Does agent to charge advance in name of booking.

Hi, I recently replied to an ad for escort services and wanted to understand how things usually work.

When I contacted the number, a man replied (not the escort herself). He first asked for my location and then demanded a booking fee through UPI before sending any photos. At first he asked ₹399, then reduced it to ₹100 “just for photos.” He said after that, I would need to pay ₹400 for booking, and then either the escort would come to a hotel or I’d go to her location.

I told him I don’t use online payments and prefer cash. He insisted cash was not acceptable. When I refused, he even asked if I was police, and in the end he started abusing me.

This felt very suspicious. My question is: Do real escorts ever work through agents like this who demand advance payment, or is it safe to assume these are always scams?