I wanted companion work - it was an escort scam

Anna is a quiet 28 year old, she likes books and the theatre, she has a degree and works for a council. When her flat mate moved out she ended up in financial difficulty. Anna needed extra work to help make ends meet.

"I came across an ad for escorting. It offered good money so I decided to find out more. The website talked about how businessmen want escorts to attend functions or for dinner when they are in town. It sounded innocent, exciting and glamorous. I would be happy to go out to dinner with a successful businessman.

When I rang the agency I spoke to Victoria, (my"agent").  She asked me a lot of questions about myself and I sent her a photo. Victoria told me I was very attractive just the type of women that men would want to book for an evening out. She said she had a client that I was perfect for that she could book me for the following Friday. I have to admit I was flattered and excited.

I asked what a typical date was like. She said that the client usually sends a car to pick you up and take met to a 5* hotel or an expensive restaurant. Sometimes, it may be to go to a business function. She asked if I had a nice dress for such an occasion.

I wasn't sure if I could go through with a booking but Victoria had an answer for that as well. She told me that she had been escorting for 9 years and only stopped because she was pregnant.

Victoria was anxious to sign me up. They charged a fees to pay for marketing expenses. She was very insistent that if I delayed, all the positions for new members, (or vacancies, as she called them) would be taken, and I would have missed out on the opportunity.

I'm normally over cautious with money, and won't do anything if there is any form of risk but Victoria told me that the agency had been trading for 15 years. She persuaded me that there was no risk at all that if I just take on the first initial booking, I would get my money back, and then I could ring them the next day if I did not think that it was for me. 
 
I tentatively started to give her my card details, but she stopped me, saying that they did not accept debit or credit card. She told me that they only took cash payments and gave me bank account details and told me how to pay it directly into their account.

When I explained that my maximum daily withdrawal from the cash point was £250.00 rather than the £350.00 she had asked for, Victoria then aid that she could arrange for me to be taken on for £250.00 instead.  As this meant that nothing would appear on my bank statements other than a withdrawal for the amount I had made, I went and paid this to their bank. I rang her straight away to tell her I had done so, to which she said that she did not want me to worry about anything, and that if I continued to be nervous, I could ring and speak to her every single day if I wanted. 
 
The client cancelled the booking and after a month no other bookings have materialised. I rang the agency, asking both to speak to Victoria, and then for my money back, but I was always told that she was out of the building or busy, and that they did not give refunds. 

Looking on the Internet I see this is a well known scam. Victoria was a professional scammer. She was very good, first flattering me, them making it sound exciting and easy, the money was good and how she had done it for years. I thought I had a guarantee booking so I couldn't lose my money. Now, I feel stupid about what has happened. I can't tell my friends and family I'm too embarrassed. I've lost £250 that I really can't afford."

Read our Facsheet on How to Spot a scam Escort Websites

If you have been a victim of an escort scam report it to Consumer Direct