Diddy‘s criminal trial exposed the underbelly of the male sex work industry in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and beyond … and now some male escorts who were hired by Diddy say they’re fearful and worried about how they operate moving forward.

One sex worker connected to the Diddy case tells TMZ … there’s a fear in the industry regarding what happened with Diddy at trial and it’s changing how he conducts business.

The guy tells us he’s being extra cautious with new clients, and is doing a heavier screening process to guard against Johns who are big mouths on social media, or those who might be more likely to out a sex worker online.

Diddy got busted on prostitution charges involving transporting sex workers across state lines … and this male escort says he’s being more discreet and careful about traveling for work.

The guy says there has to be trust between a sex worker and their client … and it sounds like that may be harder to establish in the post-Diddy trial world.

He says he’s got one cuckold client, but it’s not as freaky as his Diddy experience … telling us it’s more of an orgy situation with the client’s wife and other women.

Sharay Hayes, who goes by “The Punisher” and was one of the witnesses in the Diddy trial, tells TMZ … escorts need to be more careful about how they arrange sexual encounters now, and there’s a worry in the industry about text messages being used to incriminate them, because that’s what happed in the Diddy trial.

The Punisher says sex workers are nervous and worried about leaving a paper trail … because some conversations with potential clients get really flirty, really fast. For him, he says folks usually start asking for dick sizes and suggestive photos before they meet … and that’s a big no-no.

Hayes raised his profile with the trial … making the media rounds and promoting his book, “In Search of Freezer Meat” … and while he says he’s getting more job offers now, he says he’s scared to respond, because ya never know who is on the other end of the line.

The Punisher says Diddy normalized being a “cuck” for a lot of curious people … and it’s a fetish that is rampant right now … but everyone’s got to be more careful.