September 2010
Texas Barber & Cosmetology News
(512) 463-6599 or 1-800-803-9202
www.license.state.tx.us
COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM
P.O. Box 12088 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us
BARBER PROGRAM
P.O. Box 13489 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.barbers@license.state.tx.us
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Program Specialist Rebecca Armas reviews thousands of license applications every year but in February one application piqued her interest. As she reviewed it she noticed several inconsistencies and soon it was evident she had uncovered a license scam taking place in Texas. During the next four months sixty applications with similar irregularities were discovered and TDLR enforcement investigators were busy tracking down the cheaters.
The scam, which is still under investigation, uses fake licenses from Oklahoma and Missouri to apply for a Texas manicurist or facialist license under the State’s reciprocity agreement with those states. Once the impostor receives a Texas license he or she would applies for a license in Arizona using the reciprocity agreement Texas has with the Arizona Board of Cosmetology.
License reciprocity is an agreement between states to issue licenses to applicants from the other state after they submit proof of credit for school courses or proof of licensure from the other state.
Armas took the scam to heart; she is originally from Arizona and still has family ties to the state. “I have so many relatives and friends in Arizona and I hate to think about someone performing services on them without proper training and endangering their health,” states Armas. “As I started looking at the application I realized something was not right and soon my licensing unit was working with TDLR’s Enforcement Division to put a stop to this fraud scheme.”
TDLR’s Licensing Division and Enforcement Division are currently working with the cosmetology boards in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arizona, and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to find the fraudsters. Of the sixty fraudulent licenses used to obtain Texas licenses twenty-six were from Missouri and thirty-four from Oklahoma. TDLR’s Licensing Division issued letters to the fraudsters ordering them to return the Texas license and fourteen have been returned. TDLR prosecutors are currently reviewing all the cases and will make recommendations concerning administrative violations and penalties against the cheaters.
Missouri, Oklahoma and Arizona may also take legal action against the individuals; obtaining a license fraudulently is a crime in every state so the people involved in this scam may have more than one state to answer to.
TDLR employees work hard to prevent licensing scams and are observant and alert when reviewing applications. Armas saw something in an application that didn’t sit right with her and she took the initiative to investigate further. As a result Armas prevented sixty individuals from performing cosmetology services and endangering the wellbeing of Arizonians.
For information or questions contact:
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Department investigators and prosecutors continue to work cases in the Victorian Beauty College (VBC) scam. As of August 2010 there have been 106 license revocations.
VBC, a Houston-based cosmetology school, was known across the United States as a school where an individual could buy a Texas Cosmetology license without attending school or taking the examinations. “Students” purchased classroom hours from VBC staff and/or arranged for someone else to take the required examinations.
“We do not tolerate cheating and TDLR will continue to track down the people who cheated to obtain their license.” states William Kuntz, Executive Director of TDLR.
In 2007 VBC and its owners signed an order to pay a fine of $250,000 and agreed to a life-time ban of all licenses held by the owners and staff. They also agreed to furnish TDLR with information about “students” across the United States who either bought required class hours or had state examinations taken for them by VBC personnel.
In addition to the 106 revocations seven people had their applications denied because they were caught cheating on tests or their course hours were obtained through fraudulent means. Another six investigations were closed because the individuals did not actually apply for a license, but these individuals do have holds on their records and TDLR staff will be alerted if they do apply for a license in the future.
Renewing your license online is fast, easy and safe at
http://www.license.state.tx.us/cosmet/cosmetforms.htm#online
Cosmetology Shear NumbersOperators — 109,595 |
Barber Shear NumbersBarbers — 13,159 |
Texas Barber & Cosmetology News
(512) 463-6599 or 1-800-803-9202
www.license.state.tx.us
COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM
P.O. Box 12088 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.cosmetologists@license.state.tx.us
Cosmetology Advisory Board:
Clive Lamb, Presiding Officer
Diane Salazar,
Glenda Jemison,
Allison Leigh West
Rojean Solis Brewer,
Carolee Nguyen,
Ron Robinson
BARBER PROGRAM
P.O. Box 13489 Austin, Texas 78711
cs.barbers@license.state.tx.us
Barber Advisory Board:
Linda G. Connor, Presiding Officer
Ronald Brown,
Jimmy Johnson, Melina Marie Messick, Jennifer Grisham
Commissioners:
Frank Denton, Chair
LuAnn Roberts Morgan, Vice Chair
Mike Arismendez,
Lewis Benavides,
Lilian Norman-Keeney,
Fred N. Moses,
Deborah Yurco
William Kuntz, Exec. Director
