Using guilt to my advantage

[auntiem]

So I had a client who would go on business trips and separately arrange to stay at much nicer hotels than the company had booked. Then he would have me call this girl and arrange her flights on his credit card (not the company card). She would always b*tch at me about how he never considers that she works and can’t just fly off at a moments notice (she always did though). I only ever had his cell phone number - no home phone or business phone. So, gee I wonder what is going on here?
About a year into this, he calls to book a vacation for him and his wife - staying at the most moderately priced hotel possible. I tell him “no, your wife deserves as nice a hotel as your girlfriend - here is the price for a the same category hotel”. He knows he is busted and purchases the package.
It isn’t my business if you are cheating on a spouse, for all I know you have “an arrangement”, but if I can use the info to up sell a package don’t expect me not to. He set up a couple more trips with the girlfriend afterwards, but you could tell the thrill of sneaking around was gone. Did he really think I didn’t know what was going on the whole time?

[air914]

no no, really those are just "business meetings" w/ that other woman.......

You're absolutely right - his wife deserves even a better package than the girlfriend..... of course you could book them at a really really crappy place in hopes the wife will leave him.........

It truly isn't any of your business, but I don't have much sympathy for a guy cheating on his wife...... I do feel sorry for the wife though.

[auntiem]

I did feel kinda sorry for the wife, but then she started booking "girl's weekend" spa trips and the girlfriend broke up with the guy. So karmicly it all worked out.

The only spouses I actively worry about are a few of my mail order brides, because the guys have shown too many "red flags" - trust me, I can spot an abuser a mile away.

[It's me]

I'm fairly certain you could be charged with extortion for doing that....

[JustADude]

I'm fairly certain you could be charged with extortion for doing that....

Yes, but that's why blackmail WORKS. They're more worried about what would get spread around in public view if they pressed charges than the price of what you're asking for. Besides, you could always argue, semantically, that she didn't actually extort anything since she simply said that she thought his wife deserved as good as his girlfriend and he caved.

[digilight]

Hehehe sweet. Now that is Karma at it's finest.

As for it being considered extortion, I don't believe it would be considered extortion. This is how sales works, you go to buy your girl a ring. The salesman says wow a CZ you don't plan on staying together very long do you....POW you end up buying a 2 ct diamon ring to save face. Its all about finding a angle (and sometimes you have one this sweet to work).

[auntiem]

Yup, it is called "up selling" - I never threatened to tell the wife about his "buisness partner". I actually don't up sell all that often, usually it is the other way around - I'm constantly talking people out of wasting their money.

[Kilamon]

Send flowers welcoming the guest to his hotel room. Ensure the note conveys well wishes for a great time with WrongWoman. Sit back, laugh maniacally.

[mrtauntaun]

Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person either obtains money, property or services from another through coercion or intimidation

Are you a travel agent, or did you in anyway profit from his staying in a more expensive hotel? If so, I think you could be charged with extortion. I'm not sure it would stick, but the way you said it could be considered coercive or intimidating.

[auntiem]

No, extortion would have been do this or I'm calling your wife.
This guy was really good natured actually, I just pointed out that perhaps his wife, the mother of his children, going on her first vacation in years perhaps deserved at least as good a hotel as his girlfriend. What ever he decided I would have done and continued to not say anything to the wife. For all I knew, she knew all about it anyways. I just thought she deserved better than a Super 8 when the girlfriend was getting Sheratons and said so.

[Fawn]

PWNED!!!
Great work!

[mrtauntaun]

And I didn't say it was extortion, just that you could be charged with it. Big difference. I think your feelings are correct on this, I agree with you, the guy is a scumbag. But at the same time, we don't want to get into trouble. We live in a litigious society, and even being charged can be enough to do you harm. And I think I can speak for everyone here by saying we don't want that.

[JustADude]

And I didn't say it was extortion, just that you could be charged with it.

Actually, blackmail and extortion are completely seperate offenses:

Extortion requires the implication of violence or other illegal consequences for failure to submit to their demands.

Blackmail is making demands to release information that is potentially harmful or embarrassing unless some form of compensation is made.

Thus, as mentioned before, most Blackmailers get away with it because the person being blackmailed finds the potential consequences of the information being revealed, via refusal to pay or during trial if they press charges, to be worse than the cost of whatever it is the Blackmailer is asking for.

[auntiem]

I used to work at an adult toy store (many many years ago) and once and awhile a client will come in and say "you look familiar, where did you used to work?" with their new soon to be spouse sitting right next to them. Then to see the look of realization, then the pleading eyes when they figure it out.....priceless. I let them off the hook quickly by mentioning that I used to work at the movie theatre and that is where they must have seen me. Some of these guys had some pretty good "secrets" too. Never tried to "up sell" those guys.

[Velfarre2001]

There were no threats involved, just a simple truthful statement. Neither blackmail or extortion can be called here.

That said. GOOD JOB!