I have been passing up lots of otherwise promising providers because they insist on my registering with their pre-screening verification service. I don't mind sharing my personal info, but I am skeptical about giving out my credit card numbers to strangers -- even if they promise not to charge anything to my account, I don't know what would keep them from simply cleaning me out. Am I being overly paranoid? Specifically, I am wondering about a service called NOSCO, whether they are safe and legit or not.

Date-check, preferred 411, Rs2000.

I Have Date-check and p411, the only problem I have is that I never use them.

You can tell by the if the verification service is a scam or not by the providers you are trying to see use it.  I joined date-check after I've seen many providers that were members so I joined. P411, make the verification before they bill you.

No you are just being cautious and there is nothing wrong with that.  Most providers I know (myself included) give a gentleman more than one option for screening.  If the verification service is the option chosen then there are good ones out there.

I suggest Room Service 2000, Date-Check and Preferred 411.

Personally I would go with your gut or instinctual feelings and do what is right for you, not what someone is insisting you do.

Worse than a scam site would be a "flipped" verification site, fallen into the hands of LE. Once they had accumulated a pile of customers, the LE-run site could "out" the lot of them, publicizing not only where they live, but where they work, as well.