Providers have screening processes as precautionary measures.  What do us hobbiests have to protect ourselves from a sting, other than sticking with well-reviewed providers?  I would assume that agencies are safer. Are there red-flags we should be looking for?  I'm not an experienced hobbiest by any means, and I'm sure a lot of 'newbies' could find answers to these questions useful. Thanks.

I'm traveling to DC in a few weeks so this is a relevant topic for me. Can you vouch for Gigi'sGirls? What about others?

Here is the TER link to get you started.  Make sure you say "no" to exclude bad websites.