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Thread: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

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    Default Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Trick or Treat! Well, the trick was on me tonight when I got ripped off for $450 worth of dances from a single customer. Since this is the first time I've ever been out that much money, where better to share my angst and embarrassment than an anonymous message board. The story goes as follows:

    I go to my club tonight at 11p.m to work a 5 hour shift. I'm pretty psyched since I always bank on Halloween, and I expect it to be even better than usual since it falls on a weekend this year. Sure enough I get there and see that there are only about half the number of girls that you usually find on a weekend shift- Cha-Ching! I start racking up dances and I've netted about $330 by about 1:30. So far, so good. Then I meet this handsome, well-dressed, youngish guy who wants some dances. We do 3 dances and he pays me the $60 in cash. Then he wants to go to the VIP room (or what suffices for such at my club). We negotiate a price of $150 for a half hour. My club sets the price at $100/half hour, but then takes 40% of that, so most of the dancers ask for more money to compensate for the club's cut. He was alright to dance for, not particularly handsy, just a average customer I guess.

    I guess he was enjoying himself because he opted to do 2 more half hour VIP sessions for a total tab of $450. So, when the time comes to pay, he tells me he needs to use his debit card to get funny money from the club. So we go to do that, and his card gets declined. Of course, my first question to him is do you have another card? He replies no, and I say, well, since it's a check card let's go to the ATM and see if you can get the money that way. His card is declined again, probably because he exceeded his daily spending limit.

    Now, this is where things get ugly. I tell him he needs to pay me tonight-it's now past 3:00 and the club will close in less than an hour. Then, he starts BSing about oh I just need to take my card with my ID to the bank and I'll get the money like that. I tell him that makes no sense as there are no tellers at any bank at 3:00 a.m. He says no, I'll go to the ATM at the bank. I then point out that if he couldn't get any money out of the ATM at our club, then he probably won't be able to get any out of the bank ATM. He doesn't have any response to that, and I realize that I am up shit creek.

    The only thing I could do was ask for collateral. He had his wallet out, so I ask for his driver's license. He refuses because he doesn't want to drive without it. I say OK, give me your watch, which he does. It's a Kenneth Cole watch, and he makes sure to tell me it's worth well over $200 (oh, wow, you mean less than half of what you owe me?). I write down his name, address, and driver's license number (to do what with I don't know). I then start to look through his wallet and pull out another credit card. I ask why didn't you use this card? He starts BSing again, saying that it's an expired card (which it wasn't). He then said it wasn't his account (even though his name was on the card). I'm like well I'll just hold on to this and your watch until you return with my money.

    I walk off and start to do more dances to help recoup my losses. I had forgotten that I took his credit card in the confusion, but he stayed behind to complain to the staff and management. The manager asks me if I had his stuff and I reply that I have his watch, but I had given back his credit card (honestly I didn't remember that I had it at that point), and that he owed me $450 and I was holding on to his watch for collateral until he paid me. Well, he complained to some more people, including another dancer-asking her to fix things like there's something she could do about it. He finally leaves, and the manager comes up to me and asks if I really have his credit card. I say I don't know, but I'll look through my purse. He replies because if you do have his card I can try to get the money out of him-like using it as leverage. I look through my purse and find the card and give it to the manager.

    So, to conclude a long story, I left with $380 instead of the $830 I was supposed to make. In case you're wondering, I had to pay the $120 ($40 x 3) I owed to the club for my dances with this guy out of my other money because I work for Deja Vu and they pimp us like that. I'm also feeling pretty stupid for not getting my money up front.

    In case you're wondering, I will get my money up front sometimes, mainly if I get a bad feeling about the guy, like he's drunk or I think he will be too much to handle. All I can say in my defense about this guy is that he was well-mannered and obviously affluent ( I could tell by his clothing as well as the section of town where he lived) and that he had paid me for the first dances we did, so I naively assumed that he would be good for the rest.

    I know there was a thread about getting your money up front a while ago. My experience tonight demonstrates why it's a good idea. Even if a guy is aware of exactly how much he's spending, it's always possible there could be a problem with his card (either exceeding his daily transaction limit or a faulty magnetic strip). I honestly believe this guy tonight didn't intend to stiff me. I just couldn't believe he had the audacity to get an attitude with me and complain to everybody and their mother about me taking his credit card. Like he didn't understand that I only wanted to get paid for my services, not that I wanted to do something sinister with his account. I believe that credit card I took was a joint account that he shared with his parents or his parents receive the statements and that's why he didn't want to use it to pay me. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense, because as most people know, if your credit card is lost or stolen, all you have to do is call your credit card company and they will cancel your card number (but not your account), as well as remove any fraudulent charges. I'm just hoping he doesn't realize this and comes back to the club later today with my money. Not that I'm holding my breath or anything, but the manager did tell me that he called again after he left...

    Anyway, props to all of you who read through this long-ass thread. Since misery loves company, feel free to respond with incidents where you may have been ripped-off. Please limit comments about how I should have gotten my money up front to a minimum and keep them polite, so not to imply that I am indeed as stupid as I feel right now. Finally, I hope everybody had a happier Halloween than I did.





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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    That sucks, I'm really sorry that happened to you. I've had small problems like this in the past. Just some minor money incidents when I was first learning. Nothing like what you went through, that's such a bummer. At least you know that you can make up that money in no time. Plus, you relearned a valuable lesson about getting the money (or at least seeing) the money up front. I'm curious to know if the guy will come back with the money or not, sometimes a customer will surprise you.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    I have had that happen before too,the guy had already given me like 200 and then he owed me like 400 more and couldnt get it on his card either,I like you take clatoral and make them come back,I took a watch before too,once in chicago I took a kids credit card and a nice braclett,they made me give it back,there like were not mafia,Iam like yeah sure,they actually were,but anyways ,it happens,and it always happens to me with business guys who have money,maybe he will come back with your money,did you get a number you can bother him at?

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    God/dess doc-catfish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    I know there was a thread about getting your money up front a while ago. My experience tonight demonstrates why it's a good idea.
    For everyone's reference, I'll post a link to the thread in question.

    Getting your $$$ up front


    Bailey don't feel bad or stupid about getting stiffed. It happens to the nicest of people, even though it shouldn't, and in your case it may simply be a matter of the guys ATM card not working. For all you know, he may as mortified about what happened as you are, and you may end up getting your money yet.

    Your customer could have used a lesson in Customer 101 about paying with plastic in a strip club...don't. Which is probably why he had reservations about giving you that credit card. Smart guys bring cash, and when the dead presidents are gone, they know that its time to go home.

    As far as getting your money up front, read some of the comments in the thread and consider the downside of this. You will get your money, but your insistence on getting your money first may end up costing you dances as some guys tend to take that personally. Some will refuse to pay, others like myself will only pay for one song and will stop there if we feel your performance was less than par.

    Don't let this experience be a benchmark for how you approach all your customers. Take into the consideration all the guys who haven't stiffed you. Should they have to pay a penalty for what one customer did? Perhaps inadvertently. I admit the whole thing sucks, but realize that it was an exceptional circumstance.
    Former SCJ now in rehab.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    This is why I like the system at my club: Guys have to pay for everything up front, to the club. For lapdances we go to the LD lounge, he pays the upstairs bouncer for usually 1 or 2 songs. If he wants more, the bouncer has to be signalled so he knows to start the meter and collect from the guy at the end. Also for VIPs, the VIP waitress has to collect for the entire amount, mine and the club's, before starting the time. I have never heard of anyone being stiffed at this club. Some out of towners get a little annoyed at having to pay up front, but it helps that it's a club rule and I am always able to smooth it over with them.

    I've never been personally stiffed, but I did see a girl dancing next to me in Vegas for my customer's friend get stiffed. She did several dances in a row, and when it was time to pay up, the guy said he had to hit the ATM. She sat at the table while he headed that way. He never came back. She should have accompanied him, but the guy was a jerk for walking out on her like that! Meanwhile I was dancing for his friend and got paranoid he would try the same with me, so I got him to pay me for my dances - thankfully he had the cash - and took off to find another customer. I and the other girl asked if he had the cash to pay her for his friend's dances, but he was out of money after paying me. I guess it was a good thing I stopped when I did because I probably would have been stiffed for subsequent dances as well.

    I'm sorry that happened to you - it happens to alot of us. Most of us don't always collect up front for dances, because so many guys would take that personally. In clubs I worked before, I would always take a 'break' after about 3 songs, get paid, then start up more. If I saw the guy had plenty of cash when he paid me the first time, I would then pretty much do as many as he wanted the next round. But you always have to make a judgment call and you really can't ever tell. Like catfish says, it helps to remember all the guys who pay up honestly - most of them do. Don't kick yourself too hard. You'll be back making money in no time and that bad memory will fade quickly enough!

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450


    Don't let this experience be a benchmark for how you approach all your customers. Take into the consideration all the guys who haven't stiffed you. Should they have to pay a penalty for what one customer did? Perhaps inadvertently. I admit the whole thing sucks, but realize that it was an exceptional circumstance.
    I agree wholeheartedly. Bailey, try putting it into perspective like the good Doctor suggests. For instance, out of $11, 378 I have been stiffed $40. I am pissed off about that $40 to this day, but when you look at it like that... it doesn't seem quite so bad.

    Don't get me wrong. $450 is a lot of money, even to someone who makes 1k-2k per week (as you might). But if you've safely made $20,000 or $30,000 or whatever amount without being stiffed, then it really shrinks in overall business importance (especially if you work in an upscale club, which it sounds like you do).

    What I decided to do, after being stiffed, was NOT ask for the money upfront. It does seem rather off-putting and ruins the mood. Instead I take the customer by the hand and point to my very large bouncer.

    "See him? That big fellow over there? You'll be paying him after we're done."

    He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    I'm sorry that happened to you!I've been ripped off too! Not quite that much though. I can't believe deja vu made you pay, oh wait, I can.. they're pretty dumb. Well, at least you still have his card... so you still have his info. Maybe you'll get it anyway. I'll have my fingers crossed for you!
    If you think school is hard, try being stupid.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Jesus, I'm in the same boat as Bailey is. How about the club screwed me out of my pay last night, so I left there with just about no money! That's the last time that club will ever do that to me again, because I'm finding another club. The halloween contest they had last night sucked, and I had the sexiest outfit on. I was a snow angel and I looked so innocent. But, they picked a girl that had a hole in her genie outfit, and I got screwed once again. Never again!! Time for a new club that appreciates my artistic, sexy side, not all about pussy and ass!! [bye] [bye]
    Kianna Jayde-- Feature Entertainer/Model
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kiannassecret
    http://www.kiannassecret.com

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Yeah, I agree with most of you that it's generally more trouble than it's worth to collect up front for little $20 dances. At best, it messes with your tips and ruins the flow of the dances, and at worst, it puts off the customer and makes them not want to continue to buy dances. I remember I got a massage one time and the therapist wanted her money up front. This gave me bad vibes, as I had never been asked to do this before. I also didn't tip her because of it, even though I almost always tip 15-20% for any type of services (i.e. hair, nails, etc.) So I do understand customers' perspective.

    I think Miss George is right, though, about always getting your money up front for VIP rooms. Usually, for me anyways, I just tell them a price and they pay me that amount without tipping extra. I had been getting my money up front about half the time for this- I'll just start doing it consistently now.

    It is rare to get burned for $, but it does happen occassionally. Honestly, I can say it's happened maybe 5-6 times in the 2 years I've been dancing. What made last night so bad was the amount I got burned. Also, I wouldn't have minded so much if it had been dead while I was with him, so I wouldn't have been making money otherwise, but that wasn't the case. Holidays are some of the only times that you are virtually assured of having a good night- other days it's more of a crapshoot. It also sucks that I had to pay the club 40% of the $300 worth of dances that I didn't get paid for. That's why dancers who work for clubs where the house gets such a large cut of the dance money tend to have a more aggressive and shark-like mentality- because the operating procedures of the club set such a tone. In clubs where the girl keeps all her dance money, the pace seems to be a little more relaxed. But anybody who's familiar with Deja Vu or any of the strip clubs in LA knows what the modus operandi out here is like.

    I didn't think to ask for a phone number, maybe because I didn't think he would give me a real one. I believe the club has his number though, because he was so concerned about getting his credit card back. In retrospect, I wish I had gotten him to sign a promissory note as additional arsenal, so that I could threaten to take him to small claims court if he didn't pay. Could you imagine a strippper and a customer on Judge Judy arguing about payment for some lap dances? LOL!

    Anyway, I wasn't personally upset at this guy for being mistaken about his debit card, although I do think it was pretty irresponsible on his part. What aggrevated me was that he didn't seem appropriately sorry for the inconvenience that he put me through. If I were in his position, I would have apologized profusely and remedied the situation immediately even if I did have to use another credit card to do so. I also thought it was pretty audacious of him to complain about me taking his stuff as collateral. I mean this is a strip club-the honor system doesn't really fly here if you know what I mean. He should have realized I was only holding his stuff until I received my payment and that it was worthless to me anyway. It's not like I could give a used watch as a present to my dad or use his credit card to purchase a bunch of stuff. It will be interesting to see if he pays or not, but I can virtually guarantee that if he does it will be out of a sense of self-interest, not out of a sense of obligation.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Ask for the money up front if your going to the VIP room! I had a guy try to burn me on money today. I would have been in hole $600 if I didnt have the nerve to ask for the money up front!

    Where I work, that amount of money buys an hour and a half of lap dances in the VIP area. That's an hour and half I spent dancing for another customer who DID have money!

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    Veteran Member livenudegirlsunite's Avatar
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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Hi Bailey - I am sorry to hear about what happened to you. I just got ripped off tonight by guy who I thought was my friend. This happened in my apartment. The cops said that there was nothing I could do about losing 200 in cash. There are a lot of really bad people out their. Now I barely have any money. When I went looking for this little bastard and his friend I saw that his door had a door knob lock on it. Obviously he came over to my apartment to steal from me because he is homeless now. When I went to confront this little dirtbag I had a 300 pound bitch grab me and start pushing me around and into the wall and then she started choking me. I only wiegh 113 pounds. Then that little pussy boy actually had the nerve to punch me in the face after I had been roughed by the 300 pounder. Yes of course I walked into the apartment that I heard his voice in and punched him in the face. He stole a significant amount of money from me.
    Anyways, I know that I am just venting and that I need to go to work to make some money.
    I agree with the others post here that it is always a good idea to ask for your money up front before doing a vip. I always ask for payment after 2 dances on the main floor. I have been ripped off twice at work but it was only for one dance each time. I almost got ripped off for 500 when I first started dancing in Vegas. I learned my lesson early with the VIP rooms.
    Most people prefer to believe their leaders are just and fair even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because once a citizen acknowledges that the government under which they live is lying and corrupt, the citizen has to choose what he or she will do about it. - M Rivero

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    Wow, that sucks, LNGU. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

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    Default Re: Halloween Night- I got ripped off $450

    LNGU - [shocked]
    If you think school is hard, try being stupid.

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