Is this Russian girl scamming me? How to recognize scammers

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Are you an American or Western European man exchanging emails with a girl from Russia? I was contacted by a girl who turned out to be a scammer. Reader Derrick put together some great advice how to detect scammers.
I only have one advice (#8) to add: If a Russian girl tells you that she will get a visa to the USA instead of inviting you, that is - under the current immigration law - a SURE sign that SHE LIES.

Here is the process how a Russian woman can come to the USA:

If she is considered a relatively young/ attractive woman (let's say under 40, hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings here), then there is virtually NO CHANCE THAT SHE GETS A TOURIST VISA TO THE USA. First the Russian Federation will not allow her to leave the country. Then, even if she was getting out, the USA will deny her admission. The reasoning is that she is considered a risk. How could she not be a risk? If she had family in Russia (husband, children) or a valuable business or real estate. Most likely the woman who writes you will be considered a risk. The only way for her to get a visa into the USA is this procedure:

1. GOOGLE or websearch the first part of the scammers first emails and/or 'profile'. SEE HOW MANY OTHER SITES their listed on! RECORD THOSE SITES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. THAT alone can give you a good idea IF your dealing with a scammer OR not.
   
2. GOOGLE or websearch the return email address. See how many 'hits' come from that search and also note all the sites. (many times you'll see the email end up on a 'scammers list') IF YOU FIND THE EMAIL ADDRESS LISTED ON A SCAMMER LIST - don't bother further, your only fooling yourself - no matter what excuse they might give you.
   
3. FROM THE START - ASK FOR SPECIFIC INFOMATION! A full name, address, phone number - something. OFFER THE SAME in exchange, except make it a P.O. box and a CELL PHONE rental card that will protect your identity. If you see your requests ignored, which you usually will, don't waste your time further.
   
4. ALWAYS ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS that would REQUIRE A SPECIFIC ANSWER outside the use of FORM LETTERS. IF YOU FIND your questions go unaddress in your reply emails from 'them/her' - YOUR DEALING WITH A SCAMMER. Again, don't bother further.
   
5. DON'T WAIT 6 MONTHS to offer to talk with the PROSPECT by phone! WHAT A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME! IF THERE IS CHEMISTRY OR APPEARS 'INTEREST' BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU - then sieze the opportunity. ARRANGE A PHONE CALL! International rates to Russia and most places are reasonably cheap. IF YOU GET THE REPLY ' I'M SO POOR I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A PHONE' - drop the whole thing, your only wasting your time and WILL BE SCAMMED at some point in the future.
   
6. PHOTO FLOOD! IF IT/SHE/HIM/THEM - LOOK TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE - THEN IT PROBABLY IS! MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE SCAMMES USE PHOTOS OF MODELS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES TO POSE ON THE NET IN THEIR PROFILE(s)! Consider this - IF THEY LOOK like a MODEL then tell you they're so poor they don't have access to a phone - YOUR BEING SCAMMED!
   
   ASK FOR A SPECIAL PHOTO TO BE TAKEN. IF YOU SENT YOURS, HAVE THEM TAKE A PHOTO SHOWING THEM HOLDING UP YOUR PHOTO IN THE PICTURE! That is a good 'scammer filter' - even the most adept with Photoshop will easily be spoted.
   
   BETTER STILL - ASK THEM TO TAKE A PHOTO THAT SHOWS THEM HOLDING A CURRENT NEWPAPER OF YOUR CHOICE OR THEIR COUNTRY, WITH A RESOLUTION THAT YOU CAN READ THE DATE! NOT some low grade - grainy photo! FEW WILL EVER DO THAT.
   
   AT THE LEAST - ASK THEM FOR A PHOTO of them wearing a specific combination of clothes and/or colors - something different then the usual 'model clothing' - most use to send out. OR AN OBJECT - TOASTER, ELECTRIC CLOCK, BY A COUCH, IN A ROCKING CHAIR something that would be very hard to use PHOTOSHOP to just PUT in another FILE PHOTO.
   
   *** IF this person is real or sincere, they won't mind doing this for you! ALSO - offer to do the same for their comfort also - that is only fair.
   
7. IF THINGS GET SERIOUS - then ASK THEM TO DELETE ALL THEIR OTHER WEB PROFILE POSTS! CHECK ON THE ONES YOU NOTED EARLIER! Again, IF THEIR SINCERE - they will - happily as your their DREAM and future!
   
8. If she talks about getting a visa or that she needs money to get a travel visa to the USA, she lies. See the proper course of action described at the top.

Comments:

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2005-12-23, 05:21:01

anonymous from China

Thanks Derrick for your advice, i am please that someone like you have the time to post all these. But what I can figured out is that these girls had their photos taken then got them scanned and saved them with numbers on floopy and then sent them off one by one with each email.

2006-02-05, 22:40:51

anonymous from United States

I don't send my photo. They copy those and then scam others using your photo, saying they are you. The ones I hear from all say they are from the US and then they chose a state. I will ask what time it is there and I don't receive an answer or it takes awhile. They all love me and think I am beautiful and want my home address. That is how I can tell they are scammers.

2006-02-17, 18:37:28

jasonjasonhouse@aol.com from United States

Ive been corrresponding with a young lady who says shes from Yoshkar-Ola Russia.Her pictures are of professional model quality, (the 1st red flag). Secondly, she contacted me initially through quest personals and I noticed that in her quest profile it states that she is in L.A. California. She always answers my questions in her letters and seems too good to be true,(the 2nd red flag). Am I fooling myself? does anyone have some advice for me? please help remove the wool from my eyes. Please send advice!!....thank you, Jason

2006-02-24, 07:42:03

anonymous from United States

I am joining you guys. This beautiful girl's profile said she was in New Mexico and I got all the same crap as above - lives with her parents, beautiful photographs, is a nurse, etc. She told me she went and got a visa and now needs me to send money for a plane ticket. Here is her last letter after I told her I would buy her a plane ticket instead of sending her money. 'Steve I was very much surprised when saw this letter! I want that you knew that I could not manage the help of agency because I had no the visa in your country! But contract with agency included a condition that I should do all my trip with the help of agency. Cost of the contract 1350 of dollars includes the visa, ticket, my way up to the airport, hotel in which I shall be some time while I expect my plane to you, and as services of travel agency because nobody will do for us with you that that without money. Dear if I did my arrival to you, it would be very long and very difficultly for me. I had very long to stand in turn to receive the visa and all rest too would take away all my time. So money which I should pay now do not leave all for nothing! You would like that I did all this and would have very many problems? Say that to me to do now! I not ci? that now.. ... I with impatience wait for your letter! I hope that we very soon shall meet you! Your Olga.'

2006-03-07, 17:06:54

anonymous from United States

I palyed out one scammer, It was kind of entertaining. When she asked for money I did everything I could to keep her trying. It was pretty funny. I have been corresponding with a seemingly genuine girl with convincing 'non-model' pics in ordinary settings. She claims to already have a visa and to have traveled abroad. She said she has to save money for another trip. She gave me her full name and adress. I wonder what I would find If I went there? I didn't know that it was impossible for them to come here to visit though. That is good info to have. I think I will keep playing this game with her.

2006-03-08, 16:25:14

Broom from Lithuania

Uh ah and i do not think it is impossible for russian girls to travel somewhere as you could meet a lot of russian girls in usa as anywhere else as well..

2006-03-13, 12:34:22

hekker@skynet.be from Belgium

i have a problem with 2 girls from Lagos Nigeria they say that they are models and want to meet me but i have to send them money i searched on google for there names and emails but i found nothing can some one please help me find out if they are scammers. please mail me!!!!!

2006-03-14, 10:56:13

anonymous from Canada

There is a huge scam ring operating out of Nigeria, and they actually tried to buy some ebay stuff I was auctioning by saying they would moneygram the money, and sent fake moneygram email transfer authorizations. Do not trust ANYTHING coming out of Nigeria asking for money.

2006-03-15, 16:54:21

anonymous from United Kingdom

I,ve just started getting some mail from ludmila in Kazan , seems a lovely place for gorgeous young women(there do seem to be a lot of them). Can anyone tell me if this is a recognized address...........<ludochka28@inbox.ru> Seems to be the standard letter with the use an internet cafe so she says. When i didn,t answer her mail for a couple of days then she seemed a bit put out. must admit though , that i am having fun because my english grammar is getting as bad as hers. Maybe there are some genuine ladies from that neck of the woods, so if you find them good luck to you all. Me i,m just cynical thats all.

2006-03-18, 06:45:13

anonymous from Canada

Just a follow up with my lady friend from Izhevsk. From her last letter she sent me, she speaks of going to a travel agency. Thus so far no money requests. I have not replied to her last letter. It has been almost one week and I have not heard from her. I'll wait another week and see what (s)he is cooking up. One thing that makes ya wonder, why would any legit lady send ya a picture in underware. A legit lady would never send anyone such pictures. I'll post further comments during this progress. Note: The pics are dated from 2003...I have searched the web for any model looking like her. So far no luck. I am Canadian

2006-03-19, 14:00:02

anonymous from Canada

Im Canadian too, and just remember that russian woman cannot get permission to leave Russia unless it is on a marriage visa which can only be obtained if the man visits her in Russia first...She may not be aware of this, however as soon as money comes up, its a scam. Be careful

2006-03-21, 16:31:15

[hidden] from United Kingdom

I got contacted by one on Yahoo Uk personals. Replied at first believing her to be genuine. Fortunately, I'm naturally suspicious so by the time I got letter number four I was trawlin the internet for info on mail order bride scams. I think it was when she started falling in love with me at letter three point that stirred the suspicions! Anway, out on the web there are a vast number of sites with details of these women, russian detective, russian brides antiscam etc etc. As i Googled the name anastasiya (no surname at this point) I was led to anti-scam.org where a plentiful list of these scammers are listed. Having been told that she was from Yoshkar-ola in the first e-mail, I looked at the Anastasiya's from Yoshkar' Low and behold there was a solitary picture of 'Anastasiya' Romanova in her little black pants on the floor. You can imagine my fury since i'd only had 'nice' photos with clothes on!!! ha ha Anyway, I promptly e-mailed my reply to Anastasiya asking for her surname and full address under the pretext of sending her a postcard from Nottingham. Low and behold today I received an e-mail her surname was indeed... you guessed it ROMANOVA!! She is using karamelkakiss@rambler.ru at the moment However, I'm not going to destroy anything yet as she's not asked for the pound notes or dollars, what I am going to do is play along and mess her or him around a little even to the degree of saying the pennies are on their way and quoting a ficticious Western Union code. No doubt I will then apologise for getting it all wrong and milk it a little more. If any of you would like copies of the scam letters or photos as received then please e-mail raderina@yahoo.co.uk and it will be a pleasure to forward them on. Finally, note the following:- Never send money to a stranger

2006-03-24, 15:50:30

Attempted Shakedown from United States

dolly4u7901: so when do you want me to come over dolly4u7901: be serious joegi37: i have the time now joegi37: i am dolly4u7901: ok joegi37: can you get the time off work? dolly4u7901: is very possible dolly4u7901: because i never have vacation joegi37: :) dolly4u7901: since last year may dolly4u7901: :x joegi37: time for a vacation, a holiday dolly4u7901: yes dolly4u7901: if you know that you are very serious dolly4u7901: i can inform my company that dolly4u7901: i want to come over there because of you joegi37: and you are sure you would like to meet me, correct? dolly4u7901: why are you asking me this ? dolly4u7901: if you don't need me dolly4u7901: i think i cannot force you joegi37: pardon? dolly4u7901: in anyway dolly4u7901: ok dolly4u7901: i told you am very since dolly4u7901: if you don't trust me dolly4u7901: that means there is no true feeling joegi37: i am here and i want you to visit dolly4u7901: between us dolly4u7901: relationship is all about trust and caring joegi37: if you would like to visit then i can give you some of the travel money once you arrive dolly4u7901: honest dolly4u7901: which money can i use to make it there dolly4u7901: ? joegi37: i don't think that a tcket costs much money, dolly dolly4u7901: tell flight story or what? dolly4u7901: am sorry dolly4u7901: if you are not serious dolly4u7901: about having relationship dolly4u7901: i think i cannot compel you dolly4u7901: ok dolly4u7901: do you want me to beg people who sell ticket dolly4u7901: or what dolly4u7901: am sorry dolly4u7901: am very resposible woman dolly4u7901: i cannot spoil my name dolly4u7901: i know you mind dolly4u7901: i can read your mind dolly4u7901: you want me to get money for everything dolly4u7901: right? joegi37: um joegi37: i can reimburse you. i cannot send money dolly4u7901: why? joegi37: sent money disappears dolly4u7901: have you send money before to woman or what? dolly4u7901: because men do lying dolly4u7901: always joegi37: you should believe in me dolly4u7901: that they sent money to woman dolly4u7901: and they didnot happer joegi37: if you do not trust, then we have nothing dolly4u7901: why they did not appear dolly4u7901: ? joegi37: i never sent money joegi37: but i did travel to meet a woman a few years ago dolly4u7901: don't you have their address dolly4u7901: and phone number dolly4u7901: which country joegi37: me? i never sent money dolly4u7901: you travel to joegi37: france dolly4u7901: i know people like you

2006-03-28, 22:29:26

anonymous from United States

i have this girl in nigerial saying if i pay for her plane ticket she will come here, she supposedly lived here with her mom and the mom passed awau so she went home to her sick dad and she wants to come back ot the states. is it possible she has a visa she is only 29 let me know if anyone has seen this girl please i would like t know if she is a scammer Keywords:

2006-03-28, 22:31:16

anonymous from United States

last but not least this one was a scammer so everyone be careful , claimed supposed russian. name was ariella-blue-sea@yahoo.com buyers beware. Keywords: brunette black dress heels

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