Russian Fiancee Forum
Don't get scammed, get educated ! Understand scammers and you'll understand their tactics and how to avoid them. Part 4
Protect yourself from the scamming industry
The following is a list of suggestions, an idea of what to look for, what to ask, how to deal with situations. The list is by no means exhaustive and is not intended to be pessimistic ...just practical. Long distance relationships with women from Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union really do work, they just require a little more attention to detail, a little more interest and a lot more awareness than dating in your home town. Please read this list and then put it to the back of your mind, hopefully sometime in the future if you notice something that is not quite right you'll remember something that you read here.
Genuine women will not be offended, insulted or concerned if you ask for confirmation of details, they are just as badly affected by the scammers as you are - explain your request politely and your correspondent will undoubtedly understand.
- One photograph profiles are often suspicious, ask for more, ask for one in a certain pose or with a certain background. Unprepared scammers will not be able to rustle up suitable photos at short notice. This request however does not help you if the scammer, male or female is using a friend for the photographic shoots or if it is a husband and wife operation.
- Watch the blacklisting forums and associated websites, often entire regions gain a reputation that can ruin every girls chances....Yoshkar Ola and Mari El were firm favourites a short time ago.
- Educate yourself on the process of visa applications for a Russian citizen ( or country of your correspondent ). Russian women CANNOT just go to a Consulate and ask for a visa, they must fulfil the criteria, complete a detailed application form and possibly attend an interview in person if requested.
For a simple tourist visa a Russian citizen must show evidence of employment with a salary of at least 15,000 Roubles per month ( the national average wage is currently about 5,000 - 10,000 Roubles per month for an average office job ).
Having said that, 300 Roubles will get you the necessary confirmation of income from any unscrupulous employer, you don't even have to work for them, sometimes a travel agency will provide this if you're putting business their way.
For invitation visas and fiancee visas the procedure is more complicated requiring documents from you regarding income, finance and support. If a woman has children, she must have permission to leave the country from her ex-husband in writing before doing so.
If any woman says to you "..send me money for the visa and I'll come to you"...forget it, call the Consulate of the country concerned in your country and confirm the procedure ( you'll probably find them very helpful ). If you don't speak the language arrange an interpreter, it'll be money well spent in the long run.
No-one just buys a visa to the West, gets on a plane and flies off into the sunset, it just doesn't happen that way.
Thankfully, foreigners have a much easier time getting a visa to Russia...find out the procedure and types of visa.
Early on into a correspondence be crystal clear about your reservations regarding being tricked, conned or scammed. If your correspondent is genuine, she will understand and try to accommodate any requests that you may have. If she is not genuine then you've set the scene for a very difficult scam and the chances are you'll never hear from her again, she'll move on to the next one.
- Read your e-mails / messages thoroughly. Copy them and your letters, keep them in a folder on your pc with her name on it ( if you write to several women, make 1 folder for each woman ), as the correspondence develops, compare your and her letters and ask yourself a few simple questions :
- Does she get your name right on every letter ?
- Do you receive standard letters that can very easily be adapted with the alteration of the name and one paragraph ? ( a clear sign of mass mailings )
- How much detail about her personal life do you receive ?
- Is she at all interested in you or your life ?
- Are there hints about money early on ?
- Does she ask for money ?
- Is she in a rush to get moving with the correspondence ? (after several years of correspondence it is entirely acceptable and understandable that a woman should not want to drag out any correspondence, perhaps a question or two about how long she has been corresponding for, would allay your fears)
- Does she "love you" within the first few weeks ?
- Does she tease you with photographs, each one a little more revealing than the last ?
- Does she appear to get frustrated that you don't "trust me" ?
- Is she in a hurry to get your private e-mail address, better to scam you in private than under the watchful eye of a website owner ?
- When you try to check the headers of the e-mails can you trace the source, at least to Russia ?
- Is her profile filled with the words, generous and rich with an array of high cost sporting activities ?
- Is there any mention in her letters of her work, can it be confirmed ?
- Is the photograph too good to be true, if yes then guess what ?
- Have you searched and found her on the blacklists or at least a photo of her ?
- Does she recoil in horror at the thought of you visiting her in her home town at her address ?
- Does she accuse you of being mean by even mentioning the scamming subject ?
Research, understand and protect yourself ! .The key to finding a suitable partner from another culture and country is research, love and hapiness we cannot provide, solid tried and tested advice we can.
About the Author
Men continue to fall prey to scammers for one major reason, too much looking at pictures and not enough reading text...simple ! Take control, take advice, be compassionate, understanding but firm. Do not panic, become dramatic or hysterical and if you get scammed without taking reasonable precautions, well.....that's what we're here for.
When I met my wife on the internet 7 years go I didn't follow the usual path of bringing her to my European country, I wanted to understand her background, her views and lifestyle...I moved to Siberia and still live here. The experiences need to be seen to be believed but you can read about them at www.rurev.com
If you want to understand your partner, understand Russia, start by looking at some real photographs and then read all about Russia at www.rurev.com
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