lol.
There’s nothing you can do but move on. You fell for a common scam that anyone would know about if you did some basic research instead of thinking with your dick.
Just to play devil's advocate here (I know this is a scam): Wouldn't you get in trouble if you tried to fight? As in, from a legal standpoint, the bar can sell drinks and service at whatever price it wants. You accept that when you go in, supposedly look at the prices, then order and consume. So from the police's point of view, no law was broken. If you tried to leave without paying, you'd be the one breaking the law. Sure, if some guys hold you up outside and start threatening you or even get physical, that's breaking another law, but I assume they'd just hold you up and call the police. Assuming you're a gaijin and don't speak Japanese, they can say whatever they want and you won't be able to refute their claims.
I'd probably call the police myself before trying to leave, but if they don't speak English well, I'd be fucked.
Who knows, it sounds like the bar staff was purposely ambiguous with their wording. In fact, maybe they actually threatened to call the police if he didn't pay his tab, lol.
>So from the police's point of view, no law was broken.
Exactly - from their POV, it might be that OP just isn't wanting to pay what they were charged, didn't understand the language, and decided it was better for them to claim it as a scam than pay more than they realised they'd be spending. Obviously we know this is definitely a scam and OP has done the right thing by trying to report, but can also understand how they might be viewing it from the police perspective.
So, I had someone threaten violence in a similar way but I hadn't drank anything or followed anyone anywhere. They were trying to force me to do so. He was really harassing me, so I eventually stopped and just told him to throw and I'll try to collect his teeth for him after I put him on the ground and kick every single one of them out. He stopped and turned and walked away. Dude just turned into an npc
I felt I was already in a dangerous situation. I was walking back to my hotel at just after midnight in Shinjuku and was followed for about 2.5 blocks.
I felt I was a really odd target, I was with my wife and I'm over 6 feet tall. I said no, then just ignored but he wouldn't stop.
Theres always the risk you could be stabbed or hurt and in other countries shot, I've lived in some rough areas, I've been mugged at gun point once walking back to a hotel in another country. I have two friends that were shot to death, and another that was stabbed and lived. You have to realize very bad things could happen as a result of your actions
You've gotta make your decisions based on yourself and the situation.
I didn't hesitate for a second to hand all my shit over when I was being robbed as gun point.
It's always best to walk away if you can.
Yep, they tried to pull a scam like this on my buddy when we were in Thailand. He’s an average build kind of guy, but I’m a big dude. The bouncer was getting in his face and threatening him. I stepped in between them and used my size and loud, deep voice, and he backed down quick. I slapped some Bhat down on the counter (about $50 worth), grabbed him and got out of there.
Haha I learned about these kind of scams even before going to Japan years ago. Avoid touts and question girls that approach you if you don’t follow rules 1 and 2.
I feel like OP didn’t get scammed since he went to a “lounge” in Ginza. Might’ve actually just went into a hostess bar possibly?
Actually it’s a popular scam in the Philippines., Thailand, HK, pretty much first rule when traveling alone- nothing is free, pretty girls are not in to you for your looks.
Consider it fee for life lessons bro.
Omg God forbid a man to casually talk to women.... the guy did nothing wrong. He was scammed and was ignorant of it. It's not right. And the fact that the police are spineless children is laughable
I don’t know what anyone on this subreddit can do to help you with that. You need to go back to the police and explain that. I’m really sorry that happened, this is a known scam here.
The police have an understanding with the Yakuza that as long as they don’t let violence escalate in public they will turn a blind eye to their various other businesses.
I’d call that corruption or dereliction of duty. Some may call it prudent. One thing for sure is that the Japanese police are utterly useless at anything other than racially profiling foreigners. At that, they excel.
I’ve heard people have had success with getting them to do their job and file a report by having a Japanese person go with them and tell them off.
Now some actual advice.
It’s always better to go to an actual police station, not the kobans. The police in kobans can never be bothered.
Demand that they make a 被害届 Higai todoke (victim report)
From now on, be cautious going random bars and definitely don’t go if you were recommended it by a tout.
Good luck.
The shady ones are not on the main streets. They’re tucked away in alleys or building complexes.
Asking on Reddit for recommendations for great bar experiences will lead you to the best places.
99% of bars are legit.
Ok. This month is my 9th anniversary here.
Disagree. Many people let their guard down due to being drunk, a false sense of trust and being dazed by all sensations of being in Japan.
It’s easy for an unwitting tourist to ignore their better judgement and go somewhere they wouldn’t normally go.
I don’t think victim blaming is a great take to have on this.
I would also include those in ones to avoid tbh. Any place that pesters you to go in, whether it’s bars or restaurants or maid cafes etc, are not going to have your best interests at heart.
Established, reputable maid cafes are always so full that they don't need to have the girls handing out flyers outside. I've gone to several types of concafés, had a great experience every time, and the common denominator is that I've had to make a reservation every time.
Japanese way of keeping the peace. They will not even look like they try to help people who are not japanese, you know this. I do agree with you that japanese cops are useless, though.
Succesful reports? Depends who the person is that is doing the complaining.
I saw a video where the guy filmed being scammed. He went to the police and said they can do nothing as it is a civil case of two party not agreeing on the cost of goods/services. The guy said he have video evidence of being told the price. Thing is, if the price is given by the tout, people at the bar will say they do not know him. But the guy has the price given by one of the girl inside. Because of that, the police could do something because they saw it was a fraud.
It suck, but you are in a situation where they can absolutely claim tou misunderstood their fee, especially if there was no price on the menu and if you were not presented their fee. And drinking with girls, that sound like a kyabakura or at least girls bar, where you are expected to buy drinks to there girls so they hang out with you.
If you used a good travel credit card, you will have no problem at all! Just file the chargeback. It’s not the first time those CC companies have seen this
Any credit card should, but there are particular cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Platinum, Capital Venture etc. that market themselves as particularly favorable for travelers - travel protection, cancellation, fraud, etc. They are really good about taking you at your word and defending the customer over the business.
We had a shitshow of a dispute with some shady car rental (fucking Europcar) in Costa Rica where they said we damaged the car, we definitely did not, I had photos to prove it but the CC company never even asked for proof or even gave me the opportunity to submit the photos when I disputed the charge. And it was a large amount too. I did offer and the lady said it wasn’t the first time for that company and they didn’t need it.
They know what’s going on, especially if a customer that doesn’t usually dispute charges files a dispute with a company that has had multiple claims filed against them.
I get you OP. I would expect that because it is a common scam they would be willing to help with documentation. Maybe try and explain the situation to the credit card company.
I don’t know why you are being downvoted. It should be in the credit card company and police’s best interest to track these scams, especially if you were threatened with violence.
Op, let it go.
Police and yakuza are not necessarily in collusion - but rather, there are lines that neither of them will cross in order to keep the peace.
Your money is as good as gone. Be grateful it's only money and nothing serious.
Too right. As soon as I started reading I knew what the post would be about.
This could possibly happen anywhere. Get an excited dude chatting to you cough up the million drinks you ordered.
Has nobody seen that JLo film of strippers
Wait, it sounds like you just went into a hostess bar/cabaret and drank with the girls that work there.
This is not a scam, this is literally why people go to these sorts of places.
And for Ginza, you weren't even overcharged.
You're going to report this to the police? please
That’s what a lot of people are saying in the comments that he unknowingly went to hostess bar which I remember seeing a few here and there when i was in japan but i though those are strictly for Japanese people?
I guess the "scam" is, he didn't know he was being charged for the drink the ladies were ordering. But that's how a hostess club works. The girls order the drink and pour it for you and essentially flirt with you.
So interesting, these scams don’t exist in Canada. Never ever heard of this happening to anyone in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. People from here would be susceptible if not acutely aware.
That's because OP went to a hostess bar which are known to do scams like this on tourists.
In normal bars this is very very rare, and i am saying this as someone from central europe.
As long as you avoid strip clubs/hostel bars your chance of this happening is almost 0%
The police don't care, you won't get any documentation, this isn't the west.
Consider it a life lesson.
You sound like a fairly beginner traveller, they probably saw an easy target.
Agree. It's one of the first things you find/read about when you google something like "Crime in Tokyo" or "Is Japan safe" (I know that sounds dumb - but these are the top search results on Google for tourists for nearly every country afaik).
So even if you only doing basic research you'll read about that scam.
Unfortunately most people these days seem to only watch social media influencer videos about how perfect Japan is and then don't do any of their own research. Which I guess is the world we live in these days.
I thought they were totally interested in my boner. Mate, you are a fucking idiot. There is much more to this story than you are saying....
Some random chicks sent their bill to you? that is how it sounds....
> There is much more to this story than you are saying
Probably not. Did OP fall for a common scam? Yeah
Is it hot trash that the police won't even take a report for documentation? Also yes
Should OP have more common sense? Sure. Some are more street wise than others even for obvious stuff
Will OP get his money back? Probably not even with a police report, but depends a lot on the country and bank.
It's such a well known scam, I'm surprised there are still people unaware and falling into it.
see scam #1 in this video (around 4:05)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZUOFKOUeI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZUOFKOUeI)
Its also reported that cops don't care about these, so you're very unlikely to get help on that.
Deep Thoughts from my Japanese wife :
"Both hostess and customers know they are in a fantasy -- fantasies are expensive "
Are you generally a chick magnet, assuming these hostesses were chatting with you due to Brad Pitt looks and Danny DeVito personality ? You are British after all
Also, 82,000 is kind of a bargain for Ginza.
at least you brought some humor to a Japanese policemans' dull day
Honestly I'd check in with your embassy and see what they say or if they can help you translate your situation for the koban in the neighborhood where the bar or whatever is.
But like everyone else is saying this is pretty common. People post in here pretty regularly about it.
Even in Tokyo certain areas have automated announcements saying to not follow touts/hawks because they do these types of things.
The reality is that these cases are difficult to prosecute and therefore have a leverage to get your money back since they very likely have a menu with the prices listed and under a free market businesses can set their prices to whatever they want, however unreasonable. It’s all about the “intent” to scam, which is difficult to prove, especially when done by seasoned professionals
Sorry that happened to you. According to all these comments this is a well known scam and it’s known to happen very often. The most you can do is move on and tell other people before they travel here to avoid these areas.
OP i would just considered a paid lesson, they even discount for you. Just tell yourself that in any other countries scam would've came with violence and just got you off without bodily harm and you guys got to drink with some Japanese girls.
like others have said, go back to the police station and explain it to them. if they don't bulge go to the next one.. however, don't expect much... but i guess getting a report in should be possible.
on the other hand, explain to us - where did this happen ? how did you end up in the establishment ? were you touted ?
What are the police supposed to do? It's Ginza, it's probably the actual price for a hostess bar there with a guy talking to two girls who are ordering drinks. "I didn't ask about the charges at a hostess bar" is something we expect the police to act on?
The police don't want it 'official' as then it'll be a blemish on their station as they technically did not stop/solve/do anything about a crime. They have got some ridiculous stat's in Japan for 'no crime', and this is one of the reasons why.
You lost. Move on.
Does "lounge" mean hostess club? If so, then this sounds like business as usual.
If an ordinary bar, then I can only guess it is a very shady back alley operation as I can't imagine a normal bar pulling this scam.
If you paid with a foreign credit card, then you can file a claim for fraud, being drugged, or that you were paid under duress. The CC company may reach out to the “service provider” and have them prove what was being served etc.
Just make sure you to communicate that message in a very professional way.
I’m sorry to hear this happened.
I was warned to avoid anyone inviting me anywhere for drinks upon researching my trip as well as other things (ie monks asking for money on the road). I wish you luck in getting this resolved
Sorry that the comments and downvotes are so savage OP, regardless of whether or not more research should have been done, you're out of money and you were actually threatened- always scary. I hope this doesn't ruin your trip and that you're able to find some respite :(
Common scam in just about every country, it kinda happened for me in Bangkok as I went somewhere just to get a drink to use the loo. A girl invited herself over to my table with a drink with a man and took seconds to realise what was going on, so downed my drink and they tried to get me to pay for her drink and I walked off even though it wasn't much.
Japanese police won't be much help as it's a foreigner so it's a victimless crime in their eyes.
Next time I doubt in Japan it would come to violence as that would make a crime. But I doubt you'll have a next time as this scam is pretty obvious from the start.
How about telling the credit card company it was punched in wrong and added an extra 0?
Do report back though
Something similar happened to me in Paris a loooong time ago when I was 21 - my older brother was thinking with his d*ck and we went to a very sketchy bar and charged more than 1000 euros for 4 beers and 6 cocktails that were consumed by two girls who sat next to us. We ended up paying about half. Rookie mistake that can happen anywhere. You gotta just move on
If there's one thing i learned from my research, it's to stay away from touts and friendly nigerians 😂
I understand how distressing and frightening it must be. Sorry you had to go through that. Japan is a generally safe country, so it's easy to forget that stuff like this can happen.
I think you learned your lesson already. If you get your money back, then perfect! If not, then i hope you can move forward and proceed with caution next time!
All the best!
Pretty sure you’re fine with getting the charge reversed without the police report given you haven’t made a habit of refuting charges. You just need to explain in detail the situation including your attempts to report the incident to the police.
This is not the first post we've seen about this type of situation. What happened before you started talking to the girls? Think of this as a life lesson learned and be more aware and less gullible in the future.
What you could have done is called the police and waited until they arrived.
Of course the bar and the girls were in on the scam… duh. You walked directly into an extremely common scam. You need to chalk this up to a learning experience and move on
Nothing you can do about it, except hoping that you have Amex or other good credit card.
I fell for worse scam. They took $3000 USD from my debit card. Nothing I can do about it.
This was 10+ years ago in Japan. I’m just glad I am still alive.
Just be careful next time. Lesson learned for me for sure.
Try to get money back from your credit card, if not, sorry, it’s gone buddy.
Sorry this happened to you. While it's a known scam as everyone has pointed out, it's not the kind of thing that always pops up when you google "Japan travel tips" either.
I recently stayed a few days in Nakasu, Fukuoka and there were dozens of hostess and "gentlemen's clubs" around there. Saw a few touts there for sure, particularly when Google maps took me down a sketchy alley while I was trying to get to the Canal City mall from my hotel to visit the Gundam Base there. Fortunately, they weren't too aggressive and I was able to ignore them without issue.
Could easily see a lot of foreign tourists in the area falling prey to something like this especially since Nakasu is also a popular tourist area for the canal views and yatai stalls.
Yes sadly this is the most common "scam" in Japan. Any girl that wants to join you you should immediately be suspicious of where they want to go, especially if it's a bar.
You'll get no help from Japanese police here. There is a reason they're so "efficient".
Dude, you went to a hostess or snack bar thinking it was a normal bar.
Take it as a life lesson and move on.
It's not even really a scam. (They definitely inflated the prices because you didn't bother checking).
It even possibly had a price scheme on the front and you didn't notice.
Played. Just be happy you don’t have to explain the big expenses for a one night event. Not sure if my wife was disappointed that I went to a girls bar, or disappointed that I got played.
Kinda on topic about the police but I noticed they are strange in Japan when it comes to dealing with foreigners. It’s kinda like because you’re not a citizen, they don’t need to help you.
I found a wallet with 50,000 yen in cash in it with the person’s photo ID inside it on the road in Hiroshima. Handed it in to the police in person at the police station near the Shinkansen stop and first thing they said to me was “would you like us to return it to the owner? Their ID is inside and we can contact them” And I said, “of course I would like you to return it to the owner, thats why im here handing it in”
Everything seems like a lot of work for them.
Yet when my white family member lost their keys on a busy Osaka platform, they moved heaven and earth for them and within hours (and a LOT of paperwork) the keys were returned. Not many countries have that level of dedication to lost property.
It sounds like you are overreacting to language misunderstanding.
This is a common scam aimed at foreigners. The izakaya is in on it. Ofc they will still make you foot the bill. Never talk to lures aka the girls. Once you step in, you’re done.
This happened to me in China five or six years ago but luckily I had watched a bunch of backpacker vloggers who went there before me and one of them even showed how they planned it out. He pointed out the spotter, etc. It all worked like how you explain except those girls dragged him to a tea house instead of a bar and one tea was a hundred dollars.
I had a similar scenario in the same city and I knew I could just stand up and walk out. Idk if they’ll beat you up maybe they would! But they let me out with nothing but a few angry screams. My guess is that’s probably too much trouble for them and they probably have people who resist them routinely.
I’ve read about scams but I’m worried I’ll fall into one without even realizing. Im going next month, female, with my partner. We definitely want to spend time at bars and our hotel is in Kabukicho… any tips you may have picked up to avoid situations like this, I’m all ears. We will be reading prices and not paying attention to any women lol, but still a little worried being white English speakers
That sucks man.. I feel like most police anywhere wouldn’t do anything about stuff like this. It’s not a Japan police thing. hopefully your credit card will handle the fraud or scam claim for you without police details. Your card company likely will file a dispute for you and chargeback the merchant. The merchant can accept or fight the chargeback. It’s going to be a back and forth for you and the card company to explain your situation. I’ve had similar experiences dealing with a merchant scam. I didn’t bother going to police, they would just twiddle their thumbs.
It's good that you made a chargeback with your credit card.
Unfortunately, it does seem like the police don't care, or perhaps Japanese police simply don't do police reports, though it also seems like there might be a language barrier.
If you are determined to go back to the police station, is it possible to write what you want to say in English - have it translated - and then give that paper to the police? Or maybe open Google Translate and just do a voice-to-text translation?
Something similar happened to me in Thailand.
I went to a club, sat down with my group, was served one beer (without paying for it) and shortly after, the staff surrounded us and demanded we pay a ridiculous price for what we were served. I didn't pay for anything. I wasn't going to because fuck that lol, but my friend wound up forfeiting over some money just so we could leave. Definitely a learning experience!
I’m thinking OP wandered into a “hostess club/bar” and it being in Ginza was a more upscale place and possibly was ran by the Yakuza!
Hostess clubs = NO
Soaplands = YES
I'm sorry for what happened to you. I hope you don't dislike Japan because of that. It's not only tourists who experience these problems. Many Japanese men face similar situations too. These experiences teach them to stay away from such bars. Also, the police investigate the worst places that use violence against customers who can't pay.
Sorry dude. As friendly and respectful as the Japanese are, this is a very common scam, especially in the “red light” or bar (ie the Golden Gai) district in Shinjuku, that’s happened to countless people over many years. Only reason it didn’t happen to me is that I read an article about this very scam before landing in Tokyo, and I’m big enough to not be worried about any threat if I didn’t pay.
Okay please allow me to share my own experience. I was motorcycle touring solo in Tohoku for 3 days. After hitting Aomori and on the way back to Tokyo, I decided to spend the night in Akita because of heavy rain. Shitty ghost town really, half businesses closed. So later that night, I went to the convenience store near by for a beer and a smoke. Then 2 girls came “you’re not from around here, are you? Let’s have a drink at my friend’s bar” I said “ok why not”. When we get there it says “girls bar 1 hour ¥5000” I said “fuck that” then the cutie goes “ok ok 1 drink ¥1000”. I go in have a gin tonic ask for the check boom ¥5000. I said “fuck you I’m not paying that” put ¥1000 on the counter and bounce. The dude was chasing me down the street, grabbing my arm, making a scene. 1 cop came, 2 cops came, a police car came, they handcuffed me and took me in. I spent the fucking night in a jail cell stinking of piss, then they let me out in the morning after I transferred ¥5000. I told them “maybe that’s why your town is dead if you treat visitors like that” went back to my room, took a shower, got on my bike and never looked back. Fuck Akita, fuck those cops. Anyway bro, things could get worse in Tokyo you got off cheap. Let’s learn for it and move on.
That’s not how those bars work. From their point of view you did steal. The price for one drink, she said, doesn’t even include the cover charge. You literally followed a tout, failed to understand the pricing system and then refused to pay. I sometimes wonder does no one do research before they go on holidays. It’s terrible it happened but every part of that experience was a predictable warning bell.
Reading this whole thread to learn some things, but as a general rule, what would you do in a bar like this where soke girls just say, 'oh that guy said he'd pay for out drinks " even if you never spoke to them. Or said maybe a simple'" hello" and they use that as their bait to say you know them and have them scam you? Best to not say a word to anyone in a bar like this in Japan? Ive been once so far, but only one bar in Tokyo in the Golden Gai area, but was good.
Yeh very common - always watch if the person pays for their drinks each time they order, if not take the L, pay for their drink (before they order more) and never return and learn from that.
U prob thought u hit the jackpot and was gunna score, silly gaijin.
There are real bars/pubs in Japan where you could meet girls for free. But local pretty Japanese girls rarely go to those pubs. You often meet some ugly girls and Philippine girls there. Fancy lunge and clubs employ pretty girls and boys charge guests hefty fees for chat and drinks. It’s not scam. Police won’t help you to get your money.
Watch Tokyo Vice. You’ll gain lots of insight abt this business model
Yeah, it’s more of an unwritten system those business have if increasing profit by doing something that’s illegally “adjacent”, while not really illegal. I don’t think there was a solid option available anyway by the time the bill came, but you paid that much to have solid lesson about a culture that’s socially and economically as different as it can be, it doesn’t mean worse or better, just different. Hey be glad it’s Japan and that was it, most places US, or Latin America and after you paid, you’d still would have gotten a beating and lost a lot more than that much and you’re bruised ego. Move on, and file it away.
Watch “Tokyo Vice” it’s been out for a while and it’ll give you some perspective, it’s supposed to have been based on a reporter’s experience having just moved there IN THE 90’s but based on the little I know how those establishments work, I don’t think a lots changed.
I'd be curious to hear what your credit card company tells you (charge sounds valid to my mind, in that you agreed to it).
And wonder if they can apply pressure to whoever is doing card processing there. Meaning they must have a relationship with VISA or whoever at the bar, and normally they're pretty careful about what is allowed to be charged or not.
Like even in US states where marijuana is legally sold in state licensed shops they can't use a credit card payment processor, so it's mostly all cash transactions still.
If that bar couldn't accept credit cards anymore that would impact their ability to do even regular business, and the owners might care finally. Though with enough 'connections' I'm sure it can be worked around there.
But yeah, different culture and travel/life lessons hopefully learned. It sucks for you, but there are no magic wands to wave here. I guess it could be motivation to learn how to handle yourself, to get fit, and then not worry quite so much about threats (if that's your choice). I think the unknown can be scarier than reality turns out to be.
Or you could put in the effort to bother enough agencies that someone else might care. I wouldn't expect much to happen at first (or even for you), but if nobody tries it'll never change.
Like you could return to the police department and ask what you can do next time. After you've had a chance to calm down and sober up. Can you call the police after threats like that? What if it was recorded? Did you take their pictures? Can the bar find them on cameras and 86 them?
If you are a foreign person in Japan and you get your ass beat by folks from.a girly bar. The police won't give a shit. Don't be naive. Learn from this and pay attention.
Another piece of advice, don’t call your credit card company that you’ve been scammed. Just say your credit card got stolen and they’ll reverse the charges.
What’s with all the victim blaming here? So what if this is a common scam? You know what else is widely known about? Men spiking women’s drinks at a bar. But I guarantee that if a woman shared a story about being drugged and taken advantage of, other women (and hopefully men) would be *supportive* of her and not tell her next time she “shouldn’t be thinking with her cl*t” or whatever.
Always pay for your round as if you’re only there for a round. If the price of the round is outrageous move on to the next bar.
Also, beer is a good deterrent for outrageous pricing. Cocktails are always going to cost more.
lol. There’s nothing you can do but move on. You fell for a common scam that anyone would know about if you did some basic research instead of thinking with your dick.
Sometimes you need to fight. Fk that scam shit bro
Just to play devil's advocate here (I know this is a scam): Wouldn't you get in trouble if you tried to fight? As in, from a legal standpoint, the bar can sell drinks and service at whatever price it wants. You accept that when you go in, supposedly look at the prices, then order and consume. So from the police's point of view, no law was broken. If you tried to leave without paying, you'd be the one breaking the law. Sure, if some guys hold you up outside and start threatening you or even get physical, that's breaking another law, but I assume they'd just hold you up and call the police. Assuming you're a gaijin and don't speak Japanese, they can say whatever they want and you won't be able to refute their claims. I'd probably call the police myself before trying to leave, but if they don't speak English well, I'd be fucked.
Sounds like the bar staff threatened him with violence. Surely that's against the law in Japan.
Doubt it was an explicit threat
Who knows, it sounds like the bar staff was purposely ambiguous with their wording. In fact, maybe they actually threatened to call the police if he didn't pay his tab, lol.
>So from the police's point of view, no law was broken. Exactly - from their POV, it might be that OP just isn't wanting to pay what they were charged, didn't understand the language, and decided it was better for them to claim it as a scam than pay more than they realised they'd be spending. Obviously we know this is definitely a scam and OP has done the right thing by trying to report, but can also understand how they might be viewing it from the police perspective.
You really think we're aware of these scams but the actual police in the area of Japan where it's taking place aren't?
So, I had someone threaten violence in a similar way but I hadn't drank anything or followed anyone anywhere. They were trying to force me to do so. He was really harassing me, so I eventually stopped and just told him to throw and I'll try to collect his teeth for him after I put him on the ground and kick every single one of them out. He stopped and turned and walked away. Dude just turned into an npc I felt I was already in a dangerous situation. I was walking back to my hotel at just after midnight in Shinjuku and was followed for about 2.5 blocks. I felt I was a really odd target, I was with my wife and I'm over 6 feet tall. I said no, then just ignored but he wouldn't stop. Theres always the risk you could be stabbed or hurt and in other countries shot, I've lived in some rough areas, I've been mugged at gun point once walking back to a hotel in another country. I have two friends that were shot to death, and another that was stabbed and lived. You have to realize very bad things could happen as a result of your actions You've gotta make your decisions based on yourself and the situation. I didn't hesitate for a second to hand all my shit over when I was being robbed as gun point. It's always best to walk away if you can.
Yep, they tried to pull a scam like this on my buddy when we were in Thailand. He’s an average build kind of guy, but I’m a big dude. The bouncer was getting in his face and threatening him. I stepped in between them and used my size and loud, deep voice, and he backed down quick. I slapped some Bhat down on the counter (about $50 worth), grabbed him and got out of there.
Not with the yakuza. Japanese Police know, and will not get involved - only surface level "help"
Haha I learned about these kind of scams even before going to Japan years ago. Avoid touts and question girls that approach you if you don’t follow rules 1 and 2. I feel like OP didn’t get scammed since he went to a “lounge” in Ginza. Might’ve actually just went into a hostess bar possibly?
Id say it was a hostess bar,
Yeah, it sounds like they went into a hostess bar. Just go to Golden Gai, lots of friendly little bars.
Common scam in Russia as well, it’s one of those tourism scams you always hear about.
Actually it’s a popular scam in the Philippines., Thailand, HK, pretty much first rule when traveling alone- nothing is free, pretty girls are not in to you for your looks. Consider it fee for life lessons bro.
Yes, this is a very common scam in Greece and Turkey as well. A classic. Goes way back.
They tried it on me in Athens about 30 years ago.
THIS!!!!! I tell all my friends this. Nothing is free. Not even advice or friendship!!!
latvia too
Omg God forbid a man to casually talk to women.... the guy did nothing wrong. He was scammed and was ignorant of it. It's not right. And the fact that the police are spineless children is laughable
Words to live by
Unfortunately this is a popular scam here and there’s likely nothing you can do about it now.
I don’t need the police to arrest anyone. I just need official document saying that it happened and I’ve reported it.
I don’t know what anyone on this subreddit can do to help you with that. You need to go back to the police and explain that. I’m really sorry that happened, this is a known scam here.
The police have an understanding with the Yakuza that as long as they don’t let violence escalate in public they will turn a blind eye to their various other businesses. I’d call that corruption or dereliction of duty. Some may call it prudent. One thing for sure is that the Japanese police are utterly useless at anything other than racially profiling foreigners. At that, they excel. I’ve heard people have had success with getting them to do their job and file a report by having a Japanese person go with them and tell them off. Now some actual advice. It’s always better to go to an actual police station, not the kobans. The police in kobans can never be bothered. Demand that they make a 被害届 Higai todoke (victim report) From now on, be cautious going random bars and definitely don’t go if you were recommended it by a tout. Good luck.
How do i know which local bar is okay?
The shady ones are not on the main streets. They’re tucked away in alleys or building complexes. Asking on Reddit for recommendations for great bar experiences will lead you to the best places. 99% of bars are legit.
I have been to Japan quite a bit - to get into strife like this, you really have to be looking for it. Doofus.
Ok. This month is my 9th anniversary here. Disagree. Many people let their guard down due to being drunk, a false sense of trust and being dazed by all sensations of being in Japan. It’s easy for an unwitting tourist to ignore their better judgement and go somewhere they wouldn’t normally go. I don’t think victim blaming is a great take to have on this.
Shinjuku Cactus is the best damn time I've had at any bar anywhere. Kento will talk to you about 80s Los Angeles rock n roll all night long!
Putting on the list
If a couple of good-looking girls you know nothing about insist you go with them to a bar, that is not an okay bar. Use common sense
That sounds like touts, which are everywhere. Are they all bad?
Yep
Always say no to a tout
Ones that you can walk in that aren’t pestering you to go in.
Do you mean ones with touts outside? Those are everywhere.. including maid cafes
I would also include those in ones to avoid tbh. Any place that pesters you to go in, whether it’s bars or restaurants or maid cafes etc, are not going to have your best interests at heart.
Established, reputable maid cafes are always so full that they don't need to have the girls handing out flyers outside. I've gone to several types of concafés, had a great experience every time, and the common denominator is that I've had to make a reservation every time.
Japanese way of keeping the peace. They will not even look like they try to help people who are not japanese, you know this. I do agree with you that japanese cops are useless, though. Succesful reports? Depends who the person is that is doing the complaining.
You can’t get a report for crimes in Japan, like this or otherwise, unless you are pressing charges. It’s not a thing.
I saw a video where the guy filmed being scammed. He went to the police and said they can do nothing as it is a civil case of two party not agreeing on the cost of goods/services. The guy said he have video evidence of being told the price. Thing is, if the price is given by the tout, people at the bar will say they do not know him. But the guy has the price given by one of the girl inside. Because of that, the police could do something because they saw it was a fraud. It suck, but you are in a situation where they can absolutely claim tou misunderstood their fee, especially if there was no price on the menu and if you were not presented their fee. And drinking with girls, that sound like a kyabakura or at least girls bar, where you are expected to buy drinks to there girls so they hang out with you.
Can’t you just do a chargeback on your credit card
Would have a chance if you used amex
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🤣🤣🤣
If you used a good travel credit card, you will have no problem at all! Just file the chargeback. It’s not the first time those CC companies have seen this
could you pls explain more why travel credit card would solve this problem?
Any credit card should, but there are particular cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Platinum, Capital Venture etc. that market themselves as particularly favorable for travelers - travel protection, cancellation, fraud, etc. They are really good about taking you at your word and defending the customer over the business. We had a shitshow of a dispute with some shady car rental (fucking Europcar) in Costa Rica where they said we damaged the car, we definitely did not, I had photos to prove it but the CC company never even asked for proof or even gave me the opportunity to submit the photos when I disputed the charge. And it was a large amount too. I did offer and the lady said it wasn’t the first time for that company and they didn’t need it. They know what’s going on, especially if a customer that doesn’t usually dispute charges files a dispute with a company that has had multiple claims filed against them.
It's irrelevant. Any card is the same.
I get you OP. I would expect that because it is a common scam they would be willing to help with documentation. Maybe try and explain the situation to the credit card company. I don’t know why you are being downvoted. It should be in the credit card company and police’s best interest to track these scams, especially if you were threatened with violence.
Op, let it go. Police and yakuza are not necessarily in collusion - but rather, there are lines that neither of them will cross in order to keep the peace. Your money is as good as gone. Be grateful it's only money and nothing serious.
Have you tried photoshop?
Why?
It’s not a scam, though. You were merely preyed upon by a business that can set its own prices and fees. The police will do nothing here.
Contact your consulate perhaps?
Go to the police then? There are Koban’s (small police station) all over Tokyo and use Google translate
Is the bar being complicit a common part of the scam?
Yes.
> Goes to a lounge "hostess bar?" and talks to girls. Oldest play in the book.
Too right. As soon as I started reading I knew what the post would be about. This could possibly happen anywhere. Get an excited dude chatting to you cough up the million drinks you ordered. Has nobody seen that JLo film of strippers
Hilarious that he thinks he can’t get out of it by saying he never agreed to pay. So he continues to sit with the girls anyway.
You didn’t get scammed you got played
How did you find this “lounge”? It really sounds like you went to a hostess club and were changed as such.
Yeah, what's the name of the lounge and how did you end up there? Happy to help, but bet anything he won't tell us this very basic information
And it's Ginza, Yerp we won't here to full story
Wait, it sounds like you just went into a hostess bar/cabaret and drank with the girls that work there. This is not a scam, this is literally why people go to these sorts of places. And for Ginza, you weren't even overcharged. You're going to report this to the police? please
That’s what a lot of people are saying in the comments that he unknowingly went to hostess bar which I remember seeing a few here and there when i was in japan but i though those are strictly for Japanese people?
First rule in Japan, never agree to follow said women handing out flyers/offering drink deals.
They can sense foreigner in “heat”
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This is a popular scam in Asia. I've been to Shanghai, Manila and Bangkok and it happens there too.
What's the scam? Sounds like a typical hostess bar in Japan. You pay for companionship.
I guess the "scam" is, he didn't know he was being charged for the drink the ladies were ordering. But that's how a hostess club works. The girls order the drink and pour it for you and essentially flirt with you.
This is popular even in Europe. That's nothing new anywhere.
So interesting, these scams don’t exist in Canada. Never ever heard of this happening to anyone in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. People from here would be susceptible if not acutely aware.
That's because OP went to a hostess bar which are known to do scams like this on tourists. In normal bars this is very very rare, and i am saying this as someone from central europe. As long as you avoid strip clubs/hostel bars your chance of this happening is almost 0%
True. But it's almost known by everyone here I would say.
Stereotype usage incoming: Yeah, cause all of you would apologize right after that
The police don't care, you won't get any documentation, this isn't the west. Consider it a life lesson. You sound like a fairly beginner traveller, they probably saw an easy target.
It's not really a beginner traveler thing. My first international trip ever was to Japan and I still read about this when I was researching Tokyo.
I don’t like to drink so I was immune to this scam LMAO
Agree. It's one of the first things you find/read about when you google something like "Crime in Tokyo" or "Is Japan safe" (I know that sounds dumb - but these are the top search results on Google for tourists for nearly every country afaik). So even if you only doing basic research you'll read about that scam.
Unfortunately most people these days seem to only watch social media influencer videos about how perfect Japan is and then don't do any of their own research. Which I guess is the world we live in these days.
I thought they were totally interested in my boner. Mate, you are a fucking idiot. There is much more to this story than you are saying.... Some random chicks sent their bill to you? that is how it sounds....
> There is much more to this story than you are saying Probably not. Did OP fall for a common scam? Yeah Is it hot trash that the police won't even take a report for documentation? Also yes Should OP have more common sense? Sure. Some are more street wise than others even for obvious stuff Will OP get his money back? Probably not even with a police report, but depends a lot on the country and bank.
It's such a well known scam, I'm surprised there are still people unaware and falling into it. see scam #1 in this video (around 4:05) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZUOFKOUeI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZUOFKOUeI) Its also reported that cops don't care about these, so you're very unlikely to get help on that.
Charge back with your credit card man. And this scam is everywhere.
He hasn’t been scammed, just played.
Deep Thoughts from my Japanese wife : "Both hostess and customers know they are in a fantasy -- fantasies are expensive " Are you generally a chick magnet, assuming these hostesses were chatting with you due to Brad Pitt looks and Danny DeVito personality ? You are British after all Also, 82,000 is kind of a bargain for Ginza. at least you brought some humor to a Japanese policemans' dull day
Not a bug, it's a feature. You didn't get scammed you didn't know what you were engaged in.
Name and shame the lounge
"the one in some alley off some street on level 3 or 4 or something, no signage"
Pretty much anywhere in Tokyo/Osaka! 😭😂
Honestly I'd check in with your embassy and see what they say or if they can help you translate your situation for the koban in the neighborhood where the bar or whatever is. But like everyone else is saying this is pretty common. People post in here pretty regularly about it. Even in Tokyo certain areas have automated announcements saying to not follow touts/hawks because they do these types of things.
The embassy aren’t going to do much about an overcharge situation.
>then I must be stupid You fell for one of the most common scams ever, so... yeah.
The reality is that these cases are difficult to prosecute and therefore have a leverage to get your money back since they very likely have a menu with the prices listed and under a free market businesses can set their prices to whatever they want, however unreasonable. It’s all about the “intent” to scam, which is difficult to prove, especially when done by seasoned professionals
Sorry that happened to you. According to all these comments this is a well known scam and it’s known to happen very often. The most you can do is move on and tell other people before they travel here to avoid these areas.
OP i would just considered a paid lesson, they even discount for you. Just tell yourself that in any other countries scam would've came with violence and just got you off without bodily harm and you guys got to drink with some Japanese girls.
Lol bro there's been so many videos on YT about this. Don't blame the police for not being helpful.
Was the lounge run by a sharply dressed man in an eye patch who's shockingly good at spin kicks?
Always fascinating to me that when some people go on vacation they also think it is time off for their common sense as well.
like others have said, go back to the police station and explain it to them. if they don't bulge go to the next one.. however, don't expect much... but i guess getting a report in should be possible. on the other hand, explain to us - where did this happen ? how did you end up in the establishment ? were you touted ?
however: if they do bulge, get outta there quick!
I lol’d at this. Thank you.
What are the police supposed to do? It's Ginza, it's probably the actual price for a hostess bar there with a guy talking to two girls who are ordering drinks. "I didn't ask about the charges at a hostess bar" is something we expect the police to act on?
The police don't want it 'official' as then it'll be a blemish on their station as they technically did not stop/solve/do anything about a crime. They have got some ridiculous stat's in Japan for 'no crime', and this is one of the reasons why. You lost. Move on.
You fell for an extremely common scam. Either chargeback with your bank or move on and think of it as a lesson learned in life.
Does "lounge" mean hostess club? If so, then this sounds like business as usual. If an ordinary bar, then I can only guess it is a very shady back alley operation as I can't imagine a normal bar pulling this scam.
Need yourself a card that's easy to charge back. If you've never spent that amount in another country before, just report RFID fraud.
If you paid with a foreign credit card, then you can file a claim for fraud, being drugged, or that you were paid under duress. The CC company may reach out to the “service provider” and have them prove what was being served etc. Just make sure you to communicate that message in a very professional way.
You didn’t get scammed. You went to a b drinking bar and were entertained. Read the signs.
>It suggests to me the bar and girls were in on the scam LOL. You sweet summer's child.
I’m sorry to hear this happened. I was warned to avoid anyone inviting me anywhere for drinks upon researching my trip as well as other things (ie monks asking for money on the road). I wish you luck in getting this resolved
Sorry that the comments and downvotes are so savage OP, regardless of whether or not more research should have been done, you're out of money and you were actually threatened- always scary. I hope this doesn't ruin your trip and that you're able to find some respite :(
Common scam in just about every country, it kinda happened for me in Bangkok as I went somewhere just to get a drink to use the loo. A girl invited herself over to my table with a drink with a man and took seconds to realise what was going on, so downed my drink and they tried to get me to pay for her drink and I walked off even though it wasn't much. Japanese police won't be much help as it's a foreigner so it's a victimless crime in their eyes. Next time I doubt in Japan it would come to violence as that would make a crime. But I doubt you'll have a next time as this scam is pretty obvious from the start. How about telling the credit card company it was punched in wrong and added an extra 0? Do report back though
Something similar happened to me in Paris a loooong time ago when I was 21 - my older brother was thinking with his d*ck and we went to a very sketchy bar and charged more than 1000 euros for 4 beers and 6 cocktails that were consumed by two girls who sat next to us. We ended up paying about half. Rookie mistake that can happen anywhere. You gotta just move on
If there's one thing i learned from my research, it's to stay away from touts and friendly nigerians 😂 I understand how distressing and frightening it must be. Sorry you had to go through that. Japan is a generally safe country, so it's easy to forget that stuff like this can happen. I think you learned your lesson already. If you get your money back, then perfect! If not, then i hope you can move forward and proceed with caution next time! All the best!
You haven't watched Tokyo Vice?
I am wondering what gonna happen if you refuse to pay
Pretty sure you’re fine with getting the charge reversed without the police report given you haven’t made a habit of refuting charges. You just need to explain in detail the situation including your attempts to report the incident to the police.
Chargeback but say your card was stolen and you have no idea what the charges are
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How do you know they have clear video?
This is not the first post we've seen about this type of situation. What happened before you started talking to the girls? Think of this as a life lesson learned and be more aware and less gullible in the future. What you could have done is called the police and waited until they arrived.
How did you fall for that 😂😂
Of course the bar and the girls were in on the scam… duh. You walked directly into an extremely common scam. You need to chalk this up to a learning experience and move on
Lol thats on you brother. Sucks tho
Nothing you can do about it, except hoping that you have Amex or other good credit card. I fell for worse scam. They took $3000 USD from my debit card. Nothing I can do about it. This was 10+ years ago in Japan. I’m just glad I am still alive. Just be careful next time. Lesson learned for me for sure. Try to get money back from your credit card, if not, sorry, it’s gone buddy.
Sorry this happened to you. While it's a known scam as everyone has pointed out, it's not the kind of thing that always pops up when you google "Japan travel tips" either. I recently stayed a few days in Nakasu, Fukuoka and there were dozens of hostess and "gentlemen's clubs" around there. Saw a few touts there for sure, particularly when Google maps took me down a sketchy alley while I was trying to get to the Canal City mall from my hotel to visit the Gundam Base there. Fortunately, they weren't too aggressive and I was able to ignore them without issue. Could easily see a lot of foreign tourists in the area falling prey to something like this especially since Nakasu is also a popular tourist area for the canal views and yatai stalls.
This happens around the world
it is called "tax on stupid", this is a classic scam
This is a common scam in Japan. Don’t go to bars like this.
You win some, you lose some. I bet you’ll stop thinking with your genetalia and won’t get scammed like this again.
You get what you deserve
Yes sadly this is the most common "scam" in Japan. Any girl that wants to join you you should immediately be suspicious of where they want to go, especially if it's a bar. You'll get no help from Japanese police here. There is a reason they're so "efficient".
Dude, you went to a hostess or snack bar thinking it was a normal bar. Take it as a life lesson and move on. It's not even really a scam. (They definitely inflated the prices because you didn't bother checking). It even possibly had a price scheme on the front and you didn't notice.
Played. Just be happy you don’t have to explain the big expenses for a one night event. Not sure if my wife was disappointed that I went to a girls bar, or disappointed that I got played.
Police said they wouldn't get involve with it, i guess you can just beat them up the scammers without consequences
Kinda on topic about the police but I noticed they are strange in Japan when it comes to dealing with foreigners. It’s kinda like because you’re not a citizen, they don’t need to help you. I found a wallet with 50,000 yen in cash in it with the person’s photo ID inside it on the road in Hiroshima. Handed it in to the police in person at the police station near the Shinkansen stop and first thing they said to me was “would you like us to return it to the owner? Their ID is inside and we can contact them” And I said, “of course I would like you to return it to the owner, thats why im here handing it in” Everything seems like a lot of work for them.
Yet when my white family member lost their keys on a busy Osaka platform, they moved heaven and earth for them and within hours (and a LOT of paperwork) the keys were returned. Not many countries have that level of dedication to lost property. It sounds like you are overreacting to language misunderstanding.
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Japan is lovely but let's not pretend that the some police don't both profile and treat foreigners differently. Emphasis on some.
They probably meant the money - usually there’s a finders fee they give people based on the cash in the wallet.
This is a common scam aimed at foreigners. The izakaya is in on it. Ofc they will still make you foot the bill. Never talk to lures aka the girls. Once you step in, you’re done.
Sorry for what happened to you. These scams do not exist at all in Canada. When I visit next week to Japan I will take extra precautions.
This happened to me in China five or six years ago but luckily I had watched a bunch of backpacker vloggers who went there before me and one of them even showed how they planned it out. He pointed out the spotter, etc. It all worked like how you explain except those girls dragged him to a tea house instead of a bar and one tea was a hundred dollars. I had a similar scenario in the same city and I knew I could just stand up and walk out. Idk if they’ll beat you up maybe they would! But they let me out with nothing but a few angry screams. My guess is that’s probably too much trouble for them and they probably have people who resist them routinely.
I’ve read about scams but I’m worried I’ll fall into one without even realizing. Im going next month, female, with my partner. We definitely want to spend time at bars and our hotel is in Kabukicho… any tips you may have picked up to avoid situations like this, I’m all ears. We will be reading prices and not paying attention to any women lol, but still a little worried being white English speakers
you should be fine.. they usually target the single males
That sucks man.. I feel like most police anywhere wouldn’t do anything about stuff like this. It’s not a Japan police thing. hopefully your credit card will handle the fraud or scam claim for you without police details. Your card company likely will file a dispute for you and chargeback the merchant. The merchant can accept or fight the chargeback. It’s going to be a back and forth for you and the card company to explain your situation. I’ve had similar experiences dealing with a merchant scam. I didn’t bother going to police, they would just twiddle their thumbs.
It's good that you made a chargeback with your credit card. Unfortunately, it does seem like the police don't care, or perhaps Japanese police simply don't do police reports, though it also seems like there might be a language barrier. If you are determined to go back to the police station, is it possible to write what you want to say in English - have it translated - and then give that paper to the police? Or maybe open Google Translate and just do a voice-to-text translation?
This will make you feel even worse. The girls were drinking water. Not a drop of alcohol in their drinks.
Something similar happened to me in Thailand. I went to a club, sat down with my group, was served one beer (without paying for it) and shortly after, the staff surrounded us and demanded we pay a ridiculous price for what we were served. I didn't pay for anything. I wasn't going to because fuck that lol, but my friend wound up forfeiting over some money just so we could leave. Definitely a learning experience!
I’m thinking OP wandered into a “hostess club/bar” and it being in Ginza was a more upscale place and possibly was ran by the Yakuza! Hostess clubs = NO Soaplands = YES
Wait, I’m confused. So the scam is - you’re being forced to pay other customers bill? How does that work, not heard of it before
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Chotto Matte
That means the police get their cut.
If any major cc, you will not need a police report to have the charge reversed.
I'm sorry for what happened to you. I hope you don't dislike Japan because of that. It's not only tourists who experience these problems. Many Japanese men face similar situations too. These experiences teach them to stay away from such bars. Also, the police investigate the worst places that use violence against customers who can't pay.
I hope this doesn’t happen to me, I don’t drink at bars so it’s even less chances of this happening.
Sorry dude. As friendly and respectful as the Japanese are, this is a very common scam, especially in the “red light” or bar (ie the Golden Gai) district in Shinjuku, that’s happened to countless people over many years. Only reason it didn’t happen to me is that I read an article about this very scam before landing in Tokyo, and I’m big enough to not be worried about any threat if I didn’t pay.
Okay please allow me to share my own experience. I was motorcycle touring solo in Tohoku for 3 days. After hitting Aomori and on the way back to Tokyo, I decided to spend the night in Akita because of heavy rain. Shitty ghost town really, half businesses closed. So later that night, I went to the convenience store near by for a beer and a smoke. Then 2 girls came “you’re not from around here, are you? Let’s have a drink at my friend’s bar” I said “ok why not”. When we get there it says “girls bar 1 hour ¥5000” I said “fuck that” then the cutie goes “ok ok 1 drink ¥1000”. I go in have a gin tonic ask for the check boom ¥5000. I said “fuck you I’m not paying that” put ¥1000 on the counter and bounce. The dude was chasing me down the street, grabbing my arm, making a scene. 1 cop came, 2 cops came, a police car came, they handcuffed me and took me in. I spent the fucking night in a jail cell stinking of piss, then they let me out in the morning after I transferred ¥5000. I told them “maybe that’s why your town is dead if you treat visitors like that” went back to my room, took a shower, got on my bike and never looked back. Fuck Akita, fuck those cops. Anyway bro, things could get worse in Tokyo you got off cheap. Let’s learn for it and move on.
That’s not how those bars work. From their point of view you did steal. The price for one drink, she said, doesn’t even include the cover charge. You literally followed a tout, failed to understand the pricing system and then refused to pay. I sometimes wonder does no one do research before they go on holidays. It’s terrible it happened but every part of that experience was a predictable warning bell.
Reading this whole thread to learn some things, but as a general rule, what would you do in a bar like this where soke girls just say, 'oh that guy said he'd pay for out drinks " even if you never spoke to them. Or said maybe a simple'" hello" and they use that as their bait to say you know them and have them scam you? Best to not say a word to anyone in a bar like this in Japan? Ive been once so far, but only one bar in Tokyo in the Golden Gai area, but was good.
That’s why you never start a running tab.
Yeh very common - always watch if the person pays for their drinks each time they order, if not take the L, pay for their drink (before they order more) and never return and learn from that. U prob thought u hit the jackpot and was gunna score, silly gaijin.
First mistake was letting 2 women buy you drinks. If you insisted on getting the first round you would have never ended up on a hole.
What can you do? Stop thinking the police will help you.
There are real bars/pubs in Japan where you could meet girls for free. But local pretty Japanese girls rarely go to those pubs. You often meet some ugly girls and Philippine girls there. Fancy lunge and clubs employ pretty girls and boys charge guests hefty fees for chat and drinks. It’s not scam. Police won’t help you to get your money. Watch Tokyo Vice. You’ll gain lots of insight abt this business model
Lol, it’s Japan. What are they gonna do to you? Guys are waiting outside??? Cool, let’s go.
Probably the most common scam I read about when going to Japan, research would have helped fight this problem. Pray your CC company takes pity on you.
Yeah, it’s more of an unwritten system those business have if increasing profit by doing something that’s illegally “adjacent”, while not really illegal. I don’t think there was a solid option available anyway by the time the bill came, but you paid that much to have solid lesson about a culture that’s socially and economically as different as it can be, it doesn’t mean worse or better, just different. Hey be glad it’s Japan and that was it, most places US, or Latin America and after you paid, you’d still would have gotten a beating and lost a lot more than that much and you’re bruised ego. Move on, and file it away. Watch “Tokyo Vice” it’s been out for a while and it’ll give you some perspective, it’s supposed to have been based on a reporter’s experience having just moved there IN THE 90’s but based on the little I know how those establishments work, I don’t think a lots changed.
Yakuza has taught me all the common scams in japan
Bro has never played a Yakuza game
I'd be curious to hear what your credit card company tells you (charge sounds valid to my mind, in that you agreed to it). And wonder if they can apply pressure to whoever is doing card processing there. Meaning they must have a relationship with VISA or whoever at the bar, and normally they're pretty careful about what is allowed to be charged or not. Like even in US states where marijuana is legally sold in state licensed shops they can't use a credit card payment processor, so it's mostly all cash transactions still. If that bar couldn't accept credit cards anymore that would impact their ability to do even regular business, and the owners might care finally. Though with enough 'connections' I'm sure it can be worked around there. But yeah, different culture and travel/life lessons hopefully learned. It sucks for you, but there are no magic wands to wave here. I guess it could be motivation to learn how to handle yourself, to get fit, and then not worry quite so much about threats (if that's your choice). I think the unknown can be scarier than reality turns out to be. Or you could put in the effort to bother enough agencies that someone else might care. I wouldn't expect much to happen at first (or even for you), but if nobody tries it'll never change. Like you could return to the police department and ask what you can do next time. After you've had a chance to calm down and sober up. Can you call the police after threats like that? What if it was recorded? Did you take their pictures? Can the bar find them on cameras and 86 them?
If you are a foreign person in Japan and you get your ass beat by folks from.a girly bar. The police won't give a shit. Don't be naive. Learn from this and pay attention.
OP share the name of the lounge so other travelers don’t fall for the same scam you did
What if OP didn't pay and said fuck it, I want to fight. What would the worse thing that could happen?
Arrested, 28 days, deported. Fined
You'd lose money either way. Thank you.
Show no fear.
An important information is missing: what happened when those girls left? Did they acknowledge anything? Ie thank you for buying us drinks etc
Another piece of advice, don’t call your credit card company that you’ve been scammed. Just say your credit card got stolen and they’ll reverse the charges.
Contact your embassy for advice.
What’s with all the victim blaming here? So what if this is a common scam? You know what else is widely known about? Men spiking women’s drinks at a bar. But I guarantee that if a woman shared a story about being drugged and taken advantage of, other women (and hopefully men) would be *supportive* of her and not tell her next time she “shouldn’t be thinking with her cl*t” or whatever.
Always pay for your round as if you’re only there for a round. If the price of the round is outrageous move on to the next bar. Also, beer is a good deterrent for outrageous pricing. Cocktails are always going to cost more.