Staying Safe
Meeting an escort has a bad rep but it’s really not a lot different from casual dating. Just like casual dating, when you meet someone online they are going to be a complete stranger. They could misrepresent themselves, be different in person, or they could be amazing. It’s a gamble. But because money is involved the experience can turn sour very quickly and you might regret all of it. This is a pretty big deal not just in this industry but everywhere where money is involved.
Scams
Couple of times I wanted to sell a used phone and I got a bunch of remote inquiries interested in having me ship my product somewhere. It just sounds fishy when someone in another city wants to send you money and then expects that you honour that purchase and you ship the item to them. Most likely they want to get your bank information so that they can plan the next con to eventually get to your bank account. Scammers will usually try to scare your or threaten you so that you comply with their demands.
There are many ways in which con people try to get your bank information. I could probably write an entire article with types of scams that I’ve heard of. My advise is do not use banks, because there is no reason to. Cash works just fine.
Privacy
When you are online you don’t know who you are dealing with. It’s fine if you trust people, but you should never leak out personal information. If you have not googled your name I suggest you do it now. There is plenty of information about you online already. By giving out more personal information you are just making this situation worse. Do not trust anyone with your personal information, and that is ANYTHING personal (SSN, health number, ID, Passport, Bank information, how many accounts you have, banks you work with, your address). Do you know what is a clever way to steal personal information? One day you might be asked for last 3 digits of an ID. A month later, you might be asked about first 3 digits and with that you’ve essentially given out your ID to internet.
It’s understandable that some people prefer the convenience over privacy, but the number of malicious users and misuse of personal information is growing every day. And if you are ever become a target of a scam attack they will not be very nice to you. Extortion, threats, and other tactics to get you to hand out money or more personal information are not uncommon. So protect your privacy and don’t give out personal information to anyone.
When visiting sites it’s important to know that even most reputable websites get hacked and users’ personal info leaks out. If the website is not very trustworthy they might even sell your personal information. This is especially true in adult category.
How Do I Stay Safe
This list is not exhaustive but is a good start when going out there to meet strangers.
- Do not send anyone any money. Deposits are just not necessary. This helps you weed out most scams.
- Screen thoroughly. This applies to providers too. You need to be comfortable with whoever you are meeting.
- Do not give out any personal information, ever. No one needs to know your last name, ID, or any of that stuff.
- Keep it classy when chatting via phone or email. You are hiring them for companionship and that is it.
- Don’t drink or use any substance before meeting. It’s easy to be irresponsible under influence.
- Stay out of it if you suspect anything suspicious. Quietly and politely disappear if you don’t want to continue.