You can not tell if a message has been read or not read unlike other sites where you get a "message read" confirmation.

Until you get your first review (and Free Limited VIP privs), you might want to consider paying for VIP one month at a time. You can purchase a Gift Card for cash (Target, Omaha Steaks, iTunes, ...), anonymously, at a brick and mortar store (Walgreens, Walmart, Target ...) and use that to pay for VIP (also anonymously). Monthly VIP is normally $25 by Credit Card; using Gift Cards, it is currently $40 / 34 days:  
http://secure.paygarden.com/pay/site/theeroticreview/theeroticreview/start
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If things go well, you won't have to renew and you will have free VIP.  
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(Check to see which GCs have the best conversion rate.  Some are easier to re-sell than others. Target GCs are usually a safe purchase.)

There are some VIP members who do not want a discreet yet mysterious charge showing up on their CC statements that an SO might want to know about.  For them, GCs or MOs are their preferred means of payment.  
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If you are considering paying for VIP with your CC, be aware that it is an international transaction (handled by a European payment agency "CCBill" which processes payments for TER). Your CC company might block it (and all int'l payments) until you give them authorization to pay. Some members call their CC company first and ask them to PRE-authorize that they are about to make an international payment for $X.

Recommend having a rigorous screening as most mid  and high end clients look for AnD appreciate that.   They know that you are not nattracting undesired clients or le.    

Not sure exactly what you mean, but I’m not jumping thru hoops to see an escort.

that's why the wife's are for.

I don't mind screening , I want the ladies I see to feel safe, but I certainly don't "look for" nor do I "appreciate" said screening, and quite frankly I tolerate it at best and if a lady requires "rigorous screening" I am simply going to chalk her up as too much work and move on to someone who isn't going to make me "work" for the privilege of paying her hundreds of dollars per hour.

 
Please just speak for yourself and don't claim to speak for "most" of us, especially considering you have ZERO credibility as this is your very first post under this alias.  The lady is just getting started here, the last thing she needs is advice that is going to result in her chasing prospective clients away instead of attracting them.

and none at all that will leave you at risk for LE and worse.

 
I saw a gal who used to screen, but moved to a new city and stopped doing so.   When I last saw her she was black and blue and said a client beat her up.   I asked if he passed screening and she said she stopped screening because she wanted more business.   She lost my business however.   I didn't feel safe around her any more.

Try asking some the various Providers who frequent the TER forums what they do for screening; a lot of them seem really nice and I’m sure that many of them wouldn’t minding help you out.

 
Look at their TER profiles and see if the have a contact e-mail listed; get in touch with them and politely explain that you’re new at this and need some advice on screening and level of screening.

 
In any event, I certainly think that you /should/ screen - including getting P411 access when you can; a lot of Clients seem to get along just fine without it (and I one of them, though I’m very “low volume”) but if I were a Provider, I’d certainly have it.

 
I know you want to be successful at this freelance profession, but your own safety should be your top priority.

 
Please stay safe.

True - the Providers mentioned above may respond better to being contacted via TER PM than through their “business” e-mail.

 
As mentioned by other posters, you may want to just take the plunge and buy one month of VIP; you could then answer those PMs that are pilling up and more easily contact other members.