Hello.  I'm a fresh newbie.  Since I have no references I recently got P411 verified (employment verified) but no "OK's" yet.  I requested a pre-screen with a well reviewed provider that claims to be newbie friendly.  She responded and asked for a picture of me.  I guess I'm fine with that--but is that a usual request?  Just some additional screening since I have no reviews/OK's?  Or should this scare me off?

Did you read about the Beaver Dam, WI bust a couple weeks ago? A TER provider was busted and was under investigation for two years I think. She asked clients for pics to screen them. LE busted the clients too.

Wow--thanks GaviaImmer.  So to confirm--this is NOT a normal request?  
And--even though she's well reviewed, and on P411--you'd advise not to do it?
Thanks again.

you should do if you are concerned about your own safety and privacy. Unless you don't care, I wouldn't give my picture no matter who she was.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  I will not reply.  On a related note--another provider (agency, actually) a week ago asked for my first and last name, citing that I was ONLY P411 employment verified--and nothing else.  I assume asking for full name is NOT normal as well?

I am assuming you are not VIP? Do you have an anonymous email address like hushmail? Post it on this board as long as it is not a work, family or personal account.

Here's the thing, clients do not take appointments from other clients..  
So as much as they say its not normal, they are speaking from there own personal experience about what they would not do.
And even in this world of back channel and hobbyist only boards they dont share everything with eachother , including the details of what they did to get verified when they first entered the hobby.  

Post the link here.

Never ever give out your real info, just for a fuck, unless it's free.

That bust was a good lesson in what not to do. She and all the clients who where charged admitted their wrong doing upon questioning. If you find yourself in the presence of LE don't lie and don't incriminate yourself, just STFU an get an attorney.

personally identifying information. It is against TER rules to post links like that here.

I send out a 2K pic, sufficient for at the door ID, not enough res for any of the image search programs.  A provider's security is worth it.

It is true that most of the time it won't be a problem.  But when a problem does happen, it is a big problem.

You can see tons of providers without giving out anything  so why do it. Unless you really like agency gals it is not necessary.

with agencies or anyone else and my screening info has never been rejected

It's not P411's responsibility to double check your legitimacy, it's the providers.  
The provider will still need to verify that you are the person behind the account and that's probably why she asked.  
Don't compare this screening procedure to that beaver dam Wisconsin shit, those people are obviously mentally challenged.  
The sheer idiocy surrounding that whole case is amazing ! Anyway,
I actually get kind of creeped out when someone contacts me from their work email or sends pictures to me.  
There's got to be another way and if you really don't feel comfortable then try someone else .  

When giving ID for verification, just make sure the picture, the name and the state of the Id is showing you can cover up everything else.  And the reference to the Beaver Dam Bust is worst case scenario but the bottom of the the provider pool.  
Comparatively to the thousands of clients and providers who do not get busted the amount that do is a handful and 9 times out of 10 its because the provider wasnt diligently screening.  

Thanks for the feedback everyone.