Be wary of suspicious casting calls for "The Pitt" that ask for your credit card information

The cast of "The Pitt" is back in Pittsburgh as the hit medical drama gears up for its third season. But as excitement builds around the show, some local fans say they encountered suspicious casting calls promising a chance to work as extras.

Two Pittsburgh-area residents told KDKA Investigates they received misleading casting offers after clicking on an Instagram ad promoting opportunities to appear in the new season.

Amber Dealmeida of Ross Township said she saw an ad looking for extras and decided to sign up for a Zoom casting call.

"I work at a storage unit facility, so nothing to do with acting, but one day on Instagram, I saw an ad pop up for extras for 'The Pitt,' and I was like, I love 'The Pitt,'" said Dealmeida.

The call was hosted by a company called Nine9. But Dealmeida said the conversation did not include information about casting for "The Pitt," but rather focused on the company's entertainment and marketing services.

"Who wants to be a model and who wants to do print ads and who wants to be in movies, but 'The Pitt' was kind of thrown out there like a buzzword," Dealmeida said.

Dealmeida said she hung up after about 20 minutes.

Lauren Panza also clicked on the same ad. Panza, who has worked as an actress, said the woman leading the call appeared professional.

"The woman on the call did look professional and had the screen turned off so we weren't on screen and we were muted," Panza said. 

But Panza said the call took a turn when participants were asked for their credit card information.

"I was still on the call about 20 minutes in and she started asking for everyone's credit cards," Panza said. "Put up a link in the group chat, asked for any questions, and then I actually just jumped off the call at that time."

Text messages reviewed by KDKA Investigates showed offers to join the company dropping in price from $199 to $49.

Movie Casting PGH, the company that exclusively hires background actors for "The Pitt" in Pittsburgh, told KDKA Investigates that actors should never have to pay to work as extras.

"You should NEVER EVER have to pay to work as a background actor," the company said. "Our casting office will never ask anyone for payment or credit card information, nor do we conduct Zoom interviews as part of our normal casting process."

KDKA Investigates reached out to Nine9 for comment but did not hear back by news time.

In an FAQ section on its website, Nine9 answers the question, "Are you a scam?" The company says no, citing opportunities and exposure it provides, including weekly virtual workshops and meet-and-greets.

Panza said she was disappointed by the experience, especially because aspiring actors may be eager to find opportunities in the film industry.

"It's really unfortunate because I know there are a lot of great people who want to work in film, even if it's a background role, and it could be a lot of fun for them to be able to provide that service," Panza said. "It's just unfortunate."

Dealmeida said the experience also left her frustrated about the time she spent on the call.

"Mostly I feel like what a waste of my time. My son was coming home from school, and I was like, 'sh,'" Dealmeida said.

Movie Casting PGH said some companies monitor casting announcements for popular productions and create similar-looking ads affiliated with those shows.

The company recommends being cautious about paid advertisements that specifically mention one show and never submitting payment information as part of a casting opportunity.

Aspiring extras can also contact local film offices or casting companies to confirm whether an opportunity is legitimate before signing up or providing personal or financial information.