Why screening matters

No screening process catches everything. But providers who screen every time report far fewer dangerous encounters than those who don't. Screening scares off bad actors because they have to hand over information that identifies them, and most of them won't. If a client refuses to screen, he's not worth seeing.

Screening also builds your reputation. Clients who've been screened by several providers know how it works and respect it. A new client who goes along with it without complaining shows he understands the industry, and he's less likely to cause trouble.

What you are legally allowed to ask

FOSTA-SESTA is about platforms that facilitate trafficking. An independent provider screening for her own safety is in a different position. Asking a possible client for his real name, employer and phone number to keep yourself safe is not illegal. You're not running a background check business, you're protecting yourself.

Don't ask clients to confirm or talk about specific sexual services in writing while you screen. Keep screening about identity and safety only, not services. That's the clearest FOSTA-aware habit you can have.

The core screening methods

P411 (Preferred411)

P411 is the oldest client verification service in the US. The client makes a profile, gives his details to P411 directly, and gets an "Okay" status you can check. If he has Okays from several providers, that means something: real people vouched for him.

Ask for his P411 handle first. Clients without P411 can still be screened other ways, but a solid P411 profile with active Okays saves you a lot of time and back-and-forth.

Provider references

Ask for two or three providers he's seen in the last six months, with their contact details. Then actually message them, a short note is enough. Most providers answer reference requests fast because they use the same system.

Ask specific questions: was he on time, did he respect boundaries, would she see him again. A reference that just says "yes I've seen him" tells you less than one that gives a clear yes.

Keep your own reference list up to date. Every time you vouch for a good client the network gets stronger for everyone.

Employment verification

Ask for a LinkedIn profile, a work email, or both. A client with a real professional identity has something to lose if he behaves badly. It's also one of the best filters against police, because an officer can't give you a genuine employer.

The LinkedIn profile doesn't have to match the email perfectly. The point is that he's a real person you can trace. For an extra check, compare the LinkedIn name with the phone number in a people-search tool like Spokeo or TruePeopleSearch.

Photo ID

Some providers ask for a photo of a government ID. It's the most annoying option for clients and you don't need it if he has good P411 or references. Keep it for clients who look legit but have no other way to verify.

If you do collect ID photos, store them safely and delete them after the appointment. Don't keep a folder of client IDs on your phone. Use encrypted cloud storage with a strong password, or just delete right after you check.

Phone number verification

Never see a client who only contacts you from an anonymous VOIP number like Google Voice, TextNow or Burner. If he won't text from a real number, that's a red flag. Free carrier lookup tools will tell you if a number is a landline, mobile or VOIP.

A real mobile number that belongs to the name he gave you is a basic check, but it works and takes less than a minute.

Building your screening intake form

A standard screening request saves time and weeds out people who aren't serious. A typical one asks for: full legal name, phone number (no VOIP), P411 handle or two provider references with contacts, employer and LinkedIn, and where he found your ad.

Send it as one message or one form link, not question by question. Clients who come back with everything filled in are usually easy to deal with in every other way too.

Some providers use a Google Form or another simple form builder on an account that isn't in their real name. Others send a set text message. Both work. Being consistent matters more than the format.

Date-Check and bad-date lists

Before you confirm any new client, run his name and number through the bad-date resources you have. For example:

Date-Check is a paid screening service that collects reports from providers about problem clients. A lot of people use it in the US.

SWOP Bad Date Lists. The Sex Workers Outreach Project keeps regional bad-date lists in many US cities. They're sent in by the community and free to use.

Provider networks. Local provider groups on Signal, Telegram or private forums often keep their own informal lists, and those are often more up to date than the official ones. If you know local providers ask how to get in.

Add to these lists yourself. When a client is dangerous, crosses boundaries or turns out to be police, file a report. Screening only works because providers share.

Screening for law enforcement

Under US entrapment law the police can't push someone into a crime that wouldn't have happened otherwise. But officers can and do make profiles on escort platforms. Employment checks are your best defense here: an officer can't give you a real employer or a real professional LinkedIn.

Never talk about specific sexual services in screening or in any written message. Keep it to logistics: when, how long, where and the rate. What happens during a legal companionship appointment is private and gets talked about in person, if at all.

When to decline a booking

Trust your gut. If something feels off during screening, decline. Pressure to skip steps, vague answers, refusing basic info, messages that sound rehearsed. You don't owe anyone a reason.

A short neutral line like "I'm not taking new clients right now" ends it without a fight. Don't explain what bothered you, that can turn into an argument. Just say no and move on.

Clients who fight the screening, say their references should be enough without giving any, or try to negotiate the process are showing you exactly who they are. Believe them.

Screening first-time clients without references

A new client without P411 or references isn't automatically a problem, everyone starts somewhere. For first-timers, the job check and the phone check count for more. A LinkedIn with a long history, a mobile number that matches his name and normal, polite messages are a fair stand-in for references he doesn't have yet.

Some providers take a small deposit from unverified first-timers. It gives him a stake in showing up and filters out the ones who aren't serious. If you do this, do it the same way for every unverified client, no matter how he comes across.

Screening checklist

Minimum screening: real full name, real mobile number (no VOIP), P411 handle or two provider references, employer or LinkedIn.

Extra steps for new clients: check the name against the phone number in a people-search tool, run him through Date-Check and local bad-date lists, look at how old and active his LinkedIn is.

Red flags, decline: VOIP-only contact, no references or job info, pressure to skip a step, asking for explicit services in writing, details that don't match.

After the appointment: add him to your own client list with notes, give a P411 Okay to clients who were safe and respectful, report bad behavior to Date-Check or your local list.