Did you know that bait-and-switch is ubiquitous in the sex industry? If you are a Hobbyist*, you probably already know this because you have certainly faced this issue several times before.
I have written many articles related to the topic bait-and-switch, talking about the problem of using fake photographs in the Escorts industry. We often tend to believe that this phenomenon is mainly related to Independent Escorts who do want to hide their activity as much as possible, who do not want to show their face, who do not want to spend money on a photo shooting or who know that with their original photos they certainly would not be working as well as they do with the photos of this Model in vogue on Instagram.
This somewhat bizarre reasoning is also found at Escort Agencies because they are in fact the leaders in the use of fake photos and bait-and-switch. It is them who "set the example" to these young women whose first experience as Escorts is often through one of these Agencies or at an erotic Studio.
What is bait-and-switch?
For those who have never heard of the expression bait-and-switch, let me give you a quick definition of what it is about.
A bait-and-switch is a deceptive marketing or sales tactic where a business advertises a product or service at a very attractive price (the "bait") to draw customers in, but then tries to sell them a more expensive or different item (the "switch").
Apply to the sex industry context, an escort agency would promote an escort girl featuring her with wonderful pictures or a service at a very low price, often in ads or online listings.
When a customer shows interest to visit that girl, they're told she isn’t available but another lady that looks like her is currently available. Or they might not tell him anything and book him a girl who has nothing to do with the one he wanted to see. The client will only find out the deceit when that girl will be standing in front of his door… Alternatively, the agency might push the client to pick a different girl, usually more expensive…
Why many escorts’ agencies favored bait-and-switch?
Most of escort agencies choose not to go for total transparency and prefer to lie to their audience to attract more clients, as one attracts a mouse into a trap, thanks to a piece of cheese... But why do they choose to trick their potential clients by using bait-and-switch strategies?
Here are in my opinion (and mainly based on my experience) the main reasons why fake photos and services are very popular in the sex industry and the preferred tools of escorts Agencies:
a) Their Models are not so pretty
An escort agency constantly must introduce not only new girls but new good-looking ones for the phone to ring. So, when they have no top-models available, they go for the bait-and-switch alternative. Once the customer is there, 80% of the time, he will choose to stay anyway, even if he immediately understands that he has been screwed.
b) The escort girl does not want to work with her real photos.
Too many girls want a piece of the cake but give nothing in return. Showing their face is not mandatory to work well within the sex industry. Pretty pictures of a part of their body or others that hide their entire face are possible alternatives to protect one's identity. As the escort agency was not given any picture of the girl, they simply choose to use fake ones and to base their business model on bait-and-switch.
c) Their Models work illegally
Strangely, the Swiss police will actively control erotic studios, independent escorts and gentlemen’s clubs, but do very few controls when it comes to escort agencies. On the other hand, if you are the manager of a brothel, you will not escape controls. Statistically, agencies are less controlled, are often illegal (so they pay no charges and no taxes) and if they are caught by the police, it is often their word against those of the girls (who work for these agencies). If the Escorts are not the one in the pictures, it’s difficult to prove that these girls are working for the Agency. Moreover, it is important to mention that these illegal escort agencies are generally more active at night than during the day because of course, police controls are less frequent at night...
d) Some agencies have an ephemeral lifespan
Indeed, many escort agencies operate for only a few months or even sometimes a few weeks. They do not want to spend money on a short-term project. They are not interested in building a name or a regular clientele. Under these circumstances, the goal is to earn as much money as possible as quickly as possible. Therefore, running a business based on a bait-and-switch approach isn’t a big deal for them...
e) Prices offered are very low
Bait-and-switch escort agencies can be either very pricey or pretty affordable. The first business model will be also known as a rip off agency as not only the pictures will not be authentic, but the services listed will most of the time not match what the client will expect or will have paid for. On the other hand, agencies choosing to offer cheap escort services know that the chances that a customer complains (because he did not get what was advertised) are really slim because in the end, it didn't cost him much. So, for them, it's acceptable if the girl doesn't look like the one in the pictures or if the service is a bait-and-switch.
f) Girls are not reliable
Indeed, an Agency may want to invest time and money in a photo shooting or in a professional video but when the girl bolts after two days, or even worse, never shows up at all, all this investment in time and money is lost without having been profitable. Bait-and-switch pictures cost nothing and keep the phone ringing.
g) It generates traffic on their own site
The bigger a website is (the number of profiles you can find there), the greater are the chances of finding fake profiles mixed with real profiles. The problem is that bait-and-switch profiles are often more numerous than real ones (and it obviously prevent the good girls with a real profile from working properly because they are mixed with fake profiles, so harder to distinguish for clients). A site that generates traffic is a site that is well ranked on Google and therefore attracts customers faster. Consequently, for many escorts agencies the photos they use must be impeccable... even if they are bait-and-switch…
And do not think that the only pictures that are stolen and reused by escort agencies are professional photos. Unfortunately, selfies are also increasingly used for the same purposes. They are also preferred to professional photos because when customers see the word "selfies", they immediately think that it is authentic: a selfie cannot be fake ... Well it is not true, and it is often retouched (does not look very natural) and used even more than professional photos because customers are less cautious about them.
So how to trust an escort agency?
To answer this question, here are a few key tips to avoid bait-and-switch escort services:
1) First, do your homework: choose an agency that has been on the market for a few years. It will avoid you to fall into a bait-and-switch. And please, go for an agency which has a website! No serious escort agency nowadays operates without a website. A few escort agencies in Switzerland have built a strong reputation over the years. Inform yourself and contact them!
2) Choose an escort agency that gives a lot of information about the model they represent. It will not only help you to make up your mind, but this will also demonstrate the agency's commitment to transparency. When the descriptions are too short or nonexistent, when the photos seem blurry / unreal and do not show the face of the Model, be careful!
3) Use Google Reverse Image Search or any similar tool. By uploading any image, you can quickly find out where else these photographs have been used on the internet and quickly make your own opinion if yes or not you might be facing a bait-and-switch…
4) Get in touch via phone with the agency in question. If the bookings are only possible by Email, SMS or WhatsApp: run away!
5) Make your own opinion of an escort agency by trying it yourself at least three times with three different ladies. You will quickly be fixed on the average level of that agency.
6) Trust word of mouth! This is much better than the comments left on a forum. If one of your friends recommends a place, this means that he was very satisfied about it and following his piece of advice keeps you away from the bait-and-switch. Don’t think twice and just go for it!
Last but not least, always look for transparency while searching for an escort service. A bait-and-switch escort agency does not care about ethics and morals whereas a respectable escort agency will do their very best to protect their reputation. And don’t be fooled by the number of ladies featured on an escort website. Most of the time, the more girls available, the more bait-and-switch you will face. Your choice should be guided by quality and not by quantity.
Janet – The Velvet Rooms
*Hobbyist : A Gentleman who regularly visits Escorts
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