Credit Card Payment

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Last night I got a massage from a visiting guy. As we were chatting, he mentioned that he was thinking about accept credit cards using new technology that can turn his phone into a card scanner. While I personally prefer to carry little cash and would be happy to eliminate the stop at the ATM on the way to an appointment, I'm not sure I want to stop using cash.

 

Is anyone making payments in methods other than cash? If so, does it make giving a tip more awkward? Does it make it difficult to maintain some anonymity? (I usually only give my first name when hiring.)

[Lohengrin1979]

I've paid for a few massages this way lately using the Square app for the iPhone. It posts to your bank account as a Squaresomethingorother purchase so I wouldn't use it with a company card but it's pretty convenient and secure. You sign for it using your finger on the phone and you get a receipt in your email as well. I just flagged the purchases as health and wellness for my accountant and that was it. Haven't seen many escorts offering the service but a few masseurs definitely are. I hate carrying cash around so I'm eager for this to take hold.

 

 

Lohengrin

[bigvalboy]

I have never paid with anything other than cash. I am very anonymous when it comes to my hires. I do not want any unnecessary information about me circulating. I never do an in call, so no one has ever seen the house or knows where I live. In calls are done when traveling, but there is absolutely nothing in my room. I never carry any ID or jewelery of any kind, and when doing an out call, I park my car around the corner and the escort never sees what I am driving. Personally, giving someone as anonymous as a masseur or escort any unnecessary information is pushing your luck as far as I am concerned. I trust no one!!

[MsGuy]

A while back, wasn't there some Brit cabinet minister who got himself flayed alive by the press using his credit card at a 'Massage' establishment in London?

 

Personally I've got no problem with it as long as you don't mind a permanent record of your transactions floating around.

[+ azdr0710]

as BVB says, I'm pretty careful, too....always cash even with regulars....but in Rio, Brazil, this last June, we used credit cards at the "saunas" (admittedly a different deal than a private escort) and I had no problem....good exchange rate, very small "foreign transaction fee", discreet business name and business type on the bill....but if somebody is out to aggressively investigate you, they'll figure anything out, of course

[fedssocr1]

The only time I have ever used a credit card was when I used to visit a legit massage shop here in town. No hanky panky. But the cutest little gay Brazilian masseur. Big strong hands for such a little guy. Was sensual in its way, but no happy endings. I wouldn't trust giving my credit card number to an escort.

[Walker1]

Maybe I am being paranoid, but witht he Patriot Act, who knows what info is out there. After all they did catch Elliott Spitzer hiring escorts . I like being anonymous.

[tom1980]

BVB -- I'm glad I'm not the only one who is a little bit paranoid. This is pretty much exactly how I behave. I only take the amount of cash needed to the guy's home or hotel room and nothing else. No wallet, id, or anything I'm afraid of losing to a thief. Now if it's a guy I've seen a few times and he seems like a good guy, then I might take a more relaxed approach. But I can't imagine ever giving my credit card info to an escort.

[OneFinger]

BVB -- I'm glad I'm not the only one who is a little bit paranoid. This is pretty much exactly how I behave....

Ditto here. I'm not about to give ANY escort my credit card info. In fact, I have a Google voice account that I use for escort-related phone calls. I'm really surprised at the lack of privacy that is becoming so common in very private situations.

 

Cash, IMHO, is the only way to go when hiring an escort.

[JT Brooklyn]

Stick to a "No Paper Trail for your Tail" M/O... or it just might bite you in the ass in a Bad Way!

[bigvalboy]

BVB -- I'm glad I'm not the only one who is a little bit paranoid. This is pretty much exactly how I behave. I only take the amount of cash needed to the guy's home or hotel room and nothing else. No wallet, id, or anything I'm afraid of losing to a thief. Now if it's a guy I've seen a few times and he seems like a good guy, then I might take a more relaxed approach. But I can't imagine ever giving my credit card info to an escort.

 

I even know someone who goes further. He uses a pre-paid cell phone when communicating with masseurs or escorts. If ever he runs into a psycho, or someone that decides he wants to try and blackmail him, or a stalker, or what have you, there is no way anything can be traced back to him.

 

Another friend of mine had been hiring this guy for years, even would help him financially from time to time. We would all go to dinner together and to parties. The escort was literally part of our little social group. He would have the guy come over, and over the years he started letting his guard down. One night the escort came in, unlocked the back door, and when my friend went into bedroom, the escort let another guy in, and they beat the hell out of him, tied him up, robbed him and stole his car. They almost killed him. He was in the hospital for weeks.....Like I said earlier, I trust no one...I don't care how well I know him.

[justaguy]

Excellent response, BG.

[jgoo]

While I have not used them, I think that a prepaid credit card would be a convenience over carrying around a large amount of cash and could be used by the escort without putting at risk your identity (if I am correct that you don't have any personal info associated with these prepaid cards). While there are some fees associated with it, it could be a good alternative. I am going to meet an escort that offers the option of using that device next week and I plan to investigate the prepaid card as a possible option.

[+ Shoreboy]

I will start using credit cards when the men I hire start using their real names.....nah on second thought I would never use a credit card

[Xander]

I take credit cards with Square. I still get most of my payments in cash, but occasionally cards. I have no preference for how I receive cash -- i figure if its convenient for the client, then I may as well offer it considering the very low cost.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Guys, thanks for confirming my initial reaction was correct. "Benjamins" over plastic it shall be.

[robberbaron4u]

I am all for assisting the lads in law enforcement and the tax boys in their work.

[Xander]

I am all for assisting the lads in law enforcement and the tax boys in their work.

 

I'd hope any escort who decides to take credit card payments has the forethought of paying taxes

[+ deej]

Out of curiosity, has anyone looked into using those instant payment smart phone apps all the big banks have these days?

 

I know you can zap cash to a friend to cover your share of dinner, but do they have limits high enough to be used for an escort appointment?

[OneFinger]

Out of curiosity, has anyone looked into using those instant payment smart phone apps all the big banks have these days?

I wouldn't use that technology to buy a bag of peanuts. Sure as hell wouldn't use it for an escort.

[+ kontor1]

I even know someone who goes further. He uses a pre-paid cell phone when communicating with masseurs or escorts. If ever he runs into a psycho, or someone that decides he wants to try and blackmail him, or a stalker, or what have you, there is no way anything can be traced back to him.

 

Another friend of mine had been hiring this guy for years, even would help him financially from time to time. We would all go to dinner together and to parties. The escort was literally part of our little social group. He would have the guy come over, and over the years he started letting his guard down. One night the escort came in, unlocked the back door, and when my friend went into bedroom, the escort let another guy in, and they beat the hell out of him, tied him up, robbed him and stole his car. They almost killed him. He was in the hospital for weeks.....Like I said earlier, I trust no one...I don't care how well I know him.

 

Really sorry to hear something like that bigvalboy... Is this "escort" someone known to our community or reviewed here at all, do you know?!

[Lohengrin1979]

I even know someone who goes further. He uses a pre-paid cell phone when communicating with masseurs or escorts. If ever he runs into a psycho, or someone that decides he wants to try and blackmail him, or a stalker, or what have you, there is no way anything can be traced back to him.

 

Another friend of mine had been hiring this guy for years, even would help him financially from time to time. We would all go to dinner together and to parties. The escort was literally part of our little social group. He would have the guy come over, and over the years he started letting his guard down. One night the escort came in, unlocked the back door, and when my friend went into bedroom, the escort let another guy in, and they beat the hell out of him, tied him up, robbed him and stole his car. They almost killed him. He was in the hospital for weeks.....Like I said earlier, I trust no one...I don't care how well I know him.

 

A sobering reminder that we need to be cautious and safe. I am so sorry for your friend. It's horrible to think that the escort waited years to plan and initiate his assault.

 

Lohengrin

[BearDad58]

I agree with the other posters that this is a bad idea for us clients as it brings up a host of privacy related pitfalls. In my opinion it's even a worse idea for escorts for the obvious reason of potential issues with law enforcement and/or the IRS.

However the biggest problem for escorts is that these sort of payments can easily be reversed by a shady client. I knew of two escorts that got burned when clients reversed their PayPal payment claiming that the services were not rendered. I am sure the square application or other phone payment systems can easily be reversed by shady clients doing a chargeback. Unless the escort knows the client very well I don't see the point of risking a potential chargeback.

[Ryanquinn]

I am a photographer when i'm not in school or escorting and I have found that the square app and device for iphone is incredibly convenient. it prevents me from having to keep a bank to make change for clients. I have not yet used it for escorting services, however I have been kicking around the idea...it sounds like most guys would prefer discretion over convenience.

[JoeyBryant]

I have never paid with anything other than cash. I am very anonymous when it comes to my hires. I do not want any unnecessary information about me circulating. I never do an in call, so no one has ever seen the house or knows where I live. In calls are done when traveling, but there is absolutely nothing in my room. I never carry any ID or jewelery of any kind, and when doing an out call, I park my car around the corner and the escort never sees what I am driving. Personally, giving someone as anonymous as a masseur or escort any unnecessary information is pushing your luck as far as I am concerned. I trust no one!!

 

Sounds like discretion is your strong point.