I've been on and off these boards for about two years now (rarely posting) but have yet to take the 'plunge' and indulge in this side of the hobby. I'm in my mid-twenties, am relatively well off, and don't really have any strings to tie me down or prevent me from indulging. The thing that holds me back is the verification process. I work for family in a field that it would be terrifyingly destructive (for the family member, not as much I) if any ties of this kind came out. Thus, while I'm more than willing to give enough information for a provider to be confident that I am who I say I am, I'm hesitant to do so to an agency or RS2K because of possible tangential connections to people I don't want finding out.

I've taken part in the Nevada side of the hobby (you know, those places the newbie boards make light of), and am considered mature for my age. I'm not cheap, and would be willing to book more extended times with a provider that would take a chance on me. I just need my two references so I can freely enjoy the hobby.

Am I just being too paranoid? Or am I simply out of line with what my expectation should be?

I have VIP so can receive PM's. I'm interested in 30 and under (age) but am flexible on that for the purpose of my first few verifications.

I am as paranoid as you, if not more.  I signed up for RS2K, awhile back.  I have been lurking on this forum for awhile and ready to take my first plunge.

The way I look at it, nothing wrong, illegal with signing up with RS2K.  It's a verification processes.  Nothing different that you signing up for a VIP membership.

Second, I have a greater sense of security from a provider who does screen as opposed to one who doesn't.  

No doubt, this is risk, but from what I have read on these boards, once you start cutting corners you are increasing that level of risk.

you have done nothing wrong.  It is not a crime to be a member of anything.  Rs2k does nothing illegal.  They provide a venue for advertising which is actually protected by the freedom of speech amendment of our constitution.  They do not contract sex for hire!  Because they do nothing illegal, the chances of LE getting hold of their "list" is nil.

So, although we are all sensitive to your concerns, the safest way for you to handle this would be to join rs2k.  However, regardless of how you do it, there is always a risk of some sort.  The best you can do is minimize it but the risk is always there regardless.  Therefor, if you are not willing to take even a minimal risk, stop reading these boards and walk away from this hobby.

Even if you find an independent or agency to let you in the door, your way..... if you want them to be able to give a reference for you in the future, they will have to save some kind of info on you to do that.  Because rs2k membership can be verified within minutes, most oroviders/agencies dont save info on rs2k clients.  Therefore, your info is always in only one place and that place is doing absolutely nothing illegal!  Hello!

It appears that those reading my message are inferring that I am not willing to go through the verification process or that my primary concern is LE. That's not the case (at least, LE wasn't the intention of my post) - I am just deeply concerned specifically about the employment part thereof due to the issues involved.

As I mentioned, I work for family in an industry that revelations such as this would be very damaging. I don't want to be in a situation where someone's sitting around the office wondering about a very strange phone call or getting suspicious because the person doing the verification didn't do it properly.

If I get a better understanding of this part of the process, maybe that's enough to assuage my fears.

I don't know that they do call your work to verify you.  I know they did not 'call' mine.  They may have another way of checking the work info.  They also did not call my home number (that was my main concern for obvious reasons).  I would think that if they did call your work, they would just say they are calling to verify for a credit app or something that could be explained away by you as something as simple as applying for a line of credit or auto loan.  With all the changes the banks are making, I don't think that would set off any bells and whistles for you.  It's not like they would call and say 'Hi, this is Cathy from RS2K, JimBob wanted to get signed up with our verification service and we were just checking up on him'.  

When you send in your app (use a grocery store MO to pay for even less trail), attach a letter with your concerns and ask them to be extra delicate or maybe to deliver it as an inquiry from a car dealer credit app, that way you could have already said something at work about looking at cars the night before to lay the groundwork first.

You're over-worrying about this part of it.  There are much better things to be worried about in this hobby.

SMEGMA!!

Actually, what you bring up as a 'safe' type of verification is exactly what CAN NOT happen. I have read enough of the forums to know that loan type verifications are typical, and this type of script is the exact thing that puts fear and terror into me...

As I said, I work for family and they know all the loans I have and if I am buying anything. A credit app, dealer, or any type of employment verification type phone call would raise about a million red flags and would be the equivalent of someone calling and saying "Hi, this is Cathy from RS2K"! If someone tried a script like that, it would probably take a month of damage control and then I would likely never enter the hobby as a result. Any script used has to be strictly controlled for that very reason.

If you can't be verified properly, you become a possible danger to the hobby community.

-- Modified on 3/22/2010 1:44:53 PM

I think you're reading too much into my statements... essentially my question is whether it's possible to suggest a script for the employment verification part of things. I have no issues whatsoever providing necessary information, I am just in a unique situation where a 'typical' script that I'd assume RS2K and some others would use is something that would not work in my situation. I have no issues with my work being called if it's done properly, and I have no problems giving out my personal information.

Am I still SOL then if my only issue is that I'm concerned specifically about how my work will be called if it will be called?

Have you talked to anyone at RS2K and asked these questions? Lots of people in sensitive fields manage to get verified. Do you think there are no high profile political types out there that hobby?

So Richie calls Niki at Secretly Yours and says this is Richard Daley and I need you to send someone over. Does she take him at face value or does she do some descrete checking? In fact as well as RS2K you might call Niki and talk to her. She's a real sweetheart.

So email Cathy at RS2K and ask if you could suggest a subject to ask about?  She'd still be able to verify that you work there and the worst she can say is 'no'.  What, for example, would be a good question to ask if not a work verification for a potential car loan?  It's not like you've got to buy a car to have someone verify you.  Why the big alarm(unless you work at a competing dealership....hmmmm)?

Heck, apply for a department store card and ask if she can call as some verification of that, or are you not allowed to get department store cards either?

If your job requires you to talk to vendors or sales people, maybe she can call as a prospective salesperson on a cold-call, or if you are in sales or customer service, maybe posing as a potential customer.  I find it hard to believe that every call you would get is scrutinzed to such a degree.  Do you work for the CIA by any chance?

You could always just go with a few indie's who would go with screening OTHER than calling your job or RS2K, but then you set yourself up for a bunch of other issues, not to mention limiting your field of choice for providers.

Good luck with your verification,
SMEGMA!!

I wasn't aware that I could communicate with RS2K/Cathy so that's probably what I will do.

The identity verification for credit purchases is hard for me to manage. On the other hand, a vendor contact/cold call is actually what I would prefer. Since that hadn't been mentioned in the earlier posts, I gathered asking for that is something special. If I get a call from a company in a related field, it's not a problem at all. As I mentioned, as long as I can suggest the type of script to use and it will be honored, everything should be fine.

I guess my problem is a combination of my not realizing I can ask RS2K those questions and hoping someone with experience in the same situation would give a bit of sagely advice.

I'll look into emailing Cathy, then...

There are many ways to verify a hobbyist is safe and it's not required that he give up his personal info. I never have and never will. I think it's wrong to imply that someone is a possible danger to the community simply because they're trying to protect their identity. Some hobbyists have much more to lose than others. Keep that in mind.

He's not S.O.L. at all. He just has to be patient while he builds his reputation and reference base.

RS2K enjoys virtually no constitutional protection for its "advertising."  If LE wants RS2K badly enough a subpoena will issue.  I don't think that would be the way LE would want to go, politically and legally (linking RS2K patrons to crime is a relatively hard case to prove, and prosecutors like easy cases).
There are some providers like Geanna, Jennifer (Schaumburg), Eve, etc. I could not meet without RS2K.  Since there are no risk free options . . .