TinMan, when I first read the words "gift card," and then read that the card being considered would not necessarily have to be "activated" from the outset, perhaps I was thinking of a different type of card; not the type generally referred to as a "gift card." What I was thinking of was instead a pre-loaded Visa card of the type that you can give someone and then load money onto by going to a secure website. The type of card parents frequently give to their college kids, etc. Sorry for the confusion.
It may be her argument is the card isn't loaded until after the session. If that's the case, wouldn't that be the same if no payment occurred or no discussion of payment? And how would handing her an empty gift card be any more advantageous than keeping the money in my pocket? And wouldn't any discussion of gifts beforehand invalidate all that in any event?
Originally Posted by TinMan
The criminal code considers that you have committed an offense if you make or accept an offer to provide a sexual service in return for cash (or anything that can be readily converted to cash), whether or not the payment is actually made. So, yes, if LE really wanted to lay the foundation for a case, any discussion of gift amounts beforehand could get you nailed.
One point I would make here is that if I thought there was any chance that a provider could be working for (or with) a law enforcement agency, I might be
more - not less - uncomfortable with the idea of trying to pay her fee with any type of gift or pre-loaded card rather than with cash. That's because if anyone really wanted to make a case, they could undertake steps to seize electronic records of the card creation & activation. Very unlikely in the case of any sort of encounter you're likely to enjoy, I imagine, but it could happen. On the other hand, if by some chance she happens to get caught and questioned, it's pretty hard to establish that the cash she has in her purse was slipped into it by your hand.
Having said that, I understand there are a couple of good reasons some high-end, traveling escorts like card tender.
First, it allows them not to have to go through airports and other places with large amounts of cash. If randomly selected by the TSA for an in-depth search, it might be hard to explain away the possession of an unusual amount of cash. Additionally, possession thereof might make one a robbery target.
Second, some escorts may figure that certain clients might find it easier to use the accounts of a professional practice, an LLC, or some other entity within their control, to load cards that may then be given to the escort in return for overnight or multi-day engagements. It's not advisable to go to the teller's window and withdraw very substantial amounts of cash, as it can arouse suspicion and be reported by banks to the authorities in many instances.
TinMan, if you corresponded with this young lady on BP, I'm guessing that she is most likely not a traveling provider?
If not, it could very well simply be the case that she was reading about the use of cards on one of the escort blogs, and jumped to the conclusion that this sort of subterfuge might be a clever way to create plausible deniability. Or, she could be trying to scam you.
In any case, I'd be very cautious, which apparently is the decision you've made.
