There's been only one time during the past 7 years when I've seen a provider I couldn't "validate" through my normal means of scrutiny. And the only reason I did it was because I was half way across the world in a hotel with an incredible amount of security, among numerous other factors. I was able to research some characteristics about this particular woman, but she was missing one thing I normally don't deviate from. While the session with her went well, I haven't taken that risk since.
In the not too distant past, a very prolific provider quit the industry to take a high paying job in the medical field in the southern part of the USA. I was one of the last clients to ever see her. Since I knew we probably wouldn't be talking to each other very often after she quit, she gave me some parting advice. She warned me to never ever see someone who I couldn't confirm met my standards. While she had no privileged information, she also said it's quite possible that LEO could be going after a large site in the near future. She also said that many agencies had been shut down during the past few years compared to when she started.
At this point, unless the woman in question is on my insider network, I outright won't see her unless I can get a referral from an established provider I've seen before. The only exception being is if she's able to pass some very heavy "screening" on my part, if you wish to use that term. And most providers would never even think of doing that. Personally, the last place I would go to check if a provider is the right fit for me would be on a message board where half the information can't even be authenticated in the first place. Of course, I'm sure many other guys out there are more willing to task risks than I am.
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