I had a client who I seen Monday evening and he booked again for Tuesday evening for an extended date (5 hours). he paid in cash and £100 deposit on PayPal. woke up this morning and checked my bank and there was fraudulent activity, two seperate transactions for £100 from the same tech company.

I have contacted my bank and got the money refunded, I don’t know if he actually recieved it in the first place as it was still processing out of my bank. I don’t think I had enough funds tbh and that’s maybe why it didn’t fully leave?

So I’m certain this client must have went into my bag and took my card details whilst I was in the bathroom, which means he must know my real name and also my business name (I have another job)

Is there anything I should do moving forward to protect my privacy ? I’m not sure what to do. I have not heard from him today.

So I’m certain this client must have went into my bag and took my card details whilst I was in the bathroom, which means he must know my real name and also my business name (I have another job)

Never trust them.

if this was an outcall, you take your bag to the bathroom. If it was your own place, you keep all personal stuff like that hidden, not in the same room as the guy. And you try hard not to leave the guy on his own.

This could also be a coincidence and the fraud could be from elsewhere. Just a thought. There is a lot of it going on.

Yes my thoughts too, do be careful but I do think it takes a lot for someone to go into your bag and get the card out. If I leave the bag in the room I leave the bathroom door ajar and listen. Generally thought I prefer to take my bag wherever and I don't like it carried by anyone else - this goes for personal as well as work life.

I’m fairly certain it was him as he is from Chicago and told me he owns a tech company. the bank transaction says it was a ‘trading’ tech company based in Chicago. I’m honestly baffled cause it’s kinda stupid…  and there’s no other explanation. I definitely didn’t sign up to be a forex trader online 

I work from home and usually never leave them alone but I let me guard down for a moment and had a quick freshen up in the shower so I’m assuming that’s when he must have went through my bag? Honestly, he seemed so genuine and ‘nice’ so just goes to show, never trust them.  I have now ordered a safe to keep all my money, passport and bank cards inside whilst I’m with a client.

I’m wondering if his plan was to gradually take small payments from my bank and hope I didn’t notice, and do this over a long period of time…

I have now ordered a safe to keep all my money, passport and bank cards inside whilst I’m with a client.

Perhaps better not to store everything in one place?


If you have any funds in PayPal, transfer them to your bank account as a precaution in case PayPal decides to close your account.
But as far as I'm aware, even if your PayPal is empty, you're still liable if the client reports the £100. PayPal will refund them and seek to recover the funds from you.

Take a look at the deposits thread: https://saafe.info/main/questions-and-answers/deposits/
(Recently, I read through 30+ pages of it, it was educational. You can find some ideas there.)

I’m wondering if his plan was to gradually take small payments from my bank and hope I didn’t notice, and do this over a long period of time…

Maybe he thought that smaller amounts won't trigger automatic fraud checks by the bank?