i think this depends to a huge degree on your local law enforcement. it may also depend on growth or changes in the provider network, for example, if massage parlors start setting up across from schools, or somebody starts meddling in drugs.

in my area, we had a few massage parlor busts in redwood city a few months ago. but they occurred in what has always been a "problem" area, and were probably more intended to keep the activities within strict limits than to tamp it down permanently.

police going out of their way to embarrass clients? unless you live in a really backass city, i'd guarantee that the police have many more legitimate, ethically gratifying and community enhancing jobs they can be doing with their time. but check their web site for a perp parade, to be sure.

Not to flame, but this topic would probably be best suited to the legal corner board.  Doesn't matter that much to me, though.  I'll read it either way.  I can say from experience that asian massage parlor sting operations do happen.  Non-asian parlors are also occasionally targeted.  I think the likelihood of it happening depends on where you live and the tactics of the vice department there.  Where I'm from (MN), there has been a pretty big puritan "clean up the streets" political movement, and many of the massage parlors have already been shut down.  Some of them had sting operations set up in them in attempt to arrest the clientele, prior to being permanently closed.

I had one parlor that I particularly enjoyed, back in 1997.  Since I had been there many times, I felt pretty comfortable, and my guard was down.  The police quietly busted the place, and reopened it staffed with undercover cops.  I walked in, the quintessential ignoramus, and paid the entrance fee (never got a chance for tips).  The woman led me into a room (one I'd been in before), said "Make yourself comfortable" (standard operating procedure for this place), and left for a minute.  I took off my coat.  Suddenly two cops charged in, arrested me, read me the Miranda, charged me with "engaging in prostitution," and gave me a choice of signing a form saying I'd show up at my court arraignment or going right to jail (I signed).

Here are the red flags that I should have paid attention to: unfamiliar woman working the door, a determined attempt from the woman to make me say explicitly what I wanted, and cameras tucked into various corners throughout the place.  I didn't notice these tiny cameras until after my arrest.  What they actually got me on tape saying to the woman was "I've been here before, and I'd like the same thing."  Nothing as incriminating as "Here's $$, in exchange please have SEX with me!"

The legal process I subsequently went through is another long story.  Maybe I'll post it someday.  To summarize, the thing that made it difficult for me to get the charges dropped is testimony from arrested former employees of the place that prostitution was in fact happening there.  Prosecution tried to imply from this that even going in the door is an attempt to solicit prostitution.  The state also tried to make it much more enticing for me to just take the guilty plea ($200 fine, court fees, 1 year probation, no jail time) instead of fighting it (mandatory jail time).

Being arrested and being convicted are quite different things.  One involves cops, the other courts.  Even going through an arrest and legal process can be quite a headache, though.  Maybe that's part of the plan.  Even if they can't convict you, perhaps they can intimidate you away from whatever activity they disapprove of.

To wrap this long post up, I'd advise being careful but not paranoid in dealing with asian (or other) massage parlors.  If something feels wrong, change your mind and leave.  I actually did this on a later visit to a different asian massage parlor, when I noticed a camera inside.  Not to suggest that if you don't see cameras a place is automatically safe.  Cameras can be made so small these days that even a careful observer might not spot them.

My own experiences suggest that LE has a hierarchy for which forms of prostitution they target:

1. the streets
2. publicly visible incall houses (massage parlors, etc.)
3. organized services, internet, etc.
4. independents

Not to suggest that seeing an independent is 100% safe.  Just more safe than picking up a woman on the street.  Basically, the more visible this "crime" (as legally defined) is to the neighborhood and community, the more LE is likely to target it.  Independents tend to keep a low profile in the community, which makes them less urgent targets for politically motivated arrests.

Sorry if I'm starting to sound like a preachy know-it-all.  Hope this helps.