New section: Known Scammers

[BeefyDude]

What about having a new section for known scammers?

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

I've seen discussions about men where one member claims he's a scammer, yet dozens of other members claim he is a great regular and recommend hiring.  How would that be classified?  Keeping all comments regarding experiences with one man, both positive and negative, help the readers decide whom to believe.

[BuzzLiteQueer]

Here are some potential criteria to help define a scammer:  (1) uses photos of another person (2) uses severely outdated photos;  (3) materially misrepresents their age (4) requests and receives a deposit but then never shows.  I also think RM who threaten to physically assault or blackmail a client or who actually do follow through on any such threats should be identified.  

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

7 hours ago, BuzzLiteQueer said:

Here are some potential criteria to help define a scammer:  (1) uses photos of another person (2) uses severely outdated photos;  (3) materially misrepresents their age (4) requests and receives a deposit but then never shows.  I also think RM who threaten to physically assault or blackmail a client or who actually do follow through on any such threats should be identified.  

Some of my regular and most favorite massuers haven't updated their photographs in over a decade.  I would not consider any of them to be scammers any more than I would consider a restaurant a scammer for showing picture-perfect photographs on their menu that never look as good as the food when it arrives at my table.

Edited April 23 by Vegas_Millennial

[Spikeguy]

Yeah those Big Macs look nothing like the commercials.

[BeefyDude]

Here is 100000% perfect example of scammer: https://rentmasseur.com/zaneandmilaan

Prior to the massage they talked the talk, said the right things etc.   Then a day before they asked for a deposit $150).  I STUPIDLY did that (they were giving off legit vibes).  Then the day before or day of,

they asked for the rest up frot to "avoid the money aspect and so we can just get started".  I REALLY fought this one but ultimately caved and sent another $150.  As i'm diving over they texted me with the

most UN-BELIEVABLE excuse. I was like WTF.  We had some more text exchanges about their "incident".  When it was clear there was no massage I asked for a refund - CRICKETS.  

I reported them to venmo and company4men - neither of which did ANYTHING

YES this 1000% falls on me and I felt so stupid i fell for it but hard lesson - won't give money ahead

Anyways... as you would hopefully agree, this falls into SCAM category for sure

p.s.  their ad is expired - gee wonder why.  I thought I saw it active at one point.

Oh and I have (what I strongly believe) is their IG's  (would have to dig  them up)

[moonlight]

14 hours ago, BeefyDude said:

Here is 100000% perfect example of scammer: https://rentmasseur.com/zaneandmilaan

Prior to the massage they talked the talk, said the right things etc.   Then a day before they asked for a deposit $150).  I STUPIDLY did that (they were giving off legit vibes).  Then the day before or day of,

they asked for the rest up frot to "avoid the money aspect and so we can just get started".  I REALLY fought this one but ultimately caved and sent another $150.  As i'm diving over they texted me with the

most UN-BELIEVABLE excuse. I was like WTF.  We had some more text exchanges about their "incident".  When it was clear there was no massage I asked for a refund - CRICKETS.  

I reported them to venmo and company4men - neither of which did ANYTHING

YES this 1000% falls on me and I felt so stupid i fell for it but hard lesson - won't give money ahead

Anyways... as you would hopefully agree, this falls into SCAM category for sure

p.s.  their ad is expired - gee wonder why.  I thought I saw it active at one point.

Oh and I have (what I strongly believe) is their IG's  (would have to dig  them up)

Sorry that happened to you. It's possible the scammer stole those pics from IG in the first place so the pictured guys may not even be the one/ones who took your money.

[BeefyDude]

9 hours ago, moonlight said:

Sorry that happened to you. It's possible the scammer stole those pics from IG in the first place so the pictured guys may not even be the one/ones who took your money.

Hey  thanks

I believe they are real just scammers

Btw for a while you cannot imagine how hard I beat myself up over this.  Not the money loss but that I should have caught this.  Trust me I'm MUCH more aware.  An expensive lesson

But that is why I love this site - to help others and see what others have gone through

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

On 4/22/2025 at 12:21 PM, BuzzLiteQueer said:

Here are some potential criteria to help define a scammer:  (1) uses photos of another person (2) uses severely outdated photos;  (3) materially misrepresents their age (4) requests and receives a deposit but then never shows.  I also think RM who threaten to physically assault or blackmail a client or who actually do follow through on any such threats should be identified.  

Regarding #4:  Never send a deposit.  That's already been mentioned on here about 1,000 times. 

Regarding #3:  There is already a term to describe people who consistently misrepresent their age:   WOMEN.

[boafriend]

I was scammed in East Asia once. Just overall tip, as it's already been implied/noted here: if any masseur tells to you alter your payment before you meet, it is a scam. In my case, a lot of these guys use LINE or WeChat (Asian chat apps) for their communications after they match with you on some gay app. For me, once I arrived at the masseur's address, the person asked me to use the payment to buy some type of credits for an online game instead (this was prior to meeting; I was only outside their address). After my first purchase, which was legit and inside a 7-11, the person then told me I didn't buy the right kind. I was bewildered. Apparently a passport was then needed for the purchase, and I immediately nope-d out.

[StarQualityLuke]

On 4/23/2025 at 12:49 AM, Spikeguy said:

Yeah those Big Macs look nothing like the commercials.

The food never looks like it does on the menu or in a picture.  I always say, I look like the picture. If you look nothing like it at all, then there's an issue.  I wonder what else are they hiding.  Presentation is everything. 

[StarQualityLuke]

16 hours ago, moonlight said:

Sorry that happened to you. It's possible the scammer stole those pics from IG in the first place so the pictured guys may not even be the one/ones who took your money.

I would not call yourself stupid they made you feel stupid that's a difference.  As you said, they said all the right things and you were anxious and excited.  Deposits are ok if it's an advanced booking, but then those go back, if something changes, you cancel or they have to reschedule for another date, I always give a deposit back.  Deposits  would be good if there's red flags.   But I never ask money up front.   When you go to the doctor, they don't ask for money up front, do they? No, you pay after you've been seen. 

 

So I would chalk it up to a lesson learned and just never do that again. 😁

[+ Jamie21]

There’s some obvious red flags: Pictures too good to be true, complicated procedures to go through to book / meet, requests for deposits. A combination of these should mean you’re best to walk away. Decent guys will have honest pictures (of them), be simple to hire and will only ask for payment after they’ve delivered the service. 

[Simon Suraci]

Scams go both ways. Should we post about clients trying to scam providers? I wonder how well that would go over around here 🤣 

I almost never ask for deposits, with some reasonable exceptions such as for cross country travel to see a new client.

Recently a client was adamant about sending me a deposit. This isn’t really a thing, as so many here agree they would rather take a perpetual dirt nap than send a deposit. I declined, saying he can pay after we completed the appointment. He persisted saying he really wanted to show me he was serious. We communicated over the phone, first when he requested the appointment and again weeks later when he was trying to send me the deposit. He wanted to use Zelle.

Knowing some scammers use Zelle to launder money, my gut tells me something is not right. The provider is the patsy in this common scheme. The “client” requests the money back for any number of inane reasons. The catch-22 is whether you, the provider, send the money back or choose to keep it, you become either 1) an accomplice to fraud i.e. the mechanism to launder the money, or 2) a beneficiary of fraudulent activity, neither of which you want implicating you when law enforcement comes knocking to investigate.

Sooo…I suggested the client use Venmo instead. Not foolproof, but Venmo offers more protections than Zelle, similar to a credit card. There is at least some recourse if something went wrong. Zelle is instant and irreversible. This is why you should only use Zelle with contacts you know well like family, friends, or providers you have met before and trust. 

Venmo is easy and free to set up. Download the app, create a profile, and connect whatever bank account or credit card you want. It’s easy. This extra step will test how serious the client is. If he is so hellbent on sending me money ahead, surely this would be no problem, right?

I explained the fraud concerns to the client, noting that if he needs to hide the transaction from his wife, Zelle would offer no privacy unless it was a separate account she doesn’t know about. He confirmed his situation was the latter. In that case, he can connect the same account he was going to use Zelle to pay me. Solution reached.

But no, the client insisted that he can only use Zelle and that he refuses to use Venmo. I explained that I don’t believe he is trying to commit fraud, but that I need to maintain this policy consistently to protect myself. He wasn’t having it.

Considering all the facts laid out here, I sensed something fishy is going on and cancelled the appointment, deciding not see the client. I told him as much directly over the phone. If he truly is a legit client, his loss. Good luck to him. 

[d.anders]

4 hours ago, Simon Suraci said:

Scams go both ways.

It is a jungle out there.

4 hours ago, Simon Suraci said:

Should we post about clients trying to scam providers? I wonder how well that would go over around here

That road can get treacherous. Without naming names, I think it is important to educate, as you did here. We customers are not born knowing what a red flag means, and how to avoid them.

I'm sorry to read that you got sucked into a potential money trap, and it caused some wasted time. Every self-employed person, or perhaps every service business, too, has to navigate these waters daily. It's no fun trying to figure out who is good and who is not.

 

[BrooklynIrish]

22 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

Regarding #3:  There is already a term to describe people who consistently misrepresent their age:   WOMEN.

Why did you have to add misogyny to this take? It's not funny and - given the number of men I know who are desperately trying to look younger - not true. 

[Nightowl]

I’m not a fan of public shaming, even if you think someone is a scammer.  As many have said here, different people have different experiences.  If someone wants details about someone I have hired and they’re open to DMs, I am happy to provide details of my experience, including my belief that the person may be a scammer.  I just don’t feel comfortable poisoning the waters for someone, based solely on my own unpleasant experience.  I also wouldn’t want providers to do that to me as a client.  

[StarQualityLuke]

11 hours ago, Simon Suraci said:

Scams go both ways. Should we post about clients trying to scam providers? I wonder how well that would go over around here 🤣 

I almost never ask for deposits, with some reasonable exceptions such as for cross country travel to see a new client.

Recently a client was adamant about sending me a deposit. This isn’t really a thing, as so many here agree they would rather take a perpetual dirt nap than send a deposit. I declined, saying he can pay after we completed the appointment. He persisted saying he really wanted to show me he was serious. We communicated over the phone, first when he requested the appointment and again weeks later when he was trying to send me the deposit. He wanted to use Zelle.

Knowing some scammers use Zelle to launder money, my gut tells me something is not right. The provider is the patsy in this common scheme. The “client” requests the money back for any number of inane reasons. The catch-22 is whether you, the provider, send the money back or choose to keep it, you become either 1) an accomplice to fraud i.e. the mechanism to launder the money, or 2) a beneficiary of fraudulent activity, neither of which you want implicating you when law enforcement comes knocking to investigate.

Sooo…I suggested the client use Venmo instead. Not foolproof, but Venmo offers more protections than Zelle, similar to a credit card. There is at least some recourse if something went wrong. Zelle is instant and irreversible. This is why you should only use Zelle with contacts you know well like family, friends, or providers you have met before and trust. 

Venmo is easy and free to set up. Download the app, create a profile, and connect whatever bank account or credit card you want. It’s easy. This extra step will test how serious the client is. If he is so hellbent on sending me money ahead, surely this would be no problem, right?

I explained the fraud concerns to the client, noting that if he needs to hide the transaction from his wife, Zelle would offer no privacy unless it was a separate account she doesn’t know about. He confirmed his situation was the latter. In that case, he can connect the same account he was going to use Zelle to pay me. Solution reached.

But no, the client insisted that he can only use Zelle and that he refuses to use Venmo. I explained that I don’t believe he is trying to commit fraud, but that I need to maintain this policy consistently to protect myself. He wasn’t having it.

Considering all the facts laid out here, I sensed something fishy is going on and cancelled the appointment, deciding not see the client. I told him as much directly over the phone. If he truly is a legit client, his loss. Good luck to him. 

I really don't see the problem with someone paying a deposit if that's what they wish to do. 

However, that being said, I don't like getting deposits either unless rare exceptions of cross-country travel booking well in advance and if I see any red flags.  Zelle s just fine and it's very instant just as Venmo is.   I even have clients that Zelle the night before an appointment because they feel comfortable but course, as you said, there are clients that are regular.   The biggest thing about clients and providers, if you will it's all about communication.  The provider needs to communicate effectively on time and be professional about it, if they're not, then that would be a red flag for a client. If the client is not communicating effectively, then that's a red flag for the provider.  I look at it as if you're setting an appointment for a doctor or an appointment to get your car repaired or reservation at a restaurant.  

 

And I do agree there are some clients that try to scam the provider, such as, why don't you get a hotel room and then I'll meet you there and I'll pay you back.   Well I did not just fall off the truck yesterday... So ,  both the client and the provider just have to be smart about it that's all. 

Edited April 26 by StarQualityLuke

[Cretus]

3 hours ago, Nightowl said:

I’m not a fan of public shaming, even if you think someone is a scammer.  As many have said here, different people have different experiences.  If someone wants details about someone I have hired and they’re open to DMs, I am happy to provide details of my experience, including my belief that the person may be a scammer.  I just don’t feel comfortable poisoning the waters for someone, based solely on my own unpleasant experience.  I also wouldn’t want providers to do that to me as a client.  

If you paid a deposit of $100 to a provider, and you were blocked by them instantly on all platforms and phone messaging after they receive the deposit, what would you do? (Also, note that I am pro deposit in some situations lol).

 

 

I am a fan of public shaming- when there is solid evidence provided that the accused  really is guilty of whatever the charge is. I tend to believe public persecution here when images of RM blocking and written evidence accompany the accusations. 
 

Public shaming is not merely retribution for the terrible act of, for example, theft. It is a deterrent to the thief and a deterrent to   other escorts who may be thinking about engaging in scamming. Shame away (with evidence).

 

I tend to be more favorable towards escorts lol, but I believe in shaming a thief/violent actor when there is clear evidence of malfeasance.

Edited April 26 by Cretus

[Danny-Darko]

4 minutes ago, Cretus said:

If you paid a deposit of $100 to a provider, and you were blocked by them instantly on all platforms and phone messaging after they receive the deposit, what would you do?

True! What can one do? It's not like one could report them to the BBB for fraud or file a complaint with an agency that oversees such practices. THEY advertise publicly offering a "service" we PAY for, then we should publicly be able to complain and warn others. It's not like people are doxing each other here. This is after all a "business transaction" and they scammed or cheated the potencial client. I view it the same way as they benefit from a staller raving review, they should suffer the consequences of a bad review and cautionary waring to others! That is why HooBoy set this whole thing up decades ago, to review and advise about escorts! Good AND bad. 

However, at the end of the day, all we can do is warn others and learn from the experience and move on. We live, we learn. Better luck next time and be wiser hopefully!

[Nightowl]

2 hours ago, Cretus said:

If you paid a deposit of $100 to a provider, and you were blocked by them instantly on all platforms and phone messaging after they receive the deposit, what would you do? (Also, note that I am pro deposit in some situations lol).

 

 

I am a fan of public shaming- when there is solid evidence provided that the accused  really is guilty of whatever the charge is. I tend to believe public persecution here when images of RM blocking and written evidence accompany the accusations. 
 

Public shaming is not merely retribution for the terrible act of, for example, theft. It is a deterrent to the thief and a deterrent to   other escorts who may be thinking about engaging in scamming. Shame away (with evidence).

 

I tend to be more favorable towards escorts lol, but I believe in shaming a thief/violent actor when there is clear evidence of malfeasance.

I respect that viewpoint 😀

[Jim_n_NYC]

On 4/26/2025 at 1:24 PM, Cretus said:

If you paid a deposit of $100 to a provider, and you were blocked by them instantly on all platforms and phone messaging after they receive the deposit, what would you do? (Also, note that I am pro deposit in some situations lol).

I was trying to think of 'definite' behaviors that would pretty much be universally agreed on to include in a 'list' like this thread...and this is the one that came to my mind the fastest.  Taking a deposit and then ghosting....it's not like there's a difference of opinion whether the provider actually gave a massage or shorted on time.

[+ PhileasFogg]

On 4/26/2025 at 8:40 AM, Nightowl said:

I’m not a fan of public shaming, even if you think someone is a scammer.  As many have said here, different people have different experiences.  If someone wants details about someone I have hired and they’re open to DMs, I am happy to provide details of my experience, including my belief that the person may be a scammer.  I just don’t feel comfortable poisoning the waters for someone, based solely on my own unpleasant experience.  I also wouldn’t want providers to do that to me as a client.  

I agree.  It’s one thing to share a factually bad outcome.  It’s quite another thing (and potentially libelous) to accuse someone of being a scammer.

as @BeefyDude says, it takes two to make a scam work - so shame on me too.  
I’ll simply share my actual experience factually and let the listener decide.  They will get their justice in due time scamming someone not nearly as kind as me.  

Edited April 29 by PhileasFogg

[d.anders]

Turn the cheek or retribution? It's an age old dilemma.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

On 4/26/2025 at 12:31 AM, Simon Suraci said:

Scams go both ways. Should we post about clients trying to scam providers? I wonder how well that would go over around here 🤣 

Bingo.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.  

There are more than a few members here who wouldn't want their behavior aired out.