Pay attention to the news stories and discussions here and on Eccie about LE activity in the area. As of a few years ago Texas became the first state in the country to make solicitation a felony. As such, imo the lesser of evils nowadays is to seek out newbie friendly verified providers and submit to their screening vs taking a chance on listcrawler, rubrankings, etc.

Also, never discuss pricing or activities with a provider. Just when and where to meet. Finally, if your spidey sense starts tingling, back away from the encounter.