What to do, and what not to, when you book in Mumbai

The short version: say where you are before you ask who is free, do not send money in advance to anybody, and give a real address rather than a landmark two streets away. Most of what goes wrong with a booking in this city goes wrong in the first two minutes of the call.

Do say the area and the hour first. The answer to "who is free" depends entirely on both, and a name you picked off a page may be an hour away.

Do not pay anything up front. No advance, no booking fee, no deposit, no "token". The whole amount is handed over at the start of the booking and never before it.

Do say if the building has a register at the gate, or if the hotel desk asks for identification. It is not a problem and it is better known in advance than at the door.