Marriage Agencies in Ukraine

[MarkInTx]

The old-timers here will know all of this...

But recently, my fiance was talking with her English tutor about the marriage agencies in Kherson. (Now... this is not ALL Kherson agencies. But there are MANY that this refers to, so if you are new to the scene and are just starting to contact ladies: BE CAREFUL)

Her English teacher sometimes does some work for these agencies.

I asked her what her English teacher told her, and this was her reply to me:

"Today I will tell you something about Kherson Marriage Agencies...

I already told you there are many beautiful women in Kherson, and that is why there are many different marriage agencies here. But it’s only a business for people from these agencies.

When a foreigner begins to write a woman, in fact the woman hardly ever sends her letters to him. Usually, the letters are written by the agency’s employers. There are many standard letters there, and they have very little real information about this woman or any other women. When a man come in Kherson and meet this woman, He begins to tell about her very interesting things about herself. She surprises very much to hear this.

Usually when a foreigner come in Kherson for the meeting, he pays almost for “his every step”. He doesn’t know really price for everything, and agency gives a much higher price for the paying. It takes too much money. If  he finds his future wife in agency, he must pay to agency $2000 or $3000 for his future happiness.

Sometimes the man must pay for the picture and address the woman, that he likes. Sometimes the picture of a  beautiful woman can be sold by some men who know her, and the woman doesn’t know any thing about it.

Sometimes the agency takes the picture of a beautiful woman, (she may be already married), to many locations of the Internet. Many men begin to write her, and agency has a lot of money from them. Sometimes the woman will get money too, but often only the agency.

For example, the woman writes the man: “I need money to study language. I need money to buy an apartment, I need money to treat, I need, I need…… “ There are many opportunities for need. And the kind men begin to send a lot of money.

There are such problems not only in Kherson, but other cities too. I can’t say all of the agencies are bad, I think not. But a lot of money are demanded by all of the agencies.

My teacher is surprised, how the people can get marry in such conditions. It seems to her it’s too hard. In truth, there are many beautiful women in Kherson who can’t find the men of the dream through the Marriage Agencies. This is what my English teacher said.

When I was in Kiev. Luda told me about Kherson Agencies as well. But I don’t think in Kiev Agencies are completely OK. I watched some special programs about it on TV. It was stories about Kiev Agencies...

That is way I try to stay far from all the agencies. I have never written somebody through marriage agency.

So, I am a very lucky woman. I have found my man through a newspaper. I have a computer with email and can write my man every day and economize his money..."

Again... this is old news to most of the guys here... but for the newbies... this is from someone in Kherson who has seen it. And she is right... it's not just Kherson. That letter could be written about virtually any city in the FSU...

BE CAREFUL...

[Oscar]

... in response to Marriage Agencies in Ukraine, posted by MarkInTx on Oct 4, 2002

As it is much bigger.  It's funny Luda would say that because she ended up taking ME to one of the worst scam agencies (she didn't know it at the time) in Kiev! LOL! It is run by a lady named Luba and after having met and gotten to know an American Dentist there, he said that this lady was a virtual monster!  If girls didn't do exactly as she said, she would threaten to put a curse on the girl or her family.
Now, we laugh at that but many of these girls are VERY superstitious..  Well, I went to Luba's and met some girls, not knowing any of this at the time.  She had some very attractive and nice girls in her agency, with probably 2,000+ photos in her catalogues.  She just worked out of her small flat.
I started dating one girl a bit, she was great.  So after about our 4th date, Luba tells me that of course I may need her help if I wanted it to go towards marriage..  I told her that no, I could handle it.  She then said of course you will be willing to pay for this match?  I told her that she had never said anything about this when we discussed it.. I paid for the meeting and that was it.  She then told me that if a man found his wife, that he gave the agency money for that and what was $2,000 or $3,000 for a rich American! LOL!  I told her to forget it, that we were fine and if things went towards marriage, we would not need further help.  She then told me that she "hoped" that everything would be ok..  Meaning- I will mess with your girl if you don't pay what I ask.. I couldn't believe it!  Again, I told her to forget it.  I had a date with the girl I had met a few times for the next day... imagine my surprise when she cancelled.  I couldn't get her to commit to other times either.  She had to work or she was too busy etc..  Luba had obviously told her to walk away!  Of course now I am fine with how it all worked out but at that time I was pretty pizzed off!  That is when I met this Dentist.  He had dated girls who had been in her agency and had told him horror stories about it!  She would threaten the girls that if they didn't bring her things, like food and treats and do exactly what she said, that she would curse them that they would either never get married or that if they did, that they would never be able to have children or that she would just never introduce them to any more men!  When I was at Luba's place looking at photos, I swear, there must have been 8 different women that brought everything from pickled eggs to cuts of meat to her!  I thought "wow, these girls really love this lady!" LOL!  
There are a lot of places like this, believe me!  The woman WILL burn in hell I have no doubt...
This is why I so like the ad approach because you avoid so many of these agency girls (not that there are not some legit girls in legit agencies) but with ads, you don;t have to worry about it..

Oscar

[Dan]

... in response to No, there are likely MORE scam agencies ..., posted by Oscar on Oct 4, 2002

There are 2 known 'centers' of scamming activity in Ukraine. One is in western Ukraine centered in Chernivtsy - and another is Kherson. Some would argue Kharkiv qualifies as well, but I think it is more prevalent at the other 2.

The reason the 'centers' became rife with scamming activity is quite simple (and logical). In the early days of the MOB business, a person or two in these locations (well-connected, I should add), learned how easy it is to scam some unsuspecting western men out of their $$. Word spread and some people that had initially been in the employ of these early 'pioneers' began to branch out on their own employing the same tactics learned at the first place - and voila! - a small cottage industry of scammers is sprung up.

Kharkiv's reputation is more a function of demographics (IMO). With the FSU's highest concentration of universities, there are many, many young co-eds that have learned the ropes and word spreads fast. Still, there are lots of sincere women - I dare say, even in Kherson and Chernivtsy - but the percentages are better elsewhere.

- Dan