Punters claim back thousands over ‘dodgy’ lap-dancing bars

BOOZY blokes who paid out thousands in dodgy lap-dance bars have been able to claim refunds.

Victims complained they were drugged, held hostage and forced to make huge payments at clubs abroad.

Bank and credit card firms had refused to refund the cash, saying the sozzled revellers had authorised the spending.

But Financial Ombudsman Service rulings last year show a string of examples of the watchdog ordering banks to repay money.

In one case, a man on holiday with pals in Poland said his drinks were spiked before cash was taken via his Apple Pay account for 35 red roses, five bottles of champagne and five “artistic shows”.

The club provided CCTV of the man paying next to a naked dancer, but the ombudsman ruled in his favour and ordered Barclays to refund £6,000.

It said there had been other complaints at the bar of people being drugged and fleeced and the man had not likely made payments willingly.

Sainsbury’s Bank was also told to refund a man on a stag do who had £6,000 taken from his credit card after being lured into a strip club with free shots, which he said were spiked.

He said attempts to use other cards in the club were blocked.

HSBC refunded £1,200 to a man who was deliberately “distracted” by club dancers so that £2,374 could be taken from his account in five payments.

The FOS ruled the bank should have been suspicious of the last two.