In 2011, I used Monday Magazine, the internet (back in Victoria it was SU and others online), PERB and craigslist to search for escorts. I can't remember anything about fake ads back then, just persons to avoid. I noticed Backpage somewhere in between 2014 and 2016.
The C-36 (?) came into effect (2014), making being a john illegal.... and illegal to advertise in public?
Then the US laws came into effect (2017), and web advertising virtually shutdown overnight.
So now there is Leolist and PERB.
In the past 2 years I became aware of fake ads etc. Most of these it seem to be to either to sell drugs or the intent is to rob/ripoff the john.
On another board it was mentioned that the Swedish model, would only drive the trade underground and put the sex worker at more risk...
Funny thing, you know the average concerned citizen will always go to the local police to inform them of any human trafficking. Like they would know.
Police depend on informers to find trafficking rings. Back page was a source for police to determine underage/trafficking victims, because it was advertised openly on backpage. Backpage is gone thanks the US laws. So in Canada the john won't inform, because it is illegal for him/her.
So how are police to find trafficking rings etc. In the meantime young women/teenagers are being abused by pimps/drug dealers.
It seems the escort business is moving from the openness of the escort trade(before C-36) to the dark corners of fake ads/and underground trafficking for the sex workers today.