Reinforcing some of what y2d mentioned above, either:
1) For independent women advertising on boards like Leolist, always
always always verify that they're well-reviewed before going to meet them. Search here on TERB, and if you find positive reviews, make sure the person making those claims has been around for a while and has well liked posts. Someone who's only posted 4 times and always about the same person could be a "shill" account, meaning it's the escort herself promoting herself under a fake name.
or
2) Contact an agency and ask them for help deciding who to see. Tell them you're new, the type of experience you're looking for (NOT mentioning particular sexual activities... for example, it's okay to say "Looking for a busty redhead who takes charge" but
not "I want someone who lets me go down on her" - it's a legal thing), and your budget. Read through their website beforehand, reviewing their policies, their roster, etc. And search TERB for reviews on a few names as well. Agencies can be wonderful resources. Their business model is making sure you're happy and that their roster is amazing.
With respect to sending deposits:
You'll read a lot of people on TERB saying you should never send a deposit to a Leolist advertiser. And I think that's an ignorant claim. Some of the most well reviewed women advertise on Leolist and demand deposits. But many scammers also demand deposits in order to scam you. So as with anything, verify who they are and that they're trustworthy before sending any money to anyone. (You'd prepay in full for an iPhone off a well reviewed seller on eBay but you wouldn't etransfer to some stranger off Craigslist.) If she's got no reviews, don't send a deposit. If she's well known and well reviewed and others mention sending a deposit with no issue, feel comfortable sending a deposit. And if you don't feel comfortable sending a deposit regardless, then don't complain, just move on to another provider.
Screening questions:
Some escorts require we go through a screening process. This might mean sending a deposit, or sending a photo of your ID, or sending them your LinkedIn profile, etc. Understandably, some clients are uncomfortable with this. That's okay. Don't complain, just move on. We're concerned about our privacy. But escorts are concerned about their
safety. I fully support any escort demanding any number of screening questions or requirements, asking us to jump through any number of hoops. Their safety is paramount. But if you're not comfortable, just move on to another provider. It's that easy.
Best of luck
With all the scams and difficulties finding legitimate SPs, everyone here knows that 70% of LL adds are scams and fakes. I am hoping someone may add something constructive to us newer members in regards to a better alternative. I personally am having trouble finding another site that provides advertising for SPs other than the scam saturated LL. Any suggestions for better alternatives would be helpful for all us newer inexperienced hopefuls.
Thanks