Rahway woman gets out of child model mess

RAHWAY (WABC) -- When a local woman paid money to a modeling agency for her son, then changed her mind, getting her money wasn't supposed to be a problem.

So how can you fight back when you have the right to refund? 7 On Your Side has the answer.

For Khairah Rida, of Rahway, it all started with a trip to the local mall.

"Me being a parent, all parents believe that their child is the best," she said. "So I believed it."

Rida wasn't surprised when she and her son Tassis were flattered by a stranger at the shopping center.

"'Your child is adorable, did you ever think about getting him into modeling or acting?'" she recalled the person saying. "At the time, I kept walking, took the card."

Later, she was curious and pulled up the website, InterFACE Talent, of East Brunswick. Impressed by what she saw, mother and son met with an agent at the company's headquarters.

"He showed me clips of kids cast in commercials and different movies," she said. "They said my son really had talent."

Sold, she signed on the dotted line to pay $1,225.

"Being a single parent, I thought I was just investing in my son's future," she said.

But later, she read in the fine print that the fee only paid for a photo shoot, not marketing.

"I didn't even sleep," she said. "My stomach was in a knot. I think they call it buyers remorse."

Luckily, the contract has a clear cancellation clause.

"I called them and said how do I go about canceling my contract," she said. "I see I have three days. And she said had I waited, I would've forfeited my $1,225."

The refund check was promised in 30 days, and that was in back in February. By May, there was still no check, and no answers.

"Between being transferred all over the place, placed on hold, hung up on," she said.

So 7 On Your Side looked into Interface and learned the company was sued by the state of New Jersey last year. Accused of misleading customers, InterFACE had to pay $400,000 in restitution to more than 100 customers.

The company admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to be monitored and make its contracts more clear about exactly what services parents are paying for.

Days after Eyewitness News reminded InterFACE about its obligations, Khairah got a full refund.

"I was ecstatic," she said. "The money came at the right time. I appreciate everything you guys did."

An InterFACE representative apologized, saying the refund was delayed by a clerical error.