Let me start by saying I do not TOFTT ever based on a BP ad. Depending on where you are, LE is often running BP stings, and they are learning and improving how they operate, too (okay, they could be learning and improving, so it is best to assume they are). Plus, it is too easy and cheap to run a BP ad, so it is a great place for rip offs. And, for the most part, I find that the ladies I like do not use BP much anyway.
I do it because something about the lady, how she presents herself, attracts me. Usually that means a certain look, a certain intelligence in her presentation of herself.
My next step is to do a series of searches on all the information I have about her. This is done primarily to assure that she is not associated with any known scams, but I also check to see what else comes up. If you want to know more about what I look for in this search and review of the information I can find about her, feel free to PM me. I will not post it publicly, or share it with someone who does not have a verifiable track record of their own.
If I am still interested, I give her a call, and we begin a dance of mutual screening. I do not ask her for any specific information, just indicate that since I need to screen her and ask what she would offer to set my mind at ease. Ladies do not seem surprised by this, and always have had ready answers. They can range from web references that tell me more about her, what she has been doing before starting to provide, to referring me to common friends. No matter where you are, I think the sex work world is a very small one. So if you have been doing this for any time at all, you will have friends in common with her. And if you do not, you probably should not TOFTT yet.
I think it is key to take your time when you are doing this. If a lady is serious about providing, having a couple of conversations with you over a week or so should not be an issue. And it eliminates a lot of potential risks, as most stings and scams need to happen fast to work. So if the lady is pressuring you to meet now, or if you are looking for someone to see tonight, my advice is to look elsewhere. But if you are prepared to take your time and do your homework, there are definitely benefits to this.
I know there are others who do it quite differently, and their approaches work, too. For me, they seem risky and focus on a different type of provider than I want anyway. There is one other, important thing, to keep in mind. The odds of getting busted are always going to be very low, and if you are a tough guy you can probably minimize the risks of being ripped off in most circumstances. So someone could play TOFTT for a long time without any good plan for avoiding the risks and do fine. So just because you have done okay, not gotten ripped off or busted, it does not mean your screening methods are working. It could simply indicate that the odds are always in your favor, and the long shot has not come home to bite you in the ass, yet.
zig