If you are looking for a hook up or casual encounter then you don’t want to miss Locanto’s W4M listings – or the alternative sites just like it.
Since April of 2018, the personal listings section of most popular online classified sites has gone dry. The reason? An investigation in the US revealed that the owners behind sites like Backpage and Cracker were involved in some decidedly dodgy dealings and were charged with criminal offences including money laundering and aiding prostitution. To avoid similar scrutiny, the likes of Craigslist and many others went to ground and ditched their personals categories. However, Locanto Australia has proved it is made of sterner stuff and has maintained its section for personal ads.
In this guide, we take a look at the W4M section of the popular classified site, Locanto and find out why the site is gaining ground after Backpage was seized and Craigslist threw in the towel.
The Rise of Locanto
Following action taken by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) in April 2018 to close the operations of Backpage, classifieds sites like Craigslist have removed the sections of their sites that have previously been common for both escorts as well as for casual encounters.
Backpage’s management was accused, and later convicted of charges relating, but not limited, to money laundering and conspiracy to facilitate prostitution. A week after the seizure of the company’s assets, Backpage also pleaded guilty to further charges of human trafficking.
In the immediate aftermath, sites like Craigslist which previously ran personal ads took the decision to cease operations in this area. Fearful of scrutiny from the authorities, almost overnight, the market for categories that were popular for hook ups, such as ‘Casual Encounters’, disappeared from many classified websites.
Most, that is, except Locanto.
Locanto has continued to provide a platform for both private personals as well as paid personal services. And, for the time being at least, they remain one of the only classified sites to do so.
This is welcome news to the many escorts who used these sites to advertise their services as well as erotic masseuses and fetish providers like Dominatrixes and subs. It’s also great news for anyone looking for casual encounters or a hook-up.
Lastly, Locanto (unlike some of the other remaining classified services) is an international site and covers all territories in Australia including Hobart as well as New Zealand.
Best Sites Like Locanto
As we’ve mentioned, Locanto Australia is one of the last classified and personals websites that still hosts (inadvertently or not) hundreds of adult adverts.
There are several smaller sites offering the same, but they don’t have the same volume of postings that you’ll see on Locanto.
As a result, many frequent users of the W4M category head to sites that cater specifically for hooking up and intimate encounters.
The best of the bunch are:
They are not free to use, but they offer a more ‘user-friendly’ experience for hooking up or finding a no-strings-attached encounter.
Popular Categories
The personals section of the website has an abundance of ways to list an ad with two main categories; Personals and Personal Services. Each has sub-categories so that users can browse and filter the listings accordingly.
Personals
- Friendship
- Women Seeking Men
- Men Seeking Women
- Men Seeking Men
- Women Seeking Women
- Missed Connections
- Casual Encounters
Personals Services
- W4M
- M4W
- T4M
- BDSM/Fetish
- Massages
- Erotic Photography
- Jobs
- Phone/Cam
- Shopping
- Other Personals Services
- Website Promotions
It’s immediately obvious that the range of categories offered on Locanto is comprehensive and covers, not only the lonely hearts and single hook ups but also, the professional service providers like escorts and erotic masseurs.
Hooking Up on Locanto
There are a couple of good ways to find a casual encounter on Locanto although caution is recommended (see Tips on Hooking Up, below).
The first port of call for a hook up is the ‘Casual Encounters’ sub-section under the ‘Personals’ category. Listings are then sub- divided into:
- Women Looking for Men
- Women Looking for Women
- Men Looking for Women
- Fetish Encounters
- Men Looking for Men
- Transsexual Adventures
- Couples Seeking Women
- Couples Seeking Men
- Couples Seeking Couple
Here, there is no ambiguity about what is being offered and what you should expect. Listings should not be for any professional services but there are no guarantees that you won’t find a couple of escorts on here. These could be a result of a mistakenly placed ad or a deliberate attempt to fool people. Either way, they are usually easy to spot as they often refer to payment in an oblique way, or even use $ signs somewhere in their ad.
As well as browsing the ‘Women Looking for Men’ section, you could always place your own listing under ‘Men Looking for Women’. However, the breakdown of ads is usually heavy on the ‘Men Looking for Women’ so you will have a lot of competition.
Obviously, if you are happy with a threesome then the ‘Couples Seeking Men’ category is an interesting choice. And, if you fancy something a little different then the ‘Fetish Encounters’ and ‘Transsexual Adventures’ could be a break from the norm.
Another option is to head for the ‘W4M’ section under ‘Personals Services’. Here you will find more professional women offering everything from erotic massage to straightforward escorting. They are often cheaper than hiring an escort directly through an agency and can cost much less than hitting up a brothel (if you are in a territory where brothels are legal). However, the quality and authenticity of the ads can leave a lot to be desired at times (see below).
What we like about the W4M category the most is that not all of the girls who advertise their services here are professional and full-time escorts. The section has become quite popular with housewives and backpackers who are looking to earn a little extra on the side. In this way, the prices stay cheap (and often negotiable) plus you get a more authentic hook up experience. Okay, so this way you have to pay a few bucks for the privilege but, let’s face it, when was any date ‘cheap’ with guaranteed sex at the end?
Cost of Using Locanto
Undeniably, one of the best parts about using Locanto is that it is entirely free, both to browse or to post your own ad. The site does offer premium ads and premium accounts but these are primarily used by people who are buying, selling and listing other items or services. In fact, the site does good business in secondhand goods, real estate and vehicles. You can even pick up pets through the website.
Tips on Hooking Up
Hooking up online is not without its problems and Locanto (as well as Craigslist and Backpage) have had their fair share of scams and hoaxes in their time.
The principle scam with the site is the classic ‘Bait & Switch’ where an ad is placed using fake pictures so that a customer is drawn in and makes a booking. By the time the escort arrives at your motel room, you are under pressure not to make a fuss and end up paying her, irrespective of what she looks like. Our advice here is, if an ad looks too good to be true then it probably is.
Another common hoax is to run an escort listing in the personals section which means you end up wasting time arranging to meet your hook-up only to find out she is an escort.
Of course, meeting a total stranger for sex is always fraught with worries about having your personal belongings stolen or being duped for cash. Unlike when you use a reputable escort agency, there is no recourse with Locanto if this happens to you so you should always be careful about not leaving your wallet, jewellery and personal effects on display.
One common tactic for unscrupulous escorts is for them to ask for the cash upfront and then to ‘forget’ something they need from their car. Plenty of guys have lost money (and their hard-ons) in this way.
When hooking up through a site like Locanto it is essential that you make it clear from the off what it is that you are looking for; if this is an escort service then agree a price and if you want a one-night stand with a single girl, then make this plain too. There is no point wasting anyone’s time.
Always Google the mobile number listed in an ad as escorts often place several listings as well as having their details on other sites. A quick check against the number should quickly identify if the same number is being used elsewhere and, more importantly, if the same pictures are being used. This should help you ascertain if an ad is a ‘Bait & Switch’ or not.
Featured image via Locanto/Pixabay.
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