Pretty young things, some of whom you see on magazines covers, are supplementing their income by working as social escorts.

Partying with the rich and powerful riding in flashy chauffeur-driven cars, splurging on designer clothes and bags, and getting paid thousands just for looking good. One of my friends, Sandy, a freelance model, has been living this enviable life for the last five years. But it's not the pay from her modelling assignments that's financing her lavish ways. Instead, she's living life in the fast lane by also working as a social escort.

Sandy is one of many models here who leads such a double life. An escort agent approached her after viewing her profile on a social networking site on the Internet, most likely because of her sweet girl-next-door looks. The promise of earning wads of cash reeled in the then 21 year-old student who had just completed her school and she hasn't looked back since. "The money was too much of a temptation." she says.

Escort agencies have long targeted models because it's a good business strategy. Men like the thrill of going out with models. It's like eating forbidden fruit. It elevates and satisfies their egos.

Demand for high-end escorts looks set to increase with more international events where high-rollers will want to be entertained by and be seen with beautiful women.

Naturally, the younger and more fresh-faced the models, the better. There's a constant turnover in the escort business and the mindset is the younger (the escort).

The models we spoke to say agents trawl social networking sites such as Facebook and Friendster to look for potential model-escorts. They also approach beauty pageant contestants and race queen contestants after competitions, zeroing in on the title holders.

For example, Nancy who has been modelling for the last three years was approached by an agent after she won a beauty pageant three months ago. He chatted her up after the pageant and slipped in his proposition during their conversation. She turned him down. Likewise for freelance model, who was approached after making the top three in a race queen pageant and a pageant for a local men's magazine. She turned down four offers for escort cork in the last two months that came via two social networking sites.

Sometimes, these models are approached by other models who've found being social escorts a lucrative way to make some extra pocket money.

The market rate for a full-day editorial modelling assignment is $400. A one-day commercial shoot can earn a model close to $3,000.

No wonder then that models are tempted to become escorts. The rates pegged to model-escorts can start from $1,500 per hour and can go up to about $12,000 per hour. These are at least double the rates for ordinary escorts. Agents usually take a 40 per cent cut but this differs from agency to agency.

The better the `quality' of the girl, the higher the rate; a good-quality model-escort can take home a tidy five-figure sum easily within a month - the same amount an agency owner can make.

Models that've appeared on magazine covers have an edge over the others as they set the standards of what society deems as beautiful. These models are ready-made with good looks and proportionate figures, as well as good work ethics, like being well groomed, disciplined and punctual.

Models are given a certain amount of flexibility too. They don't discourage girls who join multiple agencies to get more assignments. However, high-profile models only join one or two trusted agencies. This is to minimise their exposure and ensure their identities are kept private.

As for discreet (sexual) services, agencies say they do not promote them and what goes on between escort and client is beyond their control.

However, it is common knowledge within the modelling circuit that as long as you're a social escort, you will be expected to provide sexual services.

Some models are curious about being an escort, because it sounded like purely an escort service and it offered better money than modelling

However, they may changed her mind completely after knowing that she'd be giving blow jobs and have sex, both without using condoms.

While some could have done with the extra money to pay for school fees and other expenses, some prefer to work for money in a way they deem as responsible and not demeaning. Some model turned down the agent's offer knowing the money is good. There's one model that is pimped out by her boyfriend and he takes her earnings.

Still, there are those like Sandy who say the money is enough motivation to pursue the "sideline". She refuses to disclose how much she earns, but boasts that she can easily take home a six-figure sum for several days of work. "It's fast money. I just can't say no," says the seasoned escort.

She says that she has no qualms about providing sexual services to her clients, many of whom are foreigners. As long as the price is right, she says she's open to doing whatever the client wants, from playing with sex toys like vibrators to wearing costumes to act out fantasies like "nurse and doctor".

She has generally had good experiences with her clients, save for one had incident with a foreign client who refused to let her leave after she finished servicing him at a private condominium. Fortunately, her agent turned up and managed to help her escape.

Only her close girlfriends know about her job. "I don't think many people can accept my line of work," she says. Despite having to keep her sideline a secret, she's not going to stop for as long as her sweet young looks are in demand. "Power, wealth and money - it's so good to have these," she says with a smile.