Q: Is Characters for Hire ℠ a scam?
No. Characters for Hire ℠ is a long-standing live event entertainment company that has operated for nearly twenty years, serving thousands of clients nationwide. We are an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and hold an A+ rating.
Q: Why are there such negative comments about the company online?
A small number of individuals have posted and promoted false and misleading statements about our company and its owner, including accusations that we are a “scam” and do not pay workers. Many of these comments are part of a broader online campaign and are now the subject of an **active defamation lawsuit** in Connecticut Superior Court.
Q: What is the lawsuit about?
Without naming individuals, the lawsuit involves “defamatory statements and a payment dispute” that escalated into an organized effort to damage our reputation. Some people have copied old complaints—many of which were already resolved—and reposted them on social media and review sites to make it appear as if new, ongoing problems exist.
Q: Why can’t you just remove those negative posts?
Most of the negative comments appear on websites and platforms that **we do not control**. Under federal law, those platforms generally decide what content to keep or remove, and in many cases they allow almost anyone to post. We have reported false and misleading content where possible, but we cannot simply “log in and delete” posts made by others.
Q: Do you pay your performers and vendors?
Yes. We pay performers and vendors in accordance with our stated payment terms and cycles. Some performers became worried about payment **after reading negative online comments**, and a few posted publicly before the normal payment window had passed. In many of those cases, our records show they were ultimately paid. Isolated delays or administrative issues do not reflect our overall track record.
Q: I saw posts attacking the owner’s family. Is that related?
Yes. Some of the online content has gone beyond business criticism and **targeted the owner’s family personally**, which is not normal or appropriate in a commercial dispute. This behavior is part of what we are addressing through the defamation lawsuit.
Q: What should I do if I have concerns about something I read online?
We encourage you to contact us directly so we can respond based on actual records and documentation:
Phone: (212) 365-5566
Text line: (646) 355-8855
Email: [email protected]
We are happy to answer questions about a specific event or booking and to clarify any misinformation you may have seen online.