Staying safe when working as an Escort

So just how do you keep yourself safe when working as an independent escort? There is no sure fire way to avoid trouble but you can certainly minimise your risks considerably by taking a few sensible precautions. If you work for a good escort agency the vetting will be done for you, but if you are planning on working as an independent escort you will need to carry out your own checks. Here are some tips.

First and foremost do not answer calls from witheld numbers (ever), do not deal with new clients via SMS or accept bookings via email. You need to speak to people to get a real feel for them. State clearly on your website that clients need to call you from their landline telephone number to make an outcall booking to their home.

Always take the client's full name. Use an electoral role and phonebook website to look them up. If they are showing on electoral role and the landline checks out then great, you have verified that they have called from the address they are asking you to visit.

A lot of people opt out of the edited electoral role and have ex-directory telephone numbers - this makes your life difficult. In this situation it is always worth Googling numbers they have called you from (landline and/or mobile) to see what comes up - every now and then you get a hit that helps you verify the client's identity. Make sure you Google the different common combinations of a number, for example: 01273000000, 01273 000000 and 01273 000 000.

Still no luck? If next door neighbour's details are showing up on the electoral role then ask the client to confirm their names. Even better, ask them to scan in a utility bill and email it to you. Serious clients won't have a problem with this.

If all else fails you can rely on your intuition, but this takes time to build up. How did the client sound on the phone? Was he going into excessive detail about outfits, services or any other tell tale signs of a time waster? Did he initially ask for 1 hour booking and then accept without question that the minimum booking time for his area is 3 hours? Has he asked for an overnight, money no object blah blah blah. Musical names such as Steve Smith should ring bells too - often they are fake! Be cautious, especially when new.

Don't entertain bookings in student halls of residence, offices, army barracks or anywhere where you can not vertify your client's identity. And don't necessarily believe a client who tells you he has no landline telephone number - if he is browsing your website, there is a good chance he has a landline!

Keep an eye on the various punting forums out there - escorts often report timewasters they have encountered. It's a valuable resource so make sure you do this same.

Much easier! Again, take all bookings via the phone and explain to your clients that they must book a hotel with a telephone in the room if they want you to visit. For example, Travelodge hotels and some Premier Inns do not have this facility.

When your client makes an advance booking take his full name and hotel booking reference number. Call the hotel and politiely ask them to confirm that Mr So and So is reserved for such a date. You are very unlikely to be asked why you are calling, but if you are, tell them you are his PA/wife and you would just like to check he has made arrangements correctly. No reservation = no booking with you.

When it comes time to visit, you should always call the client in his room before you set off from home. If you have a one hour journey to the hotel then your client needs to be checked in at least an hour before the booking start time. Don't negotiate on this.

So what happens if your client is in a hotel room without a phone? Don't be tempted to go without verifying he is there first. Ring reception and explain you have an urgent message for Mr So and So in Room X. Ask them to pass the message on. Ten minutes later ask the client to relay the exact message to you.

It is important that someone knows where you are during your bookings. If you work for a good escort agency then they will have this covered, but if you work as an independent escort you will need to put your own procedures in place. Either a very trusted friend or maybe even another escort. You should check in and out of your bookings promptly so that your 'escort buddy' knows you are safe.

We are not keen on incalls so really all this section is going to tell you is to be cautious offering them. Whenever we hear about an escort getting mistreated (understatement in some cases), beaten, robbed, harassed by an 'address collector' it seems to be related to an incall booking. Often clients visit on a near enough anonymous basis - they call, you give them a road to drive to, they call again, you look out your window and see if they look normal and then give them the house/flat name. They come in and you hope for the best. The best advice is to NEVER work alone or to offer incalls to regular clients only.

You should only ever accept payment in cash - Pounds Sterling. Do not accept foreign currency that you are not used to handling. Never be tempted into accepting a cheque, even from a regular customer. Once their sexual urge has been satisfied, that cheque will get cancelled.

Cash should be handed to you at the start of a booking and if you don't get it in the first 10 minutes, ask for it! Count the cash and if you are at all suspicious run a fraud detector pen (always carry one with you) over a few notes. Some client won't like you counting the cash in front of them as they feel it spoils the illusion etc. These are also the client that are most likely to short change you or hand you fake notes so stick to your guns.

Put your money somewhere safe in your bag and keep your bag in view at all times. If you go to the loo, the bag goes too!

Always trust your instincts when working as an escort. If you walk into a house or hotel room and something isn't right then make your excuses (say you left your condoms in the car) and leave. If the client is drunk and obnoxious then leave. A pain when you have driven all that way but it's not worth the risk. Most guys you meet in this line of work (assuming you market yourself correctly) will treat you like a princess and will make a real effort for your date. Unfortunately though the odd tosser or two will always slip through the net, no matter how hard you try.

Don't put yourself in any silly situations. For example, don't ever accept a booking with two men and don't allow yourself to bound or tied in any way. It's best to stay sober during bookings so you can keep your wits about you should something go wrong.

It is very important that you get yourself checked on a regular basis. Register under a fake name with the GUM clinic and make sure you tell them you are an escort. Go for regular checkups (every couple of months) and if you are offering oral without a condom make sure you ask for throat swabs. If you are offering anal sex make sure this area is swabbed too.

Before you start working as an escort you will need to ask for a Hepatitis B vaccination. This is something given to people who come into contact with bodily fluids as part of their work.

During the booking give your client a good (discreet) once over before fun begins. If you see anything out of the ordinary then don't take the risk. Though condoms can protect against a lot of diseases, they are not effective against genital warts, herpes etc that can spread all over the groin and beyond.

Keep your real name to yourself and be vague with clients about where you live and work. Don't carry a purse full of photo ID with you. Just take a small purse with loose change and maybe a note in case of emergency. Ensure your mobile needs a PIN code entered before you can access any numbers etc. Again, keep your bag with you at all times.

Do not allow your client to film or take pictures during your meeting and ignore any promises that the footage is for for personal use only. Keep your eyes peeled for hidden cameras - it does happen! Is the client repeatedly trying to position you in a certain way etc?

Always blur or crop your face on your escort photos, you have a normal life outside this work and you DO NOT need to show your face to work successfully.

Now it's time to think about escort photographers and escort webdesign.