Safe to say my girl was a scammer

[Richard]

... in response to Thanks for telling us the agency name, posted by BubbaGump on Feb 6, 2002

maybe it will help someone else out.

[Richard]

... in response to Re: It's not too late to add her to the ..., posted by Richard on Feb 6, 2002

I was coommenting on BubbaGumps comment about adding this woman to the scammer lists.  My point is / was that adding her to the scammer lists does not have to be instantaneous.  After reading other peoples posts, I agree it is a good idea to be cautious. Don't read too much into my post.

[KenC]

... in response to Re: It's not too late to add her to the ..., posted by Richard on Feb 6, 2002

Richard,
Re-read the original post.  What has the girl scammed?  $640?  Including gifts?  So what if her passport ran more than expected and she had to grease a few more Ukie police.  She has not done anything out of line yet.  You guys are so paranoid of losing a couple of bucks that you lose all touch with reality.
KenC

[BarryM]

... in response to tell me what she scammed?, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

until she definitely ran off with the cash and cut all communications. Discouragement is one thing, but it is not a scam yet. When someone says they have been scammed, I usually assume they have eliminated all doubts before they post. A lady getting cold feet is not a scammer, even if she spent the money on passport, paperwork, etc. $650 is not that much in the big scheme of things, but it is a lot in Ukraine. Scamming is another form of mail fraud, just like the infamous Nigerian scams. It is a big underground industry in Ukraine and Russia now. The funny thing is, the more the word gets out that men are getting scammed, the more likely that there is less men going to try to find a RW/UW bride. Of course the scammers are going to get more clever and inventive. The Shane Neff's of the world may be doing us a favor... by decreasing the competition of new guys looking in Russia and Ukraine. Big agency owners will come under increasing competitive pressure to verify sincere women and eliminate scammers. In the future, there may be guarantees and even cash rewards for identifying scammers and cons. Agencies are already being affected by the business recession so they are going to have to be more reliable or fold. Bigger agencies are also going to have to clean up their act and screen their clients as well. "Sex" tours with harlots is going to stink up the reputation of a lot of agencies. Agencies are going to have to clean up their act or they may be put out of business by congress.

-blm

[MarkInTx]

... in response to tell me what she scammed?, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

Ken,

Stop being such an apologist for all things Russian!

$640 isn't nothing. And don't forget that she was Tee-ing him up for more.

She tried to get "Hospital" bills out of him. (Convenient how she suddenly got better when he tried to find out which hospital she was in...don't you think???)

Then she wanted to work a "Student Visa" tuition for almost $2000. All he had to do was send money to a "friend"? Come on, Ken. I KNOW you're smarter than that!

The ONLY reason he only got taken for $640 is that he wised up.

And more importantly, he wasted a trip because of her. (Yes I know he shares some blame... but I think it was his first time over... all rookies make mistakes. I know I sure did...)

He can only go over a few times a year at most. Now its one less. He lost plenty.

A scammer is any one who is insincere. The amount of the transaction isn't determined by her. It is determined by how fast the "Mark" wises up.

She would have played him for thousands if she could have...

[hockeybrain]

... in response to Only because he pulled the plug!!!, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

You see it how I see it.  The reason I wanted to post the aftermath is because I have been over to Ukraine or Russia six times.  I thought I had a lady of beauty and more important character.  One thing after another is just too much.  In my first post I also did not mention how she was claiming a professor was demanding money as well to pass her class............hinting that she wanted money from me to pay him off, but not directly asking for money.  The bottom line is I really only got nice letters when she received money.  The rest of the letters were telling me one problem after another in her life implying that she needed more money.....obviously she did not love me for me.
NEXT..........

[BarryM]

... in response to Re: Only because he pulled the plug!!!, posted by hockeybrain on Feb 7, 2002

Sending $20 once in a while for the internet cafe is one thing, but paying her bribes is another. She can go to community college here. Her degree may not be worth anything here anyway.

Perhaps, next time(next lady) you should talk to Jack about some personal services over there to pay some of the expenses without giving her money directly. It may cost more, but she is not going pocket any cash unless she gets a kickback.

-blm

[KenC]

... in response to Only because he pulled the plug!!!, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

Mark,
Re-read the original post.  The student visa was $1,100 INCLUDING AIRFARE.  Hmmm, $1,110 minus $800 to $900 for the airline leaves $200 to $300 for the I-20 documents.  What a windfall!  Karkov (sp) is home to many universities.  It only stands to reason that they have coached more than a few student visas.  The thing that made Lena's student visa fly is that she was a student at the time.  Sorry, but it sounds very reasonable to me.  And forget the $640 number altogether.  Bobby gave her $220 for everything.  When she claimed that she had to grease a few more palms, he sent an additional $300.  How much the $150 he sent at Xmas was for gifts is unclear.

OK, Mark, just follow my "logic" for a little more OK?  A few months (weeks?) (days?) ago, Bobby was ready to commit to this woman for the rest of his life.  Today he calls her names (scammer) and gives her the boot because of her claim that the costs are $350 more than they expected?  Something wrong with that equation in my mind.  ($300 extra sent + $50 from Xmas money gift)
KenC

[MarkInTx]

... in response to back up, Mark Twain, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002


But, he was in love with her after one trip.

I think that is common. The main problem was that he rushed into a "relationship".

I think that the fact he did not give "facts" is simply a case of the way he wrote his narrative.

Maybe I was reading between the lines, and you were just trying to see the facts.

For instance... the hospital. He doesn't say that she asked for money... but he certainly indicates that she was hinting for it. You know how that goes. Women can certainly "Ask" for something without actually "Asking."

In fact, this is a common scammer move.

Haven't you guys got the letters from the girls at agencys (after you've maybe written two lettres to them) "Thursday is ________ (Insert holidy or whatever here) and it is tradition in our country to give flowers or presents to a woman. I wish you were here so you could be here with me on this special holiday. I will be so lonely. No one will be buying me presents, and all of my friends will get them..."

Now... what is she REALLY saying here? (Oh, this letter is traditionally followed up by the agency sending you a message about all of the services they offer.)

Also in his narrative, there was the part of the Student Visa and friend. It certainly was IMPLIED that she was saying send $1199 to her friend, so they could arrange the student Visa.

Add that to the hospital stay that "ate up extra expenses" thus explaining why the money he sent for DHL shipping was sued somewhere else.

I keep telling you guys... any ONE thing... yes. Sure.

You add them all up. No way. She went from being an angel to being a hardluck case over night? Hmmm.. and this just happened to coincide with the "engagement?"

Doesn't this all seem just TOO much?

Again, usually our instincts are right in these things. And Barry's instincts are telling him to cut and run.

[BarryM]

... in response to Agreed in Part... BUT, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

I would dump a hard luck case. It's sad, but I'm not a charity, I'm looking for a wife. If she doesn't have her act together then I'm going to take a walk. I've already been through a co-dependant hard luck type of relationship and I don't plan on having another one. Once we're married, it becomes a completely different issue, but prior to that... no hard luck cases. I'm sympathetic and I give to the church to help the poor and needy, but I'm not going to adopt one.

Americans are too generous in the world and we are resented for it. It's time we held back the purse for a while because we're getting bit on the behind by those we are giving to.

-blm

[tim360z]

... in response to back up, Mark Twain, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

....for a good wife...its the deal of a lifetime.  Its a bargin.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Safe to say my girl was a scammer, posted by Bobby Orr on Feb 6, 2002

I gave her 220 cash when I left, but $20 was for her to get home from the airport - I knew higher than it cost, but perhaps my generosity in always wanting to give her a little more than things cost worked against me.  Anyway, I gave her $650 ultimately to get her part of the fiance visa done plus to email me from an internet cafe any time she wanted when I knew it should only cost $125 at the most.  Maybe I gave her too much rope, but when I invested all the time and money I wanted to be sure - and a little extra money was all I had to waste.  Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Re: One other thing, posted by Bobby Orr on Feb 6, 2002

The agency I used was M@rdinson.  I highly recommend you stay away from them even if they give you a clear cut answer how well they know their girls.

[micha1]

... in response to Re: Re: Second other thing, posted by Bobby Orr on Feb 6, 2002

I have just been on their site, M&rdinson.
I had clear all of the cookies before going.
I didn't stay two minutes, just to read a page, there was three cookies when I left them,  hotlog, spylog and
m&rdinson.
Everything has to be done their way, at no time can you just correspond with the girl or speak to her on the
phone on your own.  They even will hold the candle for you in due time.  The girls must get a %.
Also many more people must get scam, but they are too proud to tell about it.

[BarryM]

... in response to Re: Re: Second other thing, posted by Bobby Orr on Feb 6, 2002

the air clears from that mess. It's another red flag over M0rdinson.

-blm