-party websites with requests for photographs.
The post asks for people to report any suspicious requests immediately, and says 1st Option “have never, nor will we ever, sign up or give modelling contracts via social media or third party websites without meeting in person first”.
It followed a similar public advisory issued by the Assets modelling agency on Friday.
It made reference to calls from another modelling agency about suspicious online activity, and encouraged parents to contact Assets directly with modelling queries rather than entertaining unsolicited approaches from individuals.
It said genuine agencies do not ask people to “email bikini photos”.
The Facebook post read: “Social media has so many benefits but unfortunately some people use it for the wrong reasons. A person that you may think looks completely authentic may be the complete opposite.”
An Garda Síochána was unable to confirm if it had received any reports on the issue in question over recent days.
In its section on social networking advice for teenagers Webwise.ie recommends only accepting friend requests from people you know and to trust your instincts: “if it doesn’t look or feel right, it probably isn’t”, it says.
It adds that anyone can create a user profile pretending to be anyone else, and advises teenagers not to assume that everyone they meet online is authentic.