I met this women on another site and we have been talking about 1 month. She told me early that she might be coming to the United States on a teacher exchange program in late April. She said she will be here for 10 months, and that her trade union was going to pay for the trip. And she had a choice of different states to be in, and Las Vegas is one of them. Well guess what as the date got closer, here trade union did not come up with the money. So she asked me for help. I told her I would help but only if she sent me all the information about the trip. I told her that I will not send any money over to any organization in russia and I would purchase the ticket for her. Well her response; It seem like she was pissed and told me that i did not trust her and this was not way to start a relationship. So I am asking you guys if this is normal or do you think it is a possible scam!
On a side note: that is the phone situation in Russia, one women ask me to send 100.00 USD so that she can call me from a public phone. She said that most people from Russia do not have private phones. Is this normal?
arc21pa...it sounds to me that you are being scammed. First the women I have known from that area wound not ask a stranger for that kind of money. An honest girl would have no problem with you purchasing the tickets if you offered...if her trip was on the level. It is the typical reaction of the scammer to claim lack of trust if you do not do things her way. A woman from the FSU would follow your advice in such matters or offer an alternative but would not use the "you don't love me" routine.
Most women have cell phones a least. Some do not, but they would not be asking for such sums of money.
Lena and I have been in contact for over one year now and we are just waiting for her embassy appointment for her visa...she still will not ask for the smallest amount of money.
Phones,
She'll have a mobile that she purchased from the money that some other sucker(s) sent to her for her teacher exchange programme but hey, you can call her for a few cents a minutes and any genuine lady would ask that you call her.
I can call Russia from UK for 2p per minute, it was 1p, for 2p at todays exchange rates that means that for USD100 I could talk to her, non stop, for 48 frigging hours. That's one hell of a phone call but I think I'll wait until the rate reverts to 1p per minute, then I can talk to her non stop for 96 hours :))
Thanks for all the help, I kinda thought the teacher exchange was a scam. She even e-mailed me a copy of her Visa:) As far as the phone situation, I asked her how much it would cost her to just set up a phone in her house vs. calling me from a public booth. I can not wait to see what she says.lol Well again that's for the help.
You asked "if this is normal or do you think it is a possible scam"
Answer: Of course it's a scam and YES it is quite "normal". Unfortunately, if you're writing babes you can expect about 90% of the responses to be a scam. The other 10% will be ones where you were faked-out by some really deceptive photos.
Here's a few questions out of curiousity:
1. What's the name of the "other site"?
2. "talking about one month" -You mean "literally" talking with her on the phone or email only? If only by email you might even be dealing with a guy.
3. Paid for by a "teachers" "trade union" Ask her to elaborate on this one. I think teachers make about $80 a month, at one time a few years ago they had to take bottles of Vodka in lieu of salary. It would be interesting to hear where this union is getting the funds to send their $80-a-month teachers to Vegas and pay for their nearly year long stay. This is the most preposterous part of the story.
4. How much cash did she want? If you've got emails, post some excerpts.
5. What city is she located? Probably a surrounding village near Lugansk Ukraine, or Chelyabinsk Russia. Although I had one earlier this week from Moscow.
Look a the "I'm Scamming my Scammer thread" for some ideas as to how to proceed. You might want to tell her you wired $6,783 collectable in Vladivostok.
You're right Martin, take a look at atareks com website, the site is so polluted that it's comical and many are from Yoshkar Ola. Have you noticed that the "Lugansk" scam profiles have dropped dramatically? The Lugansk name has become so radioactive that Ukraine scammers are switching to places such as "Alchevsk", "Schastie", "Makeevka" and other surrounding villages.
The really funny thing is how tiny little villages like "Voroshilovgrad", "Rubegnoe" "Lutugino" etc.. are over-run with super-models....they must make-up half the population of these places:)
1. I had a profile on Match.com, I had to fill it out just to look around. She contacted me that way. We were just e-mailing, so we never talked. I never did this before so I have no Idea what is the normal procedure?LOL She told me she needed 950USD, and it was a goverment program to send 12 teachers and 12 doctors to the US. She showed me her Visa which she said her trade union got for her and the issue date is for April 22, 2006 and expiration is Jan. 22 2007. She did tell me earlier that the exchange program was to last 10months. Her Visa saids B1/B2 for visa type/ Class.
This is the letter when, she asked for money. I sent a reply back stating I would not send any money to a russian company or to a person. But what I would do is book her fight for her, if she sent me all the info on the fight and the details of the trip.
Hello Alan.
Today I can write you again cause I write you from Internet-cafe.
As you see from the subject of my letter things doesn't smile at me. I
am sad and confused. I don't want to tell it to you. I know you want
to meet me. But I will be unable to come to the US by my own. I need a
sponsor to pay my travel.
Alan I want to explain you the whole situation.
In my last letter I told you I would have a talking with Nikolay about
funding my travel by trade union. I met him and he said that our trade
union will not pay my travel. I asked why and how it may be? They
carry out this exchange programm without funding it? He said it is not
right. Our government arranges traveling papers, visas, contract with
American government. They also pay salary and supply place for living
for american teachers that will come to work to Russia. Travel expenses
must be covered from local school budget or our trade union. My
school refused to pay travelling and trade union can't pay for it
too because Moscow didn't send money. Nikolay said it is because of the
non-coordination of our government.
I asked him what I can do? He said I can pay my travel by my own or
find a sponsor. I asked who will pay me the salary for work in the US?
He said when I will come to New York, we will contract with American
government and they will supply the appartment and the salary for us.
Well, I asked him how much I must pay. When he said the sum I was very
confused. It is $950 USD. I knew I didn't have such sum and I even
can't borrow it from someone here. Nikolay was very sorry for me. He
said such things happen often. The government carry out some programm
and doesn't fund it.
After that talking I went to bank trying to get loan. But when they
leant I am coming to the USA they refused to me. I talked to my
friends trying to find money but I knew they didn't have such sum.
This is my salary for 8 months. I tryed to ask for sponsorship in some
commercial companies but they don't want to deal with me because they
don't see any profit.
Nikolay said I need to find a private sponsor and I thought about you.
Alan I didn't want to ask you for any help. I wanted to do
everything by my own. But I don't have any other options. Nikolay said
my plane is on April 27th, 2006.
I must be in Moscow with money by this time. I will fly to New York if
I have money and I won't fly in other cases. I have not enough time to
find money here and I want to ask you to be my sponsor.
Alan I understand everything you may think about me. I hate asking
people for money and I always try to do everything by my own. But now
I really need your financial assistance. I estimated everything. I
will reimburse you this sum in one month. I also can pay you extra
money back. I will work in your state for sure. I don't know what
school. They will tell it in New York. I will earn at least $3000 for
a month and I will have a place to live. You see I will be able to
return you the money.
Alan you are the only man I know in the USA. I don't want to mix
our relationship and money. But I don't have anyone else to ask for
this help. I know if things even will not work out between us we will
stay good friends.
I don't want to lie you and say that I love you. I can't say it to the
man I have never met. But you must know that I have the warmest
feelings for you and I want to develop them. You know what this travel
means for me. It is my only chance to come to America and start new
life. It also maybe new life start for you... or for us. I am honest
woman and I honestly tell you that I will never hurt you or cheat you.
I will be there for ten months. This is more than enough to make a
decision about us.
Alan I have already told you about my plans for future. I want to
come to the USA, earn some money to start my own business and find
good man to love each other and enjoy our life together. I think I
have already found this man... Smile. YOU. When I heard from Nikolay
that my future ruined I was so stressed and confused. I don't want to
give it up. I still have my hope. You are this strong man that can
help me.
Alan, be my sponsor! Help me with travel expenses, please.
I will wait for your answer with all my hope.
Buffed,
Scammers actually declaring to be from Lugansk have been dropping for years, at first they claimed to be from outlying villages, then to other cities and more recently claiming to be from different countries.
Donetsk has become another hotbed also, when I last looked some time ago they were easy to spot because they advertised as being from 'Donbass' rather than Donetsk. Now whether these scammers are actually in Donetsk remains to be seen but taking into consideration it's proximity to Lugansk then just perhaps 2 plus 2 does equal 4.
Well here is the update about the girl with out the phone. As I said earlier, she wanted me to send her 100usd, so that she can call me from a public phone. I told her that was a expensive phone call and asked how much it was just to install a phone in her house and I would call her. She reply and said it would cost 300USD and I should send it by western union. Well she is on this site, or was on this site as of Sat. Full name Irina Tolstova, from: Yoshkar-ola. Is a shame, her pic looks great. LOL
arc21pa...she is a scammer and has not done her homework. B1/B2 visa is for visitors. To receive money for employment a H1 visa is required. The following is a list of things you cannot do while in the US on a B1/B2 visa:
The following activities require a working visa (H1), and may not be carried out by business visitors:
Running a business.
"Gainful employment".
Payment by an organization within the US.
Participating as a professional in entertainment or sporting events.
She is just trying to get at your wallet.
If she does have a valid visitors visa it sounds like she will have you send her a ticket and you will never see her once she arrives in the US. Otherwise she would not have to resort to a cock 'n bull story like that.
Hey........:):):) I've got a letter from her too:) I ran her name in Google and came up with her fiance com id #59400 Those who want to see her photos can just right mouse click on any profile photo, paste it into the browser and swap-out the id#'s
I went back and looked at the letter she sent me. She must be an amatuer because she (or "he") used the the "CC" instead of the "BCC" so I have the email addresses of the other guys she sent her mass mail reply to. I had written her back with my Ukraine mobile number along with both of my translator friends. I was going on vacation for a month and couldn't correspond so she should send me her phone number. I guess that eliminated me as a potential pigeon.
Just for yuks, I'll have to write a another letter and have some fun:)
Hey thanks for the info Bill, I will tell her that the next time she e-mails me.:)) It still amazes me how many scam artist are out there. I am glad there are forums like this so newbies like my self do not get ripped off.
Hey buffed, let me know what happens with her.lol
Both of them are 100% scam.
Russia doesn’t have any trade unions. (you can look up condition for H1 visa , if I am not mistaken and H1 is a working visa) Any way you can always ask her about company she’s going to work for in US and try to give them a call!)))
About phones. As I know you can’t even call to another county form public booth. She can get cell phone easily! Or have land line installed fast and cheap.