You may say that's a no-brainer, but that's what I get for thinking with my wallet.

Danielle / Figure Power advertised a visit to NYC. I responded and booked an appointment. She offered to drop the session price if I pre-booked and paid a deposit of about 1/3 towards the cost of the session. She requested that I use a GreenDot card. Was I nervous about sending a deposit? You bet, all my instincts told me this was a bad idea. I saw her good reviews and thought I would be safe. Not the case.

I sent her the Green Dot code and she confirmed it. A couple of days later she had an issue come up and had to reschedule her trip.
At that point I was prepared myself to be swindled out of my deposit. When she advertised that she was coming back to town I had hope. I emailed her. No response. I sent no less than 4 emails leading up to her visit and while she was here and all of them went unanswered.
Danielle may be a wonderful provider if you show up at her place, but I'll never know. This is my warning to all other hobbyists, DON'T advance her ANY money. I found out later that this also happened to someone else. Don't let it happen to you.
There is a reason she only has 1 review since November of 2011.

My new simple rule - Do NOT give a deposit to ANYONE, EVER.

To avoid any confusion, you need to either link to her TER profile or at least give us her provider ID#.
None of those four meet the 1 review since 2011 criteria.

Sorry that you had to learn the hard way.

http://www.theeroticreview.com/reviews/show.asp?id=141397

I have also been ripped off in the past, but I've also had good experiences.  Women who were willing to do a "bulk discount".  Pay for 3 sessions in advance, get the 4th one free.  That sort of thing.  

I think that avoiding deposits is a good personal rule for you, and generally good advice, but I wouldn't suggest it as a universal rule.  

Trust can be earned.  You made the mistake of shipping your money to someone who had not earned your trust.

Again, I generally agree that it's not a good idea, but I would not say that no one should ever do it

END OF MESSAGE

You should author a white knight handbook.

Plenty of well reviewed providers have ripped off hobbyists, so anyone who is savvy will never send a deposit unless they want to gift it.

END OF MESSAGE

I don't even know who you are, but it seems like you are going out of your way to try to find fault with my posts.

I was very clear to say trust has to be earned, and paying deposits is generally not a good idea.  I just also pointed out that I have had good experiences in this realm as well.

How you call that "white knighting" is beyond me.

is point applies not just to hobbying but to anything in life. DO not make generalizations. Period. The OP stated that because he was ripped off by one provider, that no one should EVER give a deposit to any provider under any circumstance. WC was merely pointing out that this is faulty logic. If you don't want to give a deposit to a lady, its your cash, don't give a deposit. But there are plenty of reputable very well respected providers who would NEVER rip a hobbyist off. It's a small community. Taking a $200 deposit from a hobbyist is prob. not good business in the long run.

I seriously doubt you know of "Plenty of well reviewed providers" who have ripped off hobbyists. Its an oxymoron; they wouldn't be well be reviewed if they ripped people off. I think word would spread quickly. As I said, its a small community.  

And also, WC did not advocate sending a deposit. There are many ladies who will rip hobbyists off without hesitation. But he also said that some circumstances, with ladies whom you have developed a TRUST level with, may warrant a deposit. There are plenty of people who are far savvier than you who have sent a deposit and been quite successful doing so

It would probably be useful for you to read before you respond. Your post suffers from inattention and glaring generalities. Further, why not try to keep the discussions positive and constructive? Assaulting WC for his words only reflects badly on you.

Thanks for the input Goldfinger,
It's true, I shouldn't lump everyone who asks for a deposit in one pile. WC, you're right about that as well.
I totally understand the need for it when dealing with a large scope of time.
I also understand the need for it when traveling. I thought I was doing this girl a favor by guaranteeing a booking for her travel dates.  

My reason for posting this was mainly as a warning for this particular girl. This is not an isolated event, it has happened to another guy I know recently. I suspect that it's happened to more, and as guys, we aren't always willing to come forward and say we messed up.  Since I didn't actually see her I can't write a review, so this is my warning to everyone else about Figure Power

I require a 50% deposit to book.  I am a top rated TER provider who prides herself on having an excellent reputation.  Sorry, but you should have never supplied a deposit to a provider who has no recent reviews.  I hope that you do not categorize all providers because of your 1 bad experience.  You should report her & if you see her post on the board post under her flaming her lame self for stealing your money.    

I hate providers who ruin it for the real trust worthy providers.  Now she blew it for the rest of us who actually care about this wonderful TER community.  Again, do not let this crook ruin it for future fun.  

 
She needs to refund you ASAP!

-- Modified on 4/30/2013 9:40:09 AM

I am sorry for your experience like that! That's rotten.

Providers who pull this shit, make it hard for the rest of us who don't pull slick moves.
There are yes, a lot of women who will maliciously rip off your money and your trust....but it is not true of all escorts. That was on experience.  

I require deposits for dates outside of Chicago, and also for longer extended dates.  
If you cancel on me, I keep deposit as a pre-paid toward another session together....
In the unlikely event I need to cancel our date, you can expect an immediate refund.  
basic business skills.

It saddens me that this sort of thing happens to anyone and gives the entire hobby a black eye and perpetuates a sickening "rip off, low life" type of stereotype that many ladies are fighting to change.  

Please don't let this jade you.  I wish you good luck and many happy times in the future.

That then gentlemen will judge many of us highly professional and honest providers  by this ..unacceptable  
action ..
 
I just want to share a bit how it can be with deposits  and how it was on my case  ..
 sometime  gentlemen submits  twice transaction on paypall   and  asking back second  payments and I always refund  .. not often such take place but if  he hots button twice then he has two transactions ..
- sometime he deposits n let say February .. then we meet just in  April .. for many different reasons  or he got cold or I got periods
- sometime he deposits and  then his plans to travel changed ..
I tell you true -  such  never asking money money ...  because in rare occasions only between those who as I am do not like cash transactions - rare occasions he de[posited all amount - normally it is secure part   which  be applied later on to  our date ..
 so he never asking it back himself if he canceled .. and  hen I  do offer give him back he goes normally - go buy yourself outfits.. for our next time  
and  whe he says so .. OOO !! Lovers you know us women  we are all loving creatures and pleasures  by birth ..  so we  then wait  for him to come.. and meet him as a lover and always go extra with him ..
 you ,  gentlemen ..  just love us not think about money  and we will give  you millions times more ..
I  very well know how little little sighs  of appreciation .. of intimacy .. and  how it in English chavaltity ?  
 find for me spelling of this word those who knows its meaning :)
  those little  little actions toward to woman  you want to be with  will give  you so many benefits.. not count  always pennies ..  
I never understood words  "money is sexy"  back then when I just arrived  in states .. I even was  rebeling against those words- how come  for god sake money can be  sexy ?? asked I myself ..
 now I understood it ... in states money  give edge to be sexy .. to make those little or big presents .. so lovers ..as long as you are man with means - d not count penny be sexy .. as  Onassis said "if women  did not exist  all money of the world would not have meaning "  

we are here make your life meaningful  !!!!
 and it is not just with porno actions .. but LOVE ...
Love .. and the rest ..of LOVE ...  
my best to you  - look for right  providers and you always be in surplus not in lost .

Don't send deposits until you meet with the provider. Escorts are not angels however pretty they may look.

If it wasn't because all of the time waisters and guys who do not think ourtime is worth and so never let us know if they can no longer make the dat, we would not need a deposit.  

I dont tour and so this is not a problem of mine. But I do admit that this is one of the reason I have not toured in the USA, even if I get daily people begging me to go.  

On the other hand of course it is not ok the take your money and desappear. She has proven to be dishonest and does not only affects the guys, but also the honest ladies around.

Real Shame

Sx

well im sorry it happened to you but just because it happened once doesn't mean all other verified providers should be the rule just because of one bad seed..

Hi all, I wanted to address this because I think that this post is unfair.

I believe that this person is referring to a trip that I had scheduled to go to New York City in February.  Unfortunately it ended up coinciding with a big winter storm (Nemo).  My flight was canceled, and having had the experience of being in NYC during a big snowstorm before (approx January 2011) I was aware of the difficulties and cancellations that this can cause.  

The visit was postponed and it was well explained to everyone at the time.  As far as I know all of the appointments except for one have been rescheduled for my visit in July and nobody has expressed any dissatisfaction to me personally.  I'm also in NYC twice a year on average so there are plenty of opportunities to catch me and to reschedule.

I do not require deposits, but obviously I do offer a discount for them because of their importance to being able to travel.   I know that providers choose to operate in different ways but I do use deposits for my travel costs, and on average I would say that half of all sessions end up having deposits.  For safety and screening reasons I do only accept advance bookings.

As for reviews, I have been downplaying them recently for privacy, but I will go ahead now and allow some client to complete new reviews.  I am proud of my reputation and five year history of excellence in this business.

Thanks to those who recently brought this to my attention!  I hope that this individual will contact me directly as well.
xoxoxoxo,
Figure Power