Beware!

[Ramblin]

Here is a warning for everyone (those of you that didn't know already) watch out for interpreters!  Most of us can spot a lady trying to scam us and can easily see red flags but sometimes these interpreters can do you wrong too.  Male interpreters can and might  scam you out of your lady behind your back or after you leave.  If he's the same age as your lady and you are older, he has a better chance being her age and making good money as an interpreter.  If your lady is older but he prefers older women, then there he goes again.  And we've heard the stories about the female interpreters that like the American man and sabotage the interpreting or they get ticted off about something and take it out in their interpreting, but there are at least two other scams that one particular female interpreter in Kiev is doing.  I was doing a search for tall ladies last night and somehow followed a link to Jack's site.  I took a look at his known scammers page, and was a bit surprised to see the first lady there Katya on the red background.    http://www.firstdream.com/scammers/knownscammers1.htm
It looks like a few guys had money extorted out of them for exorbitant long distance bills that were fabricated by this lady and her friend Natalia and they backed it up by threatening to call the police or militia.  And as you know, the police in Ukraine don't even need a reason to get money out of you so imagine what they would do with two witnesses and a reason!  Anyway, I had dinner with this Katya lady last summer.  It was on one of my first nights in Kiev before I had met any ladies to speak of and so I telephoned Natalie an interpreter recommended by someone on this board.  After 10 p.m. Natalie's rates go up to three times what Jack's interpreters charge but she says she can set me up with a date on short notice and pick me up at 9:30 and also take me to a great restaurant.  I was hungry and wanted a dance partner that night that I could speak English with, so I agreed.  It was a blind date and it was Katya who is Natalie the interpreter's best friend.  This Natalie is not the same one pictured on Jack's scammer page but that sure is Katya her best friend there.  Natalie got me a good deal on an apartment for one of my out of town ladies and she didn't pull the phone scam on us, in fact, the long distance was blocked on that phone.  However she did scam me in the fact that it turns out this Katya lady can speak English and doesn't need an interpreter.  She also told my lady that she could go to the health spa after her flight and offered her all kinds of her services to my lady that I had not agreed to in advance.  And her interpreting was not good with her not interpreting to the other person but giving her own reply and engaging in conversations with me or my lady or the taxi driver or her cell phone instead of interpreting to the other person.  She ticted me off, and I didn't use her after that, but she continued to telephone my lady at the apartment she had got for her.  I wasn't going to mention anything about her, just not use her services again, but now that I see her best friend is an internet and AFA social scammer and long distance extortion scammer, everyone please be warned and be careful with interpreters in general.  Looks like we need to know about interpreter scammers in advance just like the insincere lady scammers.  Oh and in case you are one of those types that likes to use scammers or think it a challenge to try to bed a scammer or see what you could get off of her now that you know she's a scammer, look at her lip very carefully before you kiss her.  As for me, I had a delicious but expensive dinner, that was all.  Good thing she was too tired to go out dancing after dinner.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

My interpreter would have me overpay people for services to help them out.  I think I ended up paying twice as much as a lot of other guys that had their girl negotiate prices.  I'm refering to car trips where you flag down a driver on the street or have them wait for you while you're at Catherine's Summer Palace.

Another thing I'm wondering about is that I had her call 2 women that spoke fluent English.  She said neither one was interested in me but you know I was paying her $50 a day and more.  I think she would lie to me for that kind of money.  I had only 7 rubles left at the end of the trip.

[BarryM]

... in response to I had a different interpreter problem, posted by BubbaGump on Feb 21, 2002

Your experience also is good information about dealing with dishonest interpreters.

-blm

[Scaught]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

n/t

[Ramblin]

... in response to Ramblin: What is Natalie's last name or ..., posted by Scaught on Feb 21, 2002

K.

[Scaught]

... in response to Re: Ramblin: What is Natalie's last name..., posted by Ramblin on Feb 22, 2002

Say it ain't so!

[Pete]

... in response to Re: Ramblin: What is Natalie's last name..., posted by Ramblin on Feb 22, 2002

That wouldn't be "Koval" by any chance, would it??

[Quasimoto]

... in response to Re: Re: Ramblin: What is Natalie's last ..., posted by Pete on Feb 22, 2002

I used her the first time I went to Kyiv, and I left feeling fleeced! She wasn't all bad then, but she also had some grey-area ethics.

Steve

[Ramblin]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Yup! Koval !!!, posted by Quasimoto on Feb 23, 2002

Steve,
if you felt fleeced, I wish you wouldn't have highly recommended her and raved about how good she was at introducing you to foxy ladies on the street.

[thesearch]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

I have talked to a few guys who have experienced what you described.

The first case I heard of was where the interpreter became very attracted to the guy who went over to meet several ladies. Nothing was going well and he noticed that the body language of some of the ladies did not match what the interpreter relayed to him.

Later, he was actually able to get a confession out of her about this. She admitted her interest and sabotage. Think of all the wasted time. Months of communication culminating in a trip that is not easy to duplicate in any given time frame - all to have it invalidated by an interpreter.

[micha1]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

Perhaps are right, to the dot.
But as far as I am concern,  Shall be meeting a RW soon, in a large western Europe Capital.
My russian is close to zero and her english, speaking wise, well her ears are not use to it yet.
So I shall procure myself two small translators and we shall have a lot of fun.
I came to this conclusion, because the hardship of not knowing the other person's  language, will make so, that
we will get to know each other better.
We shall have to be on the lookout for the non-verbal at all the time, we will be teaching each other as we go
along.  The efforts we'll put in this exercise will keep the both of us busy.  I'm gambling that after 3-4-5 days
we will understand each other, if we are to ever get along.
Also if we are in the least compatible and get along well in the hay, it is a no brainer.

I do know of a place where I will talk to her and where she will understand everything and the point I am trying
to make.

[hockeybrain]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

Appreciate it.

[Ryan]

... in response to Beware!, posted by Ramblin on Feb 21, 2002

Wow Ok………..  Strange people in this world indeed (Below).  Anyway this is why 90% of the women I correspond to and will meet this May speak some English.  Under no circumstance I will not pay for an interpreter.  I went to see a girl in the Ukraine and we used one of her friends but I didn’t pay her and I didn’t make it out that she was hired by me.  She did it as a friend would for another.  I ended up giving her a few dollars in the end just being nice.    I would think by the body language that you could tell if you don’t have the chemistry with someone and they are playing you.  You must have felt this thus your writing about it here.  I think we would all see this and know it if it happened.  

No I am trying to learn from this:
I have a question, if you were at a restaurant and you felt that this sort of game was going on with the interpreter and you felt no chemistry with the women.  What would you do?  I am thinking I would get up, go to the cashier and pay them for what we all ate and drank then put on my coat and walk out going home alone.  Would this be the best way to handle it or should you just play stupid until you get home then just never use them again etc.  

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Re: Beware!, posted by Ryan on Feb 21, 2002

.. before you walk out of the restaurant and realize you have no idea where you are or where you came from.  

Tip, when you arrive at the hotel take one of the hotel business cards with their address on it.  If you can't communicate with a cab driver you can show them the business card.

[hockeybrain]

... in response to Re: Beware!, posted by Ryan on Feb 21, 2002

I think just calling off the date early and sending them both home is fine.  I think the smart thing to do is to just play along like you do not know what is going on - that way she still thinks you are her friend etc.  In a foreign country, especially one where the police can be so corrupt, the more friends you have the better off you can be.  The only thing that really bothers me about the above scenario is if the girl really looked good and acted like she liked you, you may want to take her out to get to know her better for a few more dates etc......... and they could conceivably waste not just some more of your money, but your time, which really is more valuable.