Evening Herald Scam

[Linda]

I have recently been contacted by a lady who saw an escort agency advertisement in Dublin's Evening Herald newspaper.

The lady responded to the advertisement and was told the escort work on offer involved escorting gentlemen for companionship only – no sex.

She was told the pay is 450 Euro for the first 4 hours and then an additional 150 Euro for every hour after that.

This advertisement is already sounding very suspect to me, as I’m sure it is to any woman who knows the escort business.

For those that do not know the escort business, please understand:

Escorts are expected to have sex with their clients. For legal and other reasons, many agencies and escorts are keen to stress that escorts, unlike prostitutes, are paid for their time and companionship only, “anything else that occurs is a matter of choice and coincidence between consenting adults” etc, but don’t read into that, that escorts are not expected to have sex with their clients, as they are. I cannot stress this strongly enough.

Going back to the lady who responded to the Evening Herald advertisement, she went on to tell me, the agency charges a joining fee – 290 Euro - only payable by debit or visa card.

The lady went on to ask me “Do you think I’m being utterly foolish to believe what they say?” I’m afraid the answer to that question is yes. Well, not yes in that I mean to call anyone who might be taken in by this agency advertisement an utter fool, but yes I do think this is a scam.

Escort agencies do not charge joining fees. The only escort agencies I know of charging joining fees are the UK scam escort agencies that operate via placing advertisements in UK publications like the Loot. These nasty scammers have ripped off many young ladies in the UK over the past few years, and it seems they have either decided to target Ireland too now, or we have our own escort agency scam entrepreneurs amongst us, but, either way, this is a scam I think.

I could be wrong, but I think that is highly unlikely frankly. I have written to the Evening Herald to request they investigate this matter as I do strongly feel it must be a scam and they shouldn't be enabling it. Thank you to the lady who brought it to my attention.

[Linda]

I have just spoken to the Evening Herald by telephone as the email I sent them earlier today was rejected by their mail system for some reason. I would just like to add that they do seem very keen to investigate this matter also. They are currently seeking any further help anyone can offer them with regards to identifying the exact ads. I'm trying to get further details from the lady that reported this matter to me currently, but if anyone else knows the exact details of how these ads were or are being published in the Evening Herald, please get in touch with me or the Evening Herald.

[Linda]

I have all the info the Evening Herald required now. Thank you.