I obviously can't post the article since it names names in a prostitution sting down in Mississippi, but several high profile people got busted in it.
What caught my eye however is the statement from LE that the sting occurred as a result of contacting people in the dark web and setting them up.
I'd heard of the dark web being a place for pedophiles among others, but never for day to day PFP. If anyone is contemplating using the dark web for this purpose be advised that it doesn't seem as safe as our good old light web here on TER.
... for THIS, if not someone, anyone, with A LOT to lose if they were ever discovered, esp. a "high profile" person, maybe someone in government or religion, the kind who preach AGAINST this kind of "activity" day and night, but meanwhile...
Uh-huh. (smh...) 
All of you would be better off forgetting you know the darkweb exists. This hobby is hard enough to have decent opSec in (most of you don't), and most of my recommendations to that effect have fallen on your deaf ears. If you're going to play on the dark web, you need quite a bit more knowhow, and need to be a whole lot more careful than you are now.
That said, if you're seeing anyone, you have to do your homework. The only way you get caught is if you're profoundly stupid, you didn't do your homework, or the feds were targeting you specifically (in which case you're fucked anyway).
attracting attention by trying too hard to hide.
For the most part what people here are doing is harmless. Sometimes you screwed over by other peoples carelessness and LE's desire to over inflate their "wins" as taking really bad people of of circulation. That get promotions and awards.
So when you start swimming with the big fish you might just get caught up in the same net, and I doubt many small fish (sorry for the pun there Fisher -- not suggesting anything there; you're a top member in terms of just being good people from what I read) are going to get tossed back in the water.
Trying to cover your tracks makes you a target. I used VPN while TER was dark, but I got hooked on reading local news in big foreign cities that I travel to, an innocuous pursuit that makes me look pretty innocent. I would never use it to set up an appointment directly with a provider. If providers are capturing IP addresses, that will blow up in their faces sooner or later and ruin their business.
These days the overhead for VPN is pretty small and I use it for everything. Makes me feel much better accessing financial accounts while out of the country and allows me to use some subscription services that are licenses geographically even when out of country -- connection comes from the country I subscribe in. (That might be a gray area but seems so trivial to me I don't acknowledge it. I might think twice about that in China but I don't go there -- once through Beijing airport was enough for me)
Additionally, in this case always using the VPN is consistent whereas only using it for hobby or trying to use the dark web (which I don't see how I would -- as someone noted, if your using that you are not looking for what we are) provides information and attracts the attention. That's why the military and governments will generally just encrypt everything rather than using clear and encrypted channels.
Posted By: mrfisher
I obviously can't post the article since it names names in a prostitution sting down in Mississippi, but several high profile people got busted in it.
The name of one of the arrested parties sounded female, to me. Sure enough, that department displays her photo. And she's nice looking, too!
It's always funny when you read some article about a bust and, when you look at the mugshots, you're like "Hey. I'd do her!" LOL
Posted By: Dickgently
Re: Beware of the dark web...
It's always funny when you read some article about a bust and, when you look at the mugshots, you're like "Hey. I'd do her!" LOL
She works at the same college as the main person charged. She was charged with procuring (not providing) and with drug possession.
I wasn’t referring to this case so much as generally.
there are no high profile people in Mississippi.
If you're in the dark web for this hobby, you're looking for something more than just vanilla fun.
For almost 2 years, we needed a VPN to access TER. That qualifies as dark web. And it could happen again.
Some experts have stated that with all of the bullshit laws being directed at the internet, the dark web is going to be the future of the internet.
which I like to think is still legal.
It's another to set up at P4P date which as we all know is not.
I think it a pretty big mistake to confuse dark web with VPN. It's like confusing people valuing their private life and want protection from various types of intrusions as well as the added protection for making things like online banking more secure with the those hiding in the dark (one aspect being unlisted services you will never get to using the DNS registration infrastructure).
No, using a VPN to access TER or any other site does not mean that you are using the dark web. You access dark web sites using a TOR browser, which is not the same as a VPN. I use a VPN to connect to my work network from home, there are lots of legitimate reasons to use a VPN, and they have nothing to do with the dark web. I don't know what experts you are listening to, but the dark web is not the future of the internet.
One of the people caught up in the sting was a college PRESIDENT. in the SOUTH.
Plus, to further "dig his own hole," the dude was also soliciting illegal drugs at the SAME time.
Jesus... (smh...)
I can only pray it is Falwell Jr. and his pool boy
Careful! There are still LIBEL laws in this country! LOL! 
Other than the news report mentioning it happened on the dark web, this is the same type of sting operation and bust the police have always done on the light web. (Is that the opposite of the dark web 😀)
We have read hundreds of stories like this since prostitution moved to the internet. And before that, LE did stings from print ads. I have never been on the dark web and don’t have reason to, but I don’t see this news story as a warning to stay off the dark web. The point is to be careful who you see. Screening and research from both the provider and client side.
who otherwise might have felt being on (in?) the deep (dark?) web would protect them are, in fact, subject to being caught, and therefore should take all due precautions.
The dark web definitely does not make things safer or make you immune from stings and such.
Good point, "Mr. Fisher," ESPECIALLY if you have A LOT to lose, like these poor, dumb souls obviously had. (smh...) 
