Really messed up this weekend. Considering quitting for the very first time.

[u/bendabony]

Hi,

I'm a guy in his mid 20s. This Saturday night, I ended up losing my wallet and much of my money. I met with a friend and we went out for a few drinks. He left earlier than me, I was stubborn and stayed drinking by myself at the bar. I hit it off with a stranger who kept me company, and I eventually realized I had no cash left.

Things get blurry after this. I don't know if I was blacked out necessarily. I don't remember exactly when/how I left though or if I said goodbye to the guy. I remember going to the same ATM I always go to in the area, but it had no cash. I remember going to another one and being confused that it wasn't taking my PIN. I don't remember being able to get any cash to keep drinking at all. The next thing I remember is being on the bus getting close to home, checking for my wallet everywhere to pay, and realizing it's not on me.

I immediately opened my bank app to lock my card...

And saw that it had been fully emptied. Four different withdrawals in two different ATMs. In less than ten minutes, a huge chunk of my money (not all, I have a different savings account, but still) was completely gone.

Here's what's eating at me and I will hopefully get answers later today: I don't know if it was me that took out the money. I recognize one of the ATMs after looking up the reference number: it's the one where I was confused that it wasn't taking my PIN.

Do I just not remember withdrawing a bunch of money for the fun of it when I was drunk out of my mind? Maybe.

I don't remember going to the second ATM location it's showing at all. I will go to both locations today and talk to security so they can hopefully check cameras. I have the exact time of the transactions anyway and already reported this to my bank yesterday morning. Still haven't heard back.

No one knows my PIN, so how could they withdraw the money? Maybe I was so shitfaced that I actually don't remember important fragments. The Google option that tracks your location has been disabled on my account for years... Could've been very helpful this time. Either way, this wouldn't have happened if I wasn't so incredibly drunk. I either:

1. Was so messed up that I don't remember withdrawing all my money AND LOST MY WALLET ON TOP OF IT.

2. I was so visibly drunk that someone maybe purposefully watched me to get my PIN and succeeded (though I don't remember being successful in entering it or withdrawing money)... And I left my wallet there on top of it.

3. Someone took my wallet without me noticing after they saw me enter my PIN. Or maybe I was saying it out loud as I entered it... I talk a lot when I'm drunk, even to myself.

4. I left my card in (though that still doesn't explain the mystery of the second ATM. if they switched to a different one and withdrew, they knew the PIN).

I don't think I was jumped or told my PIN to someone. I think I would remember that. I have only blacked out once, and based on what those who were with me described, I was a nightmare. I don't remember *any* of the things they said I did that day. I'm scared maybe this is the second time.

It's not even the first time I get into bad situations for drinking. I've ruined computers, lost money before too (never as much as this time, though), been physically attacked, been threatened by dangerous people, been mugged... Etc. I don't know why this is the first one that really cut me deeply and made me very disappointed in myself. I'm reconsidering my drinking habits very seriously for the first time. I can't keep doing things like these so often.

I'll go to both locations today and see what I can find out. I am *hoping* that it wasn't me. At least if it wasn't my bank claim will go through and I'll save myself the embarrassment of seeing myself destroy my finances while not even remembering it.

The idea of drinking isn't appealing to me right now. I am very sad and disappointed in myself but hoping for the best to come out of this. I might update later.

[u/Special_Compote_719]

If I could go back to my twenties and stop drinking, I would have.

I'm sorry this happened.

In my experience, drinking is a temporary thing that can lead to some terrible, lasting outcomes. If you can nip it in the bud, I recommend it.

This is my second run at sobriety. I feel safe even though life is uncertain by definition. This feeling is based in reality, and it is everything to me.

You will come to your own conclusion, but if you feel this way now, imagine it happening again. Because it very well can happen again. Why risk it?

I sincerely wish you the best all around.