After we went to a hotel for the second time, he gave me an envelope and said it was my allowance for today. Since it was sealed, I only checked it after we parted ways—and there was just 5,000 yen inside.

I’m in Seattle. Make sure to negotiate the terms clearly in advance. The club mentioned in Romane’s column isn’t Universe Club, right? Either way, feedback is important.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here. Thank you for your question. If this was about a male member of Universe Club, I’m very sorry that we mistakenly registered someone who behaves in what appears to be a scam-like manner. First, please submit the details as post-date feedback. When doing so, please select “OK” for permission to contact the other person; otherwise, we won’t be able to investigate. When we ask the man about it during the investigation, he may contact you directly saying something like, “That wasn’t my intention.” You may ignore those messages, so please decide for yourself how you want to respond. I was once shocked to see feedback saying: “He took me to a hotel, then apologized for only having transportation money and gave me just that.” When I read your question, I wondered if it might be the same man. During the subsequent investigation, his excuse was apparently something like: “That wasn’t my intention. I thought we had both agreed and that it had naturally developed into a romantic relationship. I’m sorry for what I did to her, and I’ll be more careful in the future.” Just reading that, I can’t help thinking he intends to do the same thing again. However, when someone says they regret it and will be more careful in the future, it becomes difficult for the Club to forcibly terminate their membership. Of course, if similar feedback continues, we can expel him for failing to be careful despite promising that he would be. But many women put up with it, thinking, “I should have discussed the allowance properly beforehand,” and select “No” when asked for permission to contact the other person. Often, they don’t submit feedback at all. As a result, the number of women affected keeps increasing. It makes me wonder whether these men are taking advantage of that. Please don’t think that you alone should put up with it. To prevent other women from being affected, please make sure to submit post-date feedback. That said, if you write things like “I resent this man” or “Please expel him,” you may instead be treated as a difficult customer. When writing your feedback, I recommend sticking to the facts, such as: “I was upset because I received only transportation money.” However, there is one thing we would also like women to keep in mind: this falls under the realm of consensual private relationships, so the Club cannot require a man to pay an allowance. We can only use the information to determine whether he is a gentleman or someone behaving in a scam-like manner, and then decide whether he should remain eligible for membership. Therefore, when entering into an adult relationship (intimate), please confirm the amount clearly. If possible, it is also advisable to record the conversation and keep it as evidence. Ideally, you should receive the allowance as soon as you enter the room. However, some men may dislike this, saying it makes you seem too professional, and there is a possibility they won’t want to see you again. For that reason, I think it is better to develop the judgment needed to determine whether the man you are with is trustworthy. There are probably many people who behave in this scam-like manner on apps, but it is a problem when they are members of the Club. Cooperation from all of you is necessary to help us exclude such people.

I’m Tetsu, a male member. She clearly did it deliberately. Even if you asked the man through the club, he’d probably say that he did pay the allowance. It’s like a “he said, she said” situation—I think she took advantage of the fact that no one other than the people involved can verify what really happened. Just to be safe, you should inform the club of the facts. If they receive reports of similar incidents from multiple members, they’ll likely take some kind of action. After meeting someone only once or twice, you can’t really know whether you should trust them, so it’s best to confirm the allowance on the spot. Personally, I feel more comfortable confirming it right in front of me. I also don’t want any issues about the allowance coming up afterward.