ComplaintsforBaby Miss America Pageant Inc

• Initial Complaint

  06/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Back in February of 2024 I had submitted my daughter for what I believed to be a legitimate company. I did so because I received a text saying my daughter could go to nationals all fees paid. So I decided to sign up. However upon receiving registration packet the pageant was dated for **** of 2023 not **** 2024 which was a red flag for me now as to I had sent my daughters photo via email. I wanted to do more research now in March now since I havent sent form back they tell me my daughter has been sponsored for the pageant and to complete the registration form. I was advised I had to pay a fee of I believe $250 via cash app. Using cash app was another red flag. I did a bit of digging and saw their ******** page has 140k followers but the pictures on have 10 likes which means her following is paid for. When I called them out about it being a scam ***** had the director calling me and I ignored it. I have asked them to delete our information and my daughters photo because I know they are trying to get others money for these fake pageants. Till this day they are still reaching out to me after I have asked them to leave me alone and delete our information from the database.

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  The text had a link to the Online Photo Contest website. Every year Baby Miss America awards over $75,000 in Pageant Cash to the Online Photo Contest Winners to be used for pageant fees. The text she received had a link to the Online Photo Contest. Just like Publisher's Clearing House states you can get $5000 a week for life.....but you have to enter to win. The Online Photo Contest winners receive up to $2500 Pageant Cash. 
  There are 3 winners in each division. If a child does not win the Online Photo Contest, she is invited to the pageant and we help moms secure sponsors to cover the cost of participation.  The rules and regulations are listed in detail on the website and every pageant form has to check a box acknowledging that they have read the rules and agree with the rules. 
  We use Cash App for the convenience of the moms. Prior to COVID, we only accepted US Postal Money Orders. However, due to the time involved to go to the ************ standing in line, purchasing the Money Order and the cost of sending the Money Order by certified or Priority Mail, Cash App is more convenient for our busy Pageant Moms and they have easy access to receipts in their Cash App account. Although she saw this as a red flag, our Pageant Moms appreciate the convenience of using Cash ************************** followers are ORGANIC, which can be proven through our ******** Meta Business Suite. In fact, the list of LIKES and FOLLOWERS are on the ******** page. We do not pay for likes or followers and in fact, do not allow "bots" on our pagea.  There are several photos that have hundreds of likes.  ********'s algorithm has dramatically changed over the last few years and all posts do not reach all followers. A complete explanation of ********'s algorithm is available on the ******** Help & Support page. 
  There are 2 ways to qualify for a Baby Miss America local, state, regional or national pageant. Baby Miss America is not an open competition, A child must be chosen to participate through the Candidate-at-Large System or the Online Photo Contes. There is NO Entry Fee for the Candidate-at-Large System or the Online Photo Contest. The details on How to Enter and what is required is on our website *********************************
  All children's pageants have fees associated with participation, just like Dance Competition, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Little League, Soccer or any extra curricular activities. 
  Our social media pages including several ******** pages, Pinterest and Instagram and ******* has photos of hundreds of children on the stage with their trophies and crowns at pageants across the country.  Several of our winners have participated in parades across the country and appeared in television and print commercials for ************************* ESPN, ********* series,  Pokemon, national brands and movies. 
  We will remove her child's name from the Candidate-at-Large Winners list per her request. 
  
  

  Customer response

  06/25/2024

  Complaint: 21791005
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I have forwarded the information to the *** cyber fraud department. Because there are several reviews indicating they have never received money back from so called pageants, hotels that these pageants have been held at never even had a pageant scheduled to them. They were cancelled. The business owner changed her cash app.Legitimate businesses do not have clients send money orders via mail as that is what SCAMMERS do because the money cant be given back from a money order. Same thing with cash app they cannot get the money back from scammers. Legitimately pageants that my daughter is actually signed up for has the information upfront and is verifiable. No money orders or cash app involved because that is in fact what scammers use. Packets you send out are from previous years that you recycle to scam more people. I cross referenced the ******** account and it in fact has bots ran it through a bot checker and all accounts are fake accounts. I will not allow this company to scam anymore people

  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  07/01/2024

  The statements made in this response are false and completely inaccurate. Baby Miss America Pageant families appreciate the fact that the safety and security of our contestants is our #1 Priority. We will NEVER change our policy of protecting our contestants by not advertising the location of the pageant. This policy was implemented due to the ***************** ****** tragedy.  ******** obviously did not read the rules and regulations of the Online Photo Contest, which clearly state a child can win all fees paid to nationals, however, just like Publisher's Clearing House or any contest, you have to actually enter the contest and participate in the contest to win the contest. We look forward to speaking to the *** and sending all documentation, including rules and regulations.The Baby Miss America website is currently active and has always been active. Please go to:*********************************.The Online Photo Contest website is under construction for the 2024 Pageant Season. Please click: **************************************************;The Baby Miss America Pageant awards over $75,000.00 in cash and prizes each year through the Online Photo Contest.  The Online Photo Contest Winners are posted on social media including ********* Instagram and Pinterest. ******** has never called our office or sent an email with any of her concerns. This is obviously a lack of understanding of the rules and regulations of the system. 

  
  

  Customer response

  07/02/2024

  Complaint: 21791005
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Business is not recognized in ***** it has been involuntary ended in *****. Per website claiming to be non profit however the *** has no record of this non profit organization. Her address used is an online offfice which I called and ste 300 is available to purchase. Which scam artist use online office addresses I have seen this so many times in the car business people trying to use online offices. Registration packet being sent are from past dates she only undated it now to 2024 because of this case I mentioned she was sending packets with year 2023 for the same exact dates for this year now too. On BBB website is the same complaint as a scam. This is the first time she has mentioned the Job ******************* case but in all the other complaints on BBB she has never mentioned that case until now. If this company has been around for 75 years there would be *** records of this non profit organization shes has been scamming since 2019. Any other payment I searched in *** pops up. I have countless pictures I can provide of how this SCREAMS scam artist she is having multiple people reach out via several numbers which are searchable. She practically screamed at me in caps when I called her out about the scam and her VERIFIABLE BOTS on her fb account. 104k followers on fb with only 7 likes on each photo or video or less and than only 1100 followers on Instagram with 7 likes doesnt match up any one with that following of over 100k should have 5000 likes or more if they are legitimate followers 

   

   

  ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I submitted my daughters photo for the Canadite at large in July. I paid the $50 fee and entered her to become a little Miss ******. Once we were excepted we were told there would be a pageant in November and I began paying all the fees Selling ads and planning for a trip to *****. I paid well over $3000 once it was time for the pageant two days before ************************* canceled it and rescheduled it for ******* come ******* she canceled it again two days before. And rescheduled it for ***** we travel down to *********** for the pageant the week of the eighth to 10 ***** and it was canceled the day the pageant was supposed to start. I contacted the hotel the pageant was supposed to be at and there was never a pageant scheduled for that hotel. ****** is selling tickets for meal tickets and admissions for a pageant thats never been scheduled When telling her I would like my money back she told me to calm down. I would also like to note that I went onto the news at KOAM and told him my daughter would be in a pageant and that did not happen .

  Business response

  04/13/2022

  ************************* daughter is registered in the Baby Miss USA Pageant. The Baby Miss USA Pageant had been resceduled twice due to COVID. It was scheduled again for April 8 - 10 in ***********. The hotel we originally scheduled for April 8 - 10th called me on Tuesday, April 5, stating they were raising the room rate to $236.00 per night plus tax because of high demand due to Fiesta,  the original rate was $135.00 per night. Most of the parents cannot afford $236.00 per night for a total of $472.00 plus tax and fees. I decided to relocate the pageant to a different hotel. The ******************* and surrounding areas were sold out due to Fiesta. I was in constant contact with ******************************* as I knew she was planning to leave early. We were finally able to contract with a hotel in *********** to hold the entire event in 1 day on Sunday. When I called ****** to tell her we were able to find a hotel, she said they were already on the way to *********** and was going to *********** whether or not there was a pageant and that they would attend Fiesta. In response to *********************************** accusation,  I am sending the receipt for the deposit to the hotel, along with the contract and BEO separately as it is confidential proprietary infortmation. Due to the number of families who contacted me  on Friday stating they could not attend because they were COVID affected, I decided to reschedule the pageant. The pageant will be rescheduled in May. If any contestant cannot attend due to the date, they have the option to attend any other pagent of their choice within the 2022 - 2023 Pageant Season. I tried to call ****** to discuss the situation and it went straight to voicemail. I sent her a text asking her to call me at her convenience, however she prefers communication by text. ******'s daughter did appear on TV concerning the pageant and everyone agrees the health and safety of the children and families should be the priority. 

  Customer response

  04/13/2022

  Complaint: 17012083
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did drive to *********** because had already paid the fees. And ****** stated there would be a pageant on Sunday however Saturday came around we did the zoom meeting with all the parents not one single parent said anything about a child being Ill. They was all ready to go for Sunday. So do I think this response is correct no. I do not believe there ever was a pageant for that weekend. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  04/13/2022

  I have submitted documentation to the BBB including deposit receipt, contract and BEO from the hotel. 

  Customer response

  04/13/2022

  Complaint: 17012083
  
  I am rejecting this response because: like I have said before I traveld that way because I have a one year old and river year old and my drive is 13 hours away so yes we headed to ***** on Thursday because I was told there would be a pageant on Sunday to find out that its off again because of COVID seems to be everyones favorite reason and I am not responding to ***** because I do not appreciate being called vindictive. This issue can be solved by me getting my money back because I can not afford to go to another pageant for it to be canceled again. And if needed I will let the news know how this is being handled. Everyone was fine on the last zoom meeting and then bam COVID happens. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My daughter participated in a virtual pageant with ************************* back in November 2021 and it was to air on fb in December. We saw what all my daughter won award wise and never received anything in the mail. Ive messaged ****** nonstop and was giving multiple excuses over and over again. We just wanted our awards that my daughter won. The pageant never aired on fb and here we are almost a year later still with no awards. ****** has blocked me from the page and we dont think we will ever get what we paid for. I used cash app to pay her and of course now I am blocked.

  Business response

  10/20/2021

  **** **** did not meet the Pageant Deadlines and we did not charge her a late fee. **** **** stated that she paid by CASH APP. I just did a search of our CASH APP records and **** **** did not pay the required fees for the Virtual State Pageant and did not submit the Confirmation Form for the Virtual State Pageant. Please see the screenshot below of CASH APP identified as #1.

  Please see attached letter dated December 4, 2020 at 11:36 am, explaining to **** **** that she did not pay the required fees.

  Although her daughter participated without paying the required fees, we sent the award package and **** **** registered her daughter for the Baby Miss America National Pageant in February, once again paying only the Registration Fee and Most Photogenic Fee with no further contact. I sent an email to **** **** on April 5, 2021, asking if ******* was going to be in the National pageant. I did not receive a response, please see attached #2a

  The dates and amounts coincide with the screen shot of the Baby Miss America National Pageant Registration Packet info below identified as #2

  The Rules and Regulations for the National Pageant **** **** signed on February 4 are attached.

  The Virtual Pageant was shown on Facebook at the scheduled time, then taken down because we did not have a signed release from all contestants.

  **** **** was blocked from Facebook Messenger due to constant argumentative, harassing messages outside of normal business hours. She was instructed to contact me by email.

  If **** **** actually paid the required fees for the Virtual Pageant and can send us a screenshot of the payment, we will immediately replace the package that was lost in the mail.

  Customer response

  10/20/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ****

  Customer response

  11/03/2021

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hello so yes I did pay everything for my daughter to compete in the pageant and over and over again I was told the package would be delivered to me and she won and then she was supposed to compete in nationals which was in person. She competed in the virtual pageant never once was I told about any money that was not paid. If I never paid how did she compete and why would I keep getting told a package was to be delivered to me. Here is my payments and all messages. 

  Regards,
  
  **** ****

  Business response

  11/05/2021

   In response to Complaint #********, the documentation submitted by **** **** proves she did not pay the Required Fees for the Virtual Pageant or the National Pageant. Failure to pay all required fees results in disqualification.  I have attached a copy of the Rules & Regulations initialed and signed by **** **** where she agreed to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the pageant, including the no refund policy.  Due to the fact she did not pay the fees required to participate, she is not entitled to awards.

  ****** ****** ******** ********    **** **** ******* ******** *** **** **** ***** ********

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩