OK, who's dating Sveta?

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Re: Oh no!, posted by Streetwise on Sep 9, 2002

You could have read our many postings on scammers and saved your money.  I went to Riga last year.  How did you like it?  I dumped the nice girl and the other one tried half-heartedly to scam me.

[Streetwise]

... in response to Oh my, you should have come here sooner., posted by BubbaGump on Sep 10, 2002

The city of Riga was great (the old historic centre). As for ladies, I met several, all through local agencies based in Riga; the first was a nice girl but I wasn't convinced she was for me. The second was stunning but her English was very poor. I spend a few days with her (always chaperoned by her sister in law who spoke some English) and we even went out for a meal with her parents who live in Jurmala by the coast. They were very nice people. This girl even brought me to the airport at 0600 am for my flight; she was sweet and genuine but we drifted apart later. I had a couple of other meetings but they didn't get past the first coffee.

I also travelled to Riga to visit a girl I met in Greece;  she was working here as a dancer (!) but she was very sweet and genuine, and she never asked me for anything although I did spoil her a bit.

[Oscar]

... in response to OK, who's dating Sveta?, posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

Write using a different email address and name and see if you get a response.. That will tell you if either the agency or the girl might be scamming you, might be tough to find out which though..
Lugansk is known for having about the highest number of scammers, both girls and agencies, of just about anywhere!  You must be careful anywhere but even more so in Lugansk!

Good luck,
Oscar

[Streetwise]

... in response to Write her again using a different name, ..., posted by Oscar on Sep 8, 2002

Thanks for the tip. Actually I tried to do just that but her profile had already been deleted from the Absolute website, but I'll try again directly with the local translation agency under a different name. Having read through this notice board, and similar Forums, I see what you mean about Lugansk. After what I have read about the place itself (it sounds like one of the most unpleasant places in the country) and the scale of fraudulent contacts there, I think a home address in "Lugansk" will become a major mark-down in assessing the criteria of future profiles.

[thesearch]

... in response to Re: Write her again using a different na..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

Here profile has been pulled. Could be a smart move by the agency to not get bad press ---- almost as if she pulled her profile because of finding someone else - you were plan B or he was but arrived before you did.

Or, she could be for real and that or some variation did transpire. The only way to get more data that I can see is somehow use that agency again and do not pay for anything and see what happens.

I was writing to a lady, hired a Ukrainian lady to do my translations and thus did not  need the agency. They told me that I could not write to the lady anymore unless I used them. They said that income was needed in Ukraine and this is why they requested such. When I told them that I was paying someone in Ukraine - this was not important. When they asked me to pay e-mail expenses. I told them that I would be happy to do that however, I would deal directly with the lady that I was writing to and send her the funds so that she could pay them directly. This was not acceptable. If there is a next time, I will tell them (Agency) that I am  fluent in Russian as well as English.

Needless to say --- through all of this, I exposed  them as an agency with an agenda. The girl may have been real and the agency may have just been making sure that it made enough money. Who knows, however, I was not going to spend any time to find out.

Good luck to you

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: Write her again using a different na..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

The fact that her profile is GONE from the site is a good indication to me that she indeed has found another guy.  A good scam agency will keep a womans photo running as long as possible, take in all the cash they can on her.  Usually when a profile is gone, it is at the womans and her fiance's request..

I had the same thing happen.  I was writing to a beautiful woman from near Lugansk, was thinking of having her come to Odessa when I went on this last trip.  Everything was going fine (and I also got her from "Absolute Agency"), she was excited, I was excited to meet her, then one day I got the news from her that the guy she has always been in love with came back from Germany to take her back there! LOL!  
I actually did meet quite a few legit women from the "Absolute" site.  I learned very quickly to ask them that if they were writing me from an agency, to please write me from an internet cafe.  If they would not.. it was to the curb with em' as I knew they were either unethical agencies unwilling to part with their girl or the girl was a scammer!

Oscar

[Oscar]

... in response to OK, who's dating Sveta?, posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

.

[Streetwise]

... in response to Question- Did you send her any money??  ..., posted by Oscar on Sep 8, 2002

Fortunately not (that's one of the reasons I thought she was on the level). The cost was just for translations  (each way), about $250 i total. That's why I think the Agency was the problem...

[thesearch]

... in response to Re: Question- Did you send her any money..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

Yea, for the time you were writing, there is no way I can see your translations costing $250 unless you used someone from a different economy to do it for you such as USA.

That is almost a full month's wages depending on the location. Even if you figure into it a 100% markup by the agency which would be reasonable - there is no way someone had two weeks of eight hours a day for two weeks into translations for your e-mail.

[Streetwise]

... in response to Re: Re: Question- Did you send her any m..., posted by thesearch on Sep 9, 2002


Hi Search

Consider a total of 36 letters and 10 photos (half of them mine, printed and delivered) over a 2 month period. Then check out the following and work it out for yourself!

Dear Sir,
One of our clients, Lady Svetlana, is very much interested in you.
In order to continue the correspondence either you or your Lady is to
pay for the services we provide. If you decide to cover all the
expenses, the correspondence for Lady Svetlana will be free of charge.

See the information which includes our
services and prices:

Payment for 1 E-mail - 5$
Payment for 5 E-mails - 20$
Payment for 10 E-mails - 40$
* Unlimited correspondence for 1 month*-100$
* Unlimited correspondence for 3 months - 250$
* Unlimited correspondence for 6 months - 400$
Scanning and sending 1 photo - 2$
One your photo received, printed,
delivered and handled to the lady - 5$

Home delivery:
* a big cake (with the subscription you would like)-20$
* a bunch of flowers - 25$
* a box of chocolate or other candies -10$
* personal congratulations with a postcard - 5$

Terms of payment:

We work via Western Union. It is the easiest and most convenient way
of transferring money to Ukraine.
If you decide to use the services of the Western Union, you have:

*to send your money, indicating our manager's name as a receiver
(Ruslan Fedoseev)
*to inform us of the date of transfer, the money transfer control
number (send an e-mail with the necessary information)

You are welcome to request additional information if any questions
arise.

Sincerely,
"Oasis Women's Club" Manager.

---------------------------------
Provided by "Oasis Women's Club"
mailto:officeoasis@ukr.net

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: Question- Did you send her any money..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 8, 2002

Again, I think the girl did indeed hook up with another guy or her profile would still be up for them to make money from..

My 2 cents

[Streetwise]

... in response to Damm!  How much were your translations??, posted by Oscar on Sep 8, 2002

The translations cost $5 (we exchanged about 20 letters each way), plus Western Union charges. I agree with you about the likely outcome, but I can't get over how sincere and beguiling some of these girls can seem, to probably two or three or more guys at the same time. If they are capable of that, who knows what else they might have in store later on in a relationship... it is a minefield out there. That's why I value the shared experiences on this site.

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: Damm!  How much were your translatio..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 9, 2002

The odds for a woman there finding a foreign husband are very small.  There are soooo many women there looking and so few of us going there.  If a woman wants to truly find a husband, she knows it's a numbers game, that the more men she meets, the greater liklihood that she will find a husband.  I certainly can't fault a woman for that.  Now if she is telling each and every one that she "loves" him etc., then yes, I think she is a jerk, but if she is just corresponding and fond of a guy, I think this is normal.  
I was writing to about 20 different women when I left on this last trip!  Was I insincere or being smart?  I was looking forward to meeting all of these women..  I was there for a very specific purpose- to find a wife, and I wanted to meet more than a few women to search out that potential.  Who would NOT like some kind of a choice??  They are not much different.

If you don't want to deal with the gristmill that many agencies can be, you should consider running some personal ads in an area.  98% of these women will be sincere and not scammers and most will speak some English.  Scammers typically do not respond to personal ads..

Oscar

[Pordzhik]

... in response to Re: Damm!  How much were your translatio..., posted by Streetwise on Sep 9, 2002

it takes the translation agency out of the equation

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Stick to the English speakers, posted by Pordzhik on Sep 9, 2002


This is the best advice I can think of.

I have corresponded with two different women who didn't know English very well. But somehow they managed to find a way to get messages to me, and read mine.

They both got access to translation programs. It wasn't perfect, but at least we didn't have to worry about translations agencies...