Quebec erotic content creators say they were scammed by marketing agencies who promised them they would make a lot of money through OnlyFans.
“THE girlsif you think that the agencies are there for you… no way.» This is the message that Shanny Côté-McDuff, 22, is sending on her TikTok account to warn other creators of pornographic content like her.
“I lost $7,000,” explains 24 hours the one that sells photos and videos to its subscribers who pay for exclusive content on the OnlyFans platform.
After three months of working with an agency found on YouTube, Shanny Côté-McDuff had an unpleasant surprise.
“They took control of my account and banking information,” she explains. I was naive.”
Disarmed by the situation, the young woman quickly preferred to turn the page. Now, she says she earns $10,000 per month as a freelancer.
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Threats
This type of agency is multiplying. At their head, we find the majority of men who call themselves “managers”, according to six OnlyFans models we spoke to.
They promise to increase their number of subscribers – and therefore their income – in exchange for a commission of up to 30 to 50%.
These managers say they take care of customer relations, improve online referencing and schedule publications to attract even more subscribers. A monthly subscription costs between $5 and $50, depending on the creator.
“The majority of agencies are scams,” admits pornographic content creator Jey, like other actors in the industry contacted by 24 hours.
“It’s the new trend for making money on the internet, after cryptocurrency,” he said. There are perhaps three serious agencies in Quebec.”
From virtual to real
Some OnlyFans models are offered by their “manager” to prostitute themselves in real life.
It happened to Melina Roy who, attracted by money, agreed to work with a Quebec manager for six months. “He promised me a trip if I reached $10,000 a month,” she says.
In addition to having paid her a total of nearly $25,000 in commissions, she realized that promises made by her manager’s team to subscribers were not kept, thus affecting her reputation. The collaboration also takes another turn.
“He offered to prostitute me four times in real life, he was going to take 50%, but I refused, it’s not my style,” explains Melina Roy.
Melina Roy takes a photo of herself in her bedroom.
Photo Axel Tardieu
Contacted by 24 hoursthe young 24-year-old “manager” agreed to speak to us without being identified. “At the beginning, I wanted to be surrounded by lots of young ladies, now I want to be rich,” he confides.
He denies any connection with prostitution and sees himself above all as a digital marketing entrepreneur who helps creators make money.
A gray legal area
Where is the border with illegality in this new sector of the internet? “If the designer wants to do what she has to do, it’s not illegal. If she wants to hire a manager, it is not illegal,” explains Me Marie-Hélène Giroux.
“But if we force her to prostitute herself for real or to have sex with individuals to broadcast it online, we are falling into illegality,” adds the criminal lawyer, who warns of possible abuses in this area not yet regulated.
“These are new forms of prostitution and pornography,” says criminologist Maria Mourani.
A few years ago, “they started as dancers, then masseuses and ended up as escorts. OnlyFans is a gateway to prostitution,” she thinks.
An agency managed by a woman
An OnlyFans management agency wanted to play the transparency card.
Jade Lavoie, a Quebec influencer who has 719,000 subscribers on Instagram, created Elite. “In my agency, we respect women,” she assures.
Jade Lavoie is a content creator.
Photo Axel Tardieu
According to Jade Lavoie, “women are increasingly moving away from agencies managed by men” because of scams. “You have to be careful, it’s a dangerous world,” says the woman at the head of an agency that generates more than $1 million in turnover per year.
The OnlyFans platform did not respond to our interview requests.
