There is no country in the world that has more beauty pageants scams than United States. Advertised in all 50 states, shady beauty pageants are organized every month in big cities.

Glamorous words, big promises, use of celebrity names – are just some of the hooks that get millions of young girls begging their parents to pay the registration.

The scam consists in the whole package: in order to participate, the contestants have to pay things like general entry fee (around $500), training sessions ($200), a full page ad in the sponsorship book ($100), wardrobe (gowns, dresses, shoes), and – indeed, travel and accommodation.

Don’t get us wrong, there are legitimate beauty pageants that have been running successfully for some years, but when you pay $2,000 for a shot at fame and all you get is a plastic glass trophy worth $37, you had better reconsider.

How to avoid: look for how long the host company has been operating pageants. Also, look at their judges - what are their qualifications? Try to find if there are refunds possible if a contestant decides to withdraw from the pageant – you might get hit with fee after fee and decide to withdraw your daughter, only to find out that you can’t get anything back. Finally, ask the organizers for references from previous participants and their contacts, if possible.