I'd imagine it has something to do with the fact that the provider has questions that she wants to act directly to the other provider. The booker for the agency probably has no idea what goes on during each session and just because the provider got out unscathed and didn't say anything doesn't make neccessarilly make the guy a perfect client. just my 2 cents.

@BamBam - You're right. A good "interview" with a provider references starts with verifying the identity, but then goes into other areas such as...

Did the client arrive on time? With correct donation? Did he overstay his welcome? Did he respect your boundaries? Was his hygiene pleasant? Did he behave as a gentleman? How many times have you seen this Gent? Would you see him again? (if not - why?)

In some cases, providers will chit-chat and discuss advertising, touring etc.

Agencies, are also somewhat notorious for calling a client using them as a reference and then offering them a special with a different girl. Independents hate having their time wasted in this fashion, and if other independents do this, it could get you "blackballed" from being used as a reference.

Just what we have learned by observation.

I could see that being an issue. I suppose an independent could try and steal your business under the same scenario too though.

Yeah but that's probably less likely to happen. I doubt you'd use a provider as a reference who you didn't have some kind of a trust level with.

the whole reference system is a sham.

How so ana?

i've had maybe a half dozen "established" girls call me for a reference in 5 years even though i have had at least 100 clients email me and tell me that they put me down as a reference..
ironically, i've gotten about the same # of girls that have called me who were advertising on craigslist.

i know a girl who went to jail because her incall roommate told her that a guy she had seen the week prior was "ok" when in fact he turned out to be undercover.

i've seen emails from girls that have asked a provider for a reference and gotten no response from the provider but the client has forwarded the email he just received offering him a special from the provider who ignored the reference request.

i know of girls who say that certain providers have sent them unpleasant clients or clients who are overly critical reviewers and they believe it is on purpose.

i know of girls who say that providers told them they didnt know a guy, but that same week the provider posted something on a forum that made it clear she knew him very well.

i know 2 girls who claim that they have made up absolutely fake names and sent them to different providers and gotten an "ok"

i know of a girl who was busted by an undercover cop who was regsistered with one of the popular verification services and had at least 1 provider "ok"

when i first started out and i heard about the reference system, i thought it was asinine that anyone would rely upon another escort to determine whether or not a guy is "ok".
most serial killers have friends and family who claim they were "ok" and in fact, i bet the craigslist killer in boston came with references.. everybody assumed the girl didnt screen him just because she was on craigslist but she had been in the business a long time and worked for an agency and she was in an upscale hotel so maybe she did check his references.

how hard can it possibly be to behave yourself on 2 occasions for 1 hour ?

i only ask for references because

a. it's expected of me and it weirds guys out if you do anything unorthodox
b. i wont see guys who have seen certain providers .

i dont check them unless they are out of state because the phoenix market is totally cut throat and anyone who says it isnt is either lying, stupid or hasnt been in the business very long. from what i've seen, the nicer a girl "seems" to be online, the more evil she is behind the scenes.

even when i first started, i was way more scared of other escorts than i was scared of clients and after 5 years in the business, i've only become more and more convinced.

if a woman appears on "america's most wanted" she's more likely to be in this industry than the mainstream business world but even in the mainstream business world, you dont consult with the competition in regards to your clientele

and the girls who tell other girls to "check references" are the ones who i've never gotten a request from... it's just how they keep tabs on their client and send bad ones to new girls.

Anna,

We totally agree with you. We can confirm we have also heard many of these stories and as you know, we are also in the Phoenix market.

We've heard of providers sending a client to us to spy on us, we've had providers offer us advertising advice (ie, a resource, board or directory) tell us they are getting huge business from it. (Yet we advertised there and didn't even get so much as a "look"). Further research showed the site was just not getting any traffic - so she was telling us to waste our money. Yep - it happens.

There are a few straight shooters, but we've also encountered some of the problems you've listed so we have developed our own measures to verify a gent.

In our opinion, in this "hobby" it tends to attract the bottom feeders, the lowest of the low, and for legit professionals like ourselves attempting to do some creative exploration, it can be frustrating, infuriating, and discouraging.

Agencies are no different.

Very interesting response from ana and christine. If this is the case, why does absolutely every provider still insist on asking for a reference? Ana, is it because as you say providers ask for them because they don't want to sound like a freak. Too bad that providers don't stick together and choose to be catty and competitive.

The oldest profession in the world still operates as the wild west. There are no professional associations, standards committees, or continuing education. The lack of a coordinated effort (combined with the lowlifes attracted to the biz thinking they can make a fast easy buck) result in a very catty competitive and underhanded business environment.

While there are many very intelligent, well educated ladies in the biz, their numbers are very few, and most choose to focus on the high end VIP market where "references" are not as needed and gents are verified through employment verification introductions are made mostly made via word-of-mouth.

Why do we choose to ask for references?

First, though we ask for them its more about what we "DO" with them. Asking just adheres to a long evolved pattern that gents are comfortable and familiar with. However we've also found ways to leverage them to help us in our verification process.

its not providers.

it's women.. they are evil.

men have an honor code, they dont hit below the belt.
women dont just hit below the belt, they punch, kick, and claw anything they can get ahold of.

i know a girl who worked at mustang ranch way back in the day and she found nair in her shampoo bottle. she smelled it on her hand before she put it into her hair.
that is just so wrong.

Damn that is bad. My experience with women has led me to draw the same conclusions as you. While I've never been punched in the face by a woman, I've been kicked, scratched and berated enough to know that I'd pick a punch in the face any day over an angry woman. Us guys do seem to have more of a line that doesn't go as far as the female line.