UNSCRUPULOUS agents who seek to rip off young starlets are being targeted in a new crackdown.

The Government yesterday unveiled a series of measures to try to protect budding models and actors, among more than 500,000 temporary workers.

Agents will be banned from charging registration fees before they have arranged work for clients, and will have to use properly controlled accounts when handling their earnings, to stop them creaming off extra fees.

The clampdown follows an investigation by The Northern Echo in 1997 which revealed that businesses had handed over thousands of pounds in the belief it would secure them a contract to work on a major film. Middlesbrough Borough Council trading standards officer John Wells said people were often sucked into handing over money through vanity.

He said: "One common ploy is to provide a portfolio of pictures, which costs upwards of £700, in the belief it will be submitted to modelling agencies.

"There is no guarantee that you would get anything and it is trading on people's vanity."

But he said under existing regulations it is difficult to bring a successful prosecution.

He said: "Reputable agencies work purely on commission and there is no money paid up front.

"It is a similar situation with home-workers, who are often asked for money up front, and once they have your money even though you might be legally entitled to recover it you have lost the upper hand."

Agents who transgress the new regulations, the first reforms in the area for 20 years, will face being banned from operating for up to ten years and fines of up to £5,000.

The change in the law follows recent high profile cases, including that of Men Behaving Badly actress Caroline Quentin, who sued her agents Sharon Hamper Management, for hundreds of thousands of pounds in voice-over fees.

Other stars who have complained of losing out on money from agents include models Jordan and Kelly Brook, actress Leslie Ash and actress-singer Martine McCutcheon, who lost thousands of pounds of earnings from EastEnders.

Temporary workers covered by the new regulations will also include secretaries, teachers, nannies and computer programmers.

Industry Minister Alan Johnson said: "These reforms will curb the activities of agencies that prey on vulnerable work seekers.