Bad guys alert

We wrote a while ago about people trying to scam Massage Republic users.

We now need to add another alert. We have just had a couple of reports that advertisers are being contacted both:

• by phone, and,
• using fake email addresses like massagerepublic[something]@gmail.com

They are asking for for an account registration fee to be sent to them (Bkash has been one method they have used).

We don't:

• have a registration fee
• use Bkash
• call people asking for cash, email people asking for cash (if you want to upgrade, do so onsite please
• use any email that is not from @massagerepublic.com

We do know that it can be difficult to know if an email is genuine - so if you have any doubts, contact us and we will assist.

Freedom vs.Oppression?

We live in a weird world. In some ways, individuals are more free than ever to make choices. In others, much less.

The US spends billions each year on pot eradication, then semi-legalizes in some places? Liberal places like the Netherlands and Spain make it legal, then it gets less legal as laws get changed again. Marijuana is simple compared to the complexities of the personal services market....

Massage Republic works to do one thing: help people who want to offer services to do so, at no-cost or lower-cost than other methods.

We started with a 'free' option for providers - alongside the upgraded options - and hope to keep it forever. In total, we have generated more than 5 million contact inquiries to independents. That is a lot of people off the streets and a lot less risk for everyone involved.

Our paying customers are only paying 5% of their gross sales to upgrade listings on the site. Massage Republic has been a great help to many freelancers and independent businesses.

We do what we can to fight unfair or criminal practices on-site. We do extra verification in many cases and are very careful with listings where the provider listed could be underage. We have already contributed real cash and time to programs and charities working to help victims of exploitation and trafficking.

Safety First

Common sense means most people working in this industry let other people know where they are going when possible. The problem is this is often not possible.

If you use an Android phone, you might want to consider a new application that has been launched by Google, Trusted Contacts. It looks like they will be launching an iOS version for iPhones soon and you can register to get a notification when it's available on the site.

You can share your location when you want to, for instance when meeting with a client. There is also a feature where someone you have nominated a trusted contact can - if they are worried about you - ask for a location share and will be able to see where your phone was last located if you don't respond within five minutes. 

There are - obviously - some privacy implications, especially as the share happens automatically unless you respond. Make sure you read the instructions!