Pre meeting deposit etiquette

[Transylvania Count]

My strong advice is never send deposits. There are plenty of ladies here who offer verification without the need for a deposit. And "verified" is just a status, which doesn't really mean much. This is a free forum, not an enforcement agency. All kinds of events have happened (see the Alerts section) and some have had no consequences. Stay informed and draw your own conclusions.

[SexySammy]

While the point about them not risking their reputation over "chump change" *could* be true, a simple verified status is definitely not enough to determine that. There have been plenty of instances where it's happened and since it's always "he said/she said", doesn't mean those things would stop them. Especially if you're new and she isn't, so she assumes her word means more. While it may not look like much, if she can make 200 off say 4 guys for zero work, that makes it worth it to some folks, especially those that are hurting.
Established providers are certainly different than just verified. I myself do take deposits for clients who may be lurkers/new with zero posting history or references, and I've never just kept a deposit, unless they canceled obviously, as unfortunately a lot of newbies don't think it matters about paying a cancellation fee and are typically the first ones to refuse to pay it, even though it's spelled out in black and white in my ad. As well as many other established providers who also require it occasionally so our time isn't wasted. There are plenty of legitimate businesses who charge cancellation fees, the main difference is you can fight for your money back if you got scammed from a legitimate business but the point still stands. If you're that uncomfortable providing one, then there are plenty of providers with other methods of verification, but that will typically involve providing some RW information regardless. So it's ultimately up to you which route you'd like to go. But like TC said, do your research and stay informed about who you're seeing/reaching out to. There are plenty of fish in the sea for you to find the one thats right for you.