Irresponsibility at its finest...

I'm suprised the credicard was approved for $53k at a strip club....

 

Amex doesn't judge.

 

Doesn't amex track spending habits? Most likely this guy was not out there spending this kind of money on a regular basis... may be it was the father's account

In any case, at age 24 he should be responsible for what he buys/spends

 

Just to play devil's advocate...

I have been given "free" drinks at bars before that were "on the house" and then I realize that once I get my bill...they were in fact not free and not on the house - and I had to argue my way out of it - which is an uncomfortable and unfair position to be in.

Not saying that this is anything close to what happened but I can't say just based on that article if the son was 100% responsible. Of course...you don't go to a strip club if you are looking to save money

 

Assuming he was "lucid" and actually did sign his initials.

AmEx (and other cards) should probably begin to ask to speak on the phone with someone who charges anything that's "inconsistent" with the cardholder's previous spending history. It's just one more line of defense and protection for the card company and the cardholder, even if it is intrusive, but I don't think it's that unusual as, previously, I've been asked to speak with the AmEx representative for some of my bigger ticket purchases (not this kind, though).

This is the third time I've heard of very large tabs at strip joints that have been contested within the past 2 years (one CEO even lost his job over a contested tab with AmEx under similar circumstances, IIRC). There's probably little doubt that where there's smoke there's fire, and, in this light, the "clubs" should be bending over backwards (no slight to any exotic performers meant) to ensure that these sorts of issues don't arise again. A client (in this instance he's young, which makes it all the more necessary for the "club" to be extra careful) might easily have too much to drink and let things get out of control. All bars are required to cut patrons off if they appear to be "over-served". This is no exception and arguably is even more important given the nature of the hyper-premium pricing involved. In this instance, even worse, his signature (initials) didn't match. And, he had told the "club" that he could only spend $600. Letting it go over $600 is very surprising. And, let's be honest. The "club" does have an incentive to do this. What's the worst that can happen? They write off $2K of cham if they lose, but if they win, they get $53K. Not a bad profit margin, but the labor must really be a pain in the butt.

However, as everyone so correctly points out, he is an adult and should be fighting this battle on his own. While it's not as much fun to be keeping a mental tally in your head of your spending, perhaps he should have majored in math! And, if he graduated from college at 24, well...let's just say he might be a little behind the curve, academically!

CW

 

I can see how this would happen, too. If he told them that he only had $600 to spend they had no business bringing $2k bottles of champagne to his table. Who knows what they told him? I'm not taking sides, but I've DEFINITELY had people say they were going to take care of my entire tab, half of it, or send over "free" top dollar drinks, for which I did end up paying. Those are the nights when you look at the tab and say "HOLY____," pay it, and watch yourself the next time you're there. They may have taken advantage of this guy...or maybe he's just really irresponsible.

 

I'm not condoning his behavior, only saying that I can see how a tab can get out of control whilst assuming it's on the house, especially when the bartender/owner said so.

On edit: I don't, and never will, understand $53000 worth of partying...and I've had some long nights.

 

Only a horse's ass would ever run up that kind of bill at a place like that.

 

19 bottles at 2000= 38000.
Right?

Where is the other 15k?

And thats at the HIGHEST bottle they say they served him.

So you figure 15k in Lap Dances for him and his friends? Most expensive dance I have ever been offered was over seas and the USD equivalent was something around $500-. So lets figure $500- a dance. Thats 30 dances. Maybe that could happen, but I haven't seen the quality of dancers in the pan handle. As well, it says the CC bill was itemized. Not sure if the names Candy/Baby Doll/etc are listed on CC bills?!?!

 

I once knew a guy who intentionally blew his savings account at a strip club so his soon to be ex-wife couldn't have any of it. He bought lap dances for all of us, drinks for all of us, and even had a couple of strippers on his lap feeding him grapes off some giant fruit tray. I looked like every schoolboy's fantasies about ancient Rome. I can see 15k for that kind of thing.

500 bucks? What came with it?

 

If he only had 600 bucks to spend, he should have taken it there in $1s and $20s. Leave the plastic at home. Period.

 

Just cause it was offered didn't mean I took it.
It was NOT worth $25.

 

Nightclub owners are scum. **** them and their 2k$ bottle of 50$ champagne.

 

Yeah. Years ago I went to a bar in Nurnberg with a buddy and ordered a beer. Two girls brought them out and sat down next to us, then told us the beers were DM50 ($33 US) each. Then they just hung around. It wasn't a strip club. It was really weird. They didn't speak any English and we didn't speak any German. The beer had a funny taste to it; kind of like a chemical. We just paid and got the hell out of there.

 

Small world. I know Joe Salter. I even know where Mary Esther is.

Yeah, I can see where things might have gotten a bit out of control. But over $50k?

Dale

 

I have a very difficult time believing someone could be lucid after 19 bottles of champagne in a single evening...

 

Yeah, I agree.

When I used to really party I'd only take cash, leave the cards at home, and then I'd separate my money in my bag, too. I'd place what was OK to spend in my wallet and what was more than I should, but still affordable, in the zip compartment.

I really don't see how anyone can spend $53k at a strip club in one night. On many occasions I've gotten VIP with big groups of people and ordered the best champagne all night and never saw a bill close to that amount. We all got plenty of "attention," and had entirely too much to drink. That, to me, is how I would see people trying to obtain such a tab, but to manage to spend $53,000?! He's either a professional spender, a total donkey, or he got scammed...BIG TIME.

 

Yeah, no kidding!! Champagne gives killer hangovers, too!! YIKES!

 

You've never been to Thailand have you?

 

After 19 bottles of champagne I'm pretty sure his signature/initials won't match his first one. Just a guess.

 

Nah, not when your use to it.

Never been a fan of strip clubs. My friend was getting a lap dance, and has his keys sitting next to him or they fell out of his pocket. One of the guys that grabs the glasses took his keys.

The stripper apparently had some sort of an ethical and moral value system. She got his keys back, and told him and my other buddy they are too good of guys and don't belong in a place like that. Very strange thing for a stripper to say.