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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2006-10-28, 12:38:52

anonymous from United States

i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF i,AM BEING SCAMMED? i HAVE BEEN WRITING THIS GIRL IN rUSSIA. sHE HAS GIVEN ME HER PHONE NUMBER AND ASK ME TO CALL HER AT HER WORK. sHE WORKS FOR Coal Rio the email address that i have for her is the coalrio.biz email address. I did call to the phone number and the compsny operator ansered the phone. so far everything checks out jgarvin@comlinkinc.net please

2006-10-29, 14:28:14

anonymous from Canada

To Mrsc or Anonymous about a girlnames Ekaterina or 'Kate' as she calls herself, here are more pics and she is still corresponding wih me. Hmmmmm!!! Maybe she is for real but ask me for 490$ for medicine for her mom. She is suppose to be well of according to her letters. Then, why does she need money? ....Johnny - Canada my email is leftie1959@yahoo.ca. be glad to help anyone since I have reported quite a few scammers on most sites. Keywords: blonde black dress kitchen counter

2006-10-29, 14:34:26

leftie1959@yahoo.ca from Canada

Here is another scammer and dangerous. She will ask you to open her an account in your country so she can transfer 4000 $ from an agency who guarantees her work but needs a US bank account. Then , you have to send her back the money after it is deposit soshe can come and greet you. Unfortunately guys, once you send her the money and her check from the agency bounces....guess what ? You will be held liable for that check and you have just been scammed 4000$. .......Johnny - Canada P.S. I am still corresponding with her and apparently has the money to come but this money came from her agency this time. Yeah right . Keywords: blonde black top staged

2006-10-29, 22:13:18

anonymous from Canada

Hi here is Elvira/tanya again Keywords:

2006-10-29, 22:14:23

anonymous from Canada

and again Keywords:

2006-10-29, 22:15:13

anonymous from Canada

and again! man she is hot Keywords:

2006-10-29, 22:19:23

anonymous from Canada

and finally. Anyone else scammed by her. She had me going for about a month and is just now mentioning visa and passport. Her pictures are definately everyday photos and some professional pics. therefore the pics were not just taken from a magazine, etc. She is not a helpless victum....oh my aching heart. just kidding I really feel good for being had@!!! Keywords:

2006-10-30, 08:27:36

anonymous from United States

I stumbled upon this site for the Delphi stuff. I saw a link on the right bar and decided to click it. I've never had any dealings with any of these scammers, and never will. The reason for my post is to inform you that some of the pics above are from Las Vegas, NV, USA. I recognized some backgrounds that were from the Venetian, as well as Nascar Cafe. Also the one girl has a photo from Glamour Shots. Good luck and don't be suckers!

2006-10-31, 03:20:19

theresnoborders4love@excite.com from United States

How long is it going to be and what is it going to take before all of you guys realize that practically every Russian and African chick answering personal ads out there is a scammer 100% ? C'mon lets get real here. I learned the hard way but I only lost a few hundred dollars in the process before I took all of the valuable information from this site and others and came quickly then to the realization that the thoughts of finding a young Russian or African bride is pure folly and is never going to happen .I repeat it is never going to happen and if you think that the young lady you are writing to is different from the rest of them….LOL…then you deserve to lose every penny you have and further more you are only again proving the old adage ,”that a fool and his money are easily parted “ . There is hope however for those of us who desire a foreign bride! We just have been looking in the wrong place! Now where you might be asking is the right country to find a young and pretty woman who will be a faithful and loving wife and be always supportive of you and asks simply that you only love her and protect her and never abuse her ? I have found that place and country and that one beautiful woman who I know will be for me a faithful and loving wife as I have described in the above paragraph! For more information write to me at the email above and I will gladly give you the information that I believe will lead you to finding that “one” special woman that you have been long searching for ! You have a world of happiness to gain if you want !I welcome all of your e-mails ! Regards and Peace,Don

2006-10-31, 14:55:50

anonymous from Canada

why didn't you just mention it in your post rather then another e-mail? Not that difficult to do!!

2006-10-31, 17:34:19

anonymous from United States

This image was also posted here: Scammer Jane Mabou from Ivory Coast, Africa (modified photo) Keywords: black girl white blouse

2006-11-02, 12:42:38

anonymous from Canada

This image was also posted here: Letters from dating scammer Elana Banykh in Sokolovo in Siberia (modified photo) Letters from dating scammer Elana Banykh in Sokolovo in Siberia (modified photo) Dating scammer Elmira Surkova from Volzhsk (modified photo) Is this Russian girl scamming me? How to recognize scammers (modified photo) Dating scam from Kazan, Russia - Part 2 (modified photo) Dating scammer Elmira Surkova from Volzhsk (modified photo) Olga Kudryavzeva alias Elena Shamova (modified photo) Dating scammer Alyona (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalia Sokolova from Yakutsk, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Uliya Buharina Cheremkhovo from Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Wera (modified photo) Letters from dating scammer Maria in Omsk, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalia Kovalewa from Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer ZHANNA (modified photo) Dating scammer Irina from Russia (modified photo) Pictures and info on dating scammer Irina (modified photo) Letters from dating scammer Maria in Omsk, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Diana Jollinber from the Ukraine (modified photo) Is this Russian girl scamming me? How to recognize scammers (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalja Kovaleva from Mogocha near Chita in Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalya from Osinniki, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer margaritka doubrovskaya (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalia Tregoubova from Moscow or Yakutsk, Russia (modified photo) Scam Artist Anna from Yoshkar-Ola (modified photo) Dating scammer Natalja (Natalia) from Berdsk, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Alyona (modified photo) Letters from dating scammer Elana Banykh in Sokolovo in Siberia (modified photo) Is this Russian girl scamming me? How to recognize scammers (modified photo) Dating scammer Marina from Olha near Irkutsk in Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Alyona (modified photo) Dating scammer Tatyana Smirnova from Molodezhnyi, Russia (modified photo) Dating scammer Yuliya Goncharova (modified photo) Dating scammer Rhoda Naa from Accra, Ghana (modified photo) Keywords: camouflage bikini

2006-11-02, 16:57:53

anonymous from United States

Keywords:

2006-11-02, 17:14:04

anonymous from United States

this is after I have played with her in thinking I was going to send her money!@ lol

2006-11-03, 13:54:28

anonymous from United States

i am glad this site is here, as i have recieved all the same letters as simon. she is calling herself natalya pikusova (natusik-laska2006@rambler.ru) although all she is asking for is for me to buy the ticket i may play this out a bit teasing her with the money This image was also posted here: Dating scammer Mariya from Yaroslavl, Russia Dating scammer Mariya from Yaroslavl, Russia Keywords:

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