Safe to say my girl was a scammer

[KenC]

... in response to You should post a scammer report when..., posted by BarryM on Feb 6, 2002

Barry,
What are you talking about?  M@rdinson did EVERYTHING they promised.  read Bobby's post from a week or two ago.  The girls were everything and MORE than what was shown on their site.  They were real and M@rdinson set up the meetings for Bobby.  The rest is up to the guy.  Just because things don't go as planned, doesn't mean the girl is a scammer or the agency is bad.  Sh!it happens.  What does an agency have to do?  Hold your friggin hand until you say "I do"?  Get real.  
You know what?  Your right.  Too many scammers and too many bad agencies, you are better off staying home!
KenC

[hockeybrain]

... in response to what did the agency do wrong?, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

One thing about L@fetimep@rtners is they follow up on the girls.  They make sure paperwork matters go smoothly, teach the girl English, continue correspondence until she is in the US with you - and then I think they even talk with you when you are married.  M@dins#n was great for meeting girls on their site, putting you up in a nice flat, giving you translation if you needed it but after that it is a big flat 0.  If L*fetimep@rtners could get rebuilt (restock the pond) they are the full service agency to go with as far as I am concerned.  Ken, I have been through L*fetimep@rtners, two separate tours, on my own twice and have used M$rdinson.  My most fun had to be the AF@ tour to ST. Petersburg.  As far as accomplishing my goal of meeting and accomplishing a fiance visa - L-fetimep@rtners would have been the best if I had found a girl without a kid who after she thought she was coming to the US had to have a Mercedes etc.

[BarryM]

... in response to Re: what did the agency do wrong?, posted by hockeybrain on Feb 7, 2002

nt

[BarryM]

... in response to what did the agency do wrong?, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

Waving a red flag means caution. The words is still not out on M0rdinson yet. Some folks may have a good experience with them. Just like "Faces". There is suspicion, but not definate evidence of scams. It's a wait and see if they get their act straight.

-blm

[MarkInTx]

... in response to I'm not accusing the agency just yet..., posted by BarryM on Feb 7, 2002

Red usually means stop

[BarryM]

... in response to Actually Yellow Flag means caution, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

you get more information that they are honest and have their act together. If any M0rdinson representatives want to come here and discuss things, that's fine. I say, keep your ear to the ground and see if guys are getting good results or being scammed.

-blm

[MarkInTx]

... in response to what did the agency do wrong?, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

Ken,

According to the story, Bobby had a friend who met a girl who also tried to fleece him. Bobby contacted the agency, and they have not and will not remove his girl from the site.

That's a black mark for an agency.

Any agency that knowingly allows a scammer to stay on their site needs to be flagged as dishonest.

Let me give you a counter example. The Scanna situation that happened with me that I related earlier.

After my FIRST contact, Scanna took action. They contacted the girl to get her side of the story. Then they updated her profile to -- at the very least -- specify that she was not intersted in American men. This cost them money, since most of their customers are American.

Then they followed up with me again to find out whether she EVER asked me for ANY money. (The amount in question was she asked if she could have the money for the rose, instead of the rose.) If she had, they were going to REMOVE her from their site.

THAT'S how a reputable agency works.

Ken, you dealt with a reputable agency. You never, to my knowledge, dealt with one that was not honest.

In this regard, you are quick to defend all agencies because the one you used was good. Well, all agencies are NOT good. In fact, MANY are very dishonest.

Don't scream at the guys who are trying to pass on hard earned knowledge about suspicious actions of agencies and girls.

They are just trying to help those out there who are going over.

It's what this forum is all about, Ken. You caught lightning in a bottle. Not eveyrone is so lucky.

The rest of us must be cautious...

[Ramblin]

... in response to GOOD agency Vs. BAD agency, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

I agree with you Mark.  Quite a while back, I was thinking of using Romeo and Juliet for my travel arrangements to Kherson because the price was the best value I could find.  Then one of their ladies turned out to be a scammer and Juliet refused to remove her so I refused to do business with that agency.

[KenC]

... in response to GOOD agency Vs. BAD agency, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

Mark,
Yes, I dealt with a good agency, but believe me, even they have bad girls.  We personally know of them too.  How much responsibility does an agency have to shoulder?  Where does the responsibility of the AM start?  I know you are never going to get a 100% anywhere.  So what if a guy thinks one of the girls is a gold digger.  That is only his opinion.  What is it based on?  Did she turn him down?  Is she "high maintenance"?  Is it "sour grapes"?  It is all so subjective that no one can tell the truth.  The agency that Bobby used introduced him to a number of fine women, what happens from there, is up to Bobby and the girl, not the agency.  If things don't work out, blame the agency and label the girl a "scammer," but please don't think any responsibility falls on the AM.  Is it Bobby's insecurities that spotlight the negative possibilities?  Maybe he isn't comfortable with the age difference.  Maybe she is just too beautiful for his ego to handle.  If you look for the negative possibilities, you will find them.

The fine agency that I used warned me against getting too emotionally attached to Lena.  They told me that she was a difficult client and that she was not serious about getting married or coming to America.  Many men (younger & richer) had unsuccessfully tried to woo her.  I even contacted an AM that had tried to get her to do a K-1 with him.  He bad mouthed her like crazy to me.  I laughed after I spoke to him because I knew his "opinion" of her just reeked of sour grapes.  Later I found out that as he and I were having our conversations, he was contacting Lena to see if she would reconsider his proposal.  If I had just accepted the agency and this guy's opinion, I would have run for cover.  Lena could have easily been labeled a scammer because she wasn't keen on getting married and never wanted to relocate to America.  Instead, I had to find out for myself.  With my own eyes and ears and heart.  Personally, I felt if a girl doesn't want to come to America, it is a GOOD sign.  Then if she does come here, it is for reasons other than the plane ticket.  What guys here have to understand is that anyone can contact the hotties in Russia, but like the song goes, "Are you man enough to be  man?"
KenC

[MarkInTx]

... in response to I married a scammer!, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

Ken,

A Man certainly bears a lot of the responsibility. Almost all of it, in fact. Because with everything this board provides, no one should be taken by a scammer.

However, with your Lena (Scammer... oh boy, does she know you called her that???) you can't compare.

High maintenance. Choosey. Picky. Doesn't want to leave Russia. These are not bad things.

But I'll bet Lena never hit you up for money so she could bribe her professor in college. I'll bet she never took money you sent her for shipping K-1 Visa papers, and spent it on something else.

I'll bet she never told you to send $1199 to a friend of hers so she could get over here sooner.

In short, from what you've shared about Lena, I'll bet she never hit ANYONE up for money.

There IS a difference between a scammer and your wife.

(Thought you'd like to know :-)

[KenC]

... in response to She's no scammer, posted by MarkInTx on Feb 7, 2002

Mark,
Of course I don't REALLY think Lena was/is a scammer.  She is the most sincere woman I have ever met in my life.  She is honest almost to a fault.

I thought I should post this to make sure that EVERYONE knew I had my tongue firmly in my cheek with the post above.
KenC

[MarkInTx]

... in response to of course, posted by KenC on Feb 7, 2002

;-)

I only said what I said because you keep drawing prallels between your wife and Bobby's "girl"

All I am saying is that you can't really do that because your wife is a whole breed apart from what Bobby was dealing with.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to You should post a scammer report when..., posted by BarryM on Feb 6, 2002

Was the first red flag all the girls looked like models?  He could add her to the Firstdream scammer site.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to You should post a scammer report when..., posted by BarryM on Feb 6, 2002

Any idea where the best place to post a scammer report is?  I would be more than happy to give name, number, address plus post a picture of this scammer.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: You should post a scammer report whe..., posted by Bobby Orr on Feb 6, 2002

Also, send details to Jack and he'll add her to Firstdream's scammer page