Okay, so, I'm new to the hobby.  In fact, I haven't actually had a meeting yet, and already something has happened that is making me really freak out:

Just yesterday, I used a provider's personal website Contact Form to try and schedule a first meeting.  Given her touring schedule, the first meeting is more than a month from now.  I feel that I have been careful in selecting a provider.  She has over 100 reviews here, spanning a number of years.  Now, I didn't read them all, but the most recent ones were just a month ago, and they were all positive.

I may have made a mistake in using the Contact Form.  Specifically, I gave the provider my real cell phone number, legal name, and work info for her screening process.  I have never met another provider, and I am not a member of a verification service, so I felt that this was reasonable (the real phone number thing is just because it hadn't occurred to me to get a dedicated hobby phone).  I wouldn't have done this if this provider didn't have such a long history of positive reviews, and that was one of the specific criteria I used to select her.

Here's my cause of concern:  Just a couple of hours after I filled out the Contact Form, I got a call.  It was about 11:30 at night.  I missed the call, but noticed it when I got back to my phone.  There was no voice mail left, but I assumed it was her (who else would call me at 11:30 at night?).  For whatever reason, I ran a check on the number, and I nearly threw up:  It's the number for a police department in a neighboring town!  Lots of questions are running through my mind here, and I just want to ask you guys what you think is the most likely explanation:

1.)  She is masking her number, and for some reason using an LE phone number (best case scenario).
2.)  LE dialed a wrong number, and the circumstances in my own life were pure coincidence.
3.)  LE wants to contact me about something unrelated, and it was urgent enough to call at that hour, but no so urgent as to leave me a message (seem unlikely).
4.)  The Contact Form that I filled out was a scam, and LE will now be looking for me...possibly at work since I put my work info into the Contact Form.

If there's some other explanation I don't think I see it.  On the one hand, does LE call people that they are interested in arresting?  On the other hand, do providers use police department phone numbers to mask their own?

I would never think a provider with that many reviews would be cooperating with LE, but I'd say that the odds are certainly much stronger now then they were.

For what it is worth, if LE wanted to bust you, they would not go about it this way.  Rather, they would lead you to the venue and bust you there where it is incontrovertible that you were participating in illegal P4P.

There is one other possibility you have not covered:  Is it possible you are mistaken that the number you dialed is in fact not the local LE?

To check on that, I'd go to a pay phone some distance from where you are and try the number.  If it is LE, hang up.  Do this somewhere where it is unlikely there is a video camera around (For example, a remote area, not an urban one.)

Then forget about this gal, hope for the best, and for Lord's sake, get yourself an anonymous  hobby phone tout suite.

Thanks, mrfisher.  Glad to hear that you think this is an unlikely bust tactic.  I thought so too, of course, but even an unlikely bust tactic is a lot worse than having no reason to suspect a bust at all.  I have not called back the number that I saw.  Perhaps I will head out and try your method today...if I can muster the courage to leave my apartment.  It would be a huge surprise to me if this provider were cooperating with LE, given the number and overall positivity of her reviews.  Still, this is cause enough for concern.  If I don't get arrested, it looks like I will not be going to this meeting, which is a certain disappointment, but not worth the risk, I think.

But this hobby is supposed to be fun, not anxiety raising, so find someone you can meet without having to worry about any fallout from the event.

You were obviously nervous to start with, so it's easy to see how you might give unrelated events more importance than they deserve and imagine the most unlikely scenarios. I wouldn't worry about it. You haven't done anything worth investigating. If anything does come back to you from this, just deny it. Say that someone must have submitted your info to the website as a bad joke. In the meantime, get a hobby phone, set up a hobby email account, and don't give personal information to people you don't know. Good luck.

Thanks, raygun.  I hope my fear does turn out to be irrational.  But really, for the first time I've ever been called by any police department to be two hours after I contacted a provider just seems like a cosmic prank, if it ends up being as benign as you seem to think.  Worst coincidence of my life.

For those curious, I did go to work today, and I did not get arrested.  So, there's that.

Perhaps more interesting is the fact that I did receive another call today, from another strange number, at another strange hour.  It was 4:53 AM, and the number was sequentially one greater than the number from the nearby police department that called me before.  In other words, if the first call was from (555) 123-4567, then today's call was from (555) 123-4568.  Apparently, according to whitepages.com, this is a "business landline," but there's no further information.  I wonder whether it's another line still at the police department, or something else.

If the provide I contacted is in fact using an automated masking program to hide her phone number, is it possible that she's just going through local phone numbers sequentially, thus making it a pure coincidence that the first one was a police department?

What a weird first experience.  Far less enjoyable than I was hoping.

Meaning the first call was late at night, the second was early in the morning - both outside of typical hours someone might call to verify information for an appointment.  Is your provider known for calls in these hours, or are you both on separate continents and the time change is confusing things?  Don't laugh, I've set up appointments that way so I know it can happen!

I've received phone calls at weird hours from numbers that I don't recognize, and they have ended up being telemarketers, political, or the like.  If I don't answer they'll call back the next day, but an hour or two later.  Numbers have incremented, but my favorite was (000) 000-0001 since that's an impossible number!  Guessing they're set up to spoof their own outgoing number.

Given your description, I think coincidence wins out "truth is stranger than fiction" and your number got called at a very inopportune time for you.  Thankfully, it sounds like you're properly wary of the situation and can implement corrective actions such as mrfisher advised, and the newbie board greatly details.  Count yourself lucky!

One possibility is that the number you saw is completely bogus. It's possible this is a telemarketing call center blanketing your area for multiple clients, and they're forging the caller ID information to make it harder for people to block their calls and changing numbers for each client. Almost all of them do it these days, making caller ID all but useless for any numbers I don't recognize, and the calls seem to come in waves.

Just coincidence that one might be a LE number.  
I never fill out forms.  Get a hobby phone, pay with cash, register with a false name & address.  Do not link to an email.  Get a hobby email from a free service & don't link to your regular email.  Some emails require a mobile number now...  give your hobby number.

irst of all, to check on the phone numbers I'd email her and ask if she tried to call you, and if so what number did she use as you had some odd phone calls.  Possibly she is not working with LE but communications are being tapped?

The sequential numbers could mean some kind of verification service she uses is trying to reach you.  But it's odd enough I'd scotch the whole thing if I were you, plenty of other people to see where arranging things goes more smoothly.  See her the next time she comes around perhaps.

For any future arrangements though, I'd get a p411 account.  You do have to give them personal info, but then only they see it instead of every new provider you want to meet with.  The information is used just for verification and they are generally well-trusted by lots of providers, many who are OK with them being your only reference (newbie friendly is the term there).  

They are also used to doing discreet employment verification

Hi there,

I am a provider in Southern California and have been in this business for almost 2 years.  I ran across your post and thought I would shed some light from my own experience.  So let me get to it.

From the hobbyist point of view, there are two main reasons for discretion: (1) your personal life; and (2) LE.

Lets start with personal privacy in relation to your friends/family/acquaintances.  I absolutely agree with other posters that you must get a dedicated email and phone (google voice, http://hushed.com/, etc.) that has NO RELATION to anything personal.  Don't use handles, nicknames or anything that you use anywhere else.  

However, when you are a newbie these random emails and phones that have no link to anything will not help you get screened with a provider.  Just like hobbyists, providers are worried about the exact same two things, among others.  But what you need to understand, is that the first time you get screened by a provider (can't have references until you see one) you will need to provide your real information to someone, be it a reputable provider you trust, or a screening site like P411, Date Check, RS2K.  Yet the information you are providing is widely available in today's interconnected world.  You would not believe (or perhaps you do) how much information is out there about you.  So then lets say some random person has your info, it is completely meaningless as it proves nothing by itself since ANYONE with a little tenacity can find these this information about you.  It is already out there.  No, what you want to do is not leave a trail on your personal email/phone that specifically links you to a provider and this underworld you want to visit.  For example, if you were to have asked me to be screened, I would of asked for the same info more or less.  Once I have it I can usually find out what name is associated with the phone (unless you specifically unlisted it), can usually find an online profile with perhaps your current address, past addresses, and whatever phone/emails that have been linked to you over the years.  If you own the house property tax records will link your name to it.  Facebook, linkedIn, etc, etc.  But what, ultimately, can I do with all that?  Nothing, as it is all PUBLICLY available to ANYONE anyway.  What it does do, however, is allow me to confirm that you are not LE.  Most people work for company "ABC" that has a website that was established years ago (which I can confirm).  Those people will usually have an email in the form of [email protected].  I would ask you to send me an email from that work email to a completely random email that is not associated in any way with myself, and you can say whatever you like in that email to keep it work related.  I will never reply to it.  So if you are able to send me an email from a well established domain name (that was registered YEARS ago), your cell phone is actually in your name, I have records all over the place about you,  etc etc., I'm pretty damn sure you are not LE.  And if you are, well goddamn you deserve the bust if you actually created a domain name YEARS ago, along with a whole false online profile spanning years,  just to get your misdemeanor on my cute little butt, you tenacious SOB.  Lol.  

Anyway, once you do see a reputable provider (and I would get only go through such a screening by a REPUTABLE provider who can vouch for you...as opposed to your BP girl with no reviews no nothing) you can update her on your dedicated phone and email, and then you can use her as a reference for the next and she can verify that dedicated phone and email.  Bottom line, the first time you are just going to have to go through this, be it with a reputable provider or a verification site.  You want to play in our world?  It is by our rules.  Most experienced hobbyists understand this and all have gone through it, for the most part.

With regards to the second worry, LE, here you need to keep in mind that most cities don't have a very large budget for these kinds of stings and investigations, and most of them are directed towards street walkers and their johns.  Qualification: this is different playing field than agencies and online sites that get targeted by LE because the charges are much larger.  Those types of charges are just not going to be leveled against Mr John who wanted to get his dick wet.  What the prosecutor wants is the maximum amount of evidence where you specifically and unambiguously solicit anything sexual in exchange for money or something of monetary value (look at the websites of attorneys who represent such cases to understand what is involved: http://www.wksexcrimes.com/prostitution.shtml).  And the best they can do is an actual recording where they get you to say it (or write it in an email), if not it is more difficult to prove.  Why do you think almost every provider website and some ads specifically say to NEVER talk about sex and money, period, or the session will be instantly terminated, or things to that effect.  That is the reason.  This is also the reason that LE got slick and created Escorting Licenses/Permits.  Yes they exist, here is Orange County, Los Angeles, the City of Newport Beach, etc.  If they can't get the provider to incriminate herself, well then they fall back on giving you a citation for "Escorting without a Permit", which is also a misdemeanor.  Keep in mind, this ONLY affect providers, not hobbyists.  Bottom line, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that any LE will be spending the time, money and resources to be taping your phone, intercepting your email, etc.  Not to mention how they would even get probable cause to get such things done.  And by the way, trying to get a License/Permit to Escort in those cities is damn near impossible, since in the administrative law that govern the issuance of those permits it specifically gives them the right to deny the permit if they deem it to be a "public nuisance", something that is completely subjective.  Lol.  So they take your money, "consider" it, then deny you.  I know, I tested it to see.  
 
So regarding using online forms to submit your info for that first screening by a reputable provider, don't worry about the conspiracy theories, they won't intercept the form.  My form on my site are directly emailed to me.  Think of it like this, if someone can intercept the form then they can just as easily intercept an email...a phone can be tapped...keep this up and you are going to end up having to send your info via carrier pigeon or a singing telegram.  Here again, it comes down to you doing your own research when picking the reputable provider who will be the first to screen you via employment.  If she has a website (check when it was registered), reviews, ads, etc.  There comes a point when it is just too much information to be all made up just to get "you".  Once you are screened and see the provider, write her a review, ask her to Whitelist you, provider her your dedicated email and phone.  After that you will be able to find another reputable provider that will accept her referral, and after that you have two referrals and off you go, young Padawan; may your lightsaber be swift and mighty...  
 
Bottom line, unless you specifically asked for sexual acts/services in the form you filled out, it is completely meaningless with regards to LE and prosecution.  They don't work like that, mainly because it wouldn't help them get what they want, not to mention not having the time/resources for setting that up when they usually have much more pressing and real crimes to attend to.  And no, LE is not going to call you, especially from their listed number.  For what purpose?  To warn you that they are on to you...but don't really have enough to do anything about it, so could you be so kind as to incriminate yourself on the phone so they can do something?    
 
Most providers seem to use dedicated cell, google voice or a similar service.  They don't usually change they numbers randomly and continuously to "mask" their number, as that is counterproductive to our business.  Just like we want a verified number linked to you, the hobbyists, as referred by other providers, you hobbyists want the same for us.    
 
Another worry is that the provider is keeping too much of your personal information where it is readily accessible if they were to be busted by LE.  Here again, LE is 99.99% of the time not going to go search the home of the provider and confiscate their computer, etc.  Once again, it is a misdemeanor the first time round at the worst.  So usually it is the phone that is the target.  Luckily the Supreme Court ruled that they cannot search the cell phones of people they arrest without a search warrant (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/us/supreme-court-cellphones-search-privacy.html?_r=0).  Secondly, if the provider has half a brain she has at the LEAST a pin protected lock on her phone.  I, in addition, have an actual application lock that locks specific apps on my phone with ANOTHER pin lock, so even if you get through the phone lock you can't access the apps I choose.  Not to mention I also can remotely add yet a THIRD lock to my phone, as well as remotely wipe my phone.  
 
For the home computer, I personally have other things implemented.  First off, my client information exist in a secure online medium (need to know where to go and the passwords to get in) and on a secure encrypted hard drive.  How secure is the hard drive?  Well if they can get into this, once again, they deserve the bust: http://www.apricorn.com/products/hardware-encrypted-drives/padlock-fortress.html  
 
Yes, I am sure most providers don't go to these lengths.  But I let my clients know if they are concerned.  So ask.  
 
If the NSA and CIA ever decide to turn their full resource against our underworld, that is when you need to worry and run like hell, so to speak.  Until then, just be smart, do your research and follow simple, logical rules to keep yourself safe.

Thank you for an intelligent and concise explanation of the risks and precautions one should think about when considering the hobby.  Also enjoyed your editorial comments along with the reference to Star Wars. A smart woman is sooooooo attractive.

-- Modified on 10/14/2014 2:00:03 PM