Over 100 escorts from one service are due to be outed this week in the trial of accused "DC Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey. Federal investigations won't kill escort agencies, but the rise of independent erotic service providers might. Agencies offer the kind of efficiency Valley men claim to prize in their lives: Just call and you get a girl. But many seasoned clients rely on the discretion of freelance working girls, even if it requires a bit more time. How many? We'll never know, but that's the whole idea: If you want to keep your name out of the public record, indie is the way to go. Here's how they do it.

Security through obscurity Going with an agency escort might seem more anonymous — like "ordering a pizza" said former Deputy Secretary of State and "AIDS czar" Randall Tobias of his agency hires. As with Amazon.com's One-Click ordering, that ease happens because the agencies keep your data on file. And once your name, phone number, and credit card details are in their records, you have no control over who gets access. An independent, by contrast, may ask for some of your personal identification to be sure you're safe — legal name, employer, permission to call you at work through the main desk. But it doesn't go into a computer.

Preferred treatment Agencies consider you their client, not hers, and don't encourage girls to get close. Independents are the opposite — concerned with building a steady business clientele for themselves. It's also why the most successful indie escorts advertise exclusively online, where their website, advertisements, and reviews are quick to find. It's in the interest of them to get to know your likes and dislikes, even if that takes a few more emails at the outset. Once you're in and established, you'll find yourself fit into their schedules on as short notice as an agency can.

Felony-free It's rare that an Internet-based girl working alone gets busted for prostitution. A misdemeanor solicitation charge is far less lucrative to law enforcement than nailing multiple agency managers for pimping and pandering, which can be pumped up into federal crimes by ambitious investigators and prosecutors. The biggest risk indies face are nosy neighbors, angry wives, and jealous boyfriends. No matter how cute they seem in their photos, if they're working alone, it's still very unlikely they're attractive enough to merit a wiretap.

(Photo: independent, San Francisco based Juliet)

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