Avoiding Time-Wasters Through Easier Screening

As an adult entertainer, you may have asked yourself whether you should screen new clients or not.

The answer is: Absolutely. Every single time.

Screening is crucial for your safety and also for your client’s safety as well. By showing that you never skip the screening process, you are letting your clients know you take your business seriously.

You are a professional. As a professional, you are ensuring that your clients are decent citizens coming to see you for the reasons they are stating.

The good news is, screening doesn’t have to be a headache. However, it does take a bit of work and some creativity on your part.

The screening process you should be taking for your potential new clients is ever evolving. When scammers and abusers get wise to the latest techniques we use to identify them, they come up with new ways to sneak through our clever screening processes.

For this reason, many of more sophisticated methods are kept as “insider” secrets by ladies in this industry. Out of respect for this we will not reveal these deeper secrets of screening in this report, as this will dilute their effectiveness.

Rest assured however, the simple screening processes described in this article will help keep you safe. After we cover the basics, we’ll touch on some more advanced options you can take to prescreen time-wasters, and even get paid to screen.

The first part of the screening process involves requesting information from your potential new client.

Now as you may suspect, many clients feel resistant about giving you information about themselves. So, part of your job when asking for this information is to make them feel comfortable.

Let them know this is a completely standard procedure that all upscale escorts require. Remind them that it’s for their safety as well. You can understand why they may be a little anxious about giving you their information. It’s ok. You don’t need much. Be patient with your new potential client and be the reassuring voice they need to hear.

I’ve created a hand little recipe note card that you can print out and use to aide you in collecting this information.

Here is the break down of what information you should be getting, at minimum, from every potential client:

1. Real name
Their full legal name.
Preferably, with the middle initial.
Check this against their ID at the beginning of your session.

2. Phone number
At least one.
Preferably, both home and cell.

3. Email address
At least one.
Preferably, their primary email address.

4. Where they got your information from
Eros ad, P411, your website?
Please don’t say Craigslist!

5. Two references
You’ll want to know when and where these visits took place. Ask them to give some unique details about your potential client’s appearance. Also ask for some innocent details about the visits themselves that may have stuck out to use as a reference.

Got the info? Good.
Now it’s time to put on your detective hat.

You want to search for clues to verify your potential client is, in fact, who they are claiming to be.

Two themes to look for:
- Look for consistency.
- Look for any information you can dig up that is more than a year old.

A good indication that you are dealing with a potential scammer:
- There is absolutely nothing about them online.
- Everything you find was just created recently.

So, first step, head on over to Google.com.

Take their real name, address, and phone number, go to Google and run searches on this information.

Be sure to use quotes around variations of their information, like this:
“John Smith”
“Smith, John”
“555 444-1234″
“(555) 444-1234″

This tells Google that you want to find this text exactly as you typed it. Look for older forum posts, business websites, comments in blogs, etc.

What did you find reveal?

Another site where people frequently have their information stored is
Amazon.com. Go over to Amazon People Search and do a search on their name and email address.

If you find their profile, check out their wish list. What is the date on the oldest item on it? What kind of items are on it? You can tell a lot from a person by what they like to read and purchase.

Next stop, eBay.com. Go to eBay Member Search and search for their email address(you will need to be a member of eBay to do this).

If you find their User ID on eBay, it will say right away how long they have been a member for and where they are located. Click on their User ID and check out the kinds of things they like to bid on.

Anything creepy?

Another great site to do a search is Zabasearch.com. You will want to place the full name in for your search. In order to get the most out of this site, it helps to know his birth year, city, and town.

Now, last but certainly not least, get in touch with the references your potential client provided. Jog their memory with the extra details you requested.

It’s one thing to ask, “Hey Sally, do you remember John Smith from Atlanta?”

And quite another to write, “Sally, do you remember John Smith from Atlanta that you met in April of last year at the Sundial restaurant? He said it was pouring rain when you left. I looked up information on him and he has a bunch of computer books on his Amazon wish-list so I am thinking he is an engineer of some sort. Thanks Sally.”

Once you hear back from both of the references you should have uncovered enough information about your potential client to make an informed decision on whether or not it is safe to see them. On top of that, you have also most likely gained some valuable insight into what your client is like as a person. This can really help you increase your connection with your client and help make them feel very special.

All of this will result in happier clients who speak highly of you and come back again and again.

Other optional information you can ask for is their occupation title and their work number. Feel out your screening process and if you feel more comfortable adding those two pieces of information, then do so.

There are quite a few other sites that can be of aide to screen and you can add them to your process at will:

Date Check: Very reputable and highly trusted. Free for entertainers, very low $5/month fee for gentlemen: http://www.date-check.com

Reverse Phone Directory: You can grab a lot of free information, such as location, and the type of phone. For a fee, you can even look up the registered name. http://www.reversephonedirectory.com

Fone Finder: Another phone number reference tool: http://www.fonefinder.net/

Yahoo! Profiles: If the gentleman has a yahoo email, you can look up his user profile: http://profiles.yahoo.com/[add the yahoo handle here]

Black Book Online: This one is a bit more complicated, but might be of service to you if you have a sneaky feeling about someone and you want to dig a little deeper. Make sure to follow the directions: http://www.blackbookonline.info

Email Tracker!
Would you like a great email tracking tool that sends you reports about if and when your messages have been opened and read, how long it was read for, and if it has been forwarded to someone else, and who? Also have the ability to see the city, state, and country the recipient is in, along with countless other features. It is free to try for first 25 emails, and the fee is very affordable after that: http://www.readnotify.com/readnotify/payment.asp

Preventative Medicines:
The first and most crucial step in developing a better, easier screening process is to start at the very beginning. Using preventative medicine in your ad text and on your site will prevent the vultures from ever circling.

How can you do that?

Well, for starters you can take your phone number offline. In order to go through the first stage of your screening process, you can first screen by email.

This way you can monitor his level of interest and seriousness before wasting your time on the phone.

It’s in your best interest to avoid responding to any incoming messages that contain the following:

- A photograph of his genitalia
- A request asking for more revealing photos of you
- A request to see your face (if your face is blurred/cropped)
- Vulgar language
- Emails written in txt speak (r u avail 4 booking?)
- Emails lacking a greeting or a closing
- One-liners (are you available today?)

Other time-waster tell-tale signs to look out for are:

- After the appointment is booked, needing to communicate at length further
- Asking questions that are clearly answered on your ad or site
- Repeatedly asking for “more details”

Upping the anti

Some ladies don’t want to stop there, and why should they? Screening takes up your valuable time. Any steps you can take to prevent it from eating away any more minutes out of your day are steps well taken.

I have two more considerations to introduce you to. The first is the pre-screening contact form with required fields. Below is an example from one of my client’s sites.

The great thing about having a contact form on your site is it totally alleviates those creepy one-line vulgar messages from being sent to your inbox. With a pre-screening contact form you are in control of what information the client sends you. This helps him to not forget to send his full name, or telephone.

Along with this form, you can give an explicit guarantee of privacy with SSL.

The second consideration is charging all of your new potentials a one time “new client” fee. How much do you think your time is worth to go through the necessary trouble of screening? $25….$75? When you charge the new potential for the screening, you are weeding out all of those guys who aren’t serious about booking. You also send a message that your time is extremely valuable. No freebies.

It’s good for you, because you don’t waste time screening someone who ends up not booking. At the very least you get compensated for the time it took you to go through the trouble of your detective work.

This concept has tremendous potential. Imagine a new potential client paying you $50 for the screening process, but you language as “One time fee for lifetime membership to your site/newsletter/club” and countless free offers can be attached to it.

“When you fill out my contact form and pay your one time lifetime membership fee, you will instantly have access to free wallpapers for your cell phone. You will also receive a personal response from me within 2 business days.”

It’s up to you how you want to handle your screening beyond the basics. Get creative and try to have fun doing it! Don’t cut corners, just screen smarter.

This is updated periodically with suggestions sent in by you, the reader. Have a suggestion for a fellow entertainer? Please write to me now and give me your feedback, so I can include it in the newest edition.

Take care and be safe.
Erin

myHoneysuckle

25 Responses to “Avoiding Time-Wasters Through Easier Screening”

Michelle on October 17th, 2008

I like using this http://www.freeality.com/finde.htm

and this http://www.ip2location.com/free.asp for ip lookups. You have to turn on ip tracking for that, though and it does not always work, but it does most of the time!!!
m on October 18th, 2008

Just because a guy has no info on google, doesn’t make him a bad guy. Charging to screen potential clients is a recipe for disaster. There is nothing wrong in going into lengthy conversation with a guy that is okay. If you claim to be upscale, then you should have no problem. A guy will likely cancel an appt, if he feels you are not what you claim you are.
karen on October 18th, 2008

um maybe all that would work in usa, but not here in the uk….it seems half the population here is escorting and i really dont see that working at all! tho appreciate your list, that def rings true…:)
myhoneysuckle on October 18th, 2008

M & Karen,

I think you are both referring to the deposit I speak of. It’s a common reaction I get when I suggest it to ladies who have never tried using it before.

If you 100% satisfied with the techniques you are currently using, then I urge you to continue using them.

It’s much more important to me that you are using what works and enjoying yourself, than trying out new things, feeling uncomfortable, and it coming across in your service.

Again, as always, test and track any new technique you try out. I can only tell you what’s worked for me and my clients. I cannot tell you what works for you… I depend on you to tell me that
Untouchable Lady on October 19th, 2008

THANKS A LOT ERIN I WILL PUT THESE TIPS TO GOOD USE..
dae on December 1st, 2008

i would like to leave a newbie’s male viewpoint to this, but it would be extremely long. this is definitely good advice, but the client may feel vunerable without any way of verifing the potential for bait-and-switch, rif-offs, muggings, robbery, entrapment, and possible arrest. the women in the biz know who they are they know they are just screening for their own safety. but you need to understand the male’s reluctance. the male has to put his whole trust, reputation, public persona, personal property, physical altercation, and possible arrest in the hands of a provider because she says “i need this info for both our safety.” a man just can’t walk in and ask: are you going to rob me, steal my keys and my car, arrest me for propositioning? you need to realize that crooks and cops are the same, they both lie to get want they want.
myhoneysuckle on December 3rd, 2008

Dae – Thanks for your input.

- Erin
robert pearson on December 30th, 2008

Do you have any tips or information on how to contact escorts , if you are in the business of driving, private chauffeured, body guard, i wanting to my business to escorts, do you have any suggestion , thank you
myhoneysuckle on December 31st, 2008

Robert –

Write to me personally:
support@myhoneysuckle.com

I want to know what city/area you service, and how much testimonials/feedback you have from entertainers who have used your service.

I can help connect you to ladies who would love a valid service such as yours.

- Erin
myhoneysuckle on December 31st, 2008

Dae — I have thought a lot about your comment and I wanted to say one more thing.

I totally understand and I feel compassion for what it is like to be on the other side of the table.

However, I publish my materials in hopes to only attract the most elite type of entertainer (or aspiring entertainer) to view and use my materials.

The ladies that write to me and comment on my blog, are of excellent integrity… not the type that are trying to do the bait-and-switch shit that cause the problems you speak of.

I know how vulnerable you can feel, and I just want to ease your mind that I wouldn’t be publishing the things I do if I thought “bad mamma-jammas” were using it to cause havoc.

The ladies that frequent these parts are generally nice gals…
- Erin
Karlan on January 28th, 2009

Hello there ; I like the info you have given and I will definitely be using this ; especially since , I am a newbie starting off as an Independant. Thanks alot for the info.
Classy Cissy on April 2nd, 2009

Erin, The information you have offered is invaluable to me. I appreciate your kindess of sharing. I already use most of what you have suggested, yet, my list just became knowledge about the sites you listed that I was unaware of.

The screening process does take time and effort to make the date run smooth and having repeat clients is invaluable to me.

I love the way you added, it is all in the way of the wording. That is so important to make the client feel at ease and comfortable and that you are also doing it for his safety.

Thanks so much for sharing……
Cissy
Riley on May 17th, 2009

I really like Preferred411.com They screen both entertainers and clients. If you are an entertainer, they screen you to see if you are “real”, they check your past records, and if you are a clients, they screen them, and the men have to pay a fee to be a member.

the are given an idea # and you can input that on their site and find out who they seen and when, and what he likes.

It works for me.
Claire St Jaimz on July 14th, 2009

Erin,

Thank you so much for your information and I am definitely going to use each piece of it to the fullest extent that I can.. I too screen very carefully who I will spend time with and sometimes it does come up where the gent may not be a bad guy just if I couldnt find anything that connected him to what I could find I wouldnt see him.

I do, however, ask the information about the provider they last saw describe to me what the session was like her in or out call how she would remember you and so forth.. The ones that are serious about booking have no problem giving that information the ones that are the time wasters dont even reply back with a response or say they dont remember.. I always initially have a potential guest respond to me via email, I never have them respond to me by phone. I figure if you really want to spend time with me you will go the route to get in touch.

Thanks again for this it is very helpful!

Claire
Aubrey Deva on July 16th, 2009

Thanks so much for sharing this important information. Information like this sometimes seems so hard to get in this industry and is so crucial for safety. Bless you!
Djenna on August 7th, 2009

Thank-you for that information. Especially helpful for me were the links to WWW resources such as

http://www.readnotify.com/readnotify/payment.asp
and

http://www.reversephonedirectory.com/

I actually used the latter just the other day to see what name the potential clients cell phone was listed under and what kind of other info I could come up with. One of the statistics you can access for a nominal fee is the approximate value of their home- a potentially useful find! It turned out to be a very successful 6 hour encounter with an extremely nice gentleman. I was leery because he said he lived in Dublin, CA and I have heard of several sting operations happening in that neck of the woods. Screening is a must for me. However, as an aside, I do find that corresponding back and forth several times by email gives me a very good indication of a persons character as well as their intentions. It takes more time but for me it pays off.
Barry on August 29th, 2009

As a guy, I have to say that it amazes me that men feel comfortable with this screening scenario. And as you say, since you inhabit the rarerified upscale stratosphere, I can only imagine the uncomfortability would increase tenfold. Giving out such almost detailed personal information leaves one utterly vulnerable to some frightening possibilities.

Basically it’s a ‘trust me, it will be ok’ operation.

He gives his name, addr, work, home and/or cell number, 2 references of people he’s broken the law with before and his email address.

Meanwhile he doesn’t even know your real name!!

Sounds to me like it’s almost as much work as the traditional bribe of dinner and date.
lia on October 6th, 2009

don’t think it’s a good idea that men can read this site. Should verify that only escort ladies are requesting to access this. It’s like giving an actor’s guide, now they know how to act to make us think they are ‘good guys’. Dangerous in the wrong hands.
RachaelBenedict on October 8th, 2009

Wow. Great ideas on the membership/pay to access as a screening tool! Better yet, you could probably get verified by ccbill or verotel to accept payments. Or have a separate domain that doesn’t explicitly state that you are an escort (I think ccbill restricts escort sites). This is easily set up behind a private /members/ directory, and the payment processors handle the rest (just giving the escort/owner first/last and location info- no cc numbers .
Paypal will freeze your account if they discover you’re using them for adult stuff, so if you use them, take your money out frequently!
valenciax on December 14th, 2009

I didn’t know that paypal freezes your account.. I have to find another methods
pamsky on April 23rd, 2010

Good article! If you’re a girl who doesn’t get many inquiries from guys then sure I’d stick with initially screening them myself. But a high volume (in terms of ad responses) girl like me needs a helping hand! I use Screening4Angels.com. They screen my emails and I love it! I don’t need to worry about timewasters (for the most part, at least), spammers, etc. If you are an escort, they screen your emails to see if your inquiries are serious about booking with you. Saves me a lot of time, and the price for the service is not bad, so it works for me.
April on September 17th, 2010

I agree with Lia. If this information got in the wrong hands of bad clients, they can use it to take advantage of us. That’s why I like to stick with traveling business men. I can’t speak for other ladies, but working conventions has really worked out for me. I’ve had so much success meeting “normal” men that I often don’t screen these conventioneers. I find events all over the place.. local chamber of commerce, convention websites, menintransit.com, visitors bureau for the city I’m in. Not all ladies like to be seen as “convention hound dogs”, but these events really bring in the dough for me – and great clients too! less screening, more booking! Thanks for the great article!
lollipop on September 29th, 2010

hi erin
THANK YOU ever so much for all your valuble info!
Imjust starting out, as an independant escort, so im really reilant on info, as have no experience, as yet. I think what you do is great and im glad im came across you whilst doing research! So ANY & every bit of info ic cruital to me.
julia rabolli on January 11th, 2011

thk you for helping with screening.It gives us a piece of mind.
MollyRavish on March 2nd, 2011

hi…i was on the front page of the daily news because of a facebook ad…i didnt get caught or have any real problems so far but i have hundreds of emails and such and i was wondering your advice on ow to handle the sudden popularity…if you could email me so we could dicuss it…(if you google molly ravish you will see what i mean about the article)