where-She Texted:＂I Charged $5,000 On Your Credit Card During My Vegas Trip Don’t Worry

She Texted:＂I Charged $5,000 On Your Credit Card During My Vegas Trip Don’t Worry

She texted, “I charged $5,000 on your credit card during my Vegas trip. Don’t worry, you earn enough.” I replied, “Hope you had a blast.” Then I reported the card stolen and filed a police report with her messages as evidence. When the officers arrived at her hotel room, I’m 29, male, software engineer at a midsize tech company.

Been with my girlfriend Amanda for 2 years. We don’t live together. She has her own place across town. and I have mine. She’s 27, works in real estate, does okay for herself, but nothing crazy. We split dates and trips pretty evenly, or at least we used to. I make good money, around $140,000 a year, but I’m not rich.

I’ve got student loans, a car payment, savings I’m trying to build. I’m comfortable, not rolling in it. About 3 months ago, Amanda started talking about Vegas. Her friend group was planning a girls trip. five of them long weekend shows and pools and clubs. She was excited about it. Showed me the hotel they were looking at. Asked if I thought it was too expensive.

I said it looked fine. Told her to have fun. She booked it for the second weekend in September. The week before the trip, we had dinner at this Italian place near her apartment. Tuesday night, nothing special. She ordered wine, was in a good mood, talked about what she was packing, what shows they might see.

Then she said something that should have been a red flag. You know, if I run short on cash out there, I might need to borrow some money. Vegas gets expensive. How much are you budgeting? Like a,000? Maybe 1,500 for everything. That should be plenty if you’re smart about it. She smiled. Yeah, you’re probably right, but just in case. I didn’t think much of it.

She’d borrowed money before. 50 bucks here, a hundred there. Always paid me back eventually. I figured worst case she’d Venmo request me for a couple hundred and I’d cover it. She left Thursday morning, texted me from the airport, sent photos from the plane, the whole thing. Thursday night, she sent pictures of their hotel room at the Cosmopolitan, the view of the strip.

Friday she was at the pool. Saturday she sent a selfie from some club. Normal vacation stuff. I was working. Had a deadline on a project. Wasn’t paying super close attention. Sunday afternoon around 300 p.m. I was at my apartment meal prepping for the week when my phone buzzed. Text from Amanda.

Amanda. Hey babe. So I charged $5,000 on your credit card during the trip. Don’t worry, you earn enough. I’ll explain when I get back. I read it three times. Stood there with a knife in my hand halfway through cutting chicken. Me? What are you talking about? You don’t have my credit card, Amanda.

I took a photo of it last month when you were in the shower. I’ve been using the numbers. It’s not a big deal. You can afford it. I felt something cold drop into my stomach last month. She’d been planning this. Me? You stole my credit card information and spent $5,000 without asking me. Amanda, stole is a strong word. We’re in a relationship.

What’s yours is mine, right? Plus, you’re always saying you want me to be happy. Amanda, I got bottles at the club, bought some designer stuff, upgraded our room. The girls and I had an amazing time. You would have wanted me to have fun. me. Hope you had a blast. I didn’t text anything else. Opened my banking app with shaking hands.

Logged into my credit card account. There it was. A string of charges starting Friday morning. $800 at a Gucci store. $1,200 bottle service at XS nightclub. $600 at a spa. $450 dinner at some steakhouse. $900 more bottle service Saturday night, another $400 at Sephora. It went on. Total $5,347. I screenshotted everything.

Then I called my credit card company. Hi, I need to report fraudulent charges on my account. The rep was professional, walked me through it. I explained someone had stolen my card information and was using it in Las Vegas without my permission. She froze the card immediately. Said they’d issue a new one, start a fraud investigation.

She asked if I knew who might have done it. Yes, my girlfriend. I have text messages from her admitting to it. Oh, um, you’ll want to file a police report then, sir, for the investigation. We’ll need a copy of it. I plan to. Hung up. Sat there for a minute. Then I called the non-emergency police line.

Explained the situation. was told to come down to the station. I drove there, brought my phone with the text messages, the credit card statement, everything, talked to an officer for about 45 minutes. He took copies of all of it, had me write and sign a statement. So, just to be clear, he said, “She took your credit card information without permission and used it for personal purchases?” Yes.

and you have her admitting to it in writing. Yes. He nodded slowly. That’s credit card fraud, also theft. Since it’s over $5,000, that’s a felony in this state. We’ll open a case. Contact Las Vegas PD since that’s where the charges occurred. They’ll probably want to talk to her. When’s she back? Her flight lands tonight at 9:00 p.m.

She’s staying at the Cosmopolitan. As far as I know, she might have already checked out, though. We’ll reach out to Vegas PD now. They might want to make contact while she’s still there. I gave them all her information. Full name, phone number, the hotel, her flight details from the texts she’d sent me, signed more paperwork, drove home, feeling numb.

Amanda texted me around 6:00 p.m. Vegas time. Amanda, why isn’t your card working? I tried to buy champagne for the flight and it declined. I didn’t respond. Amanda, hello. Are you seriously ignoring me? This is childish. Still didn’t respond. Made myself dinner. Tried to watch TV. Couldn’t focus. Around 8:00 p.m. my time, my phone rang.

Unknown number with a 702 area code. I answered. Is this the voice verified my name? Yes. Hi, this is Detective Morrison with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. We received a report from your local PD about credit card fraud. We made contact with Amanda Reeves at the Cosmopolitan about 20 minutes ago. She’s being detained for questioning right now.

Just wanted to let you know we’re handling it. You’ll be contacted by our fraud division tomorrow for more information. Is she under arrest? She’s detained. Depends on how the interview goes and what the DA wants to do. She admitted to using your card when we made contact, so that helps the case. We’ll be in touch. He hung up.

I sat there holding my phone. Part of me felt vindicated. Part of me felt sick. I’d just gotten my girlfriend of 2 years arrested in Vegas. My phone started blowing up around 9:30 p.m. Amanda’s friends, her sister, her mom, Kayla, Amanda’s friend. What the hell did you do? Amanda’s being arrested. She’s crying and freaking out. Me.

She stole my credit card information and committed fraud. I filed a police report. Kayla, over money? You’re seriously going to ruin her life over money? You have plenty of it. I blocked her. Blocked the other friends who messaged. Amanda’s sister Emily called. I answered. You need to drop the charges right now. I didn’t press charges. I filed a report.

The police pressed charges. She made a mistake. She thought you wouldn’t mind. She stole from me. Emily $5,000 without asking. She planned it. You’re being a petty She loves you. Then she shouldn’t have committed a felony. I hung up. Blocked her, too. Update one. Monday morning, I woke up to 17 missed calls and about 40 texts.

Most were from Amanda’s family and friends calling me every name you can imagine. A few were from numbers I didn’t recognize. I blocked them all, turned off notifications from unknown numbers. Around 10 a.m., Detective Morrison called again. Update on your case. Amanda Reeves was arrested last night, charged with felony credit card fraud and theft.

She posted bail this morning, $10,000 bond. She paid the $1,000 to a bail bondsman. She made her flight back to your city. She’s due in court here in Vegas in 3 weeks for arraignment. The DA’s office will be in touch with you. Your credit card company will probably contact you, too, about their investigation. What happens now? She’ll need to get a lawyer.

If she’s convicted, she’s looking at anywhere from probation to a few years, depending on her record, and if she takes a plea. The DA here doesn’t mess around with tourist fraud. It’s bad for the city’s reputation. They’ll likely push for restitution at minimum. Okay, thank you. One more thing, she’s probably going to contact you.

Don’t talk to her about the case. Anything you say could complicate things. If she threatens you or tries to coersse you into dropping it, document it and call us. I promised I would. Went to work, tried to focus, couldn’t really. Around lunch, my phone rang. Amanda. I didn’t answer.

She called six more times, left voicemails. First voicemail crying, “Please pick up. Please, I’m so sorry. I made a huge mistake. I need you to call the police and tell them it was a misunderstanding. Please. Second voicemail. Angry. You’re really going to let me go to jail over money after everything we’ve been through? This is insane. Third voicemail. Bargaining.

I’ll pay you back. Every cent I’ll get a payment plan. Just please drop this. Please. I saved all of them. Didn’t respond. Tuesday, my credit card company called. They were reversing all the charges the fraud investigation found in my favor. They’d already issued my new card. The $5,347 would be credited back within three business days.

Wednesday, Amanda showed up at my apartment. I was home, saw her car pull up through the window. She knocked. I didn’t answer. She knocked harder. I know you’re in there. Your car is here. Please, we need to talk. I stayed quiet. She stood there for 10 minutes knocking periodically, then left. Update two. Week two.

Amanda’s lawyer contacted me, left a voicemail asking if I’d be willing to have a conversation about resolving this matter outside of court. I called Detective Morrison, asked what I should do. You’re not obligated to talk to her lawyer. If you do, make sure you know they’re working for her, not you. They’ll try to get you to sign something saying it was a misunderstanding or you gave permission.

Don’t sign anything without talking to the DA first. I didn’t call the lawyer back. Amanda’s mom showed up at my workplace. Somehow found out where I worked, came to the lobby, asked the receptionist for me. Security called me, asked if I wanted to come down. I said no. Tell her I’m not available. She apparently caused a scene.

said I was ruining her daughter’s life, that I should be ashamed. Security escorted her out. I filed a report with HR, explained the situation. They were understanding. Said if anyone else showed up, they’d handle it. The texts kept coming from new numbers. Friends of friends, people I barely knew, all telling me I was horrible, that I should drop it, that Amanda made a mistake and didn’t deserve this. I stopped reading them.

Update three. Week three. The DA in Las Vegas called me, asked me to confirm the details, asked if I’d be willing to testify if it went to trial. I said yes. She said they were offering Amanda a plea deal, plead guilty to a reduced charge, pay full restitution plus fees, 3 years probation, community service. If Amanda didn’t take it, they’d go to trial on the felony charges.

Most people take the plea, she said. Trials risky and expensive, but I wanted you to know what we’re offering so you’re not surprised. Amanda’s arraignment happened. I wasn’t there, but the DA emailed me after. Amanda plead not guilty. Trial was set for January. Her lawyer was apparently pushing for dismissal, claiming I’d given her permission to use the card.

The DA said that wouldn’t work given the text messages, but they’d see. Around this time, mutual friends started reaching out. People I actually liked who I thought were reasonable. My friend Chris. Hey man, I heard about what happened with Amanda. That’s rough. Just wanted to check in. Me? I’m fine. Thanks for asking.

Chris, for what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing. What she did was insane. That actually helped. Made me feel less crazy. Update 4. Early October. Amanda’s lawyer reached out again, this time via email. Said Amanda wanted to apologize in person. No lawyers, no pressure, just talk. I forwarded it to Detective Morrison.

He said it was probably a bad idea. Could be seen as witness tampering or coercion. I declined through the DA’s office. A few days later, I found out through Chris that Amanda had been fired from her real estate job. Apparently, her brokerage found out about the charges and let her go. Something about ethics violations and not wanting the liability.

She’d posted on social media about how her life was falling apart, how one mistake had cost her everything. I felt bad for about 5 minutes. Then I remembered she’d stolen $5,000 from me and showed zero remorse until she got caught. Midocctober, the DA called again. Amanda had accepted the plea deal. She’d plead guilty to misdemeanor fraud, pay $5,347 restitution to me, $2,000 in court fees and fines, 3 years probation, 200 hours community service, no jail time, but a criminal record.

Sentencing was in 2 weeks. “She’ll have to pay you back in monthly installments if she can’t do it all at once,” the DA explained. We’ll set up a payment plan through the court. You’ll get your money. Okay? You don’t have to be at sentencing if you don’t want to be. You can submit a victim impact statement in writing if you’d like.

I thought about it, wrote a one-page statement about how her actions violated my trust, cost me time and stress, and showed a fundamental lack of respect. Kept it factual, not emotional. Submitted it. Final update. It’s been 2 months since sentencing. Amanda was officially convicted, put on probation. She’s supposed to pay me $300 a month for 18 months to cover the restitution.

I’ve gotten two payments so far, both exactly on time, sent through the court system. I don’t have any contact with her. She moved back in with her parents. I heard through mutual friends she’s working at a restaurant now trying to save money, struggling to find another real estate job with the conviction on her record.

Her friends have mostly stopped harassing me, though I’m still blocked by about 15 people on social media. I started seeing someone new a few weeks ago. Met her at a coffee shop. We hit it off. I told her about the situation on our third date. Figured she should know. She said, “Good. That means you have boundaries. We’re taking it slow.

My credit score didn’t take a hit since the charges were reversed quickly. The whole thing is basically over except for waiting for the rest of the restitution payments. Sometimes I wonder if I overreacted. Then I remember she stole my credit card information, spent over $5,000, told me I made enough money so it didn’t matter, and showed zero remorse until police got involved.

And I stop wondering.