My Experience Being Tricked by a Catch in Kobe-Sannomiya

This is a story from when I went to Kobe as a tour conductor for work.

Kobe is great!

Especially the bustling downtown area of Sannomiya and Motomachi.

This area offers a variety of attractions, from shopping and gourmet food to sightseeing.

The former foreign settlement, with its beautifully designed streets showcasing Western architecture, is a highlight. The commercial buildings house domestic and international fashion brands, making it Kobe's premier shopping district.

Additionally, adjacent to the west of Sannomiya is "Motomachi," home to "Nanjing Town," the largest Chinatown in Western Japan. It's the perfect place to indulge in authentic Chinese cuisine and go on a culinary adventure.

Kobe is conveniently nestled between the mountains and the sea, with an airport and a port along its coastal area. Other notable attractions include Meriken Park, Harborland, Port Tower, Luminarie, and the Kobe Maritime Museum—there's so much to see and explore.

Tipsy in Sannomiya

After finishing work and dropping my luggage off at a business hotel, it was time to venture out!

I made my way to the lively and vibrant downtown area of Sannomiya.

The area around Kobe Sannomiya Station is fantastic!

It was brimming with energy, and everything seemed to have a sparkling glow.

After drinks at a girls' bar and a cabaret club, and a game of poker at an amusement casino, I was pleasantly tipsy.

Now, I thought about finishing the night at a soapland, but upon checking, it was already past their closing time.

(Hmm, I guess I'll head back to the hotel and call for a delivery health service)

As I started walking back to my hotel, a man working as a catch approached me in front of a convenience store.

"How about a men's esthetic service, sir?"

"Huh? A men's esthetic?"

"Yes, we're currently running a campaign, so we can offer you a great deal."

"So, how much will it cost?"

"20,000 JPY for 60 minutes."

"That's a bit pricey for a men's esthetic... Does it include 'release'?"

"Yes, it does, but don't worry. There's a cashback offer, so you'll get 10,000 JPY back afterward."

"Wait, so it's essentially 10,000 JPY for 60 minutes?

"Yes, that's correct."

"Oh, right, I'm staying at the ○○ hotel. Can the girl come to my room there?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't send our staff to the ○○ Hotel. Could you please go to a love hotel nearby instead?"

"A love hotel?"

"Yes, don't worry about the cost. Our shop will cover the expense for the love hotel, so be sure to get a receipt."

"I see... So, I won't have to pay for the hotel room?"

"That's right. We'll take care of it as a business expense. Feel free to choose a more luxurious room."

(With the cashback and the love hotel expense covered, and the 'release' included, this seems like a good deal...)

"Alright, I'm convinced. I'll give it a try. Please send someone cute."

"Certainly, we'll take care of that. Once you're in your hotel room, give us a call."

The catch handed me a card the size of a business card.

It had a phone number written on it.

"Thanks. So, after the session is over, I should come back to this convenience store and let you know, right?"

"Yes, please wait here after you're done, and give us a shout. Also, since you're a new customer, it will be prepaid."

"Prepaid, got it. What about the 10,000 JPY cashback? When will I receive that?"

"Don't worry; I'll take care of the necessary procedures. For now, may I have the 20,000 JPY upfront?"

"Sure, here..."

I took out 20,000 JPY from my wallet and handed it to the catch.

"Thank you very much. I'll prepare the cashback of 10,000 JPY, and please remember to keep the hotel receipt for the expense report."

"Okay, will do. See you later."

"Take care..."

And with that, I headed to the nearby hotel.

(60 minutes... That means I should book a 3-hour break)

I checked into a rather stylish hotel for a 3-hour break, which cost me 4,800 JPY.

Enter: The Chinese Woman

As soon as I entered the room, I called the phone number on the card I received from the catch.

"Thank you for calling Men's Esthetic***."

"Hi, I've checked into room 301 at the ***Hotel."

"Certainly. Please expect our staff to arrive in about 20 minutes."

"Okay..."

About 30 minutes passed after hanging up the phone...

Ding Dong!

Click

"Good evening!"

"G-good evening..."

(What?! No way... She's Chinese?!)

To my surprise, the staff was a Chinese woman, clearly in her 50s, and with broader shoulders than mine...

(Oh man, this place is something else...)

I asked if I could change to a different staff member, but they said it wasn't possible. Apparently, she was the only one available at that time.

And if that wasn't surprising enough, they told me that the fee had to be paid upfront before the session.

I was shocked.

I explained that I had already paid outside to the catch, and we had agreed on a cashback of 10,000 JPY, and that I was told to keep the hotel receipt for their expense report.

So, I had already paid for the service before entering this hotel room.

The Chinese woman then took out her cell phone and started making a call to her shop.

I couldn't understand what she was saying since she was speaking in Chinese...

After a while, she hung up and instructed me to wait in the room.

About ten minutes later, a male staff member from the shop arrived and said:

"We don't have any catches, nor do we have any contracts with them. Since we sent our staff, please pay the regular price."

However, I wasn't willing to accept this.

"I understand that I was scammed, but I can't pay for a service I haven't received. I want to cancel."

The staff member then said, "Usually, our rate is 10,000 JPY for 60 minutes. If you wish to cancel, you'll need to pay half of that, which is 5,000 JPY."

Unfortunately, I only had 3,000 JPY left in my wallet, as I had already paid 4,800 JPY for the hotel room upfront.

I explained my situation, and the staff member asked to see my wallet, which I showed to them.

They finally seemed to believe me, and although they said I could pay by card, I lied and said I had already reached my limit.

I was genuinely concerned about potential fraud.

The male staff member then made a phone call, again speaking in Chinese.

I waited patiently for the call to end.

In my mind, I was prepared to run to the nearest convenience store ATM if they asked me to withdraw cash.

Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Apparently, they agreed to accept the 3,000 JPY as the cancellation fee.

I paid the money and was finally able to get them to leave. The Chinese woman and the male staff member departed.

Angry about being scammed, I rushed out of the hotel to find the catch and confront him. I went back to the spot where he had approached me, but...

There was no one there...

I searched the surrounding area but couldn't find anyone resembling him.

Frustrated, I decided to file a fraud report with the police.

Conclusion

According to the police officer, that area has seen a high number of incidents involving catches. They advised me never to hand over money in advance.

This wasn't my first experience with such an incident, as I had a similar encounter in Ikebukuro. It seems these scams are prevalent in bustling downtown areas across the country.

The key takeaway is never to trust a catch.

In total, I lost 27,800 JPY due to this scam.

Damn it!