Ukrainian dating guide “Avoiding scams”
Transcription
Ukrainian dating guide “Avoiding scams”
Ukrainian dating guide “Avoiding scams” Learn how to avoid becoming a victim of online dating spam Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna (UkrainianDatingBlog.com & UkrainianDatingStrories.com). All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. ~1~ Table of Contents About Krystyna, the dating author and founder of UkrainianDatingBlog.com....................................... 2 Introduction: Ukrainian dating scam ....................................................................................................... 3 Ukrainian and Russian dating scam: what you should know .................................................................. 4 How does scam work? ..................................................................................................................... 4 Five potential red flags in Ukrainian online dating.......................................................................... 5 The simplest tip how to recognize a scammer ................................................................................ 7 Why does a Ukrainian Woman Ask You for Money? ...................................................................... 8 Tips how to react if a Ukrainian or Russian bride asks you for money ......................................... 10 Four Types of Ukrainian & Russian Dating Scammers................................................................... 12 Nine Tips on How to Identify and Avoid Ukrainian Pro-Daters ..................................................... 13 How to verify the true identity of a Ukrainian bride on a dating site ........................................... 14 The three tips how to choose the dedicated Ukrainian dating site .............................................. 14 A few examples of a Ukrainian dating scam ......................................................................................... 17 Example #1: romantic Miss Margarita is looking for love & passion… ......................................... 17 Example #2: Anatomy of a Ukrainian dating scammer or just another message… ...................... 21 Example #3: Russian online dating scammer alias Alena Sabova ................................................. 23 What to do if you get scammed by a Ukraine/Russian woman? .......................................................... 26 The Ukrainian & Russian Online Dating Scam ............................................................................... 26 The Reporting Process ................................................................................................................... 26 Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~2~ About Krystyna, the dating author and founder of UkrainianDatingBlog.com For all men, Ukrainian (online) dating can be a difficult process. In addition to the normal phobias that all adult men struggle with, some men simply aren't excited by the potential mates that they meet in their daily lives. For these men, the ideal mate would combine traditional values with a touch of the exotic. This ideal is especially hard to find in the casual world of Western dating. While casual companionship and a fun time have their merits, many men harbor a healthy desire to marry and settle down for the long run. Many seekers have heard of the attractive qualities of Ukrainian women. Countless reports have held that dating or even marrying a Ukrainian woman can be simply divine. Like other Eastern European nations, Ukraine is renowned for producing women that are beautiful but humble, confident yet never brash. For those who don't know where to start, UkrainianDatingBlog.com is a fantastic resource, featuring the dating advice of Ukrainian dating coach Krystyna. Krystyna is a Ukrainian intellectual with a deep interest in matters of the heart. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Krystyna moved to Germany to pursue an education in English, Turkish and Italian studies. As a fresh college graduate from Goethe University in Germany, Krystyna had virtually unlimited choices for her future. She ultimately found her calling in helping Western men meet outstanding Ukrainian partners. In her regularly updated blog posts on UkrainianDatingBlog.com & UkrainianDatingStories.com, Krystyna has shown a keen eye for gender studies and relationships. She has a deep understanding of what it takes to gain the respect of refined Ukrainian women. Well-meaning Western men often make unintentional but crippling mistakes when getting to know Ukrainian women. In a recent blog post, Krystyna insightfully pointed out that Western men often err in getting too personal too quickly when messaging Ukrainian women. With this and many other valuable pointers, Krystyna has made great progress in connecting outstanding Ukrainian women with respectual Western suitors. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~3~ Introduction: Ukrainian dating scam The topic of this guide is spam in the Ukrainian dating industry. Many of my readers have become or are victims of Ukrainian dating scammers. And that’s a sad fact that there are still thousands of scammers who take advantage of lonely men and shatter their dream of finding a soul mate for life. No matter where you live or what your background is, being alone and lonely can be devastating to your emotional well-being, your social life, and your family life. So, finding ways to cure that loneliness is a reasonable response for anyone. Today, people of all ages and backgrounds can simply log on to the internet and start searching for their soul mate from the comfort of their own living room. There are Ukrainian online chat rooms and web sites designed to help today’s man find the right woman for him. One of the more successful dating situations is offering the chance to get to know a lovely Ukrainian woman. Unfortunately, there are a lot of scam artists out there that are willing to take advantage of a lonely guy, by running a Ukrainian dating scam. Russian and Ukrainian dating scams take in tens of millions of dollars each year and most of the victims are men. These scammers are ruthless people who are ripping people off by selling elaborate fantasy stories to unsuspecting men. They know what they are doing and how to get the naive victim to fall for the bait. When the scam is over, the unfortunate victim is left still lonely but with less money. Russian dating expert and owner of Elena’s Models Elena Petrova says that1 men using online dating sites regularly receive emails from ‘Russian women’ offering friendship, love and marriage. Most users simply disregard such emails but some people are curious and can be sucked in. Online Dating Scams Affect 99 Percent Of Male Users Of Internet Personals, Millions Of Dollars Are Lost To Fake ‘Russian Women’ The only real thing in the whole story is the money that a man sends to someone in Russia. The people receiving the money often don’t know they are part of a fraud scheme; they simply get a small fee for each transfer they receive. Once someone reports the fraud and the name is black listed by wire transfer companies, the criminals find someone else to receive the money for them. These scam artists will use a person emotionally needs, in order to get money or even to steal their identity. The Ukraine women scam artist specializes in getting a man to fall for a woman by sending pictures and love letters, until they finally ask for money. Usually, the reason will be to get the woman to wherever the man lives, so that they can be together. Another type of Ukrainian dating scam happens when a person has a profile that shows inaccurate pictures. Sometimes these pictures will be from years before, when the woman was younger or more attractive. Other times, these Ukraine women scam men by showing pictures of someone else entirely, just so that the man will fall for them. In the Ukrainian dating guide “Avoiding scams” you find useful information on professional prodaters and scammers, a few examples of Ukrainian dating scammers as well as easy tips on how to avoid scam and what to do if you get scammed. 1 Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/russia/russian_brides/prweb472496.htm Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~4~ Ukrainian and Russian dating scam: what you should know How does scam work? The Ukrainian and Russian dating scam typically works by the scammers placing a phony profile on Russian and Ukrainian online dating sites and international dating catalogs using fake or stolen pictures of attractive women from Ukraine and Russia. However, there have been occasions where the picture is the actual person when/if the scammer happens to be an attractive female. They then contact a potential victim and lead the person into an online romantic relationship. Within no time, the “bait” quickly falls in love with the victim and starts planning her trip to come and see him. In reality, the person they are corresponding with is usually a man or a group of men (most of these scams are run by a man or a group or gang of men) pretending to be the women of the victim’s dreams. The potential victims are lead to believe that the lovely young women they are talking to are looking for love and have picked the unaware target as “the right one”. The scammers then ask for financial assistance for arranging a personal meeting. They may ask for money for any of the following reasons: Visa (More than likely through a fake travel agency) Tickets (Again, more than likely through a fake travel agency) Other travel documents such as passports or medical papers Health problems or a death in the family Cell phones Money to repay outstanding loans that will prevent them from leaving the country Money lost due to robbery or theft This scam will continue for as long as the victim continues sending money, and he will always have to send money because some new emergency requiring money will always pop up. The scammers will keep the target interested by occasional chats on the phone and by sending him photos that can be quite revealing and erotic. They will promise him a first meeting that will be hot and passionate but the only thing hot in the end is the person who has been scammed once they realize they have spent their savings on someone that does not exist or they have other motives than love. I am not saying that all the dating sites that contain Russian or Ukrainian women are scams. Many men have used these two areas only because research shows that this is where the majority of the dating scams originate from. There are other counties as well that are gaining notoriety for dating scams: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and more recently, England to name a few. I am sure there are those of you out there that have their hearts and minds set on finding a Russian or Ukrainian wife. Women from these areas, in general, seem to be very attractive so on one blames you. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~5~ But there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of success and decrease your chances of getting ripped off. Don’t assume everything you see or you are being told is real and factual. The scammers will “fall in love” with you within a few emails. Don’t rush into anything. Ensure you are using a legitimate, trustworthy dating site. There are many “fly by night” operations floating around on the internet just waiting for potential victims. Finally, the most important tip in my opinion, do not send money for visas, tickets, emergencies, pay off loans, or for any other reason. If you are convinced that the person is legitimate, go to that person’s country and meet them in a very public place for your first meeting. Just keep the above information in the back of your mind when you are searching for the right women on an international dating site. But also remember, they will post profiles on noninternational sites as well. These scammers are relentless and will continuously try new tactics and tricks to find their next target. I encourage you to take note of the advice I have given and take your time. Five potential red flags in Ukrainian online dating The scenario is every Western man’s worst nightmare: “I was contacted by an amazing woman from Ukraine. She was beautiful and funny, a full 23 years younger than me. I just knew she was the one! It was love at first sight”. But the reality is something different…. Unfortunately, it may be sometimes too good to be true. After investing (a lot of) time and money in what you think is your one true love, “your perfect Ukrainian lady Natalia” stops contacting you. From my personal experience, I can say that the men have since gone on to find love online. You can avoid making the same mistakes by recognizing these five red flags. Red Flag #1: too big age difference The first red flag is a very young woman from Ukraine or Russia contacting an older man from a Western country. As for me, it is very strange if a 20 year old beauty from Ukraine contacts first a man who is much older than her (20-25-30 year age difference is extreme big and may be the reason for problems and misunderstanding in a Western-Ukrainian relationship). But I have to mention that not every young Ukrainian woman who contacts an older man is a scammer. On the other hand, she should be viewed with caution. Some readers told me that several beautiful Ukrainian ladies wrote to them first that they really wanted to talk to them as soon as possible. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~6~ Well, we should realize this is the 21st century and all. Women can initiate a relationship without being a scammer; however you must think about the age difference in depth and decide if you are ready for that or not. Be careful. Red Flag #2: weak anti-scam system on your Ukrainian dating site Many newbies make this silly and costly mistake, namely: they begin to use the Ukrainian dating site without having made a detailed online research on its services. The fact is that many International online dating services have a serious problem with scamming. This is a huge red flag. Some International online dating sites make it easier for scammers to take root and make them more difficult to find. Dating sites that allow multiple accounts from the same IP address make it easier for a scammer to set up many accounts. Red Flag #3: falling in love – too fast, too furious The next sign I should have seen is “falling in love” by the third letter. I am sure you know this story: two people from two different countries write back – forth for a few days before the man gets a message that the Ukrainian lady is falling hard for him, that she is in love and she wants to move to his home country to spend her life with him. Happy end of this online dating story? I do not think so! You do? We all are adult people and may not believe such messages that the woman/man falls in love after a short online mail communication without meeting in person and at least hearing the voice of the woman or man. Red Flag #4: you are my Mr. Right In the same spirit, another red flag is if the Ukrainian man just knows that you are the man for her. You know that patience is one of the most important keys to a successful & happy Western-Ukrainian relationship. Thus when you try to slow things down and see that the woman tells you she has this feeling that you are destined to be together, you must view this woman with a big caution. You may not believe if the woman from Ukraine tells you she just knows that you are going to grow old together. Red Flag #4: exaggerated literary picture of your future together Painting an attractive picture of where the future will lead is another common red flag. It is not usual if the Ukrainian woman for marriage say you things like “we can grow old on the porch together” and “we’ll travel the world. I will show you all the sites” in her third message. Red Flag #5: nude or revealing photos Furthermore, throwing in the attractive pictures of the Ukrainian woman with every message is not a normal behavior in the Ukrainian dating field. Of particular concern are nude or very revealing photos. Genuine women with serious intentions do not do something like this. I hope if you know these things, you will never send a Ukrainian dating scammer several thousand dollars or invest your costly time, your heart and your emotions in a relationship that doesn’t really exist. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~7~ The simplest tip how to recognize a scammer Clients of Ukrainian dating agencies have found out that the Ukrainian girls who they attempt to communicate with are actually spammers who may have no connection at all with Ukraine and may not even be female. The moment any girl who you meet online asks for money, that is a red flag that she is a scammer. These scammers actually appear with different names, but with the same photos, on several dating sites. Their only goal is to swindle you out of your hard-earned money or to add your E-mail address to a scam, online gambling, porn or online pharmacy mailing list. Their phone numbers are not in service or just not listed, and their e-mail addresses are from Russian or international free E-mail providers that allow multiple free accounts. Chances are that if you are writing to katya_d@mail.ru, ten other men have ten other E-mail addresses under names like Olychka_m, Lena_b, Irochka_j and the like, and all of the messages are going to the same person who will then add you to some mailing list or another or send you a litany of sob stories. These scamming address collectors masquerade as exiled Nigerian princes when they are not busy trying to hide behind pictures of attractive Slavic students that they copied from Facebook or its former Soviet competitors. Do not send one cent to anyone who you have not met in person; no legitimate Ukrainian girl will ask you for money or anything else before meeting you as she does not want to be associated with these spammer scammers. I am a Ukrainian woman, and I know that the Ukrainian people have come a long way since the fall of the Soviet Union, and no legitimate Ukrainian girl wants to be seen as a gold-digger or worse. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~8~ Why does a Ukrainian Woman Ask You for Money? On the weekend, I did some research and found an interesting forum post. Here is the story of a Western man: This story made me sad. The man had his hopes; and now he has only disappointment and doubt… I often get mails from my readers who have experienced the same thing. You meet a special woman online, communicate with her, develop romantic feelings for her, go to Ukraine and date her. And after the first meeting, you get a request to give her some money… Ukrainian women are some of the most beautiful in the world, and any man who has made the right moves to have one grace them with their company is a lucky man indeed. The question has arisen before when people are looking for Ukrainian dating advice, “Why does a Ukrainian woman ask you for money?” Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~9~ When I read such stories, I am taken a back!!! A Ukrainian woman is a proud woman, with a lineage of hard work ethics behind her. She would never consider just arbitrarily asking for money to be paid to her without a good reason. Anyone who has spent any time with a beautiful Ukrainian woman would know that her independence would clearly get in the way of a handout. It is in my opinion that if this happens, she is just testing you. How quickly are you going to dole out money to her or any woman? There is a difference between her begging for money, and you being a mark for a girl looking to make a quick dollar. Be careful, but realize that if she is asking, it is a test of your vulnerability. There is also the possibility that this is another kind of test. Many women come overseas and when they meet their man, they are immediately put to work. They are sent to work for cleaners, waitressing, or even dancing to make money for their husband. If she immediately asks for money, perhaps she is just making sure that you are stable enough financially to support her. She is going to be a constant companion, but your joint happiness should be important to both of you. Lastly, the saddest truth is that you may have been at the end of a scam. She is clearly not in this for the companionship, and you are beyond Ukrainian dating advice, and should be contacting the authorities. Make sure to be as honest with them as possible, to guarantee that you walk away from this with your head held high, and no blemishes on your legal record. A fiery and powerful Ukrainian woman can be the jewel that sits upon your arm at night and a loving companion at home. If she asks you for money, take a moment before you answer her; make sure you have considered her reasons. In the end it will help both of your long-term happiness. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 10 ~ Tips how to react if a Ukrainian or Russian bride asks you for money What do you do when your Ukrainian bride asks you for money prior to the marriage? It’s a situation that many men face in the world of Russian and Ukrainian (rather: International) online dating. Two possible scenarios There are two scenarios that must be addressed if a Russian and Ukrainian bride asks for money. The first scenario is one where you have already met and visited with your Russian and Ukrainian woman face-to-face. You have spent time together. You know her as a person, you know her surroundings, her culture, and to some extent, both her values and economic situation. The second scenario, which will be discussed later, is one where you have not yet met your prospective bride from Ukraine or Russia. So far, interactions with this woman have been over the internet, the phone, and possibly via snail mail. The only things you know about this woman is what she has told you and you have no way to verify her claims. Scenario #1: if you have met the woman in person and she asks you for money… If you have met your bride in Ukraine or Russia, and are convinced she is the one, having a Ukrainian woman ask you for money must be looked at on an individual case. Have you asked this woman to quit her job to learn English or focus on some other task that is important to you? Are you aware of any special circumstances, ones that you were able to observe and verify during your visit that could be causing a legitimate hardship? In such cases there is a simple litmus test that you can rely on the help make your decision. Since you already know her culture, if her fiancé were a local, would he be likely to pitch in and help? And, if your bride was in the same country as you, what would you be doing in the same situation? Some suggestions if you find yourself wanting to help. If your bride quit her job in order to take English classes to make communication easier? Offer to pay for the classes and perhaps a stipend to subsidize her lost wages. If she needs money for a plane ticket here to visit, buy the ticket, or a portion of it, without sending her cash. If she or a family member needs medical care, pay for it directly with the provider. In these ways you are certain that the money is going directly to the need at hand and cannot be misappropriated. However, if you implicitly trust your foreign bride, sending cash is ultimately your decision. Just be aware that many men have been scammed out of considerable funds under such circumstances. Scenario #2: if you have not yet met the woman in person and she asks you for money… If however, you have not yet met the Ukrainian and Russian woman who is asking for money, proceed with extreme caution. While there may be legitimate need there, it is not your responsibility to provide for this woman. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 11 ~ Additionally, many online scams and internet fraud programs operate in just such a fashion to take advantage of unsuspecting men. If you truly believe a potential foreign is legitimate, tell her the only way you would consider such a request is to meet in person, face to face, first. Afterwards, all the caveats previously mentioned apply. The most common reasons to ask money are following: 1. Money problems (the woman promises of course to return your money to you soon) My note: in Ukrainian culture, it’s not appropriate to ask a stranger you’ve never met to give money to you if you have a money problem. So you have not to help the woman in this case. 2. A Ukrainian and Russian woman wants to study English (or your native language) 3. Illness (She/her mother/father/children is/are ill). My note: in Ukrainian culture, it’s not appropriate to ask a stranger you’ve never met to help you. So you have not to help the woman in this case. In conclusion, I want to mention that most sincere Ukrainian and Russian brides will not have a sense of entitlement. They will be interested in you as a person and not for what you have in your wallet. While marriage to you will greatly enhance this woman’s future as your wife, you do not want to be involved with a woman whose affections needed to be purchased in advance. That’s not love in a local relationship and it’s certainly not love in a long distance one. Three simple tips how to react if a Ukrainian or Russian bride asks you for money: 1. make an Internet research (so you can find out if she is a scam or not) 2. tell her that you have not to pay for her English classes, etc. and ask for her opinion if it’s not appropriate in Ukrainian culture to ask a stranger you’ve never met to give money to you 3. tell her that it is important to meet each other in person and then you can decide if the relationship can work or not as well as you wish to support her financially. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 12 ~ Four Types of Ukrainian & Russian Dating Scammers There are many Ukrainian and Russian women who are truly looking for love. But there are also many on dating sites who seek targets for scams, which makes it hard for us women who are honest in our pursuit of love. I know of women who do anything to attract men only to let them down. The scams are often a waste of money or time and can easily be avoided by keeping your eyes open. Four Types of Ukrainian & Russian Dating Scammers: Type 1: “I am just after your money” The most popular scam is where the girl hooks you in with her looks or charm and is very easy to get along with. During this short period there is much to enjoy. While you think you are getting closer, she’s maneuvering closer to your wallet. All of a sudden, things take a dramatic turn and she needs cash ASAP. While there are many different reasons these scammers use for needing money, it should stand out to you that someone you are dating or getting to know is asking you for money. Crossing this boundary should be an automatic dismissal from your life. This should be rule number one for guys who are dating. You are not an ATM. She must have that part of her life together when trying to date. If this scam becomes apparent to you, run for the hills. Type 2: “I want gifts, I do not want a genuine relationship” Another con is the girl who seems to be eager to be with you but wants to keep her “options open.” She may desire for you to provide her with an all-expense paid trip or various gifts and many of these girls are blunt about it. While she’s getting things from you, her other “options” are doing the same. There are actually women who do this and have no careers and no love in their hearts for the men that they date. Unless you are a billionaire & prepared to pay to play with this kitten, this scam can ruin you financially in a matter of weeks or months. Type 3: “I am just a letter writer” Next in line are the ladies who like the attention that you provide them but they never seem to be able to meet you. If they always have an excuse not to meet, they are just not that into you and likely have someone else they’d prefer to be with. Some have children out of wedlock while others will use you to make themselves feel better. Others are not attractive inside or out (and know it) and this is another reason they won’t meet you. Take the hint and don’t cater to these types. Type 4: “I am just curious” The curious types are also complete wastes of your time. They are scammers too because they join dating sites but never actually date. They are just looking without any intent of going out or looking for love. Some of these girls will waste hours of their time looking at profiles for entertainment apparently. But if they don’t respect their time, they will not respect yours. You are worth more than this and if she’s not up to it, cut her off and move on. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 13 ~ Nine Tips on How to Identify and Avoid Ukrainian Pro-Daters Ukrainian online dating is intended to be a safe environment yet oftentimes when dating people forget to look for the “Red Flags”. There are always red flags that we should have seen but at times they are not noticeable. From my personal experience, I know that online dating can be frustrating as well as lead to hurt feelings and even financial loss. In fact, I know that there are Ukrainian daters that do not send out red flags and unfortunately leave you unaware. In the first stages of dating a Ukrainian pro-dater will communicate effectively and never trigger the typical red flags like asking for money. These daters encourage you to make a first visit and in the end will leave you baffled. Yet there are ways to avoid the Ukrainian pro-dater and certain red flags that are visible if you know what to look for. Here are a few red flag signs as well as precautions to take. 1. Avoid scams by arranging the first meeting in a public place such as a coffee shop or café. This goes for men as well for women. Men, there are many ladies who fit the Ukrainian prodater scam profile. 2. Be leery of someone who tries to direct you to an expensive restaurant or luxurious shopping mall. This Ukrainian pro-dater is typically looking for money. Trust me; it will be your pocketbook not theirs. 3. Be cautious of those who are in a hurry to date again for these are players move quickly and want money now. In my opinion if you slow them down it will discourage them and they will move on. 4. They are persistent on wanting to meet you right away. Generally within the first or second email or correspondence they initiate a first date and do not give up until you comply. Again, the Ukrainian pro-dater is looking for quick cash. Please take your time. 5. Know that you make the ultimate decision when it comes to money. You have the power of your own finances. Do not allow your date to make you feel inadequate, embarrassed or rude if they make personal requests or favors. Look for contradictions in what they say. Believe me, players normally stretch the truth. Be attentive, for over time you will notice conflicting comments and red flags. 6. Take your time before getting serious. It will not be obvious to recognize a player personality on the first or even the second date. 7. Stay clear of people who are preoccupied with themselves. From personal experience I know that that this type of person can be persuasive and really charming. This Ukrainian pro-dater is only concerned about what they want and will go to great lengths to get it. Likewise, they are usually good looking and know it and will most likely treat you very poorly. 8. Be cautious when your date says “I love you”, “I really like you” or “We were destined for each other”. Typically this person is either desperate for love or a con. Just remember, love takes time and does not typically happen like the fairy tales “Love at first Sight”. 9. If you have a tendency to attract players then I advise you to stop dating. It will be in your best interest, for it will save you financial distress and hardship. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 14 ~ These tips not only relate to online dating but also to offline dating. Just as well, it is up you to protect yourself by being aware. In addition, it is up to you to create a dating environment that is financially and emotionally safe. Equally, it is possible to find a lot of nice women from Ukraine who are not Ukrainian pro-daters. Just remember to go at your own pace and watch for red flags. How to verify the true identity of a Ukrainian bride on a dating site Many International dating sites are a scam, with nearly 99% men who use dating sites being affected by them at one point or another. There are several steps a man can take to protect himself from this type of scam. The first is to ask the woman for private contact information, such as phone numbers, email address or Facebook profile. Do not ask immediately, the woman can be scared if you ask after 1-2 messages. However, if you see that your communication becomes more active and personal, do not hesitate to ask her e.g. for her mobile number or email address. Using Skype is also a very good way to verify identifying. Fake pictures are common among dating site and mail order bride sites, but a live video chat is very hard to fake. Another step is to ask for more private photos (but not for some naked photos!!! Women feel offended by such a request.). Asking for something specific to be in the photo is also a good way to prove the woman is real and legit. Asking the woman to hold a newspaper with the date on it or a piece of paper with a personalized message on it is an excellent way to verify identity. The three tips how to choose the dedicated Ukrainian dating site If you are interested in finding a wife in the Ukraine, you may be wondering what dating sites are best for finding Ukrainian women for marriage. You may also want to know how to find a good site which may eventually lead you to your wife. It is important to learn a little bit about Ukrainian dating online. There are a lot of dating sites on the internet for men interested in Ukrainian women. Some of them include Anastasia, ElenaModels, A Pretty Woman, Cute Only, and BeHappy2Day. You may have even found others while searching the internet for sites that have Ukrainian women for marriage. Dating online can also be somewhat difficult because there may be a language barrier between you and your prospective bride. You will also no doubt want to make sure that the dating site is secure and that it is reputable. In order to do this, you need to keep in mind the following tips: Tip # 1. Find out about the site. Before you sign up with any site, including any of the sites mentioned above, you should do your homework. It is important to look for information about the site including any reviews available from former members, especially those who found a wife using the service. Pay particular attention to their experiences while using the site. You may also want to search to find out how Russian and Ukrainian women view the sites. If a particular site does not have such a high rating with women, you probably won’t want to sign up for that site. Here is the best example of a user’s experience: Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 15 ~ Tip # 2. Compare the costs. After you have whittled down your list, I’d suggest taking a look at the costs of the services. You will find that the cost for dating services can vary widely. For example: Now let’s take two different Ukrainian dating sites that offer the same services but the different kinds of payment. One will use a monthly subscription (e.g. 20 dollars a month) and the other is pay for play (e.g. 2 dollars a letter). Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 16 ~ Costs for Company with a monthly subscription: $20 to sign up Included services: Create a profile 100 letters sent and received Additional cost $0 Total spent to get $20 Costs for Company with “pay for play” features: Free to sing up Included services: Create a profile 100 letters sent and received Additional cost (100 x 2 = $200) One person contact info Total spent to get $200 Dear Gentlemen, so you can see which dating site is the better deal for you. In my experience, it is best to not base your decision solely on the cost of the service. You may find good and bad services which will cost you quite a bit of money, and good and bad services which will cost practically nothing. Tip # 3. Compare services. It is important to compare the services offered by each site. While some women might know how to speak and write English, many will not. For this reason, many services offer translation. This is very important. You will find that many of the Ukrainian & Russian dating sites will offer much of the same things including gifting, chat services, and video chat services. However, almost every dating site charges extra for all these services. For example, video chats and phone calls may be extra. Other agencies even offer guided tours which will allow you to meet your prospective bride. In most cases, you have to pay more $1500 for this service. These tours may include accommodations in the Ukraine too. If you follow these tips, you will no doubt be able to find a good site which has Ukrainian women for marriage. Remember that many men just like you have found the woman of their dreams using online dating services. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 17 ~ A few examples of a Ukrainian dating scam Example #1: romantic Miss Margarita is looking for love & passion… The story starts with an online dating profile on a dating site which is like thousands of other profiles, namely: a beautiful Ukrainian woman is looking for love abroad: And beautiful and romantic Margarita writes to you first (oh, lucky you!): The communication develops and it seems perfect to you. Margarita is an open woman who really wants to start a genuine relationship and tells a lot of things about her life and experience in relationships without a happy ending: Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 18 ~ The communication with Margarita goes very well when you, suddenly, get a strange mail like this: Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 19 ~ And here is more: These two messages is a typical example of a Ukrainian dating scam. The so called “translation agency” from Ukraine answers to the mail on Margarita’s request. Why has this Margarita asked the agency to reply to the man? Cannot she answer by herself? I’ve googled the agency and found no information about them. They have no reviews, no articles and no official homepage. It is very strange, isn’t it? The man cannot write to Margarita directly. The “translation agency” has blocked the access to the mail box of Margarita. Why? Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 20 ~ Here is the answer from the “agency”: Conclusion: So if you communicate with Miss Margarita (<margo_b@creativboxsite.com>), you have to know that she is a scam and she uses a fake profile (I am sure that the real name of the woman is not Margarita either. I have no idea who she can be though). Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 21 ~ Example #2: Anatomy of a Ukrainian dating scammer or just another message… The most interesting thing in this “average” dating story begins here. The woman afterward sent the man a very fine message with some gorgeous pictures. The dilemma is that the man has seen this exact same mail from two or three other Ukrainian and Russian ladies. Of course, the man immediately had a suspicion that he has been dealing with a dating scammer. In his and my opinion, this is unlikely that Ukrainian and Russian women on the dating site have used a template on what to write to Western men. The man decided to share the letter from this woman with the other men. He did not publish her pictures because he did not know if they were genuine or if they have been hijacked. Here are the letters from the Ukrainian woman for “marriage”: Message #1: Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 22 ~ Message #2: she sent this letter to the man just two days later when he had yet to respond: As for me, this message is absolutely a dating scam. A genuine woman looking for love and relationship abroad wouldn’t declare constructing a family without communication and particularly meetings in person. Message #3: “I love you!”: Do not waste your time for dealing with such messages! I am sure that this scammer sends the same letters to 100 other lonely Western men hoping to find a special woman from Ukraine online. No real woman from Ukraine would write these messages without any participation from the man. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 23 ~ Example #3: Russian online dating scammer alias Alena Sabova I would like to warn you of a known Russian online dating scammer, namely: Alena Sabova. How does this scam process work? This online dating scammer (who looks beautiful and sweet…) starts writing real “revealing” letters with unique content and then progresses to “remarkable” messages with quickly growing affection and desire to meet in person. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 24 ~ In just a week the woman was able to secure a visa and airfare for which one Western man was to be responsible for half to this travel agent in Moscow called Travel Bonus. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 25 ~ My advice is be careful! Although the woman is very nice and shows a great interest to get known you better, the second message from the travel agency shows clearly that Alena Sabova is a fake and she/they just want money from you. The scammer does not care about you, your emotions and hope… Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 26 ~ What to do if you get scammed by a Ukraine/Russian woman? If you have been a victim to any Ukrainian/Russian online dating scam, rest assured that you are not alone and this is an increasing problem. You should take a number of precautions to avoid such circumstances and follow a number of steps if you are taken advantage of in the end. The Ukrainian & Russian Online Dating Scam A Ukrainian/Russian woman for marriage convinces you she needs money for a better life, to care for her family or to get out of a bad situation. You want to help her and send her money. Then it happens, she claims to have never received the money that it was stolen or you never hear from her again. The alarm bells are going off and you quickly realize you have been the victim of a scam. The chances of recouping your losses may not be in your favor; however, if you do not report the crime, more people will become victims and those who are guilty of such crimes will never be brought to justice. The Reporting Process You must report the crime to a number of agencies. The first stop should be to your local police department. You should report the crime as you would any other theft from your home. You should also report the incident with the FBI’s Internet Fraud Complaint Center, the local embassy of the scammer’s home country in your country, your home country’s embassy in the scammer’s home country and with the money transfer company you used for the scammer to collect the funds. A growing number of single Ukrainian/Russian women online are not who they claim to be. If you are looking for that special someone or simply companionship, try to only use International online dating sites and agencies which are highly reputable and those that conduct extensive background checks or verify the information of any member. You may have to pay a small monthly fee; however, this is significantly less than it could cost you in the end. Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com ~ 27 ~ For more Ukrainian dating tips and advice, visit UkrainianDatingBlog.com & UkrainianDatingStories.com Thank You! Your Krystyna Copyright © 2013 by Krystyna Trushyna – UkrainianDatingBlog.com