Ripoff Reports

[Wastrel]

By A Fool on 09-29-04, 2000-2004 General Reports post #1536:

A quick warning on the private club named "Indulge" (it is an unmarked storefront) on Industrial Rd. in Vegas (right across from the Budget Suites and between the Can-Can Room and Saphires). It is a pure rip-off joint. You get NOTHING, unless you think just sitting next to a gril on the couch is worth $50. A Taxi driver took us there swearing you got FS. You don't even see and skin. I see that was a warning on this forum in March of 2003, but I would never have seen it except I searched for the name "indulge" -- I would not have read 18 months work of posts. Can't believe they are still in business ripping people off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By caldreamer100 on 03-07-03, 2000-2004 General Reports post #404:

Don't ever go to the "private clubs" on commercial or industrial drive by the go go bars. I went to "Indulge" and they wanted $50 to walk in and $200 to spend some relaxing time with a girl. I talked them down to $100 for 30 minutes and was told I would have a VERY RELAXING TIME. After about 5 minutes of one handed lame massage, I turned over and said what's the deal. She told me this was it and I would have to hand over a few hundred more if I wanted to go to a more private room for a more relaxing time. I told the guy at the door if $100 won't get me what I'm looking for just tell me and I'll be on my way. Instead he convinces me to drop $100 on top of the $50 entrance to get a lame massage. I told the girl she was full of shit and walked out. The owner just smiled and said have a nice night. I guess he's used to ripping people off.

[Wastrel]

By Vanderley on 10-01-04, 2000-2004 General Reports post #1547:

It's pretty safe to assume that all the smaller clubs on Industrial are ripoff joints. There are the obvious legit clubs like CH2, Sapphires, DejaVu or even Wild J's which was pretty good once upon a time. Avoid all the others at all costs -- especially CAN CAN ROOM and HOT BODIES, or any other "unmarked storefronts".

I suggested to Jackson the possibility of creating a thread specifically for RipOff Joints in Las Vegas to make first time visitors aware of potential hazards. A thread such as this could certainly arouse some biased attacks on certain legit clubs, but I think the majority of the posters will be able to control the bullsh_t from truth. Jackson, please give it some thought -- we need it. These guys have been in business long enough.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Vanderley on 08-23-04, 2000-2004 General Reports post #1413:

Sorry to hear about your experience at HOT BODIES. It's actually quite well-known about the place being a big-time clip joint. The cabbies get paid x amount of dollars for every clueless tourist flying into Vegas they drop off at the club. Word of caution: Do your own research and never, ever, trust a cabbie. Well, you already know that.

Avoid CAN CAN ROOM at all costs as well. They run the same kind of scam, but in a more 'strip club' style environment. Private dances with hinting of 'extras'. I don't know if it's the same owners, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was.

These f_cked up clubs all stay in business because, first, like you said, they aren't breaking the law. And second, there are millions of tourists each MONTH coming to Vegas for the first time in their lives. Screw one tourist, then screw another, and another, and another. They'll never get repeat business from the same customer twice, but so what? That doesn't matter to them cause there's more fish flowing into their pond each and every day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Tucson Chief on 08-22-04, 2000-2004 General Reports post #1411:

Got scammed hard in vegas at hot bodies spa 3131 south industrial next to can-cans

Went by a place near can-cans on industrial, was very trashed and paid 40 to get inside. Shoulda realized then that something was up. But was drunk and horny so you know how that is. Inside the guy says the fee is 600 for an hour and no prostitution is involved, and the hottie next to me rubs her leg up on mine while he's saying it. I took it as a hint that he wasn't truthful or at least correct. So my dumbass says ok and pays 600 and on top of it she demands I give the guy 60 for a tip. so 700 so far. I see another guy hitting up the atm so I figure hes having a good time with his chick. go to a back room and I get rubbed down for 20 minutes in the same spots. I know this isn't going anywhere and am starting to get pissed. after 35 min I flat out ask if anything more is going to happen and she keeps going on and on about relaxation. I try to walk out and she convinces me to do the last 10 and I'm thinkin just maybe something will happen. NOTHING. not even close. out 700 bucks. I coulda blown that 1000 better ways in that town. So advice is dont go to that place and spread the word that they are a scam.

Followed by post #1412, same poster, same date:

This is exactly what happened, I ran a search for the place. Except the bouncer didn't interfere, he let the girl massage my back for the full hour. whoo hooo. Man did I feel stupid after. What a scam.

"A revealing memo appears this week on the cabbie website. The writer, identified as "FN Cabbie" gives us this insight into what the cab driving profession has degraded into: "How many drivers actually drop off at Hot Bodies, knowing that it's a 'clip joint?' For those that don't know, the term clip joint stems from the fact that they basically take the customers money and 'toss' them out the back door. For instance, customer Bob goes into Hot Bodies. Bob wants to see a girl, so he pays about $140 to go into a room with a 'clothed' woman to do some 'exercises.' Mind you, it's a 'health' club. Now, Bob is enticed by the girl (Editor's note: “hyenas” would be a more appropriate description of these females) to go 'further' in their work out session. She tells Bob its going to be X amount of dollars to go 'all the way' with her. Bob agrees, gives the girl his credit card. While Bob waits in his room, the girl swipes his card for the agreed price. She comes back to the room to get Bob to sign for it, just so they can make sure they get 'their' money. The girl then leaves and she says she's going to slip into something more comfortable. Shortly after the girl has left, 'Big Bouncer' enters Bob's room and tells him that his time is up. Bob is naturally upset because he paid for something he didn't get. Big Bouncer replies, 'Sir, don't you know prostitution is illegal in Clark County.' Then out the door Bob goes. What's Bob to do? Does he tell the Better Business Bureau? Does he call the cops? What can the cops do? Bob knows it's illegal to pay for sex in Clark County. If he tells the cop that he tried paying for sex and got swindled, the cop will just laugh in his face. How does Hot Bodies stay in business you might ask? Well, technically they aren't breaking the law. They aren't selling sex, and there is no way to prove that Bob didn't get exactly what he paid for, a nice weightlifting session with a woman fully clothed for, $800. She must be some trainer!" "

[Wastrel]

I don't know if this place belongs here. Is there a consensus that this place is a rip-off, or not? I have never gone beyond the parking lot in front of it, and from my reading I get mixed signals on whether they qualify as an outright clip joint or whether there's some feeling that they might have a legitimate purpose for some of us under some circumstances.

[Wastrel]

By noneathome on 02-05-05, General Reports post #259:

"On the way out a Cab driver convinced us to go to "SENSATIONS" a massage parlor where you get F/S for $40. I knew something wasn't right but I didnt want my friend to know about my expereince with Massage Parlor pricing and extras so I played dumb and figured it wouldn;t hurt to check it out. Cabby offered to STOP the meter while we go in and see the girls. He went in too and it was clear the girls knew him. My first thought was KICK BACK. Thanks to this board I KNEW there was no F/S in LV that easy to find so I was sceptical and had a bad vibe. My friend wanted to stay so he did and I left. The girl told him $40 for the house then min $100 in the back for extras. He calls me an hour later pissed. After the $40 at the door, the girl in the back ask's for $40 to get things going. She rubs hs ears then says $100 more for more "undefined" fun. Then wants $300 to start the party, etc. He was smart enough to get the hell out. Ironically 2 huge "Brothers" came in that appeared to work there and 1 confronted my friend. Their job is clearly to "intimidate" so you don't push to get your cash back. He left paying $80 for NOTHING and scared he was going to get his ass kicked."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Peter Dong on 06-02-05, General Reports post #241:

"I went to Vegas and a cab driver took me to Sensations.

I got ripped off of 350$ and had to leave as I was disgusted at their attitude."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Roadkill at Work on 01-08-05, General Reports post #11:

"To all that visit vegas,

Please never go to Censatons. All that will happen is that you will loose out on $500 big ones, for nothing more than a hand rub, and I can rub my hands much better than those bitches. Pass this info on and make sure the taxi drivers don't sucker you."

[Wastrel]

This place is so notorious that it deserves to be mentioned yet again. There must be dozens of accounts in the archives from guys who got clipped here, but this is the most recent I found.

By Sleeping Bag on 03-29-05, General Reports post #94:

About week ago, I was driving and stopped by the cancan on industrial. at door, I was told vip was $250. I walked out and security got me vip for $100. definite con system at work here. anyways, walked in, and the vip actess, Reno, sat next to me. nice girl. I had to pay full $250 to get her in vip. And in addition, need to pay $300-$400 for fs. the other "club girls" I can get at the $100 that I paid. so, a black club girl sat next to me and worked me to hurry to get her into the vip. I was told at door that I have until closing time to go to vip and pick any girl I want. This girl told me that I needed to hurry with her into vip, and then tells me a long story about how the other club girls must charge other vip customers additional $50 until she gets my vip treatment. What a bull.

[Wastrel]

Clip-joint: noun (slang) 1. a bar or restaurant charging outrageously high prices while failing to deliver promised services; 2. an establishment to which a Las Vegas taxi driver wishes to take you for the purpose of having a good time.

Clip-joints thrive in the shadow of the resort corridor known as The Strip. This is a thread for outing them and all the other cheesy devices for separating men from their assets that made this town what it is. One of the most infamous is the "Can Can Room" but there are so many that it is hard to keep up with them, and what so many have in common is that they rely on a unique species of local reptile known as a Vegas taxi driver to procure most of their business [PsyberZombie, I believe that would be your cue to enter from stage left] because, to put it politely, they don't rely on repeat business. There are tens of thousands of fresh pigeons flying in every day, and as long as the drivers are in their pocket they can empty your wallet and toss you out with yesterdays trash if you do not protect yourself and your property from them.