An Australian DJ has made a desperate plea for help after his drink was spiked and $10,000 stolen from his bank account while on tour in Japan.
Gold Coast-based progressive trance DJ Robert Bregnsdal traveled to Tokyo to perform at OR, a venue in the Shibuya city district, on September 7.
What should have been a great opportunity for Bregnsdal turned into a holiday nightmare after being lured into a common tourist trap.
He had been drinking at another bar when they added a liquor. He claimed to have been unconscious for hours while staff and customers acted “as if I wasn’t even there.”
His problems only worsened after he discovered that his bank card had been stolen and $10,000 had been emptied from his account.
The DJ claims to have been “ignored” by both the bar and local police, despite numerous reports of drink spikes leading to credit card fraud in recent years.
Bregnsdal said money was “all he had” after quitting one of his jobs to focus on music and fund upcoming events in Brisbane and Melbourne.
He was only able to get a refund of $3,000 through a fraud claim with his bank and has asked Australians for help to recover the remaining $7,000 through a GoFundMe.
Gold Coast-based DJ Robert Bregnsdal (pictured) issued a dire warning to tourists after he had alcohol spiked in his drink before his card was stolen and used for $10,000 in purchases at Tokyo.
Bregnsdal said it was “super embarrassing” to have to ask for help through fundraising, but she was left with “no other option.”
“I have never been pricked in my life and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” he wrote.
“It’s an experience that has completely rocked my world and has not only affected me financially, but also mentally.”
He added that without the money he would be forced to end his own events, Eden, which he has run for about a decade.
Bregnsdal added that he too would be left on “fighting street.”
“$4,000 of that money was saved to fix my car, which means I won’t have transportation now either,” he wrote.
“I also had money saved for rent and bills.”
She has since traveled to Europe to perform at the Amsterdam Dance Event and further her music career while dealing with the massive loss of funds.
Dozens of other tourists have reported incidents similar to Bregnsdal’s since the late 2000s, especially in Tokyo’s many bars and nightclubs.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warns that while Japan has a low crime rate, travelers can be victims of assault, excessive alcohol consumption and card scams.
The DJ had traveled to the country to perform at a venue in the city of Shibuya in Tokyo and help advance his musical career when he became a victim of the crime reported by dozens of people.
“You may be served beverages with higher than normal alcohol content,” the department’s SmartTraveller website reads.
‘Some victims woke up in unknown places to discover high charges on their credit cards.
“Other victims have been taken to ATMs and forced to withdraw a large sum of cash while under the influence of alcohol.”
The department urges travelers to “never leave your drink unattended and use caution when accepting drinks from strangers or recent acquaintances.”