SW5 - Message board: "Safety tip #2"

SW5 > Message board > Safety tip #2

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Fri, 27 May 05

Safety tip #2

Always remember the first words of the Bible (according to the play Shopping and Fucking, anyway)
Get The Money First!
We know that some people don't do this.
Some male escorts in particular leave the money until afterwards in the hope of getting paid more than was agreed. Others don't like sorting out the money at the start, because they think it affects the "boy/girlfriend experience" they offer.
But it's risky.
The main reason for this is that the client can turn around at the end and say they're not paying.
In the UK, criminal law (the state dealing with people who are accused of commiting crimes) is largely separate from civil law (dealing with disputes between people).
Civil law
Unfortunately for escorts, contracts based on sex (e.g. "I'll have sex with you if you pay me!") will not be enforced by English courts.
One example is of a man who sold a car to a woman for a combination of money and having sex with her so many times. She then decided she didn't want to have sex with him that often, and he sued for return of the car. The courts said "tough" and she kept the car.
So it's no use suing a client who's refusing to pay you.
(Until the Gambling Act 2005, they wouldn't enforce gambling debts either, so until this year if someone refused to pay up on a bet, the courts would have said that it's a matter of honour and had nothing to do with it.)
The good news, if you've been given a cheque that's bounced or been stopped by the client, is that the courts will enforce that - it doesn't matter that the cheque was written as part of a sexual arrangement, by giving you a cheque they are acknowledging that they do owe you money.
Criminal Law
There is an offence of Obtaining Services By Deception (section one of the Theft Act 1978):
1) A person who by any deception dishonestly obtains services from another shall be guilty of an offence
2) It is an obtaining of services where the other is induced to confer a benefit by doing some act or causing or permitting some act to be done, on the understanding that the benefit has been or will be paid for.
The punishment for doing so is up to five years in prison.
The deal needn't be one that the civil courts would enforce, e.g. if you have sex with someone only because they promised to pay you and they don't, they can be found guilty of this offence.
If this has happened to you, let us know. We're currently helping several escorts who have had this done to them by the same client.
Although it's necessary that money is involved, the actual deception need not be about the payment. So it is possible that a client who lies about using a condom could also be guilty if you only have sex with him on that basis.

But let's say it again: your life will be easier if you always remember
Get The Money First!
Make sure you know where the money is during the service. Wallets and bags with velcro fastenings are good for this: they make a loud tearing sound when opened, so it's difficult for anyone to open them without you noticing.
Don't keep it with any other money you have with you. It's a good idea not to have anything with you wouldn't be prepared to lose if you had to leave in a hurry anyway.

Replies: 348 comments

I have come across this site quite by accident. I am a gay man but not a "worker" but I am very glad to see that someone has taken the initiative to give good sensible advice to those who work in a potentially dangerous area.
Good luck everyone.

Posted by Sabre on 15 Aug 05

i have paid a registration fee of 200 pounds this week to an escort agency and have just come accross this web site. i am feeling slighly dubious now as to *will i get a phone call with work, as promised*. i will send a comment in if this turns out to be the case, with all details of agency.

Posted by anna on 02 Nov 05

Paying agencies - don't
Let me guess - only-by-invitation?
There are two sorts of 'agencies'. Ones which make their money from finding you work and ones which make their money from getting gullible escorts to pay them.
No real agency should ever charge you money. They take some of the money the client pays (75% for you, 25% for them is considered an acceptable split) in exchange for actively finding you clients.
In most cases, the latter are really advertising sites: you pay them money for them to advertise your services. They don't do any real advertising to find you clients themselves, don't arrange bookings, don't check clients out etc etc.
There's nothing particularly wrong with being an advertising site, charging escorts to advertise on it, if the rates are reasonable and you get work as a result.
However what the scam sites tend to do is to a) charge too much and b) make it too difficult for anyone to see your ad.
Several, including onlybyinvitation or Network Escorts actually expect potential clients to pay them before they will give them the details that you are paying them to advertise! How many clients are going to do that?
For some better ideas as to where to advertise, have a look at www.saafe.co.uk and, when it is back online, ask on www.escortwatch.org
Think 'how would I find an escort like me if I were looking?' and consider the places you look. Contact some of the people advertising there and see if they find it worthwhile.

Posted by SW5 on 03 Nov 05

Right Girls! oh n Guys for that matter!
Hold your breath........I and another escort have just got stung by Unique Escorts (also known as naughtybutnice) 077674812**
In short agreed a fee turned up no answer on phone so we left. Agency rang back later apologising booking back on. Turned back up at hotel and proceeded to "party" for 4 hours. After this time the clients got very abusive (physically and verbally) and for our own safety we left.
Upon contacting the agency they are refusing to pay us as we didnt complete the overnight booking!!!!
I am currently receiving legal advice on this matter and will keep you all up to date with this.
So the warning was true and i only wish i had read these forums earlier.
Keep away girls.
Sue x

Posted by Sue on 07 Nov 05

I recently signed up to network escorts after seeing their ad on a google search, how very clever they are at scamming people. Now their policy is...they dont charge you a penny until you start to recieve bookings, now, im new to this so i fell for it. As soon as i registered they said i had a booking, which happened to be at least one month away, meaning they could guarentee to get some money out of me, anyway, i turned up to the booking, done everthing that was asked, and no show. I waited for an hour, felt like an idiot, and also felt very angry bout the lack of details etc i was given (again, it was the 1st time ive done this so didnt know how it worked really).
Im almost 100% certain that there was no client or booking, it was just a scam so they could get my money, and to make matters worse, i pnoned them up to report this and heard nothing for a week, so i rang again, the staff are both VERY RUDE, UN CARING and USELESS!, as soon as i questioned their approach they get funny as if im the one who's screwed them out of money.
As it stands now, they told me to write a letter to them to make a claim for my refund, but im not holding my breath, i doubt they'll even open it. All i can say to people thinking bout doing this is... **DONT BOTHER, NETWORK ESCORTS ARE A CON, THEY MAKE UP BOOKINGS AND WASTE YOUR TIME, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND DONT FALL FOR THEIR RUBBISH THAT THEY FEED YOU ON THE PHONE EITHER, SAME PROBABLY GOES FOR 99% OF MALE ESCORT AGENCIES.

Posted by paul on 01 Dec 05

Network Escorts
Yep. We wonder if it was our comments that have led them to withdraw some of their more outrageous claims. It also looks like they've stopped charging people wanting to make a booking... but they've increased how much they charge the poor men who have signed up for their 'service'.
But still if you put 'male escorts' (or even 'network escorts') into Google, their own site doesn't appear in the first page of listings. This is one of the reasons they pay to have a sponsored listing (i.e. an ad) at the top of the page.
You may be interested to know that it costs them money every time someone clicks on those ads...

Posted by SW5 on 02 Dec 05

yep, i think network escort are scam, am glad i never paid them any money when i regestered with them as they asked me to pay 250pounds to find me work.At the moment am a happy girl working with another agency in essex which i do get paid well and i cant complain about them at all.i only pay them when i get a booking and they do also offer a driver to take you round and look after you.
Don't waste your time and money with network agencies

Posted by amber on 21 Dec 05

Network Escorts
As you might expect, we've had quite a few emails about them.
While we go 'argh' at hearing about people being ripped-off, our hearts have a little beat of happiness every time someone tells us how they're not going to give them any money... so thank you.

Posted by SW5 on 23 Dec 05

ehm, sound so good to be true:
thanks for your response,i would be payig you 1000pounds for the two nights then,i would also want you to know that we would be staying in an hotel when i arrive in london if that is o.k by you,and we would be attendin a cocktails party of a senate arrangment,and the next day would be an official reception,so i would be glad if this two outing are o.k by you.
i would also send you my picture after you repy this email,so you know what i look like, would also want you to kow that i would have to make the payment to you by sending you a london cashier cheque which would be delievered to you next week.
so right now all i need is your details so that the payment would not be delayed in anyway,cos i really want you as my escort on those days,if you agree to this you might be my only escort whenever i come to london for events cos i come often.
i need your details in this format
1)name
2)address
3)phone number
thanks and hope to read from you soon
gloss
-----------------------------
i suggested her to pay me via paypal... let's see what happens next...

Posted by tommy on 06 Jan 06

Too good to be true
Yes, it does sound that way.
My guess is that you'll be asked to pay something to another account, possibly via a payment service like Western Union. Once that's done, you'll discover that the cheque is no good.
Anyone using Paypal to receive sex work related payments should be aware that they can 'fine' you £350 and close your account if they find out about it - see their terms and conditions. There are alternative payment services who are not so prudish.

Posted by SW5 on 09 Jan 06

Why can't you all just get a proper job.When I was a student doctor I scrubbed floors,worked as a barmaid and a waitress.I know they don't pay well.But at least it's honest work.
I rember having to patch up numerous "Escort Workers" in A&E would had been assaulted by "punters" as it was so delicately put.
My advice is get a proper job.

Posted by Charlie on 19 Jan 06

Proper job!
We think sex work is, or can be, a 'proper job'.
It's certainly not for everyone - see our Is Sex Work For You? leaflet - but it is a valid choice for some which should be respected and it's one we're happy to support people with.
(Of course, if they want to stop, we're happy to support them doing that too.)
We also don't see what is inherently 'dishonest' about what is legal work. Did you ever smile at customers when working as a barmaid or a waitress, despite internally wishing your shift was over?
Thank you for your work in A&E.
Violence against sex workers is of course illegal and taken more seriously by police than ever before, but there are still people who think it is acceptable.
In some cases, the attackers don't think it is a 'proper job' and take their frustrations and anger out through violence.
However, the better the working conditions, and the more support is available, the safer it is.
A bit like the way improving the hours and conditions for trainee and junior doctors makes everyone's life better: the doctors, other staff, and patients really.

Posted by SW5 on 19 Jan 06

What I ment by honest work was that many "Escorts" are also claiming benefits etc or not declaring their "Escort Wages" to the tax man.
Of course I used to smile constantly while working as a waitress and barmaid.As if you were polite you received better tips.
I worked in Thailand for a while I was mortified that poor parents sold their children into the sex trade at 8 years old.
I worked with a project that looked after abandond babies of H.I.V.mothers.They were nearly all sex trade workers who could not look after their children.So they were dumped on the door step of the project.I did what I could for the children,but knew I could not save them.
And as for safety,if the sex trade was regulated like Holland.Where everything is regulated and above board and the workers pay tax on their earnings.It would be safer for all concerned.

Posted by Charlie on 21 Jan 06

Glad I did a Google on Network Escort Scam and found you. I signed up on their website and they posted stuff through to me asking for a standing order of £47.50 per month. Dubious looking photocopied standing order form and repeat promise of shortage of escorts in my area (thought I'd seen all this before in another profession!).
Bonus is I have stamped envelope. Just label over their address and put on anything I like (23 pence up I'd say).

Posted by Steve G on 23 Jan 06

Proper job 2
Hmm, how many restaurant and bar staff declare their full earnings?
To be serious, anyone advertising as a sex worker and not telling the taxman about their earnings is taking a huge risk. We strongly advise against it.
It depends on what you mean by regulation. Trying to get workers to register is futile at best and actively harmful at worst, for example.
Have a look at the response of the UK Network of Sex Work Projects to the 'Paying the Price' consultation for more. It's at www.uknswp.org

Posted by SW5 on 26 Jan 06

I have been trying toget into male escorting for a while but after seeing the companys who 'Charge' for signing up,
i have signed up with 1 agency that i have paid £50 for ''signing up'
i would like to know are there any agencys out there that are not out there 2 rip any one off!!
if so please let me kno!

Posted by Danthetan on 29 Jan 06

Re Proper Job 2
What I ment by "Regulation" In Holland all sex workers are registered the places they work in are registered.All the workers go for regular tests.(I had a 13 year old with Syphilis on my unit last week her mother that it was a water infection.)
When a place is registered you don't get bully boys from the Vice Squad taking a back hander.
I am not knocking what you do for a living,what ever makes you happy.
I just want you all to be safe and healthy.

Posted by Charlie on 31 Jan 06

Network escort is a total scam, i also paid the £47 to join and got a booking in a month, that was a few weeks ago and the booking is ment to be next week, after readin this i aint goin to turn up to look daft so i will just cancel my standin order with them and cut my losses, im also in the process of joinin Cavendish Knights which i think is a better compay as they dont make money unless they find u work when come to think of it why the hell did i sign up to Network escort?? owell u live u learn as they say, all id say is dont what ever u do join Network escort!!!

Posted by Paul on 03 Feb 06

Cavendish Knights
Thanks to several reports, we think it is more than likely that CK are not worth bothering with either. They are less expensive, but for many men they do not seem to be able to generate the business in return for the money they do charge.

Posted by SW5 on 12 Feb 06

i get what you mean but Cavendish Knights do not charge you monthly so if they dont find you work they dont make any money

Posted by Paul on 13 Feb 06

Thank God I stumbled across this site!
Was so close to sending off the standing order mandate to Network Escorts. I found it strange that when i told them that i wanted to pay via debit card at the end of each month after work they said that id have to pay to months in advance paying this way!
Its lucky really becuase its this which made me look into this whole thing more and luckily came across SW5. So which agencies are liable to get you ligit work if any?!

Posted by Ben on 21 Feb 06

Cavendish Knights and Network Escorts
CK - yes, it is only one payment, but if you would like to send us the £17.50 instead, a) we would use the money to help maintain our services and b) you'll probably get exactly the same amount of work as a result, i.e. nil, but we hope you'll feel better.
NE - hooray!
See sw5.info/straightmen.htm

Posted by SW5 on 22 Feb 06

Signed up with Network Escorts, and they took the money out before even telling me i had a booking. I called and told them and they said i would have one in a couple of days. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but after hearing nothing i called them again...spoke again to a very rude woman (how they sleep at night i don't know!) and told them i wanted the money putting back into my account until i had a booking. I was told that they had no record of my standing order and that i should send them a bank statement to prove it. So, in reply i said that i'll just get my bank to cancel it...so i call my bank and they are on it and should have the money back in 3-5 days, hopefully! Also cancelled order with them. Scumbags!
I like the google adwords thing metioned earlier :) I'll be setting up a macro later and leaving it clicking back and forth as i go to work for 8 hours...wonder how many i can clock up!!!
My star sign is a scorpio...they had my date of birth so they should have known better than to make one of us mad....muahahaha!

Posted by Rich on 24 Feb 06

Network Escorts (again again!)
We don't advocate setting up such a system.
If you chose to do so anyway, you may find that cookies set by Google detect such 'clicks' as repeats and only charges Network Escorts once, or once per day or once per some other period of time.
Even if you delete such cookies each time, it's possible that multiple 'clicks' from the same IP address will be treated as one by Google.

Posted by SW5 on 05 Mar 06

Hi I am currently looking into becoming a female escort in Essex but am worried about getting ripped off. Can anyone tell me a good Escort agency to work for and where to look.

Posted by Georgina on 16 Mar 06

I have the same question as Georgina, I would like to begin my career as male escort and really don't know how. I found some customers on Gaydar, but it's not enought for survive :(

Posted by JB on 02 Apr 06

oh its all getting pear shaped for me here.. i hope my client will turn up!!

Posted by hellolondon on 10 Apr 06

Has anyone been approached by an agency called sunshine girls? They are a bogus agency that set me up last year, and I ended up being robbed in a hotel room. Martin Reeves, the officer at Slough Police that dealt with the situation refused to take it at all seriously. I had forgotten it when the same agency called me again the other day! Beware peeps, looks like the "sunshine Girls" scam is still up and running..

Posted by Sarah on 08 May 06

Sunshine Girls
We've responded to Sarah privately.
See our home page for other details about this 'agency'.

Posted by SW5 on 12 May 06

OOhpsie!!! got to rush off to my bank to stop that standing i set up with the network scammers,so many people *cannot be wrong*, jus feeling pretty dissmal about the whole escort thing,i jus think these people consider us as desparados, rather than *real people* who would take the time to offer our personal services to those who need it and are willing to pay for it,if they are treating escorts this way, how can any escort feel safe providing the services they do when the said agency does not even*care about the escorts themselves*

Posted by Mr. Comfy on 19 May 06

Hi, now after reading all of this about network escorts, and how i nearly got sucked in, i think it is about time they got a bit of flack themselves. i think a date should be set where anybody who has had a problem with this agency in the past should give them an abusive or just plain annoying phone call, and let it continue throughout the day. See how they like getting taken for a mug!!
here's the number, now how about getting rid of some of that pent-up frustration :)
0208 4928800
9Am-6pm Mon -Thurs
9am-5pm Friday
Revenge can be so sweet.
P.S great site!! glad to see someone has taken it upon themselves to expose these money sucking scamsters for what they really are.

Posted by jackass on 22 May 06

Same goes for REBECCA's NATIONWIDE MALE ESCORTS. Scam scam scam. Might I suggest that setting up your own internet site and directly marketing is the best way forward....

Posted by Julian on 23 May 06

STARNEST IS SCAM. I JOINED THE AGENCY SOME TIME AGO WAS GARENTEED WORK WITHIN 2 WEEKS . WE HAVE STOPPED THAT WENDY RECIEVING MONEY FROM MALAGA . THE POLICE HAVE BEEN INFORMED YOU LOT GET ALL YA MONEY BACK I DONT CARE WHAT IT COSTS THEY WILL GET STOPPED REAL SOON GUYS N GIRLS

Posted by helen on 24 May 06

starnest....ooops signed up with them already. looks like i got scammed. wish id done more research! they seemed like such nice people too, if a little hard to get hold of! live and learn eh, but that lesson was a bit expensive.

Posted by red on 01 Jun 06

Hi, I would like to ask if anyone has ever had dealings with an agency called Sol_Mates based in Malaga.. Good or bad its important. Many thanks Brad.

Posted by Brad on 16 Jun 06

Hi,
Yup I have been scammed too by Starnest!Within the same week of signing up I asked for a refund. They had not advertised me accurately and there was no photo. they have since ignored my mails. I will take them to small claims I think? They need stopping.

Posted by j on 16 Jun 06

Sol-Mates
They seem to be reasonably recent and look to be a con on several grounds but I don't know of anyone who's actually gone on their (not free) course.
I wouldn't give them anything.

Posted by Richard on 19 Jun 06

Here's yet another sucker who has been duped by Network Escort scammers. Has anyone managed to get a refund once their standing order had been set up? Also, are there any legitimate agencies out there that cater for straight males?

Posted by Tony on 20 Jun 06

Network Escorts
I take it you didn't get any real bookings, just no-shows to keep you paying up?
Morally, they stink, but I don't think they're doing anything legally wrong, so getting the money back would be difficult. (It's probably one of the reasons they don't accept credit cards or direct debits, which would be easier to get refunds on.)
They're also relying on people being too embarrassed to complain to anyone else.
How much was the standing order for? If it was for 47.50 UKP, then you could try complaining about being overcharged to your bank - the last time I looked, their terms and conditions still said 37.50 UKP.
The more people who come to sites like this and discover the truth about them, the better.

Posted by Richard on 20 Jun 06

Hi Richard
I only signed up with Network Escorts a couple of weeks ago in the naive belief that they would not start my standing order until I received bookings - as stated in their literature. However, money came out of my account before I got a booking.
Oh, I've since got a booking 'to be confirmed' on 29th June and also a confirmed booking on...4th August! A dark-haired lady in a hotel who'll be reading the Daily Mail.
I'm thinking of going down the County Court Small Claims route to get my money back on the basis that they took money without providing work.

Posted by Tony on 21 Jun 06

I have just cancelled my standing order with the Bank before Network will have a chance to setup. Thanks for the warnings of this site, you just saved me £47.50 !!!

Posted by Dave on 23 Jun 06

hello im thinking about going on the trip or seminar to spain for an agency called [SOL-MATES] has anybody got information on them please let me know, or if anyone knows any true male escort agencies please let me know. thanks.

Posted by barry on 04 Jul 06

Sol-Mates
Sol-Mates sets off all of our alarm bells as to being a con.
They're charging you money, over three hundred pounds, plus the cost of getting to Spain. Real agencies do not charge their staff, they make their money from finding their staff clients.
Like Network Escorts, this lot now charge men more than when we first noticed them. Why? Because they're not making any money from women!
There is nothing to indicate that they do, in fact, have any clients. Nothing comes up on Google for example, yet if they did have the stream of rich women they claim, you'd expect someone to have written something somewhere about it.
There is also nothing to indicate that there is any demand for British straight male escorts in Spain. A quick search reveals no hordes of women bemoaning the difficulty of finding male escorts. (If you were a woman on the Costa Del Sol and you wanted casual sex or a 'fling' with a British man, how difficult do you think it would be to find without paying?)
They've become even less visible to potential clients - the main www.easyrealityrecruiting.com front page gives no indication of this side to their 'business' and we can't get their ads to appear on Google any more, despite trying various keywords. (Perhaps they've run out of money.)
Once you've found them, their site doesn't exactly inspire confidence that the 'testamonial' (sic) were actually written by satisfied customers: most women executives can spell and use punctuation correctly!
It's not clear exactly which laws they want any contract to be under - it's not even clear which Eastern European country they are based in (both Hungary and Bulgaria are claimed in different places).
Finally, look at it from the perspective of a potential client: would you book an escort, sight unseen, for your Spanish holiday, at 850 Euro a day, with a company based somewhere in Eastern Europe? If so, we know people who want to sell this bridge...
Having said that, if you do decide to go through with it, do let us know what happens.
It's unlikely that it will be a similar experience to the film Hostel (though if you wanted to attract victims - ones who pay for the privilege too! - this would be one way to do it) but we think you'd have a far better time spending the money on a holiday in Spain rather than giving it to this bunch.
There are quite a few "true male escort agencies", but the overwhelming number of them are for male clients... because the overwhelming number of clients for male escorts are men. Anyone who tells you otherwise is after your money.
www.sw5.info/straightmen.htm
If you're based in or around London, one agency has just got a lot better with their Google Adwords advertising. (It's not Cavendish Knights or any of the other companies named in www.sw5.info/cons.htm)

Posted by SW5 on 05 Jul 06

I have recently investigated the legal position of consent to sex with a condom and how the law saw this inrelation to the consent being acheived by deception in relation to both sexual assult or a fradulant act that would be covered by the civil courts for obtaining by deception etc.
Unfortunatly as always the law is much slower to protect the individual than property or buisness.
The law sees consent as consent, unless the person is knowingly carrying a std and passes it on.
The deception law is not applicable as long as they pay.
My friend a Q.C searched hard , it clearly is rape and assult , but without a precedent it is a virtually insurmountable task to get any justice.
I do wonder though , does anyone know , if money isnt involved what is the situation with condoms that are removed or damaged with intent?

Posted by vic on 08 Jul 06

Removing condoms
It's not mentioned there, to avoid complicating the issue, but as well as promising to pay and failing to do so, the R v Linekar [1995] QB 251 case mentioned on the sw5.info/rape.htm page, also involved promising to use a condom and not doing so.
So the Court of Appeal didn't see it as rape then, but given that they've since seen fit to overturn 'Clarence' in relation to STIs, it's not impossible that they'd would do so now.
It'd be difficult though, because where do you draw the line? 'I only consented because they said they were infertile / weren't married / wouldn't come in my mouth / did love me.. and they weren't / were / did / didn't?'
I suspect they'd still say 'not rape' - especially if there were no physical consequences to not, in fact, using a condom properly. Even when there have been consequences (e.g. in the HIV cases) the charges have been in relation to that, not rape.
Feel free to email SW5 with more info about this.

Posted by SW5 on 09 Jul 06

STAR NEST
Oh no, im worried now as to what to expect, i signed up to Starnest escorts for males 5 days ago paying £270 up front, and now looking at the site i cant see away that they do advertise to people... so any suggestion to what i should do now or what action i should take?
Has anyone actually ever managed to get any where with an agency/advertising company. and if so who? and if not what did they do.

Posted by James on 10 Jul 06

Sol-Mates 2
We've now had a chance to see the email they send to prospective victims - the promises they make are completely unrealistic: earnings of a minimum of 600 Euro (about 400 pounds) per day, a minimum of twenty days a month, plus expenses and accomodation costs, plus any tips.
Sadly, this has about as much chance of coming true as Neville Chamberlain's 1938 declaration of "peace in our time" or Ally McLeod's guarantee that Scotland would reach the final of the 1978 World Cup. (Insert your favourite horribly wrong promise if necessary.)
For a start, if there were enough demand to make this possible, Sol-Mates wouldn't need to charge for their 'seminar'.
So if you do go there, our guess is that - at best - you'll be exploited ('trained') for a week before being rejected as not meeting their standards.

Posted by SW5 on 10 Jul 06

Starnest
Yep, they're awful.
How did you pay and where did you find them?
You've almost certainly lost the money, but if you complain to the publisher of the ads, they may find it harder to advertise in future.
There are good places to advertise - think of how you would find an escort - but remember that most of the clients for male escorts are men.

Posted by Richard on 10 Jul 06

I paid over the phone by card, they were advertising in the local paper you see.
do you think there could be some law they are breaking as over the phone they told me they could prob get me 5/6 clients a month... so would that be averbal contract?
any other advice, not happy that they are prob not going to be for real..

Posted by **RE: Star Nest** on 10 Jul 06

Starnest 2
Ah, if it was a credit card, complain to the issuer now.
You're in a weaker position if you used a debit card, but it still may be worthwhile complaining to the bank.
If you know in what part of the country they are - there doesn't seem to be any sort of address on the website, then also complain to the Trading Standards department of their local council.

Posted by Richard on 11 Jul 06

*NETWORK*
I'V JUST RETURNED FROM THE POST BOX WHERE I POSTED THE STANDING ORDER FORM BACK TO NETWORK. LITERALLY MINUTES LATER I CAME ACROSS THIS SITE. THINK I'LL BE GOING BACK TO INTERCEPT MR POSTMAN AND GET IT BACK.
CHEERS!

Posted by martin on 11 Jul 06

Network Escorts again again
If the postperson - not unreasonably - declines to give you something that's been posted (how would they know it was you that posted it?) don't forget that you can cancel standing orders at any time, even before they start, by contacting your bank.
This does remind me that SW5 could use some more money. Working with sex workers has always been harder to raise funds for than 'rescuing' them, hence the closure of SW5's cafe service.
If everyone who's been saved from sending money to scams like Network Escorts sent something to SW5 instead, they'd get the same amount of work from it - none! - but infinitely more satisfaction...

Posted by Richard on 12 Jul 06

STARNEST
Ok sounds good but what do i complain about?

Posted by James on 12 Jul 06

does ne1 no of any networks that dont scam and get u work also is it iligal 4 17 yr olds to sell thanx 4the site great help

Posted by jayjay on 12 Jul 06

STARNEST ESCORT AGENCY
I recently joined Starnest with a friend, and we were told we would be out working within 5 days. It is now 8 weeks later, and we have not had any work whatsoever!!The staff there are rude and patronising, and i would not reccommend this agency to anyone!!

Posted by Purple on 18 Jul 06

Under 18s
It's legal for under 18s to sell sex, but it's very possible that Social Services could become involved if it were discovered.
In addition, everyone else connected with the sex work is acting illegally: it is illegal for anyone to buy from someone they don't "reasonably believe" is at least 18, for example.
Similarly there are severe penalties for anyone "inciting", "controlling", or "facilitating" someone under 18 selling sex. Facilitation would probably, for example, include allowing them to advertise.
You don't have to be over 18 to be charged with these: a 17 year old 'helping' another 17 year old could be charged.
If you are under 18, no reasonable agency etc will want to be connected with you in any way - that leaves the ones you wouldn't want to go near at any age.

Posted by SW5 on 18 Jul 06

Starnest 3
The more research you do before handing over large quantities of money, the better.
Anyone who disagrees is invited to send all their used twenty pound notes to [deleted!]
As far as what to complain about - they promised you lots of work and they haven't (can't) deliver. Try pointing the card company here - there are lots of complaints about them.

Posted by Richard on 18 Jul 06

Starnest...... anyone who has joined.... sorry its a crock ov shit,i just don't understand how people can lie just to extort money from someone. well me and my mate are taking it all the way... small claims court, newspapers, were going to write a letter to every advertiser who has placed there deceiving and lying ad!!!

Posted by shorty on 23 Jul 06

can somebody please reccommend rather than slag a good agency that actually gets you work.
really wanting to start work soon
but dont want to get ripped off
thank you for your help

Posted by matt on 25 Jul 06

Does anyone want to join a group which is trying to get their money back from Starnest? We're going to take legal action, and the more people who join us, the more likely the small claims court will be able to get the money back for us.
michelle

Posted by michelle on 28 Jul 06

Cant believe ive only just found this site! Joined up to starnest on Thursday! Just read what everyone else has gone through with them so really worried now. I paid £320! If i dont get any work im definately going to join up with all you guys taking them to court.

Posted by james s on 28 Jul 06

By the way if anyone does know of any good agency's for me to contact i would really appreciate some advice. Feel free to e-mail me. Thanks everyone.

Posted by james s on 28 Jul 06

Phew ,glad i came across this site, got a letter back from network today, read it briefly this afternoon, I thought at the time the paperwork looks shabby and thrown together.
I think all us guys should wake up, no matter how good looking and gorgeous we all are, are women really going to pay us 65 quid an hour just for the pleasure of our company? I think not.
Good luck to everyone who have been ripped off, lets hope they get closed down soon.

Posted by Mark on 08 Aug 06

I am considering working for rebecca's nationwide escorts.Can anyone give their opinion of this agency before i part with any cash.

Posted by M Richards on 10 Aug 06

Rebecca's Nationwide Male Escorts
Well, there's a comment above calling them a 'SCAM SCAM SCAM' and, indeed, a quick look at their website suggests that this could well be the case: it wants prospective escorts to pay £20 (£35 if you wish to offer a massage service as well?!) plus £5 per month.
So, it falls into SW5's category of an advertising site rather than an agency, even though it tries to set fees for booking you.
Oh, yes, it also wants to invoice you for 10% of any of those fees you are paid by clients, but I think it's safe to say that doesn't happen very often.
Would you book an escort from them? You can't see anyone on the site, you can't see what services are on offer (one "Services offered by Male Escorts" link points to a file on a PC used by a "Gavin Marsden") and the "Contact us" page is devoted to recruiting new escorts.
The application form (which I recommend to anyone looking for a laugh) says they are "recruiting for a short period only" - yeah, right - and "unlike other agencies we also take bookings for you" - this is what escort agencies are supposed to do!
(There is a 'Money Back Guarantee' which promises your fee back if you're not offered a booking with 48 hours, but I'd be amazed if this is not got around by offering an unsuitable or otherwise fake booking.)
I'm delighted to see that this page is the top hit on Google for this 'agency'. If more people linked to it, we could see it top for some of the others, like Network, Starnest, Platinum etc.

Posted by Richard on 10 Aug 06

I have wasted money with agencies. I want to be a legit, non-sexual male escort. Is this something that makes economic sense? Are there customers other than men?
I am still waiting for Cavendish Knights!!!
Should I advertise independently?
Thanks for any advice.
R

Posted by Rick on 12 Aug 06

Cavendish Knights
What do you mean by "economic sense"? It's extremely unlikely you'll ever 'make a living' or have a regular, reliable income this way, for example.
Despite what's on siguk.co.uk (their website), there is not a large market for this and I suspect you'll wait for a very, very long time.
If just one woman a day made a booking, they'd have to charge VAT and provide a VAT registration number, and they don't.
With 1,500 claimed escorts now, that translates as an average of less than one client every four years. My conclusion? Their primary source of income is hopeful wannabe escorts.
There is one non-sexual agency in London that doesn't charge its staff anything, but its advertising is patchy, so I wonder how successful they are.
The alternatives are having your own domain (about £3 a year) or using the various personals sites (posting no more than once a week, and making it discreetly clear that you expect payment). The basic question you have to answer is "why should someone pay me for a date?"

Posted by Richard on 14 Aug 06

Thanks Richard. Desperate times makes you forget common sense. Appreciate the sanity check.

Posted by Rick on 15 Aug 06

This week's mail
We had an interesting anonymous letter earlier this week, regarding an 'agency' listed on our sw5.info/cons.htm page.
If the author would like to get in touch, we'd appreciate it.

Posted by SW5 on 17 Aug 06

Network Escorts again
I have just read all the coments on network escorts and belive i have been scammed into paying for 2 months and had 1 confirmed booking of which was on the 16th aug 2006.
go to hotel read daily mail, lady in 30's dark hair name of trisha reading daily mail also (no show)
Very annoyed with agency as when phoned to ask what there policy was they hung up, rang back and they said their sytems were down (how convienent) ring back tomorrow and we will sort it out for you.

Posted by kevin on 17 Aug 06

ive just rang "starnest" and was about to give them my bank details,but my friend n i thought we"D do sum research first,thank -god i did!!!
anyone want to set up a website with me???
n are they actually any "escort agencies" that dont offer sex,strictly business???

Posted by katie on 25 Aug 06

Network Escorts - I have only just found this site ... a few days too late unfortunately.
Network Escorts have just done exactly the same to me ... I feel so stupid!
Have cancelled my standing order (after the first 47.50 was stolen) .. is there any point in involving the police or issuing a claim?
Something needs to be done!

Posted by Dom on 29 Aug 06

Starnest and Network, again again
//Starnest// - Yay for not giving them anything. If only everyone did some research before handing over the money...
Despite what some of them claim (those 'time and companionship' disclaimers) the vast majority of escort agencies are sex-based and 99% of their bookings will result in some sexual contact... so much so that 'business' is often used as a euphemism for 'sex'.
You could look at modelling, but again remember to avoid any agency that wants to charge you anything.
//Network// - argh, more money for the unscrupulous.
I wonder if anyone has sued them. The registry for County Court Judgements (registry-trust.org.uk) wants £8 to search for any judgements.
Proving that the 'bookings' used to justify taking the payments are known to be no good would be difficult without a whistle-blower, so I wouldn't hold out much hope of getting action from the police.
But even today, the Terms and Conditions on their website say that their charges are £37.50 a month. They've taken more than that. Did the standing order mention an amount?
Where did you find out about them? If through an ad, complain to the publisher.

Posted by Richard on 29 Aug 06

Hi Richard
I may have something over Network ...
I received a letter dated the 23rd August with an ID card enclosed. Letter stated "All you need to do now is call us on the number above ....Once we receive this call you will be placed on the active register. This means we will now make you available to our clients."
This is in addition to the note in bold at the bottom of my first letter from them stating " Please note that your standing order will not be actioned until such time as you start to receive bookings. i.e. you will not part with any monies until you start to receive work"
At lunch today I get a statement from my bank - 47.50 debited by Network on the 21st August.
Very curious. So I call this afternoon to "activate" my listing on their books ...initially I am told to call back between 9-12 tomorrow. The girl then hangs up. Not happy with her attitude I call back.
When I ask why my account was debited on the 21st when I am only calling today (29th) to put me on the active register she hung up, again.
Not a happy chap.
So I call back and am told that I have a booking for the 5th October at a hotel in Sutton (the client is a lady with dark hair called Emma and will be reading a Daily Mail - "activities to be decided on the night"!!!!) and that's why my account has been debited. When I question the obvious discrepancy over the dates she gets very stroppy and rude. I realise something is seriously wrong and ask for my account to be cancelled and my money back. She says they do not give refunds and hangs up.
I phone the bank to cancel the standing order and the original (instated on the 18th) was "expired" and reinstated by Network for the 1st September!
So not only did they steal 47.50 on the 21st they were attempting to do it again on the 1st September.
I have contacted the police as this is (in my humble opinion) deception at the least and quite possibly fraud.
Whilst the money isn't a huge amount I am fuming (with myself for being so naieve) and will press charges if the Pplice think they have enough to go on.
I found them on Google - which leads to question if they are a company that is acting "fraudulently" can we petition Google to have them "struck off"...

Posted by Dom on 29 Aug 06

i have worked as a high class escort in the past, i need to earn good money again but do not wish to start escorting again, i am interested in starting up an escort agency for both men and women. Has anyone got any good ideas about how and where to start?

Posted by candy on 29 Aug 06

Hi Guys.. I am glad I found this site, but unfortunately I found it a little too late, I received all the usual crap from Network Escorts. I/D Card shortage in my area etc, I was only doing it for a bit of company and the money of course cos I was skint, lucky I was really, because the bank bounced the Direct Debit for £ 47.50 ..Still cost me £ 34.50 in charges though. And the alledged aledged lady on the phone, was compeletly ill mannered. " She said WE have found you a confirmed booking and provisional ".. So I said " what if they get cancelled " because the booking were about two months apart. " Then we will arrange a replacement as a priority "... " Yeah right I said, by which time you have taken TWO payments out of my account.
Cheeky bitch said " The letter clearly states, WE WILL NOT TAKE ANY MONIES OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT ..UNTIL we have made bookings for you..And we have MADE bookings for you "
Needless to say Direct Debit Cancelled, and will not be meeting the lady reading Dail Mail in reception lounge at 20.00 for 3 hours. CONFIRMED BOOKING..Guys its a COMPLETE SCAM, and a good one at that !!
Steve

Posted by Steve on 08 Sep 06

Network once more
They do love their Daily (Hate) Mail there, don't they?
You could consider showing this page, and the other sections on them on this site, to the bank and point out that it was a scam trying to take your money - and more money than they say in their terms and conditions.
(Incidentally, you can also challenge the level of the bank charges - they're only supposed to charge you the actual cost of your behaviour, see www.bankchargeshell.co.uk or www.bankcharges.info)

Posted by Richard on 08 Sep 06

Starting an agency
Well, it's good that you've had experience as an escort, because the basic question you have to be able to answer is "why should I work for you?"
In London, not counting the ones that have multiple names, there are at least a hundred agencies already - why should I or anyone else work for yours?
Are you going to find me more work (how?), better paid work (how?), keep me safer (how?) or...?
Once you have a good answer to that, and the financial resources to support the business through advertising etc in its start-up period, then you have a chance of success.
You also have to accept the risk of arrest - once you start making money by controlling someone else's prostitution - and that doesn't mean having sex slaves, just finding other people work counts - you're at risk of up to seven years in jail.

Posted by Richard on 08 Sep 06

Oh Boy! Thanx for this site. It seems you have just saved me a good few quid. Read a lot of what you had to say and I have just decided NOT to post off my details for Direct Debit to Network Escorts! The envelope is right here on my desk all set to be posted in the morning! ...Thank you so much... but I can't see the sites you do reccommend?

Posted by Micheal of Elephant & Castle on 09 Sep 06

just found this in time, nearly fooled by STARNEST, pay 270 to somewhere in spain, no way, they sound good on phone but after reading this i will not pay even 1p, this is a very convincing scam and i am looking into how to stop it, no one else seems to have been successful tho........

Posted by dan on 13 Sep 06

I agree with most people on this site, thank God 4 this site.
I have been looking round the net 4 ages on advice about these male escort agencies.
Cavendish knights, still 2 fill out the security check form, i wont bother.
Starnest, they asked for £270, i sed i,ll think about it, now i wont bother.
Network Escorts, i have applied on the net and waiting for form in post, but now i wont fill it in.
Platinum select, are waiting for my payment, but i wont send them one.
Now, reading through this site there is 1 agency that i havnt heard any complaints about, which i was about 2 hand over money 2day to the sum of £189-00 but now i think i,ll wait, they sed they had a booking for me without even seeing my picture. The agency is and site "www.guysforladies.com".
Another site i havnt heard complaints about is idealescorts.co.uk, i pay £9.95 a month and £20 admin fee for a searchable profile.
I would really appreciate any feedbak on these 2 agencys and i hope my info has helped people as well.
Many thanks for this site again and good luck 2 everyone trying this line of work.

Posted by Steve on 13 Sep 06

Cons
Steve, congratulations on not paying anything to that lot of pond life.
See www.sw5.info/cons.htm for more on those two - they're both just as bad. The section on Ideal is particularly good, showing the bits that they DON'T quote from the article they make so much fuss about.
And, if you haven't already seen it, see www.sw5.info/straightmen.htm

Posted by Richard on 14 Sep 06

Starnest
I'm sorry if this sounds cruel, but the fact that anyone can consider paying this bunch anything is proof of the comment, wrongly attributed to PT Barnum, that there's a sucker born every minute.
If there's a worse place to advertise than somewhere which gives no indication as to how a visitor can actually book one of the escorts it won't show you any details of, I'd like to see it.
I do notice that the 'login' now does indeed go to onlybyinvitation.com - another notorious scam site.

Posted by Richard on 14 Sep 06

thanks for the info richard.
Ive saved myself money and now my research as ended.
I will not bother with any of these lot.
I just hoped

Posted by steve on 14 Sep 06

hi all, i remember a while bk applying for Network Escorts, it was more for information realy as myself and a fried are setting up an Escort agency soon and were after knowing the ins and outs, lol it was a total waste of time as they ripped u off. this works better for us as for our agency we will not charge a joining fee there for people are not worred about being ripped off. if anyone would like information get in touch via e-mail. razor2099@msn.com. we are based in the merseyside area (north west) Paul

Posted by Paul on 28 Sep 06

was thinking of joining starnest but didnt have a credit card so was told to phone western union and pay £320 to Darren McGrath who i was told was a friend thankfully western union said for security reasons it wasnt possible to do this transaction to malaga spain now reading this i am glad i have saved money and embarassment

Posted by Ian on 28 Sep 06

Thank you, thank you! I am about to be made redundant and a colleague suggested the male escort thing, what a great idea. Take a lady out and get paid for it. Then I found your site. I hope many others find you before parting with their money. Keep up the good work.

Posted by Michael on 02 Oct 06

i joined platinum select, thank god a lot cheaper than some of the sites complained about on here. in the month i have been advertising for i have had one perspective client...and what a client....
he asked me question after question after question, all things answered on the profile, (the pathetic tiny space they call your profile!!) he wanted extra pics sent to him, dirty ones full body ones etc, he wanted it filmed etc, i said no way, well im not paying your fees for that, blah blah blah, then i said to him im sorry but basically i dont think u have any idea how to treat an escort, i think this must be your first time, and he turned round and said wait for it....
why dont u fuck off back to your dating agencies you fat piece of shit, obviously your not an escort but a silly little girl wanting to make some money.
well let me tell u, even though this twat was so far from the truth it was unreal, i still cried myself to sleep, hurt by the sort of people this agency allow to contact me. when i felt good enough to challenge the agency about this i was told like it or lump it basically. i asked to have my membership fee returned as all i had,was the one client who gave me abuse, in a month, and was told to basically fuck off,
also after more exploring the site i found that members had to pay 9.99 a week just to look at escorts, so the promise of 1000 extra part time a month was dwindling, you were allowed only somehting like 500 charatcers to write about yourself in your profile, and you cant speciafy the rates!! i was told AFTER i signed up that it was £50 per hour or nothing, i complained saying i charge( i advertsie privately as well) £80 an hour minimum, i wouldnt work for less, i was told by a very rude person, basically you only payed 9.99 it will hardly break the bank will it... stop moaning and get on with it.
well im off to cancel my membership now as i have found a good site to advertsie on and although still lookking for and agency (kent area if anyone interested) i will be content with the gentleman and ladies that contact me through there. thank god for site like this who put pay to all the scammers out there, if only more people could read it.

Posted by joanne on 03 Oct 06

This is a very informative site.
But what strikes me are the amount of men posting here exclaiming their appreciation for the site "saving them a small fortune" and then straight away asking "Which agencies are good then/ how do I get work etc etc etc?"
I wonder if these fine fellows appreciated being "saved" so much, then perhaps they'd donate to SW5.
I for one won't be asking for info until I've at least donated to the site.
Keep up the great work, SW5

Posted by Kiwibloke on 06 Oct 06

WELL, I AM CONSIDERING JONING STARNEST, LIKE SOMEONE SAID ABOVE THEY DO SOUND REALY GOOD ON THE PHONE, BUT DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY POSITIVES???

Posted by T on 08 Oct 06

I signed up with Network Escortsm got a booking over a month ahead etc etc I gave them a bank account I do not use or deposit money into happy that should it be a genuine service I can deposit enough to cover the Standing Order. My first booking is tonight, not confident but if I turn up and wait 30 minutes I can still make football training so nothing to lose.
Is there a decent agency? I scrub up ok and seem to be popular so am sure I could do well.

Posted by Malc on 09 Oct 06

The Usual Suspects
T: Of course Starnest sound good on the phone, they're after your money and will say anything in order to get their hands on it.
Just look at their website - what they want you to pay for. Can you book anyone through it? Could anyone book you? How? Can you find anyone saying they're a good thing, anywhere?
Malc: You risk ending up with bank charges. Do let us know if anyone shows up. Bet they don't...
There is one London agency I'm aware of that doesn't charge its straight men money. But if you can't find it, what chance do potential clients have?

Posted by Richard on 09 Oct 06

RegalEscorts.co.uk
Regal Escorts showed up while checking out the competition on Google. They pay there to have an ad which, as ever, costs them money if you click on it.
It makes a point of saying how it's free to have a profile, but pretty soon admits there's a monthly "admin fee" (and it looks like there used to be a "joining fee" of fifty quid too).
All together now, one, two, three: real agencies don't charge their escorts a penny!
The basic aim of the site - to extract money from gullible men - is shown by the way the first four of their five sample "successul escorts" are men, who are supposed to have had "loads of bookings" earning 150 quid an hour, and all of the "satisfied clients" are women. Get real.
Again, the 'Am I the right person to become an escort' question is answered by "The general age is between 18 and 65 years of age" and they're looking for "all types all types of men and women from all types of backgrounds, and from different parts of the country." Come on.
In fact the most honest bit on the site is the claim that "Looks and age are not important" - because it's your money they're after and they'll take anyone's.
The domain was registed in January 2006. Interestingly, the site is said to be "operated under licence from Touch Networks Limited". (The other such site is SingleMuslim.co.uk)
Touch Networks was registered as a company in June 2005 and has the same Wakefield address as the registrant of this domain, MB Trading House Limited, who was registered in June 2003... as a clothes retailer!
They presumably haven't been very successful at the rag trade (they've earnt so little, they haven't had to file company accounts) so are they trying their hand at less honourable ways of making money now?

Posted by Richard on 18 Oct 06

Thanks for the info guys. Rang Starnest this morning and they told me "we have one vacancy left in your area". Tried to charge me £270 and I told them I'd do some research first. Thanks to this site, my research is complete.

Posted by Ian on 23 Oct 06

Has anyone ever got refund from Starnest, if so how did they go about it?

Posted by Charlotte on 23 Oct 06

Thank you so much for this site. I am a lady who was thinking about becoming an escort and was about to part with £270 to Starnest. I have now stopped my card and hopefully - stopped payment. If there are agencies out there which are real and don't request payment 'up front' where the hell are they?

Posted by Rebel on 24 Oct 06

Just read all these comments about starnest and feel so stupid.I parted with £270 7 days ago and have had no bookings.When i phone them they tell me it can take up to five weeks to get a new escort bookings.Alarm bells started to ring as i realised i will probably never get one and they have taken my money.

Posted by Debbie on 24 Oct 06

Woo there is alot of bad news about these escort agencies...i was close to signing for rebeccas nationwide but im not going to now after reading its a scam,CAN anyone please give me a name of a male escorting company which has a good reputation!??

Posted by Matt on 25 Oct 06

Starnest mostly (again, again)
Ian: thank you for giving me a really good laugh -'one vacancy left', ho ho ho. I'm delighted you didn't give them an early Christmas present.
Charlotte - no-one's ever posted a success story here, alas. It looks like they're based in Spain which complicates things, and they also seem to avoid payment methods like credit cards which would enable you to get the money back from someone else.
Ah, just spotted that someone was asked for a card: if you paid by a credit (not debit) card, call your credit card company and ask for a 'chargeback' (refund). Point them here if necessary.
Rebel - there are loads of 'real' escort agencies, some better than others. Have a look at SW5's leaflet on working for an agency, look at www.saafe.co.uk and ask on the various "punting" message boards.
Despite what some of the agencies say in a feeble attempt to deny that they're controlling prostitution for gain, you know that the vast majority of bookings will be sexual, don't you?
Debbie - argh. If it's any comfort, you weren't the first and, sadly, you won't be the last. Where did you find out about them? Complain to wherever the ad was.
Matt - remember that nearly all of the people looking to hire a male escort are.. men. Several agencies exist in that market - where would you expect to find them? Look there.
If you're determined to try, there is one agency in London which doesn't charge its escorts anything. I've no idea how much work they get, but unlike the cons, the agency has a serious incentive: if they don't find their staff work, they don't get anything either.

Posted by Richard on 26 Oct 06

whooooooops just paid regal ecorts 29 pounds as to open my inbox and retreive my two messages i had to upgrade to goldmembership, i read and replied to both messages and nothing they havnt even been opened mi thinks ive been scammed. does anyone have info on a good site where you can advertise independantly its very hard to find on e in my experiance. ps ill let you know how i get on with regalescorts!!!

Posted by bianca on 29 Oct 06

Regal Escorts again
I was amazed to see 541 male escorts offered to anyone signing up to their 'book an escort' membership. I was amused that only forty two of them will see men. That leaves 499 very very optimistic men.
Twenty seven women seem to be members, only twenty three of whom will see men and just one who will see couples.
Is the star by some names the 'gold membership' I can't find any details of? Do they actually charge advertisers more to receive responses to their ad? £29? How does this match the FAQ promise that 'there are no other hidden charges'?
Don't forget that 'memberships' paid for by a card are renewable unless you give not less than 28 days' prior written notice to cancel.
See www.saafe.co.uk, particularly their 'where to advertise' page.

Posted by Richard on 30 Oct 06

wow... lots of stuff on here.
as far as a 'real job' comment goes... not all escorting requires sex, though i understand that i'm naive for believeing that. it is rape if consent was conditional and the conditions were violated by deception. a proper agency will not charge you (or me, if i decide to work this way) for putting your face out there because they should only make commission on work they get you.
any agency that attempts to control its escorts through debt or drug use is only inviting a violent response by those being controlled, or by their friends, and such a response is not only justified, it should be encouraged. hidden from the comparitively sunny world this site complains about there is a global trafficking in women and children to feed the sexual depravity and hunger for power of some of the most despicable people in the world. Interpol and other agencies attempt to quell this tide through the rule of law, and other religious and humanitarian agencies attempt to relieve the suffering of the innocent by buying their freedom as donations allow. I contend that both of these measures are ineffective. legal agencies are either confounded by the limitations of their own laws, or rife with corruption, while the seemingly noble concept of buying someone else's freedom only feeds more money into a system more disgusting than any sewer. The only possible answer I can see is to hunt down and kill the perpetrators as cheaply as possible, and use the cost savings from this to give the oppressed slaves some manner of fresh start either back where they came from or somewhere else.
ok, that's a bit of a rant. but the moral of the story is this... i don't mind stealing bread from the mouth of decadence... but i can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled...
don't remember what song that was from, but it sure was a good one.

Posted by Haven't read it all... but here's what i think on 31 Oct 06

Hi a freind of mine has just paid £270 membership to jion starnest she was also asked to send a fax saying that she is willing to let them take the money from her account even though hey have already taken out. Im i correctat guessing she has been conned by these people who advertised in the local paper.

Posted by master one on 01 Nov 06

Starnest once more
Yes, she's been conned. If she sent off the fax, make sure she cancels it with the bank immediately. If that means changing bank details, do it.
She should also complain to the local paper (which one?) about the ad - feel free to point them here for more details.

Posted by SW5 on 02 Nov 06

cheers mate

Posted by master one on 02 Nov 06

Haven't read it all, but..
'Not all escorting requires sex': Over 99% of clients of escorts expect sex. So, yes, but anyone hoping for a career as a non-sexual escort is being very optimistic.
Rape: Morally, I think you're right. Legally, with a couple of exceptions, consent is not conditional.
If you only want to have sex with a condom, for example, you need to check it's being used, so you can go 'stop!!' if it is not. (Sex workers are usually very good at checking, because they know some people lie to try to get the sex they want.)
Trafficking: While sex slavery is, sadly, a real problem, most 'migrant' sex workers know exactly what work they're going to do. You can earn more in London than in Latvia, for example.
The numbers are extremely difficult to measure. The figures for the UK are based on multiplying the known incidence by twenty. Too high or too low? No-one really knows, but six of those twenty are to 'account' for women coming to the UK to marry (!) and for people moving within the UK.
Whatever you call it, when migration is illegal, some not very nice people become involved and there can be an element of deception even in voluntary migration (e.g. the total cost can be higher than originally presented).
Plus if you are caught as an 'illegal' migrant, there is a strong incentive to say that you were trafficked - support can be conditional on co-operation. It also looks better when returning to the original country. In many places, if you are seen as having been a sex worker voluntarily, your family can reject you, even if everyone knew where the money you sent home came from before they spent it.

Posted by Richard on 02 Nov 06

I have joined up with Starnest 3 months ago and i have had 18 bookings already, looking at these messages,its outrageous. Just to let you all know it does depend on the clients, the clients select you it has nothing to do with starnest, they are lovely people and they have helped me loads. Obviously you are all as good people as half the other people who have, As i was say its the clients who pick you.

Posted by Teegan on 04 Nov 06

Starnest fights back
Shill off! *
It is indeed the clients who pick you, but how do people book someone unfortunate enough to have paid Starnest money?
Not through the incredibly awful website, that's for sure.
The ads I've seen concentrate on trying to get new escorts - everyone else has to guess that, if they call, they might (or might not) be offered someone.
Perhaps, like the scamsite OnlyByInvitation it's linked to, only other 'members' (i.e. fellow victims) can contact someone.
I suspect their mothers disowned them long ago, so the only people I can think of who would describe the bunch behind Starnest as 'lovely' would be their bank manager and the advertising departments of various places that should really know better. Or one of the gang themselves.
Which are you, I wonder?
(* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shill - an associate of a person selling goods or services who pretends no association to the seller and assumes the air of an enthusiastic customer.)

Posted by Richard on 06 Nov 06

Starnest still outrageous
Before you consider sending them any money, think: Google only knows of three relevant sites for 'starnest escorts' (the rest seem to be about space battles!). One's here and the second is a consumer site with a complaint about them:
"Names associated with them are Howard Dicosta / Jacqeline Webb from Multicorp.
Dozens of customers are being continually fucked by this company and when they ask for refunds they are given the run around. This company needs bringing to justice.
Advice from others would be most appreciated, as many of us are now joining forces with a view to taking this matter through the british court system. But how can they be stopped from trading and continually misleading their customers?"
It also gives an address: Multicorp sl Apdo De Correos, 193 San Pedro De Alcantara, Malaga 29670 Spain. I'd be interested to know who's there. Perhaps 'Teegan' - 'she' posted from Spain...
The third site is an old Escortwatch.org forum, where someone who wants to do non-sexual escorting asks if they're any good.. and gets told the truth.
Conclusion?
Starnest: so crap, it doesn't even appear on Google searches for 'starnest escorts'!
But we all know their domain address, so I had another look at starnest.biz in case something had changed, but no, it's still staggeringly bad.
Intro page summary: 'Starnest escorts are wonderful.' How do I book one? Dunno. Probably by becoming a member.
Membership page summary: 'Become an escort!' Nothing about booking one and they keep quiet about how much they want to charge.
Payment page summary: 'It'll cost you 300 GBP, possibly for 90 minutes, possibly for the "maximum" four hours, but an "overnight" is a minumum 1000 GBP.' Yes, I'm confused too.
Email: sets up an email to them.
Login: sends you to the same people's just as awful onlybyinvitation.com scam site.
I feel I now need to apologise... to my eyes for making them see that.

Posted by Richard on 06 Nov 06

I agree that Starnest are the biggest bunch of con-artists out there. I saw their ad and phoned out of interest - it sounded too good too be true. I currently work as an escort and honestly know what it is really about. Anyway this 'lady' called Katy kept on calling me once or twice a week - each time I put her off and told her that I was still thinking about it. About the 4th call I said that I didn't have my card on me but to get me a booking and that i'll call her on the monday. Surprise surprise lots of local men were interested in me. I asked how they would know about the agency when there were no adverts in the papers and she said that they were directly involved with companies and that some firms pay them direct for their employees - one for the tax man I think! Anyway, she said I was letting her down and that I had to part with the cash before going on a booking to ensure that 'I' would turn up- at this point I hung up! Really guys and girls don't your waste time. If they don't want to meet you they obviously don't give a stuff about what their 'clients' (if you think they acually have any) are getting so, they are not a good agency. A good agency will want a chat with you in person. They will also be quite honest about what is expected. And gentlemen, although it is a dream come true, there are very few ladies who would ever really need to pay for sex - there are plenty of nightclubs and out there or, if we are feeling economic, we'll join an agency ourselves ;).
Lucy x

Posted by Lucy on 07 Nov 06

Yet another bad experience of Starnest
Thanks. I love the bit about getting you to pay before they'd tell you more about all those bookings! (And, yes, I'd be amazed if they were genuine.)
What more proof that they're a bunch of con artists do people need?

Posted by Richard on 08 Nov 06

REFUND FROM STARNEST!!
Pleased to tell you all that I wrote to my credit card company and requested a refund as I didnt get services I was verbally promised by Starnest,also in letter explained I had been conned giving details etc, two weeks later my high street bank credit card gave me the refund in full. Please those of you also conned I hope you all get refunded too by asking for a credit card chargeback refund. Good Luck.

Posted by Charlotte on 09 Nov 06

Balls to Network Escorts
Why I didn't think to look for sites like this before I signed up I don't know.
I've been charged over 90 quid (2 months worth of standing orders) despite being told that I would not be charged until I start receiving bookings.
It all makes sense now thinking about it...
The Network guide for new Escorts no longer being in print; the unbeleivably rude woman on the phone; the system "being down" when I asked about bookings...
Balls to Network Escorts.
I'll cancel my standing order straight away.
Thanks for your help/warnings.
Does anyone know of a male escort agency that isn't balls?

Posted by Tom on 14 Nov 06

Agencies without balls
I can think of one which advertises as a 'non-sexual' male escort agency for the London area and doesn't charge its staff anything apart from a cut of the actual money they receive.
It doesn't advertise very well though, so you may have a little difficulty finding it (and while looking, you can also wonder how many clients can find it!)
An aside
A quick browse today found another suspicious agency which, on its link page, included a link to 'www.myangelboys.com'. A quick look reveals the owner of that didn't get much work...

Posted by Richard on 17 Nov 06

Rebecca`s Nationwide Refund Givenhaving had the same experience as everyone else on here,of crooked escort agenices,providing no work and taking the cash,i decided to do something about it!issue a county court judgement order,for breach of contract,it only costs £30,and you get that back,you can even do it online.the response was amazing!within 24 hours of it being sent,a cheque returned first class,for the full amount,with no need to go to court was able to cancel the summons.A miracle,numberous requests for a refund,were ignored,one from the courts PAYMENT!

Posted by steve on 20 Nov 06

hope you print message sent regarding taking male escort agenices to court,as it could get a lot of people their money back,i sent a message regarding the same subject a few months ago and noticed it wasn`t on your notice board.

Posted by Steve on 20 Nov 06

been a male escort now for just under a year, pleased to say ive had 109 dates. when i paid my fee along with some photos of myself i was introduced to two clients as a new escort now these were non sexual dates but i offered my services and they got lucky. i signed up on a monday and got a date on wednesday and friday the same week. almost a year on ive managed to save 38.000 pounds cash along with some nice prezziez from clients including watches, laptop, stereos, phones, tv, and loads of clothing. not to forget going abroad with clients five times in less than a year. one regular client even offered to by me civic type r cause i said thats a smart car.
SO....... there may be some scams out there but i took the risk to pay a few quid so why cant you. i know its a big risk but be smart about it ask loads of questions when talking to them thats how i knew they were no scam.
just to add, clients choose who they want to escort them, you dont choose them. so you better be a good looking lad. also forget it if your in your teens or low 20s and dreaming of big cash rewards you'l be wasting your money. these women are on average mid 30s and looking to do grown up stuff like to the horses, theatre, and grown up rounds of golf, not stuff you end up talking about with your mates on the course. im 25 but you look or talk to me you can put an age tag of up to 30 on me not cuz i look old cuz i know how to act like a grown up when needed.
if you want to know more send your comment and add my name Dane so i know its for me, also add your email. u can ask me anything you like on the subject and i will get back to you asap via email.

Posted by dane on 21 Nov 06

Starnest are a rip-off, i know cuz im an office girl there............ keep ur money, trust me

Posted by Bee on 22 Nov 06

Dane
OK Dane, if you found an agency that got you loads of work, great. Where are they? There are those of us out here that are "grown up" enough to not need to "act it" and would love to be in the same position of having saved 30k+. Look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Phil on 22 Nov 06

Hi Dane ,
Im interested in what you have to say, who do you work with ?

Posted by Marmotte on 22 Nov 06

Deleting messages
Steve, we don't delete any messages from here unless a) they're wildly off-topic or b) break our (very simple) rules - 'no advertising' is the big one.
Because of the large volume of attempted 'comment spam'(*) we do leave most of the latter deletion to an automatic filter.
It's possible that your earlier post was accidentally deleted by that - if so, sorry, but you should get a little message in that case.
* - where someone or something leaves messages like 'Great site, see mine!' including links to lots of warez, drugz, gamez or similar sites in order to attract more visitors to their scams, both directly and via Google etc.
A quick look reveals there were 88 attempts to do this here in the past 24 hours, none of which succeeded.

Posted by SW5 on 22 Nov 06

The Great Dane
Hmmm, that works out at a fraction under £350 a time. And that's the savings, after you deduct expenses and before you throw in the freebies? And all from women?
Sorry mate, I don't believe you.
Sad but true: male escorts get paid substantially less than female ones. A quick look at some of the message boards shows that earning that sort of money is difficult even for drop-dead gorgeous goddesses.
The other thought is that this mythical agency is clearly so busy that it has no need to charge you anything except commission. That is the case, isn't it?
Is Dane the name you're known as in the business? Whereabouts are you, roughly?

Posted by Richard on 22 Nov 06

Straight male escorts - more evidence of the reality
A recent article (Sex Transm Infect 2006;82:359–363) is based on 823 men using the Working Men Project (a wonderful specialist clinic for male sex workers in London - see our links page for more details) over the past few years.
There's lots of interest in it, but the particular relevance to this section is the way that overall, when asked, 76% self-identified as gay, 18% as bisexual, and 5% as straight. (The proportion of the latter two increased over time, so there are indeed more 'straight' male escorts now than a decade ago.)
But 792 (96%) men reported male clients only, 11 (1%) both male and female clients, and just 3 (less than 1%) said they’d had only female clients.
So 24%, nearly a quarter, had a bi or straight sexual orientation, but only about 1.5% had any female clients.
As we have said before, the vast majority of clients for male escorts are men. Anyone telling you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something.

Posted by SW5 on 22 Nov 06

just found this site
does anyone know is guysforladies are any good?

Posted by dave on 22 Nov 06

Guys For Ladies
No, they're yet another scam site: see www.sw5.info/cons.htm#guys

Posted by Richard on 22 Nov 06

check out the math boffin, money earned is money spent. its like you think tax is paid on it. reality check, 100 pounds an hour for a standard 4 hour booking then you charge your extras. so yeah i should have double the money ive saved in cash.
i work for BMW as a vehicle technician 4 days a week earning 27k a year wich is hardly touched for the past year just my direct debits. from my earnings as an escort money has been spent and large sums 2,
b smart..... large sums of cash can be dagerous, first of all people are going to think where its all coming from, not the case with me cuz most people at work know. but what about the bank..... ahhh, you cant go and take a large sum of cash without being asked where you got it from, so some good advice i had 6k in my account and good credit but i still went to the bank and asked for a loan now lloyds offered me 25k, i took 15k over 5 years they asked me what it was for i said a nice new reliable car and explaind i only needed it for 6 months for work and the car would be sold and the loan would be paid off, now i went and got myself an m3 convertible for 18k, after 6 months i had saved 26k now i phoned the bank to ask how much i needed to pay off my loan and told them ill be in to pay it off. i took my hard earned cash to the bank paid off my laon ohh they did ask me where it came from, told them sold my car didnt expect cash, no futher questions asked.......but kept the car
and im full of shit yeah
befor i wrote this just had a read of some other comments, some people are full of shit but not me mate. for example the lad who said he had a no show.......... you still get paid for a no show, mate the agency has the the clients credit card number as procedure so a no show is reported and then deducted from thier card by the agency and they pay you............ hey but im full of shit.
can you truly turn round and say yeah i look the bollox cuz thats what women want................ top money gets top bollox......... hey but im full of shit so what do i know

Posted by dane on 22 Nov 06

richard
oh forgot to tell you freebies come from regular clients who want to see you more and more, i dont get paid by freebies mate.
the agency has a taxi firm account, you get picked up and when your dates over the client phones them to take you home only within a 50 mile radious. no fee. any further than 50 you make your own way.
whats to say your only going to do the standard 4 hours, abroad and over nite is where the money is. you set the price then.......... and the clients ive had in the past pay it too.

Posted by dane on 22 Nov 06

guysforladies aint no scam. 13 dates in 3 months. DANE top man you sound for real, will catch up wit u tho.

Posted by daniel on 22 Nov 06

From one 'Da' to another
'you sound for real, will catch up wit u'
Well, that shouldn't be too difficult to arrange.
Do you have any comment as to why 'Dane', 'Dave', and 'Daniel' all seem to be using the same PC?

Posted by SW5 on 22 Nov 06

Wow what a mug I am! I have just come across this site and its brought reality crashing down on me, and I thought I was quite switched on and no mug!
I signed up for "Elegance for Her" last February at a cost of just under £200 I have had no calls from any clients and no work! they are quite abrupt when I call and never return my calls when they say they will.
Believe it or not but I have fell for a similar scam now! but will be stopping my last check in the morning which was for £64.63p to Rebeccas Nationwide! They are mentioned on a few occasions here. I paid an initial fee off £35 which I will try to have returned but think I will probly just end up losing it.
Its shit exploiting hopefull people with the money back gaurantee if they dont get you work in 48hrs. But as a few people have mentioned they give you fake bookings! well heres one guy who aint going to be taken anymore, believe it or not Im a fireman and you would expect me to have more sense!
Cheers for your help

Posted by Jeff on 25 Nov 06

Firstly, hats off to the e-warriors, i.e SW5. They are a beacon of hope and an early warning system like NO OTHER!! Their research proves, don't believe everything you read. Just because it's enclosed in some flashy website doesn't make it so.
After having read your comments about Regal Escorts, I realise I've lost my £29! But I'm fighting back. Don't know how yet. I asked them about having to become a paying member in order to read my messages, even though their site was advertised as 'free'. The answer I got was a poorly spelled email detailing their inability to access messages and that membership was the only way in. Might not be illegal, but it IS immoral and unethical.
Well, just ripped up the envelope I was going to send Network Escorts! Thank you SW5, God bless you all who work there. You shall be richly rewarded :)

Posted by Sal on 25 Nov 06

Rebecca's Nationwide
Hi
Does Steve or anybody else have a full postal address for Rebecca's Nationwide so that I can initiate a small claims case against them? I only have a PO Box address. Is this sufficient?
Thanks
Tony

Posted by Tony on 27 Nov 06

Rebecca's address
The 'real' address associated with PO Boxes is not a secret, except in very limited cases of "sensitive boxes" (the examples given are a women’s refuge centre, a rape crisis centre or member of the security forces!)
So just ring the Royal Mail - you may need the office in the particular town - and ask for it.
It's possible they'll ask why you want it. Saying "to sue the bastards" always worked for me :)
Once you've got it, you could always post it here.
Oh, and you're not supposed to use PO Boxes for a 'fradulent purpose'. I wonder what the Royal Mail would do if sent copies of the court cases claiming, successfully, that they're doing just that.

Posted by Richard on 28 Nov 06

I did some digging around on Regal Escorts, impersonated a client and asked people if they had been scammed by the bogus message to entice you into paying - many said yes. Then they cancelled my bogus client account.
Better than that, they took off the option to sign in as a client on the website so you CANT BOOK ANYONE - ha ha!
check it out!
Surely this breaches their obligations?

Posted by marmotte on 28 Nov 06

Regal Escorts again
Hmmm, I can still log in with my 'client' account.
Having done so, I am utterly appalled to see that there are now 1,300 men signed up there, of whom only 104 of whom will see male clients. That's over 800 more than a month ago.
For fuck's sake, what are they on? Is there no limit to male optimism?
It reminds me of the journalist who obtained access to the records of a 'penis enlargement pills' spammer or the report that '419' scammers ('I have access to millions of dollars, and I will let you have some of it if you send me some money first, love from someone claiming to be a banker / from dead African dictator's family / lottery agent') con Britons to the tune of millions every year.
In both cases, amazingly there are men stupid enough to send money in response to such spam.
Clearly, I am in the wrong business: extracting money from gullible straight men pays rather better than having sex with people for money...
... hang on, the former would mean losing all my morals and I'd rather be an honest whore than scam site scum.

Posted by Richard on 28 Nov 06

OK IM VERY NEW TO ESCORT SITES AND I MUST SAY FROM SOME OF THESE COMMENTS IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE ALOT OF BOGUS AGENCIES OUT THERE.I WENT WITH MY HEART AND PROBABLY DIDNT USE MY HEAD AND REGAL SEEMED DECENT ENOUGH BUT NOW IM NOT SO SURE THOUGH IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY WERE TO PROVE ME WRONG.I DID PAY SOME SORT OF FEE OFF OF MY CARD,WHETHER I RECEIVE THIS FEE BACK OR ANY OTHER FEE FOR THAT MATTER IS ANOTHER THING.WITHOUT STATING THE OBVIOUS DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ADVICE THAT MAY BE OF SOME USE TO ME?ROBERT

Posted by ROBERT on 28 Nov 06

Regal have now put back on the 'book an escort' option with some blurb about vetting new clients, I think i kicked up some aggro by messaging all the would be escorts asking them if they had bogus contacts.
Im pursuing the matter with my credit card provider. I never thought the think more than a bit of fun, im hacked off they are nothing more than fraudsters.
If you are annoyed, why not create some dummy client profiles and kick up some hassle for them?

Posted by Marmotte on 29 Nov 06

Regal Robert
Yes, there are a lot of bogus agencies out there: no real agency will charge its staff anything to be listed.
If Regal won't let you have the money back, get the card company to refund you.
See www.sw5.info/straightmen.htm and, if you haven't already done so, the rest of this page.

Posted by Richard on 29 Nov 06

Another scam site appear to be on the go. Advertising as Suffolk Escorts but covering company want escorts to pay by standing order but no escorts listed on site. I spoke to a lass I know and she says that they have spammed Adultwork advertisers telling them how much they could earn with Suffolk Escorts! Looks like another one to avoid.

Posted by Bryan on 29 Nov 06

Rebecca`s Nationwide Full Address is J C Albyn Complex,Burton Road,Sheffield South Yorkshire S3 8TL. although you don`t need it,you can use the PO Box,i did,to start the proceedings.All the best.Steve

Posted by steve on 01 Dec 06

Small claims Court Website Address is www.moneyclaim.gov.uk it`s so easy,go for it,sue `em!

Posted by steve on 01 Dec 06

Suffolk Escorts - scam!
Also known as sexyukcontacts.com, this bunch does indeed look fit to join the 'beware' list.
Some of their text is remarkably similar to that of other such sites, and they've stolen huge chunks from Network Escorts in particular. What's the phrase? Ah yes, there's no honour amongst thieves...

Posted by Richard on 01 Dec 06

Does Anyone have the new n.o and address for only by invitation as Ive been stung twice by them,over £500,I feel such a fool,I wish Id known and I never got any work
John

Posted by John on 02 Dec 06

Im thinking of sending £270 to register with an escort agency. They ask for money to be made payable to Multicorp. Anyone heard of this company? Are they reputable. They have been advertising in the Grimsby Target in the last few weeks.

Posted by jason on 07 Dec 06

network escorts again
just had letter and standing order form from network but after reading the comments on here its all going in the bin thanks for the warnings everyone

Posted by mike on 12 Dec 06

I wonder if it is worth reporting these scam agencies to the local Trading Standards as they should be in a position to close them down and maybe prosecute the owners. Anyone else got any thoughts about this.

Posted by Bryan on 12 Dec 06

1, 2, 3
Jason - no agency worth working for will charge you a penny just for registering. Multicorp are Starnest - see above for how crap they are and let the newspaper know about this site.
Mike - yay!
Bryan - yes, it's a good idea. I don't think some of the scams are actually illegal (some promise so little that they can claim to be doing what they say, even if that won't get you any work) but the more people know about them, the better. Similarly, if newspapers and magazines stopped accepting their ads, they'd find it much harder to get new victims.

Posted by Richard on 12 Dec 06

Another bad story about Starnest I’m afraid. (holds hand up)
Apparently Northants is a very busy area this time of year! And to show they were serious they reduced their costs from £420 to £320 – how very considerate. That’s still £320 + a fortnight of my time too much!
I’m a guy with a lot of fight in him though and I’ve got a few tricks of my own to sort them out. So watch this space.
I’ve also noticed that Starnest appear to be having a slight identity crisis. They now seem to prefer the name Brookes and Morris International. www.brookes-morris-internation.com.
It’s another shite website with no way of potential clients viewing the escorts available. I’ve checked with company house and neither starnest or brookes morris are registered in either the UK or Spain. So tracing them is going to be very hard. I’ve tried to start a paper trail by getting them to send a receipt of my payment but I’m not going to hold my breath.
My bank can’t do anything because it wasn’t a credit card transaction. All appears to be lost at the moment. Trying to get anything out of them is impossible – and it doesn’t help that the dappy cocknies I keep coming across can’t speak English either (that’s not a Stereotype by the way).
Anyway I work in the print media so I’ve contacted as many publications as possible to warn them about these companies.
Anyone else got any ideas how to progress?

Posted by Peter on 13 Dec 06

Brookes Morris International
Yep, even the gallery takes you to OnlyByInvitation, their other scam site!
The domain is registered to
Multiar
Ave Migas
#33 Second floor Apt A
Fuengirola, 29640
Spain
I do have an idea involving fighting them where they find their victims, so come back soon.
Yes! Do tell everywhere you find their ads about a) what scum they are and b) here, so they can see the stories.

Posted by Richard on 14 Dec 06

Ok, so i've searched and searched and listened to all the good comments about the bad agencies, but nobody seems to be reccomending any good ones, where you do not need to pay for either registration or a monthly fee!
Can anyone reccomend a good agency in London to get me started?

Posted by David on 17 Dec 06

Good agency
It depends what you are looking for.
If you want to escort women you are being extremely optimistic (see the 'more evidence of the reality' post above, for example) but there is one agency attempting to do it without scamming the staff.
If you cannot find an agency looking for intelligent, articulate and attractive staff and not wanting to charge them, how are clients to manage? (Though I see they've started to spend more on Google Adwords - even the most basic search found them just now.)
If you're ok about being sexual with men, then you have a much wider choice, but most guys choose to advertise in one or more of four main places rather than work for an agency.

Posted by Richard on 18 Dec 06

Thanks Richard, and unfortunatly i sit in the "escort women only" camp, so as you say, i am probably being unrealistic.
I still find it difficult to fathom that i cant find one (i've searched links/web-sites/papers etc!!) company that is interested in fresh escorts for their clients.
I guess unfortunatly supply must outstrip (excuse the pun!!) demand in this case, and unless you are in that kind of circle, or reccomended by someone else, its kind of a closed door!

Posted by David on 19 Dec 06

Good agency 2
No-one can make money that way.
If you're going to take the legal risk of running an agency (aka 'controlling prostitution for gain', max penalty of seven years), the financial risk of advertising, and put in the time and effort to deal with staff, some of whom you will regret taking on, then you do the sensible thing and have female escorts.
Or, if you want to be different, trans ones.
Or, if you're really determined to have male staff, you want gay / bisexual men... because the overwhelming majority of your callers are going to be men.
When you consider that for all their advertising, for all being #1 or #2 on Google searches, for all their website's spin, Cavendish Knights aka SIG UK get less than one woman booking someone a day... you realise what a non-scam agency would have to do.
Then look at some of the scam sites, promising you the dream (ok, lying to you!) and charging you. For example, Regal's now stopped you seeing easily how many they've conned, but even when it was 'just' 1,200 in a couple of months, that's much, much more money from scamming straight men than the scum could ever have hoped to make from women.
There are some women who pay for what they want - I have some female clients - but it's not easy finding them, and I'm a bit ashamed to say that I'm not about to reveal my secret niche marketing strategy here. Sorry...

Posted by Richard on 20 Dec 06

Dear all,
I just wish I'd come across this site months ago before I started contacting agencies and parting with my money. Thank you all for your comments and it's a real relief knowing that such a useful site exists. My main gripe is with the infamous STARNEST. I signed up with them in the summer and have been contacting them for months now asking about work. I'm told constantly that there are lots of interest in my profile but six months and two 'upgrades' later I still haven't had any work. Finally, this week I lost my temper with one of their office stafff who told me that 'I have no one to blame but yourself' for believing what I was told on the phone and for not investigating the company thoroughly before parting with any cash. Not very reassuring, is it. John

Posted by Johnnie Boy on 21 Dec 06

sounds good

Posted by vertigo on 21 Dec 06

Hi Dane,
can you get back to me and tell which agency you escort for. Thanks

Posted by Tony on 26 Dec 06

Not so great Dane
As 'Dane', 'Dave', and 'Daniel' were the same person, it's highly likely he was shilling for guysforladies.
If he was making those sums, it was as the owner of the site, extracting cash from gullible men, not as a 'member'.
That's because they're not an agency, they're expensive waste of space: no-one will get the business he claimed advertising there.
Test one: do they charge their 'staff' anything?
Test two: are their ads aimed at finding them clients.. or at getting more victims?
As with the rest of the scams, Guys For Ladies fail both those.

Posted by Richard on 30 Dec 06

Thank you guys, you've just saved me £28, and those gets at Regal from getting another £28!
Many thanks indeed :-)

Posted by Al on 03 Jan 07

JASON! Don't part with your £270! I also got stung and paid £300 (fee for "wealthy clients" Ha!) to Multicorp in June 2005. Obviously got no work & when the year was up was told 'there were a lot of american clients interested in me' but i needed to pay another fee of £500! They were then advertising under the name of Only By Invitation and are now advertising as Brookes Morris International with a fee of £270. They advertise almost every week in the Hull Daily Mail and also in the Holderness Advertiser. They also advertise alongside the escort one for Men & Women to take part in "Adult Movies" Mmm! Not had the guts to enquire how much the fee is for the privilege of that one!!

Posted by Lisa on 05 Jan 07

Back again just to see if there's been any developments. I've not rung starnest for a few weeks now, might give them a go later on and see what they say...
..they're not very good at giving me an address to contact them by. I'll keep trying hoping one of the twats slips up and says too much.
Believe me if I do get an address (for their telephone base) I'm on the next train (probably in London). I'm going to take great pleasure twating the first bloke/gal I come across

Posted by Peter on 05 Jan 07

Starnest, Multicorp, Only By Invitation and Brookes Morris International
Even if there are British people behind the scam, I think they're based in Spain. Various people have reported sending money to the scammers there.
The cost of having an 0870 number being answered in Spain is minimal, the domains are registered to addresses in Spain, and the 'Starnest are wonderful, honest' post here was from an IP address in Spain.

Posted by Richard on 07 Jan 07

Well for crying out loud, I have sent off the standing order form for Network just the day before yesterday, the bank cant cancel the standing order yet because it has not appeared in my account. I just signed up becasue i need some cash, and i thought (naively) that there was such a thing as sex free escorting, am i completely wrong? And does anybody know how i can block that £47 payment coming out of my account before they take the first payment?

Posted by Anthony on 10 Jan 07

I totally agree with what's been said about Network Escorts.
I got "sucked in" like many others, and although I have lost some money, at least I can easily recoup it, and I've cancelled the standing order.
I'm not going to bother trying to get the lost money back.
I must admit that I was a little suspicious about Network, and these suspicions have been reinforced by this forum.
However, I was "naive", having no previous experience/knowledge of this industry.
I think Network will eventually cease trading in its current form, but may (unfortunately) reinvent itself.

Posted by John on 10 Jan 07

'Notwork Escorts', yet again
Anthony - I'm very surprised that the bank won't accept a 'cancel this standing order instruction' until they've received it. Make it very clear to them, in writing, that they are not to pay any money on it. Unlike stopping a cheque, there should be no charge. If they mess you around, change banks.
I'm afraid you are being naive: the vast bulk of any escort's bookings involve sex.
John: I'd like to think they'll die off, but it looks like there is a never-ending stream of optimistic men.
There is at least one site where it's free to advertise, but there's competition - they currently have 3,729 straight men looking to escort women, plus another two thousand bisexual men also willing to see women. That's before you consider the inumerable swinger sites where more thousands of men are offering themselves for free...

Posted by Richard on 11 Jan 07

You guys are delusional if you think you can earn money from escorting women.
Women don't pay for it like men do .. simple fact !

Posted by Dan on 12 Jan 07

Hi - reading these messages has been very enlightening - I was interested in the possibility of becoming a non-sexual male escort for women. But now realise this was rather naive!
Given the above posts regarding the paucity of straight escort work I thought it may be helpful to post the name of another "agency" I recently found via Google and which doesn't appear to have been mentioned on this forum thus far. Their .com web address is charming escort. It is rather more professionally designed than most similar sites I have seen, but I suspect (knowing what I now know about the very small numbers of women prepared to pay for a male escort) that this may well not be what it purports to be. This site appears to be targetting people like me - i.e. naieve (until discovering SW5), straight, middle-aged, middle-class men, who are easily taken in by a well written and apparently convincing website.
Does anyone else has a view about, or past experience of, 'Charming Excorts'?

Posted by Stephen on 15 Jan 07

Further to my above post... having just read the "escort etiquette" section of the 'Charmingescort' website I now take back what I said about it being well written!

Posted by Stephen on 15 Jan 07

John Don't know if you managed to get a number for OBI but i was also sucked in by them - as posted above. They now use the name Brookes Morris International but reckon they've never heard of OBI! They use the same style advert and still advertise in Hull Daily Mail & Holderness Advertiser. Tel No. 08719 903475 or 08719 903476. Good Luck mate and don't 4get to post how you got on!

Posted by Lisa on 15 Jan 07

What a load of ......... cant believe these people get away with scamming us out of large amounts of money .Has anyone tried contacting Trading Standards ?Or are these people even out of there league.
Myself and a friend have been conned too !by the so called "BROOKES-MORRIS-INTERNATIONAL"
Alarm bells went off when she got charged £270 and myself £320 for the so called same joining fee .They also requsted me to send a fax authorising the payment out of my account .Which thank goodness I didnt.They were definately keen to get the money even reqesting that i transfer money out of another account because i didnt have all the funds they needed at the time.I consider myself to be quite aware of things like this what an idiot I feel as im sure so many other people do too .
What worries me with these fraudster type people is that they now have all my personal information !! whats to stop them using it to obtain fraudalant credit?
The advert was in the Lincolnshire Echo ,looking at the other postings on here they seem to be doing the rounds .So first thing in the morning I will be letting the paper know no exactly what the ad is for if only in the hope that it stops anyone else from getting scammed .

Posted by jaynee on 17 Jan 07

Arghhhhhhh, I recently applied to join rebeccas nationwide escort agency and have paid out the monies that they asked for. I feel like such an idiot now having looked at everybodys comments, although the agency isn't mentioned as much as the other ones. Am i being gullable or do you guys and girls think I will get work. All i can say is what an idiot I am

Posted by russ on 21 Jan 07

'Rebecca's'
Alas, I think the smaller number of comments about them is down to the way they're not as good either at advertising or at conning people into handing over their money as some of the others.
(Not really surprising - when I looked at it just now, some of images didn't display, the 'contact us' page is aimed at men wanting to join rather than clients looking to hire someone, and one important link still points to a file on the PC of a 'Gavin Marsden'.)
Chance of getting work: nil, I reckon. Sorry.
Having said that, their real address is up above here, along with a success story in getting money back...

Posted by Richard on 22 Jan 07

anyone heard of brookes morris international?
I paid up front last week and have just realised that it is likely to be a scam.

Posted by Jamie on 22 Jan 07

Brookes Morris International
Yep, BMI is the latest name for the scammers in Spain who also operate as Starnest and Only By Invitation.
They probably also own non-escort sites like pets4films.com and internationalfilmextras.com - all are cons.
I'd like to think it was publicity here which lead to the change of name.
Doubtless they'll be along with another one when word on this one gets around so a quick reminder: any 'agency' asking for money up front is a scam.
(I'll also call them 'Brooks Morris International', just in case anyone searches for the misspelling.)

Posted by Richard on 22 Jan 07

Hi been reading all your comments and WOW i never thought people could be so cruel ..then again you never do till its yu there being cruel to!! was just wondering if anyone had any dealings with "yours very exclusively"??? just spent £75 on joining fee's...and was told my partner would have his first booking this weekend gone.. nope..nada..nothing plus i used my card to join him on regal escorts(big mistake!!) AND platinumselect(crying at this point!!)so have now e-mailed the B!"£$%d's and said i want my monies back as it was used without me knowing and he has been dealt with(good spanking should do it!) do you think that will work?? as well as saying i've had legal advice about taking it to court if my money is not returned...(umm anyone know a good barrister he