Does anyone care to share their deposit requirements? I’ve been doing this for several years in Vegas and NEVER considered taking deposits until recently. I’m not sure if it’s the Covid crisis that is bringing in the flakes and Ghosting, but it’s been CRAZY lately.

I have only tried to see regulars (which are 99% out-of-towners that come Vegas on the reg) because this new breed of hobbyists have not been very good. I’ve had several people that were new contact me in the past few weeks and want to setup multiple hours or repeat days and then when it gets closer, they completely quit answering me.

I got a call last week and had all of his professional info, photo, etc. He ended up wanting to meet much later than originally planned. Several times before leaving I asked, “Are you sure you want me to come?” I even explained my trepidation was due to the ghosting that has been happening so frequently. He reassured me several times and I checked in every time I was leaving, parking, coming in, etc.

He stops texting once I’ve arrived. I wait a bit. Go back home—quite frustrated. He texts me over an hour later saying he left his phone in the casino. And then says, “If you can make your way back down here, I’ll pay your hourly rate and only take 20 minutes of your time.” Seriously? I told him he already owed me that much for the first trip down there. I did not go again.

I usually just chalk it to it not always going the way you want it too, but it’s happening SO MUCH that I’m thinking about requiring a deposit. I’ve just never really had this much of a problem in the past 7 years until recently.