I paid for a month's premium membership on SA 6 days ago.  This is my third foray, having deep dived for a month in 2019, and a month in 2018.  Further back on this board and on other TER boards, I shared those previous experiences when TER came back.  I had taken a hiatus from dating, and hadn't had a date (sugar, escort, or civie) since last fall.  Was ready earlier in the year to resume, but then covid.  Joined P411 back in mid May, and I've had some escort dates recently.  Then on a whim, jumped onto SA again.  Some observations:  Still, oddles of profiles on SA, even when I narrow the search parameters by age preference (35+).  Views of my profile are numerous.  I search and look, but send very few initiating messages, as I've had enough incoming messages to handle.  I had my first BCD within 24 hrs of paying up, and she is, I think, my unicorn.  Have our next date set and I can hardly wait.  Meanwhile, I have another planned date with possibly a second unicorn.  Will have to wait and see on that.  What's most interesting this time on SA, is that apparently gals do not want/need to meet first for introductions.  We've been doing that via email and text, having settled on a gift, and made BCD plans without ever meeting.  No beating around the bush, but just straight up talk about what we each want/like.  The other interesting thing this time is that I now know where all the BP type dates have migrated to.  Obvious giveaways are the photos taken in one of the local casinos, or a dressing room in some department store, or in a public restroom, and the unabashed solicitation messages.  Here's an example from earlier today.  Normally I just ignore anything not within my prescreening parameters, but I had time on my hands, so I engaged in a conversation.  It went like this, word for word:

HER:  I've just given you access to my private photos, go to my profile to view them.  (I view them).
HER:  Did you enjoy my pictures Daddy?
ME:  Sure, thx, but I'm more of a long slender legs kinda guy.
HER:  You say that until you have these legs wrapped around your head.
ME:  Maybe...but if you set two differing things in front of me, and only one of them catches my rapt attention ...
HER:  Oh well.
HER:  You are missing out.
ME:  Hardly.  There are sooo many fish in this sea, and they just jump right out of the water...like you did.  Seriously baby, thx for stopping by, but I'm not interested.  Best wishes to you.
HER:  Go fuck yourself.  I doubt you are finding someone who "really" wants you.  They just want you to pay their bills.

Glad to see another success story, especially in the middle of the pandemic. But two comments if I may:  

 
1. As Papa Sweet and I recently discovered, best to wait until after a minimum of 3-5 BCD's before officially nominating an SB for Unicorn status. One great BCD is a cherished memory, but consistent performance over several weeks/months (including not flaking on her 2nd or 3rd date) are the true stuff of Unicorns.  There is actually a thread back in 2018 or 2019 discussing the definition of unicorn.  

 
2. I HOPE the conversation you had above was OFF the site.  The SA admin and monitoring staff are very sensitive to anything that has the slightest appearance, smell or even a vague feel of 'quid pro quo' or 'hooker/john' talk. In this case, your words are generally OK, but as soon as she said "legs wrapped around your head" the "Danger Will Robinson" sign started flashing bright red.  Actually, when she called you Daddy before that, your Spidey senses should have gone off then. That would have been a good time to throw out your (burner) phone number and move the more explicit talk offline.  Why burner (if you have one)? Because only pros, semi-pros and scammers will be that overtly sexual and fetishist (calling you Daddy)  on her 2nd message.  And your burner number will protect you from scammers. Now there's nothing wrong with talking to pros and semi-pros, and we've all tried once or twice to have some fun wasting the time of a scammer just to see how far we can take them for a ride. But the SA overseers are ALWAYS looking at all messages in the system, and you don't want to be caught up with her when she get's banned. Note also that even if you get explicit offline, even in WhatsApp, she can screen shot your messages and upload them to SA if she decides to report you - even if it's a bullshit report.  

 
So go have fun., But choose your words carefully, because in the Sugar Bowl...  

 
Life is good

 
The Cat

I also jumped back in and trying to avoid a 5th ban !  I'm surprised at how forward the girls are, especially the new ones. If I try to get them to text, they refuse demanding to know why I want to do that and accuse me of being a scammer. They want details, NOW!

So what verbiage do the veterans use to stay squeaky clean and let the girls know that they are taking the conversation in the wrong direction?

when you declined her invitation.  She had no cause to tell you to go fuck yourself.  That's just mean and gratuitously hurtful.  But it reinforces the caveats Herb was talking about.  some of these women are mean bitches and will try to harm you if they feel slighted.  Best not to give them any ammunition.

As for "apparently gals do not want/need to meet first for introductions. " I don't think your small sampling constitutes a trend.  I still find that the majority want to feel the burn at a coffee date before committing to anything BCD.  The exceptions are wonderful though!  I recently met a very young hottie who spoke explicitly about her preferences sexually and asked about mine, then asked me to pick her up and take her someplace private, right off the bat.  I did that and she proceeded to fuck my tiny brains out.

I do agree that there are lots of money grubbing scammers out there right now.  I had the timewasting misfortune to find a couple of those just this week. Otoh, earlier today I had another date with my number one SB who just rocked my world, is world class beautiful, and thinks I'm great for some odd reason.  The gems are out there!
Happy Hunting!

END OF MESSAGE

That's very true of course, as I mentioned myself in a post last week.  Recently I was talking to a "girl" who insisted I prove to her I was real by giving her some money to meet me.  I played along and said sure, I'll give you some when we meet.  She asked if I had cashapp and I said nope, I'll give you cash when we meet.  she said it had to be before we meet.  She claimed she'd been scammed and cheated on so many times, blah blah, even one time when a guy gave her cash and then took it back. (wtf?)  I said if you show up and I can see you are who you claim to be and not some fat slob scammer in his mother's basement I'll gladly give you some cash.  Never heard from "her" again!

END OF MESSAGE

And my apologies to any fat slobs I may have offended. But fat slob SCAMMERS, or any other brand of  
scammers,  I will cut no slack!

Not to burst anyone's bubble around here - but virtually all SB forums have reported the sharp downturn in both SA quality and legitimacy.  I just attribute it to the normal 'ebb and flow' of the bowl.  But in any event - I wouldn't go out celebrating the a norm for SA!  

My recent review of SB population data in my area suggests that the 'downturn'  you mention is probably incorrect.  

 
Rather, my data shows that the total number of SB's on the site has increased 36% since the end of March to the beginning of August. And in my (admittedly only local to LA) experience, the number of successful conversions from messages to text to M&G has not decreased. So I submit we appear to have about the same (or perhaps a slightly higher) number of 'legit' SB's as before, but there is more 'noise' in the system from a flood of scammers or tire-kickers.  IOW, the good opportunities are still there, but you need to wade through more low quality profiles to fund* them. (*Started to correct my typo from 'fund' to 'find', then realized it works better as I typed it.)  

 
Or not. :p  

 
Life is good

 
The Cat

at least in my area.   The big surge in profiles generated by the pandemic has stayed steady, and now there's another modest surge on top of that.  All told, the number of SB profiles is up over 40% from where it was pre covid.  To be sure, some are scammers, as I've discovered.  But some are legit SB wannabes just looking for a kind gentleman to show them the ropes.  Which I'm happy to do!

Last year my filters (younger, slimmer, white girls) would usually generate 2300-2400 hits, this month it's 2100-2200.  On top of that, there seems to be a surge of new profiles from old girls: maybe 20+% which skew the numbers.  I've noticed a huge increase in on-line and pic/vid girls which even further makes the true numbers much less.
However, my point wasn't about numbers but instead quality/legitimacy: in that respect the feeling from the other forums is that SA has gone sharply negative.
Your experience may vary tho.

Thanks for the apology. I am a fat slob with feelings, but I am not a scammer!

Man now you did it!  Calling us all fat slob scammers! lol.  Just kidding Sweetman.  I know you were just poking fun at Herb.  Us slim, trim, adonis like, over 55 (or in your case over 65), gods to women don't have to worry about those things. LOL!