Am I in danger/craigslist ad

[somechick99]

A few weeks ago, I found an ad on craigslist saying private entertainers/strippers are needed (for private parties, not an actual club) and I applied for the job. (If you're going to post some judgmental response about stripping, please save it. Not what the questions about).

 

When I went to interview with the dude I talked to on the phone, we met at a public restaurant and the guy was extremely built and said he himself used to strip (which is quite believable looking at him) and he had me sign a contract. He put my photos on their website and everything seems legit BUT here's why I'm sketched: He said that for my first gig (which is planned for tomorrow) to meet him at a parking lot by their headquarters and that he himself would be driving me to the gig. So I'd be alone with him in the car...

 

The parking lot is secluded and obviously I could be in danger if he's BSing. But the phone number he's been calling me on is registered and legit, he has tons of detailed stories that all add up, and the company has been registered on the internet for years

 

I could really use this money, what should I do? (I would just go to a local club, but the only one nearby is ghetto and nasty) Maybe go but bring mace and a knife just in case?

[YouCanDeleteThisAccount]

Not real familiar with the scene, but if I were you I'd make sure someone who will check on you knows your situation and to make sure you made it home. Give them all the info you have, just to get past the first time jitters. But also, keep in mind, hurting your new employees is a bad business model. He's likely making sure you are going to go through with it, for the time frame agreed. If you want to test the waters, which I would suggest you do, insist on parking in a lighted area and having him meet you there. Tell him you are not comfortable with the darker area, and see how he reacts. If he gets aggressive with that, then that should be your indicator of how life is going to be when things get more serious about his expectations of you.

[ParisPaulette]

Red flag, red flag, red flag. If this were legit why on earth would you have to go with a stranger in his car to an unknown destination???? I wouldn't do that no matter what the job was. Come on he should know better and so should you. Once you're in that car with him alone anything can happen and you will not have control, he will. I think this is one of those things you need to pass up or tell him that you are absolutely not going to do that since you're security conscience. I'm sorry, but something is very wrong. And maybe post a warning on Craigslist about it. This is scary.

 

And no I wouldn't even try anything with him in a better lit area. You can be abducted in literally a turn of the head, a blink of the eye. I speak from experience having nearly been abducted in college by a guy who just asked me to go with him to his car to get more beer for a big campus party. If it sounds too good and yet too suspicious it is. If this guy is worried about you being discrete or keeping identities anonymous then he'd have you sign a waiver or a contract.

 

Pretty much anything can be faked these days: websites, false names and identities can be used and the list goes on. You really need to decide if this is worth it and what will happen or how will you protect yourself if things go wrong? And by that I don't mean mace or a whistle. And having someone come check up on you to see if you made it home will not save you if something has gone wrong and no one can find you.

 

This is a big no in my books, please don't go. Not unless you bring a bodyguard with you. Maybe then it might be okay, maybe.

[Batya33]

Of course you shouldn't do that especially with a man who runs that kind of business. It is not worth it and it doesn't matter how much investigating you've done. Obviously it's sketchy or he'd tell you where to go and have you arrange your own transportation or at most offer you a ride to be polite but not tell you to meet at a parking lot near "headquarters" (fancy term for some shady back office most likely).

[somechick99]

He did have me sign a contract but you're probably right

[somechick99]

Of course you shouldn't do that especially with a man who runs that kind of business. It is not worth it and it doesn't matter how much investigating you've done. Obviously it's sketchy or he'd tell you where to go and have you arrange your own transportation or at most offer you a ride to be polite but not tell you to meet at a parking lot near "headquarters" (fancy term for some shady back office most likely).

 

He said I can't drive my vehicle to the actual destination because it risks being tracked back to where I live (which sort of makes sense since a license plate can get you lots of info about someone)

[Seraphim]

Sounds like some kind of criminal activity. You have heard of the craigslist killer ,right? I think this is another variation of that . Run like hell. You could be getting set up to be sold into sexual slavery. You could get abducted, raped and murdered.

[ParisPaulette]

He said I can't drive my vehicle to the actual destination because it risks being tracked back to where I live (which sort of makes sense since a license plate can get you lots of info about someone)

 

Okay, then what exactly is going on that someone would be tracking you back to your place via your vehicle? The only people I know of who would do that are a) law enforcement who are trying to stop illegal activity OR b) a serious stalker who has you in his sights.

 

Neither one of those are reasons to trust someone at all. What is this guy trying to get girls into? And as you said it "sort of" makes sense, but it also "sort of" doesn't. And that is a common ploy again by con artists, criminals and such. They say things that sound almost right, but just not quite right enough. Most people will look at a statement on the surface and not break it down further and that's where they walk into a trap. If this were a legit company they'd want anyone interviewing the for job to come in and if it's that high of security risk for their clients then why haven't they done a background check on you????

 

I'm sorry, but I lived in L.A. I had friends who worked for celebs and such, people that they had to be very discreet about. They all had to pass background checks, heck one of my friend dated a very well-known actor and she had to get a background check, because as his manager told her, "No offense, but we need to know you aren't a reporter trying to gather dirt." Come on, anyone in a high position of authority who wants discretion is going to make very, very sure you aren't the risk. They wouldn't tell their managers or someone they hire, "Drive the girls here to my place in your vehicle." Because guess what? That client is now at risk, because you or anyone being driven in said vehicle can make all sorts of wild claims against them. "He told his driver to take me to a place where I was beaten and raped, they were in on it." And guess what, now said celeb or big mucky-muck is fending off a major PR catastrophe. No, anyone that concerned about security would be saying, "You better make sure she's passed a background check and isn't a cop/reporter/nut job. Or I'll sue the living daylights out of you for breach of contract."

 

I'm guessing this guy is offering you such a good amount of money that it's making you throw your usual caution and good sense to the wind, right? After all who can resist that kind of money, but the trouble is you can't collect it if something very bad happens to you now can you. If it sounds too good to be true, but something sounds off about it then it always is. Trust your gut, not how much money he's telling you that you'll make or how many other girls would kill for the job.

[Capricorn3]

He said I can't drive my vehicle to the actual destination because it risks being tracked back to where I live (which sort of makes sense since a license plate can get you lots of info about someone)

In that case, why does he use his vehicle which can be tracked back to where he lives too? Really makes no sense to me and all I see are enormous red flags all over the place. I would head in the opposite direction so fast you wouldn't see me for dust.

[ParisPaulette]

Also again the only people who can normally get information on you from a license plate are those people in law enforcement or a very dedicated stalker. Normal Joe Blows aren't even going to have the first clue about how to do that nor will they care. They can find you on the Internet since you said he posted your pics on the website, remember? So right there all you need is a good hacker and or they'd go to the office and rifle the files to find you. Trust me there are a thousand other ways to find someone than a license plate number. It's a bit of a television myth that a ton of information can be gathered off a license plate number unless you have access to certain databases that the general public will not have access to.

 

And Capricorn makes a very good point on that too. What about his vehicle? These are half-baked excuses this guy is coming up with. My advice, run the other way.

[xb0x]

 

I could really use this money, what should I do? (I would just go to a local club, but the only one nearby is ghetto and nasty) Maybe go but bring mace and a knife just in case?

 

ROFL. No offense but do you really need the money that badly that you have to strip for it?

[HeartGoesOn]

Although this was not your question, does he have any of your personal information such as address, phone number, etc? I agree with others, there's definitely some shady dealings here. Be safe, we only have one go around in life...

[somechick99]

In that case, why does he use his vehicle which can be tracked back to where he lives too? Really makes no sense to me and all I see are enormous red flags all over the place. I would head in the opposite direction so fast you wouldn't see me for dust.

 

It's a company vehicle (supposedly)

[somechick99]

ROFL. No offense but do you really need the money that badly that you have to strip for it?

 

I do really need the money, and why make minimum wage doing some boring lame job when I could make a great deal more doing something interesting? I work to maintain a fit body, and hell yeah I'll make some easy money off it dancing around before answering phones, serving food, etc all day for a fraction of the income. Not sure why that's of any interest to you?

[SpottiOtti]

I agree with the others. The guy's story sounds a little off. I hope you tell him you will meet him at the job, get the address first, then look it up to see what's around it and whether it's legit. Please don't ride in his car with him. I mean, better safe than sorry!

[xb0x]

I do really need the money, and why make minimum wage doing some boring lame job when I could make a great deal more doing something interesting? I work to maintain a fit body, and hell yeah I'll make some easy money off it dancing around before answering phones, serving food, etc all day for a fraction of the income. Not sure why that's of any interest to you?

 

Well stripping isn't for everyone. There are a lot of hazards to go with the job. Risk of getting beaten by patrons, being sexually abused or asked to do tricks to support your income.

 

Money isn't the be all of life. In fact it's been proven that once you reach a certain limit of financial wealth your happiness doesn't slide up with ever increasing wealth. I guess what I'm trying to say is isn't there a better way to make money?

[Batya33]

If it's a company vehicle call the proper government agencies and find out if the company to which it is registered is a legitimate, legal, registered business and also call the local police and find out if there's criminal activity associated with this person or company, etc.

 

You're being offered all that money as a way to become an easy victim of crime of some sort.

[ParisPaulette]

I do really need the money, and why make minimum wage doing some boring lame job when I could make a great deal more doing something interesting?

 

That's not the point of our posts to you. The guy's story is off six ways to Sunday. I don't have a problem with the profession you choose, but surely you have enough experience to know when someone is trying to lure you into something versus a legitimate job. I'd go work at the ghetto strip club where at least there are other people around and hopefully a security guard or two versus climbing into some unknown guy's vehicle based solely on his word and his word alone. Because that's all you have right now, isn't it?

 

Put another way, if some guy drove up to you and held out a bag telling you that there's $2,000 in cash if you'll hop in his vehicle would you do it? Because that's what this guy is doing. However you seem dead set on going anyways and I'm not sure why you asked our advice. I worked in a women's shelter in L.A. some years ago as well as on several sexual abuse hotlines. The fact is women and men who are sex workers of any type are easier targets. You are vulnerable to offers of large sums of cash. You will go off with a complete stranger or strangers to remote areas or get into vehicles without knowing the other person. You are usually attractive. You are in a profession that engenders rage and a sense that if you get hurt it won't be a bad thing from certain twisted individuals. You often have less ties to family and friends who wouldn't miss you or wouldn't know where you had gone or who with in the first place since you keep these things secret. And last but not least should something happen to you chances are less that law enforcement would take the crime as seriously as if a housewife or college student had been grabbed off the street. If you get hurt and manage to take a case to court an opposing attorney would tear into you about the fact you knew what you were getting into and would then likely use your past against you to color a jury's perceptions of you should it get that far. And sadly law enforcement are human too, if they have prejudices against sex workers those will come into play as well. And unless you're trained in hand-to-hand combat and very fast and very alert on how to take someone down quickly mace and a knife won't do you any good if he uses violence or drugs to subdue you. Or there is more than one person in the vehicle or nearby and yes, that happens too.

 

Well, I've outlined the risks clearly enough. In the end none of us can tell you what to do, only give you the advice you asked for in the first place. I do think you're playing Russian roulette just as surely as if you had a pistol with one round in the gun and were pointing it at your head then pulling the trigger.

[somechick99]

Yes I realize that this specific ad is sketchy as hell, the reason I defended the occupation to xbox is because they were speaking generally about there being better ways to make money. Better ways than getting in some random dudes car? Of course, but I was defending the occupation in general not this specific incident. I'm by no means set on going lol

 

He said if I was uncomfortable that I could have my roommate follow us to the event and then pick me up after. I still don't think I'm gonna go though but I thought that was interesting

[Seraphim]

Is your roommate female?

[somechick99]

Well stripping isn't for everyone. There are a lot of hazards to go with the job. Risk of getting beaten by patrons, being sexually abused or asked to do tricks to support your income.

 

Money isn't the be all of life. In fact it's been proven that once you reach a certain limit of financial wealth your happiness doesn't slide up with ever increasing wealth. I guess what I'm trying to say is isn't there a better way to make money?

 

Are you talking about this specific stripping job, or just stripping in general? It seems like you're talking about the occupation in general rather than my specific question. Are there better ways to make money? Well, what do you define as better? I personally don't think most minimum wage jobs out there (which is what I'd likely be stuck doing until after college if not stripping) are "better" in the slightest. It seems you're assuming that I must feel negative about myself or the occupation in some way hence why I should find a "better" job and make a fraction of the income.

 

Yes, I realize money is not the key to happiness, but it's the key to a lot of things I need right now such as finishing college, moving out, etc. which will all help me in the long run. I really don't feel like having some huge debate about why stripping isn't a good job, obviously it's not for everyone, doesn't mean it's not for me

[somechick99]

Is your roommate female?

 

Yes.

 

I should add by now that I plan to not go, but I'm not really sure what the next step is. I feel like I should warn people about the company or something?

[somechick99]

UPDATE:

 

I called the restaurant the guy interviewed me at, because at the interview he told me the company and the restaurant were somewhat affiliated. The restaurant manager told me not to trust him and that they had received some sketchy calls about him/their company

 

I called back the craigslist guy and told him straight up that I was sketched and told him what the manager said. He said I talked to the "wrong manager" and to ask specifically for Michael, the other manager who apparently established the restaurant. I haven't even bothered calling him at this point, I'm obviously not gonna go but at this point I'm just curious and confused lol.

 

Should I post a warning ad on craigslist or something?

[ParisPaulette]

I'm so relieved to hear you aren't going. And no don't talk to "Michael" whoever he may be, the manager of the restaurant told you straight up this was something weird going on. That's good enough. Here is a link on how to file complaints on Craigslist: link removed

 

You could also call your local sex crimes unit of the city you reside in and just tell them there's something strange going on then send over the ad with what happened to you. It at least gives them a heads up. You can post something on Craigslist as well, but chances are good he'll flag your warning and it'll get taken down about as fast as if you flag his post.

 

P.S. It's usually a sign of a scam whenever you challenge someone on a part of their story and then they have a whole new excuse/story/way of assuring you that they failed to mention before.

[lavenderdove]

Honey, you need to get another line of work. Find some way to go back to school to get a good job. You are in danger every single time you go to a private party at anyone's house so this guy isn't your only worry. Any guy could call you up and ask you to work a 'party' at his house that could rapidly spin out of control and become very dangerous to you. Strippers and hookers are considered 'disposable' by society and the nutbags of the world who rape, injure or kill them, so please get OUT of this business and into legitimate work.

 

The only reputable job you might have doing this would be somewhere like Vegas where you work professionally for an established club/business, but everywhere else it is very risky and dangerous work, especially if you are taking private bookings at people's houses or motels etc.