If you do things the way you should, i.e., making sure your first visits are with highly regarded and well reviewed ladies, using multiple sources for info (not just TER, although the reviews here should be your base point), actually reading her reviews, as well as the other reviews by reviewers who recently saw her, and avoid anything that seems dubious to you, you should indeed be safe from the darkside elements that are present in the hobby.  LE targets the lower end of the market in most places, but that is not true everywhere, and there is always the potential for surprises.  Always remember that if anything feels or seems out of place or doesn't add up, it's best to avoid.  

I share Shark's concern.  My response has been to rely on TER in the first instance.  It's not just a few recent good reviews that I'm looking for, but consistency over a period of time.  I figure if a lady has been active for six months or more she's less likely to be a ringer.  I'd actually like more than six months, and indeed some ladies have reviews going back half-a-dozen years.  But that's a rarity.  Seems like turnover is very high in the biz.
The next one I look at is RS2000.  It appears to me that they do a mild check before they let someone advertise.  Unfortunately, not as thorough as their check on the guys.  Still, I look on RS2000 as a reference, particularly if it is corroborated elsewhere.
Everyone says stay away from BP but it has so many listings, virtually all with pictures (something TER lacks) that it is a temptation.  Of course if I find an attractive lady on BP and I can then verify her on TER there is no concern.  
I have given some thought to looking on BP for ladies that may not have verification elsewhere but have been steady advertisers over a period of time.  But it's just a thought that I haven't gotten up the nerve to act on.
One advantage here is that the ladies get a chance to talk a lot about themselves, from the structured personal interview to the extensive listing of activities.  (One flaw in the activities listing is categories like Dom/Sub, master/slave, etc.  If that at all interests you adding "top", "bottom" or "switch to accommodate client" would be very helpful.

Okay. Please, some of you more experienced guys out there, tell me if I'm on the right track and if I'm not help me get there.

-- Modified on 6/22/2010 8:41:33 AM

I've asked if anyone actually knows someone that was busted, but no one has ever answered on these boards.  I agree with Crazy's comment that LE seems to target the low end, street walker prostitute because of the visual disruption they cause, the "nasty" business that usually accompanies that level of P4P (drug use), and that is what the blue hairs will complain about because it is so visible.

Just think about the logistics involved for LE; post an ad, find a hotel that will allow them to use two adjacent rooms to set up the sting, man the e-mail or phone, sit and wait for responses, schedule appointments, etc...it hardly seems likely or worth it.  

When you add the review element to the equation, LE would also have to post (or have someone post) fake reviews to add legitmacy.  I know a lot of people in LE, to shake loose a team to construct this front isn't something that happens often.  Like everyone else they are short on money, staff, and time.

So...I have always gone with providers who were reviewed (except one) and I never felt at risk.  

With the providers I've chosen I've never felt at risk of being blackmailed or robbed. Also, LE in my city seems to not care at all about escorting, they just don't want it to be in their face. I've never heard of anyone arrested here unless it was in a CL/SW sting.

My #1 concern is STDs, especially herpes. That would be damn hard to explain to the wife. So far, so good.

I just got BUSTED by the cops. After spending 18 hours in a small metal box called a cell waiting initial processing, I now face legal costs, and trying to hide this all from my wife. Not a reviewed 'girl' on TER, just a backpage add.  She asked 'what do you want' on the phone, smelled fishy but thought I'd be cautious.  Thought all the jargon used in the hobby was a protection, thought that not disrobing or producing money until sure things were legit was protection.  BS.  All it took was saying 'uh, ok' or something vaguely affirmative like that when I walked in and she said 'so you want the GFE?'.  Hell, if you say nothing the Grab team will probably bust in and cuff you and take your name etc, since the whole point of busting Johns isn't successful prosecutions, its harassment.

Safe?  Well, I suppose TER etc is the best protection, since euphamisms etc don't mean a thing.  But I wouldn't take the chance again