i live in North Louisiana. By Shreveport. Im new to this and was wondering if there was any providers in my area. thanks for all the input.

I have family in the area so I can tell you there is little to no TS action in Shreveport.  Best thing to do is head west to Dallas or see who might be visiting in New Orleans.  Only 11 total there now.  Slim pickens.  

There is one on Eros in your area, see below....

http://www.eros-nola.com/files/259311.htm

Here is a second but she is a senior lady.......Maybe she will give you a discount if you are an AARP member?

http://shreveport.backpage.com/TranssexualEscorts/mature-ts-goddessapril-71-day-only-65/6060017

How exactly can I tell if the ads on backpage are legit? Im fairly new to the scene so just trying to be cautious.

Expect that they are fake and then you won't be disappointed.

Unfortunately at least half the BP ads are fake, at least 25% of Eros are fake...you need to do your homework after you go visit and before you select the provider...how?

Search TER Reviews
Search the TS board on the providers name
Google the phone
Google the email
Google the ad details

Post a 411 after the above...then make your best logical decsion and go for it.  Good luck.

New to this too. Why would they be fake though?

Generally "Fake" applies to the photos in the ads, they can be several years old or outright ripped off from a female model. Then in reality when you see the girl live she looks almost nothing like the pictures in the ad. Also in my experiance ads claim to be girls of 21 or 22 years old, and so far every girl I've seen told me their age which was several years older and I still dont know if they are telling me the truth. For me that is not a problem, I'm not lookin for a teenager nor even close. I'm seeking a femine & pretty chick with a dick, from what I read in some of the reviews is that not all girls are what/who they claim to be.

Knock on wood... I have not been disapointed yet

scammers, robs, bad providers hiding behind fake pics cuzz their reputation isn't good anymore, etc...Or increasing business with multiple looks on different sites and it goes on and on....