being able to do the proper research on the ladies you are interested in, just as they screen you. Reading the self help center is a great suggestion. Getting VIP here is also needed, without it, you can't get all the needed info on providers.
Preferred411 will work with you to get you verified, which means you are safe to see and not LE. As the senator said, it's better to give your info to one site, rather than to a number of providers. In addition, on P411, providers can indicate if they are newbie friendly, which is what you need.
As I have said more times than I remember, you can look everywhere, but you got to do the research before making contact, check the pics, the phone number, and the reviews. As a newb, no one here will suggest you seeing any provider that does not have reviews somewhere. This is not the only review site, just the biggest, and TER rules will not allow mentioning any of the other review site names.
Swim