How to spot a fake casting call

Fake casting calls are one of the oldest scams in Indian entertainment. They target new actors, models and dancers who are eager for a break, and they almost always end with a request for money. The good news: once you know the pattern, they are easy to spot.

The golden rule

Genuine productions pay you. They never ask you to pay them. Not for registration, not for a portfolio shoot, not for an “audition slot”, not for a “processing fee”. If money is flowing from you to them, walk away.

Red flags

• —A fee of any kind before an audition or after selection.
• —A big banner or famous name, but no project details, no production house name and no contact on a company domain.
• —Pressure to decide quickly: “only two slots left”, “confirm today”.
• —Auditions in a private flat, hotel room or anywhere you would not take a friend.
• —Requests for revealing photos for a role that does not need them.
• —A casting “agent” who only talks on personal WhatsApp and refuses a video call.

What genuine casting looks like

Real casting teams share the project type, role brief, pay or at least a pay range, dates and location. They are happy to tell you which production house they work with. Auditions happen at an office or studio, or as a self-tape you record at home.

If something feels off

Do not pay. Save screenshots of the chat and the listing. Report the listing on ClapGig and we will review it within 24 hours. If you have already lost money, report it on the national cybercrime portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or call 1930.