I can understand the need for safety. I don't mind showing an ID or having an unblocked phone for a callback.

Duke

It never fails to astound me in this age of identity theft that providers think their screening process actually provides them any modicum of safety -- either from LE or psychotic clients.

If LE is targeting you, chances are they’ll get you. Do you REALLY think an undercover cop can’t come up with a phony business background and a photo ID? It just depends how badly they want to bust you, and fortunately I don’t think the hobby rates THAT high on their radar … yet. (Yes, I know there are exceptions and with John Ashcroft in power, who knows what he’s capable of.)

As far as the rest of us clients go, I’ve yet to see a screening process that couldn’t be sidestepped. You want home phone numbers? Work numbers? Drivers licenses? References? No problem. I can give ’em all without you ever knowing my true identity. Naturally, I’m not going to list the techniques here, but trust me, any halfway clever and determined fellow can meet with a provider and still preserve his anonymity. In any event, from what I’ve read, the typical serial killer (e.g. -- the Green River killer) is more inclined to prey upon streetwalkers, who most likely live a transitory lifestyle and would disappear with few questions asked, rather than upscale providers who undoubtedly are better established in the community.

Finally, suppose some psycho DOES give you his real info, but then something in his brain snaps during the session and he does you harm? So the cops may catch him. That’s all well and good, but it’s a small consolation if you’re hurt or worse.

The only way that I can think of truly to be safe is to have a partner (preferably big and strong) nearby monitoring the session with an audio device, ready to intercede if needed. Naturally you will have established ahead of time a code word to signal for help.

Finally, I think the chance of an upscale provider (with or without a screening process) getting hurt by a client is minimal, but I realize it does happen. Likewise, if a hobbyist does his homework, the odds of a his personal information getting into the wrong hands (either deliberately or by accident) is even smaller. So gals, feel free to screen if it eases your mind, but please don’t delude yourselves that it provides you with any true safety.

Real name and provider references. Nothing too invasive.

I do not like to give employment info or home info. I realize there are public databases that are readily available on the internet that names can be traced with. In most cases you need a lot of time and the results are sometimes sketchy.

The kind of client screening is determined by the background of the agency management or, in the case of an independent provider, on her professional background. People do things at best the way they were trained to do. If the management has a background in law enforcement their screening will reflect that. If they have experience in secret service the style will be a little different. If they have experience in banking or fraud prevention that would bring a few other aspects to the process. People with experience in some sort of information field know better how to do a more effective non-intrusive screening. They collect less information but they collect it better and use it better. Also, chances are they will keep whatever information is necessary for the conduction of the business and not more or less than that.

If the person doesn't have background in any of that she will just look at what the others seem to be doing and emulate the same behavior. The others ask for an unblocked phone? She will do the same, doesn't matter if that means something or not. If the others ask for a specific piece of information she will tend to ask for the same piece of information even though she doesn't know what to do with it sometimes.

There are several ways to verify pieces of information about the client discreetly and quickly that many providers don't know about, and even many agencies have no clue. There are ways to verify non-listed phone numbers. There are ways to know exactly the level of service of an hotel in seconds no matter where it is. There are ways to check a client's address even if he doesn't have a home phone number, and so on...

The kinds of client screening have nothing to do with the efficiency of the methods themselves, but with the training and background of the screener.

On top of that, the marketing strategy of an agency or provider deeply affects the needs and requirements of screening. Different agencies target different niches of the market and therefore may have different screening policies for a good reason.

If an independent relies on phone numbers, addresses and an ID for security purposes and doesn't look at he whole picture the chances of something bad happening increase drastically. As another gentleman mentioned before on this same thread, it's fairly easy for anyone to hide behind false information and dubious identification.

From the hobbyist point of view, does it matter the kind of screening? Yes, because the hobbyist is concerned with his privacy. The solution is to have referral from other well known hobbyists and providers, and always pay in cash. Good referrals go a long way in terms of eliminating the need to much additional screening and let the provider feel more at ease. Credit cards are very convenient, but the agency or provider have to keep records for at least 3 years! If they don't say so they are either lying or they will get in trouble for incorrect credit card processing.

I hope I helped a little.

Best regards,

Milton