A) Get VIP and do some research. It is not proof against being scammed, but at least you can have some assurance that you might get what you want because others have reported getting it.
B) You were not in, say Madison or Milwaukee Wisconsin were you? Sorry, but that is EXACTLY the experience I had when I was younger when I hired in Wisonsin. Anything you wanted was either not offered or cost double/triple the rate and the instant you were done the girl was gone, regardless of if you paid for 30 min or 4 hours. It's the two major reasons I will not hire an escort in Wisconsin anymore.
(Okay, for those who ALWAYS opm me saying not all the girls in Wisconsin are like that, I tell you what, in September/October I have to go to Wisconsin for a weekend, if I get someone with rave reviews that doesn't expect me to sign over the life of my first born to pay for her companionship, then I will give Wisconsin another chance. Last one, and that only because I have refrained from hobbying there for over 10 years...last time I did, the World Trade Center was still standing!)
About a week ago I saw someone, my first ever, charged to my CC for what I consider a significant amount. Basically I was new, ignorant, and naive and got scammed and lied to. I got less than a lap dance and sweet nothings whispered in my ear. I called the CC company to try to do a chargeback. They say if it was a service, an expert or someone else in the field would have to verify that their service was not up to par in order for a chargeback to occur. They copied my license and I signed the receipt. CC statement shows the charge as "Dining Out". Basically, am I just screwed? What other options do I have?
Its sad that you payed by CC and didnt get proper service . If they have your CC and DL copy plus Signature isnt much you can do . What i would do in your case is : post this scams here link on forums like TER , photo , phone number , and leave review , so no one wount get hurt like you .
Be careful with your Hunting .
-- Modified on 4/18/2011 11:13:22 AM
I started much the same.....only I continued to make other stupid mistakes of different varieties. Best advice I can give is to read and adhere to all the Newbie advice posted and periodic advice on this General forum. When you're perusing the ads and anxious to make a contact, it's always hard to get the proper brain in gear, so don't beat yourself up too much about the loss. With effort, you'll hopefully avoid more of these experiences in your novice period.
I see a FAQ for Newbies which looks more like a generic discussion forum rather than a structured list of guidelines per se. Is that what you're referring to or am I looking at the wrong thing?
Great places to learn!! If you don't know the ropes yet, sit back and read as many post as you can. When you decide to visit a girl, look for one with a history of good reviews.
Play safe and have fun! It really isn't so tough if you think with the big head!
for clandestine activities that may lead to arrest and criminal charges?
Did you check Barnes & Noble? 
HH
A) Get VIP and do some research. It is not proof against being scammed, but at least you can have some assurance that you might get what you want because others have reported getting it.
B) You were not in, say Madison or Milwaukee Wisconsin were you? Sorry, but that is EXACTLY the experience I had when I was younger when I hired in Wisonsin. Anything you wanted was either not offered or cost double/triple the rate and the instant you were done the girl was gone, regardless of if you paid for 30 min or 4 hours. It's the two major reasons I will not hire an escort in Wisconsin anymore.
(Okay, for those who ALWAYS opm me saying not all the girls in Wisconsin are like that, I tell you what, in September/October I have to go to Wisconsin for a weekend, if I get someone with rave reviews that doesn't expect me to sign over the life of my first born to pay for her companionship, then I will give Wisconsin another chance. Last one, and that only because I have refrained from hobbying there for over 10 years...last time I did, the World Trade Center was still standing!)
Yes, you got screwed, as have most of us. In the pre-TER days, the agency scams and ROB's with their thug drivers dominated certain geographic regions. Those were dark days and I got robbed more than once too, even after I knew the scam backwards and forwards.
What most victims don't realize is there's often a second part to the scam. Once they have your CC information, it's not unusual for them to run the same charge through a second time, maybe in 3 or 4 months when you're least expecting it (but before the card's expiration date).
Since they're criminals already, they could use your CC info. for anything, or even sell it overseas (I've had that happen too). But they don't want to have their merchant account pulled (they need it to rob new people), so they typically stick with the second charge scam. This allows them to say they just made a mistake. And since many people don't examine their monthly statements, too carefully, they often get lucky.
Simple solution to prevent another charge. Tell the credit card company that you want your account number changed.
I still might dispute the charge unless it is unsafe to field letters and phone calls.
Dispute the charge, keep on the credit card company AND declare your card was lost or stolen (generally, that's an automated phone option when you call customer service.) That will prevent any follow up charges from clearing, as the CC company will mail you a new card with a new number and a new pin.
And please, please, please, please, PLEASE, never give out your credit card information to anyone who, literally, is not squeezing your heart and keeping you alive! (Okay, maybe you don't have to be that insane, but you get the picture, eh?)
I should clarify something. The problem has nothing to do with the CC, the exact same thing would have happened if I paid with cash except I at least have some small chance of getting my money back on a CC whereas with cash the loss is 100% certain.
We, or at least I, understood that. We, or at least I, were/was trying to help mitigate the damage is all.
When this happened to me about 15 years ago it wasn't an outright cash and dash either. The girl showed up, but did very little for the high fee- just enough to not be an outright cash and dash.
If this happened to me today, I'd take the advice of the posters above and get a new credit card issued. Any agency or girl that operates in this manner isn't above using your CC information.
-- Modified on 4/18/2011 5:54:13 PM
I just called and had my card deactivated, a new card with new number is being sent to me overnight. They also escalated my call to some rep who took the charges off temporarily, the merchant has 60 days to dispute the reversal or it is permanent. I wouldn't be surprised if they are already prepared for this and know exactly how to play this game - they've probably had a bazillion chargeback attempts by now. They say the terminal is listed as a restaurant licensed to serve alcohol but when I was there alcohol was not allowed on premises and there definitely wasn't any food anywhere. I asked how can I find out who is servicing the terminal, they didn't know.
If this happened to me today, I'd take the advice of the posters above and get a new credit card issued. Any agency or girl that operates in this manner isn't above using your CC information.
-- Modified on 4/18/2011 5:54:13 PM
They scam people every day and have all the angles covered. In my area, the worst agency even paid off people in LE so they could operate with impunity. And when we do get burned, as you found out, nobody is really that interested in helping in these situations.
You did the smart thing and took defensive measures. Live and learn. I'd be too embarrassed to tell you how many times I got ripped off in the 90's by these scams before TER. I'll admit though, that one time I got ripped off TWICE in the same day and it turned out it was the same agency using different number! So I know how fucked up it is when this stuff happens to you.
What most victims don't realize is there's often a second part to the scam. Once they have your CC information, it's not unusual for them to run the same charge through a second time, maybe in 3 or 4 months when you're least expecting it (but before the card's expiration date).
Since they're criminals already, they could use your CC info. for anything, or even sell it overseas (I've had that happen too). But they don't want to have their merchant account pulled (they need it to rob new people), so they typically stick with the second charge scam. This allows them to say they just made a mistake. And since many people don't examine their monthly statements, too carefully, they often get lucky.
That's really sad.... I personally use to take CC as a form of payment back in 07, & never even considered re-charging the card! Why would you?? If you give a good service the first time around, the chances are high that they will repeat.... why would you mess that up by re-charging the card?? In all actuality, it was me who was scammed once or twice, when I forgot my activation code & couldn't pre-authorize the charge, & when I got home to run it, the card was either expired or insufficient funds.... I even had one who canceled his card after I left, but the pre-authorization had already went through.
The only reason I stopped taking CC was the economy went downhill & people started being more conscious about what they were spending... if they didn't have the cash on hand, they weren't about to charge it, and face the possibility a month down the road being unemployed.... I believe if you're dealing with a trustworthy provider, with a lot of good reviews, that you don't have anything to worry about, IMO.
He's referring to scammers (criminals to begin with), not legitimate providers. I'm a newb at this but it seems to me a CC provides some recourse against scams and ripoffs (at least temporarily I've gotten a chargeback) but reduces your privacy; cash has no recourse but provides privacy since it's untraceable.
You may try to fight this... I don't know if you will be successful but might as well try.
DO change your CC. You don't have to explain why. I did not long ago when my wallet went AWOL. I found it under my own bed at home, brown wallet on a brown rug. (What are the odds of finding it under MY OWN bed? CC companies are happy to do anything to reduce risk.
As you are a Newbie, please read the self-help section. Then read back on the Newbie board until you can answer every question yourself. You really need to be educated. All this is FREE except for your time. No one can do it for you... and you have to learn & evaluate it all in light of your own circumstances.
I conclude it's about impossible to keep VIP by reviews alone. You will need VIP while you are shopping... not necessarily continously. You need to read her profile, reviews, ads, web site and any other information available. I ussually generate 3-6 possibilities for my "bucket list".
There are way to many scams to list... There are honest providers out there who deliver what they promise. Please use the tremendous resource that is available here.
I don't know how much money was involved but I'd guess the majority of members were scammed at least once which is why I am a big believer in TER.
Best Wishes,
skb
Bad enough this country is screwed because of CC but looks like you did too,people got to start thinking with the big noggin instead of the little noggin.Hope ya learned your lesson.
The receipt shows "Terminal I.D." and "Merchant #" along with a few other #'s not sure what they mean: Batch, RRN, Inv, Auth. Is there something I can do with this? Say reporting the merchant who is fraudulently billing services or billing in the incorrect category or something like that? There is no number listed so I don't even know who to call.
Move along. Listen man we have all been scammed, ripped off, whatever. The good news is you are alive, not in jail , facing some kind of LE charge or picked up some STD. One of those things would be a true tragedy. Just chalk it up and consider it as your Bachelors degree in the Hobby. It , in the grand scheme of things was a cheap lesson that we, that engage in this hobby, have all learned in one way or another. The lesson to be learned is that now that you have been burned ,next time, a little bell should go off so no matter how cute she is or how wonderful it sounds listen to that little bell.
Just an old, fat fuck with an opinion
Yes, you're right there are worse things that could have happened, but that doesn't mean I should leave money on the table or pass an opportunity to get justice. The operation is making fraudulent charges and claims themselves to be a restaurant. I'm probably not the first or only person they've ripped off. I'd like to report them somehow and maybe get their terminal shutoff (I just need to know who to call, the Terminal I.D. and Merchant # are on the receipt), potentially get a refund, etc. I'm bothered by the fact that these people can continue operating as much as I am by the money I lost.
Just walk away. What you did here is actually illegal, this happens. Cancel the CC and learn the lesson. Face it...you were a sucker. We all are suckers here and there. There is no justice in this field. If you think that respectable businessmen are behind the curtains, think again. Once its legal then its a legit question.
Just for fun: Peruse TER first time reviews. Then look at the pictures from the provider ads from them and other descriptions of services. You will soon realized what kind of odds you have when calling a previously unreviewed provider. It's not that you can't do this ever and TOFTT; just be aware of the odds for disappointment. More importantly, plan ahead for an exit strategy. Be ready for disappointment and be aware that you don't have to go forward. It's slightly less frustrating when it is only your time that has been wasted.
I take CC's and I would never charge a gentleman's card more than the one time. I also would never risk losing my merchant account. If a merchant is caught abusing thier account or have too many complaints, they could have their account closed and would no longer be able to take credit cards. I don't know who you would complain to however, I urge you to try to complain to someone. Also, claiming to be a restuarant is just redicculous. I'm an entertainer on my account. You are smart in contacting your credit card company, if someone would rip you off in one way, they would do it in other ways. It's true that you would have been ripped off the same way if you paid cash however, you do need to protect yourself in this business. There are snakes everywhere. They really piss me off because they make it harder for the rest of us.
just don't "get it" when it comes to CCs. Most TER hobbyists are also not your target market. Good luck, because you're going to need it here on this board.
but you did learn a valuable lesson. Just like we like our prizes up front, you should too. Never prepay or use a credit card for this service. Every single time you do, you run a chance that this will happen. I would post a review and let others know what happened. You might not be able to get your money back, but you could help prevent this from happening again.
Are you saying I should pay after - is that common? I don't think the CC usage is the problem, if I had paid cash the result would be the same - except that I have a chance of getting my money back on CC but cash would be a 100% certain loss. Actually, I've at least temporarily gotten a chargeback against the merchant.
I'm betting that it's not me. To recap, you gave a hooker your credit card number and got ripped off and you're trying to figure out how to get the money back. You seem to be missing the elephant in the room. That is, if you're seeing ladies that are scammers, you'll get scammed. Stick with reviewed ladies and pay with cash. You won't get ripped off and in the rare opportunity that you do, she'll only get the cash you gave her. Instead, you seem to be worried about getting back a few hundred, undoubtedly so that you can give it to another hooker that may or may not be any different. In the meantime, the merchant has sold your number to some guy in Russia, who is busily ordering iPads delivered into China, to be sold on the black market back into the US.
Or maybe I'm the clueless one. Doubt it.
....in the School of Hard Knocks. Do a better job of researching your next "class"....and always
pay in cash.