8-year-old girl among alleged fraud victims

An eight-year-old girl from Windsor, N.S., is dealing with being a potential victim of fraud after she participated in a modelling assignment that she was never paid for.

Teagan Webb was a model in a Government of Canada advertisement last year. She was promised hundreds of dollars by Strut International Model & Talent Agency, a Halifax-based modelling agency headed by Linda Buchanan.

Teagan has still not been paid.

"I don't think it was very right of her to do that," the eight-year-old told CBC News on Wednesday.

"I'd probably say, 'Why did you do that?' It just wasn't right."

Now, Buchanan is accused of defrauding nine people, including Teagan. Buchanan has a court appearance in January on more than a dozen charges.

Tom Webb, Teagan's father, said they have been trying for a year to get the money from Buchanan and her company. He was able to establish that Buchanan was paid for Teagan's work, but he said none of that money has made it to his daughter.

"Not a cent. Had promises and a lot of stories about all the troubles and such that Linda was encountering," Webb said.

"It's not a real big issue to Teagan. But for us, that we had her dealing with someone like this is disturbing to us and she was taken advantage of."

Webb said he went to the police after trying for months to get the money from Buchanan.

Buchanan did not respond to calls and emails for a comment from CBC News.

Teagan said Buchananwho is advertising on Kijiji for another modelling event this weekend in Halifaxseemed like a "really nice girl."

"Until now. She doesn't seem like a very nice lady," she said.