This should be in the “Questions about hiring” segment.
Honestly, if they aren’t willing to give you their cell phone for Mr Number verification, and their account isn’t premium, or their account is very new, I think you should ask for a deposit.
If they say no to the deposit, and they don’t have a premium account or they are very new and you don’t have their phone number for verification, you may decline to schedule anything with them, telling them you don’t wish to allot time in the future only for them to flake/possibly waste your time/ disrupt your schedule/disappoint you with the false prospect of making hundreds of dollars.
Sometimes I pay for the uber/lyft in advance as a “deposit” for a provider.
Sorry this is happening to you.