In trouble!!!! Urgent!!!!!

clarity

New member
Nov 7, 2004
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Hello all, and good evening. I am a tourist in DR who entered a hotel's casino last night and was "roped into" a scam whereas I lost $6500 US on a game called "caribbean keno". This game requires the bettor to continually double their bets (from $5 to $10 to $20 and so on) in order to have any chance whatsoever to recover the initial investment. Part of the money lost was on a credit card charge agreement that I signed. However, the credit card company declines to approve the transaction of $5900. My questions are the following:

1) Are the casinos of DR regulated in any way to enforce the assumption that each ball in a keno game has an equal likelihood of being chosen?

2) Are the casinos allowed to mislead the customer as to the odds of drawing balls that give them a chance to win?

3) Are the casinos required to pay the advertised jackpot, no matter how high it is (ie if it were $10 Million US dollars, could they evade all or part of the payout)?

4) Now that I have signed this agreement with them to pay up by monday, am I legally required to uphold it as a citizen of the US? If so, would I have any legal right to dispute the credit card charge as fraudulent to my US based credit card company, if I could indeed prove to that bank's satisfaction that the game I played is crooked or misleading?

Please help ASAP!!!! I must do something by Monday at noon Atlantic time..
 

Toronto2inDR

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Jun 10, 2004
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I?m sure this issue was covered here on DR1 before. I know someone that was taken for much MUCH more then you?ve been and he?s still paying off the credit card bill 5 years later.

As far as I know casinos in the DR are not regulated (I could be wrong) and that particular game is fixed and as such they are not concerned with paying out the jackpot as it is an impossibility to win anyways.

But that is of no importance either way because once you?ve played, lost and signed a promissory note or what not, you?ve sealed you fate. From what I understand, they?ll (the casino) have the right to keep you from getting on your flight home if the debt is not paid.

You should hope that the resident DR1 lawyer, Mr. Fabio Guzman is online today and can provide some solution.
 

Malibook

Bronze
Jan 23, 2002
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www.yourtraveltickets.com
clarity said:
Please help ASAP!!!! I must do something by Monday at noon Atlantic time..

If I were you, I would contact my credit card company and ask them to put the charge through, or have someone wire the money.

It would probably be difficult and expensive for them to collect from you in the US or affect your credit but it would probably be quite easy for them to prevent you from leaving the country and who knows what would happen to you then.

I too got taken by the Prograssive Roulette for around $2k US.
I was just doing the door girl a favour by checking out the game.
I believe the scam part is that most people count on them to add up the balls.
They add them up such that you quickly get very close to 100 and winning.
Then people tend to pay attention to the addition of the balls but it is too late.
There is no way the balls would always randomly get all players so quickly so close to 100 and then they all get stuck there without getting the few remaining points they need to win.
That's why the area is blocked so that people can't watch and count the balls.

I noticed the Paradise has removed the PR and put in the Keno game.
I never saw anyone play the week I was there.

Chalk it up to Learning expense and move on.

Good luck.
 

Darius3456

New member
Oct 10, 2004
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Try this

I have another long shot that may help. Which Casino is it? Do that have any minimun contacts in the state in which you live? If so, sue them in your home state for fraud. They will probably not show up and you can get a deafult against them. Then you will have to see if you can execute on the judgment in the Dominican Republic. I did this with a car rental company located in Santiago, and was able to get them to refund an excess charge. Its a long shot, but take a look into it. Either way, you are going to have to pay and try to recoup later. Another tactic is to have your credit car issuer pay them, then disputre the charge. You may have a cause of action against you card issuer if they do not handle it properly and in accordance with the terms of your credit card agreement. Again, either way, pay it and get the hell out of there. Let me know how it works out.
 

duhtree

New member
Jun 2, 2003
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in real terms you is F---ked! The quickest and cheapest way is to contact cc company and stop all charges. then, cancel the cc account. Meanwhile, and pronto end your holiday, get out of the country. And then you can argue from within your own country.
Remember you did sign those notes and thought you could win. So to does every one who trys to pick the ace at a three card monty game on a street corner.
Your cc company will not not pay the charges if submitted by the casino and the acct is active.
I know this from personal experience.
Stop thinking about what to do and do it. You can always go on another holiday. Let us know how it turns out.
Good luck,John
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
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clarity said:
Please help ASAP!!!! I must do something by Monday at noon Atlantic time..
As the game is rigged, therefore a con, you should feel justified to do anything and everything possible to not pay them.
When someone robs you, you are within your rights to defend yourself anyway you see fit, IMHO.
 

mikeyone

New member
Apr 16, 2003
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Adios Amigo

Rocky said:
As the game is rigged, therefore a con, you should feel justified to do anything and everything possible to not pay them.
When someone robs you, you are within your rights to defend yourself anyway you see fit, IMHO.

Well if you dont intend to return to D.R. Have your Credit Card company refuse the charge, AA flight if not already on your way to USA. probable savings 5000.00. U.S.... Beheading not fashionable here as yet I understand. Funny how most troubles start with a girl. Cheers. M.
 

bienvenido

New member
Sep 5, 2004
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Plan A: Cross the "Mexican boarder". next movie title " An American were Wet BAck in DR.

Good luck
 

Don Tomas

New member
Jun 22, 2004
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I heard about this happening to someone else (over $37,000) and as someone mentioned it is just as easy for someone to get on a plane and come to your home! Now for a paltry $6500 I doubt that will happen but if you do skip out on the payment then never ever return to the DR. I also hope you are not from NYC where a lot of Dominicans are.

As for it being a scam, well in the DR what they did was legal (I know that's a loose term there). They play with 8+ deck shoes, and have other odd rules for casino games, doesn't mean they are illegal. sure by U.S. Las Vegas rules they are illegal but guess what you aren't in the U.S.

Well if you run, I hope they don't follow. Otherwise pay up and chalk up your loss to a lesson learned.
 

Darius3456

New member
Oct 10, 2004
55
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What happened?

Hey Clarity, tell us, what did you do? I hope the reason you have not responded is because you cancelled your cards and left country. Please tell us.
 

TEHAMA

New member
Feb 3, 2004
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Yeah! Let us know.
Personally I would have beat it to the ferry fast as hell.
Forget the airports.
 

Kuda

*** Sock-puppet ***
Jan 1, 2002
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He/She signed for the debt...

Effectively confirming that it was valid. You go, you gamble, and you pay. He/She might have to work some OT to make it so. I'm sure he/she wouldn't be bitching if she won several grand.

But in the big picture, this is one of the reasons why DR will suffer as a travel destination. This person will tell 30 of their friends what a butt**** their experience was, and so on, and so on. Might as well go to Cozumel and party, rather than be stuck in DR with a nasty debt over your shoulders.

But hey, the Presidentes are cheap, right???
 

trina

Silver
Jan 3, 2002
2,550
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From what I remember, the ferry only left once/week, on Tuesdays. Schedules have probably changed by now, but unless she was incredibly lucky, I don't see the ferry working for her. Hopefully, she's back safe and sound in the USA. I'm sure she's not the first to run out on a debt at this casino.
 

TEHAMA

New member
Feb 3, 2004
341
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Hey Lambada!!

PM me with the 2ticket/2airport advice, please.
Cut and paste will be fine.
Ya never know when it might come in handy.
Thanks,
TEHAMA