Unfortunately this is the norm rather than the exception with paying a deposit or in advance in most instances. A search on the hobby boards will pull up countless instances of this taking place. I learned the hard way myself many years ago to never pay in advance even if you have visited with the lady many times previously (Thanks for the lesson Amazing Dixie). The one who got me I had visited nearly a dozen times previously to her absconding with my payment without rendering services.

Usually the lady will try and make it out to be the clients fault in some way or have her friends come to her defense making it seem there is no way she would do such a thing. Sadly the truth is once a lady has your money there really is no reason for her to follow through with the session. The money is the only reason she is seeing you period. Once you give her that all your leverage is gone. If a girl is relatively attractive and will sleep with any dude that shows up at her door for money trust me dudes will continue to show up no matter how many threads there are about her robbing guys. Maybe guys going forward wont pay in advance but they will still show up cash in hand willing to give it to her.

Not to rub salt in a still open wound its simple to avoid by never paying upfront ever. I will still throw a girl a few bucks now and then that I have seen before but never a lot and I totally plan on getting nothing in return for it going forward. I just look at it as a gift that might get me a little better treatment down the road but I never bring it up again not even on the next visit. I show up ready to pay our normal aggreged fee and if they say "oh no you sent me 50 last week when I was in a bind" I tell them its great that they remembered but that was a gift and give them the agreed on full rate. It might be one in ten times that the girl remembers but it does happen now and then. Yes I do this and I am notoriously tight with my hobby funds lol

Either way it sucks that this happened to you but use it like I did when Amazing Dixie took me and keep it in the back of your mind anytime a girl ask for a deposit or to be paid in advance. (it seems like when they offer a discount for prebooking they are more likely to do this imho) Make it a point to never do it again and I can assure you this will be the very last time it will happen.

Ladies please dont take my post as calling anyone out or stating that you personally can not be trusted. The only person I can call out is Dixie as she did this to me personally. I am sure there are plenty of ladies who can be trusted I am just saying the only foolproof way of avoiding the same mistake is to not make it in the first place. Other than that you are opening yourself up to the chance that this will happen to you.