my name is on a web site linking me to an escort service?

They want money to remove your name. Be careful and use a hobby phone, and really try to never give out your real name. I have good references and have never once used my real name. Protect yourself if you have a family/so!!!  

the guy who calls is wanting to shut the web site down and to 'help'. Is he one of them? extortion?

google your name and cell # if you're on a site it will come up.

This scam has been seen in other parts of the country.  They are trying to get money out of you by pretending to offer a service to get your name off of this site when they are the ones responsible for the site.

I thought it was them. Is ignoring them the best to do?

Weigh it, do they have your real name and phone number? Do you have a so who would ever search your name and be pissed if she found it on a  site? Or an employer?  
    It depends or your aversion to exposure... but paying them might not absolve you from exposure, ignoring them might work but there are risks in that to.

It could be a real problem for the OP if they have actual real data on you.  I've not heard of what resulted from anyone paying the "fee" to get the info removed.

have an alias and a hobby phone and e mail. You might have to use your real name to see your first lady but after that switch to an alias. I've been doing this off and on for 10 yrs and never once used my real name. With good references you don't need to but remember to treat your references good and see them occasionally.

My exposure is low, no employer.

then I wouldn't worry about it. It d be pretty easy to deny but if someone has suspicions and finds you listed as a john on a web site, true or not its pretty hard to expect a good outcome. Most people aren't going to spend the time to find anything anyway. The big issue I had heard about was they were listing the peoples (johns) phone numbers. Numbers are much more traceable than names and very dangerous for outing someone. Ive also heard of PI's calling and trying to get you to admit to something, if you're going through a nasty divorce for example.  
    I wish you the best of luck. If you don't want a hobby phone look into google voice, I think you can get an anonymous number and use your regular phone.

and going forward don't hobby with your real name. If you used your personal number to hobby, make up an excuse and get a new number anyway. Start from scratch.

What I remember or got from it was that when guys called a certain bp ad they were actually calling this "Internet escort outing business". That's how they get your number and any info you have them ... Also if you used your personal cell they can look up name, address, etc. they then put your info on that site and you have to pay $100 to take it off. Good luck and sorry you got that call.

It's an out of country area code,  they call you and hang up .
Naturally you call the number back and it's some automated mumbling.
All of the sudden a month later your phone number is billed a shit ton of charges .  
They're banking on the hopes you don't look at your phone bill in detail so they can scam money .