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For the benefit of those who might find themselves in similar circumstances, I have now exposed my correspondent as a scammer. "Her" vital mistake was to tell me that she had made her visa application (and would be making her flight reservations) through a travel agent, and then gave me the details of that travel agent when I asked for them (which proved to be genuine.) Probably the scamnmer didn't think I would actually call the travel agent in Kazan, but I did and sure enough they knew nothing about her application. Another clue was her home addess which I also had to ask for; Pushkina Street does exist in Kazan, but it is also home to one of the city's main hotels, and a casino adjacent to "her" block - hardly a typical residential neighbourhood, at least not for someone who can't afford a phone!

It was very cleverly done in the early stages, especially the idea about giving genuine information about the travel agency, and a  genuine street address. One of the most clever moves was for the scammer to pretend to be having second thoughts, as though nervous about coming over to a strange country (a bit of reverse psychology.)  

Anyway, I told the scammer that I had spoken with the travel agent, who appeared "not to have processed her papers" for the visa, and suggested postponing her trip to the embassy in Moscow until we could be sure they had sent her documents there. I also told the scammer I had been in contact with the embassy, that they were expecting her application, and I would do all necessary from my side to support  the process once they received it. I haven't heard from "her" since.

I'm not celebrating the outcome; although I may have saved myself a few hundred bucks but it has been a waste of my precious time (should have bailed out earlier.) For anyone on this board who though I was being over-cynical and suspicious early on, take note of this. You don't get many clues so make the most of the ones you DO get.

... in response to "She's" busted, posted by Streetwise on Dec 10, 2004

Thank you for a very good,informative post.I need to read this kind of info.I wrote one and visited one two years ago and I am ready to try agin.My friend wasn't a scammer,just the angriest woman in Sevastopol--cs

... in response to "She's" busted, posted by Streetwise on Dec 10, 2004

[This message has been edited by KenC]

Streetwise?,
Rather flimsy "evidence" if you ask me.  With your paranoid attitude, you probably should not seek a Russian wife anyway.  They usually are attracted to men that display a lot of confidence and are strong in their convictions.  

What your actions have actually accomplished is to slam dunk a woman that had potential.  All for the lack of sending what?  80 bucks?  Now you will never know the truth.

There are times when you can be too cautious for your own good.  When I was visiting and calling my now wife, there were a number of times that things just didn't make sense to me.  Instead of accusing her of evil shannanagans, I let things play out naturally.  In time the things I didn't understand, were easily explained.  I am all for not playing the fool, but in your case, your paranoia has made you act as one.
KenC

... in response to Maybe, maybe not, posted by KenC on Dec 10, 2004

I don't know the truth, but there are something in her letters that looks strange to me. First, the way she writes looks too exuberant to me. Second, I don't think she wrote those letters. If you compare the appendixes with the bodies in her letters, it's significant differences. In the appendixes her abilities to write English are reduced. She also consequently have no space after full stop, however in the bodies there are.

That doesn't necessarily mean that she is a scammer, but if she didn't tell that the bodies of her letters were written by help of some other person, that is a bad sign.

So, maybe Streetwise are right. However, I agree with the rest of you. Why not go to the end of the line to know for sure.

Came to think about it. Before I met my wife, I had a date in St. P. with another woman. I fell in love with her, but got a feeling that not everything was OK. However, she assured me that she loved me and suggested that I was a little paranoid. After coming home, I sent her a  copy of all the photos I had taken. She wrote back and assured me that everybody said to her that we were a very good-looking couple.

Some days later I was searching at the agency where I found her to see if her photos were still there, and to my surprise they were, and not only the old ones, but also some of the photos I had sent her!! I sent her a short letter telling that now I understood that I was not paranoid!!

BTW, Elena and I celebrate 5 years together now. Everything is great and my life has never been better than now.

Haroshij

... in response to Maybe, maybe not, posted by KenC on Dec 10, 2004

All this from a woman who has never even ment me, after 1 month; and who ignored my repeated proposals to meet in Russia, insisting that she should come to Greece at my expense. The travel agent she refers to knew nothing about her or her visa application. Are you actually seriously telling me that you would have fallen for it?

It wasn't you, was it? :^))))

Hello my darling xxxx. I am always glad to receive, and read your
lovely letters! I think about you, all the time, and our wonderful
life together.  Our love will enable us to overcome any obstacle we
may encounter, and as long as we have each other, anything is
possible. We will always feel safe and warm, which will be our
sanctuary. There is nothing we can't discuss, no any problem we can't
solve. Although we were raised in different cultures, we think alike,
and have similar goals. If anyone in our family is sad, I will be too,
so it is our job to cheer them up, so they will feel better, and be
happy again. We will get along just fine, and I will always love you,
no matter what.  If you ever need me, I will be here, for comfort and
support. I want to shower you with hugs and kisses, bring you nice
gifts, and spend romantic evenings with you, every day. All I've ever
wanted was to fall in love, and be loved, as you have made this
possible, for me. Fate has brought us together, and our love will
enable us to overcome any obstacle. I welcome any display of
affection, which I will always return. When I am with you, I will
express my true feelings for you, openly and honestly, as I do in my
letters. You are very special to me, and I am grateful we have found
each other. I want to make you as happy as you've made me, to see your
beautiful smile, and to hear your lovely voice. I always speak from
the heart, and express to you, my true feelings. I can't wait until
the day we finally meet, and will be together, forever. When I look
into your eyes, I will know what you're thinking, and I will respond
accordingly. Hugging and kissing you often will be so heavenly, and
moments we will never forget. You are a dream come true, and all I've
ever wanted, in a woman. I hope I can make all your wishes become
reality. Regardless of where we were born, the important thing is that
we found, and have each other. I am proud, and grateful to have you,
in my life. We will always have each other, as God has been looking
out for us. Now it is my turn to watch over, and take good care of
you. I want to be with you, very much, as we have waited this moment.
We were meant to be together, and will make each other very happy. You
are the man of my dreams, and I love you, just the way you are. We
will share everything together, and pursue similar interests. Anything
is possible, when you're in love, which is such a wonderful feeling.
No matter what obstacles we encounter, we will overcome them, because
we have each other, to turn to.  You mean the world to me, and without
you, my life is meaningless. I want to be everything you ever wanted,
in a woman, as you are the man I have always wanted to meet, someday.
I love you, with all my heart, and nothing will ever change the way I
feel. We will have an everlasting love. I need in your letters, I'll
wait for your letters. With love, forever your Angelika. Kisses.....

PS:You wrote me right things from one side but...I don't really
know.You right that girl must to be afraid to meet at first with man
who found through inet.I'm afraid a bit but I trust you and know that
you will not decieve me.I can expect that in the trouble you will give
me your strong shoulder...I'll be under your protection every time.Now
I don't know what to think.To my mind "morning is more good then
evening"...I'll try to write you tomorrow.

Hello my darling xxxx! You know this letter is a little bit
special and I write it because I want you to know about my feelings.
And of course I hope that may be you have the same feelings to me.
I've never felt the same but it's just something very special and
amazing for me, sweety. And I'll try to explain you this. When I met
you, I even never knew that I could feel like this, I'm thinking about
you every minute, and every time I can only dream about you, about our
meeting, and sometimes I even can't believe that one day I'll see your
beautiful eyes and your smile. But I know and I'm sure this day is
coming, and you just can't imagine how I'm looking forward to it. For
the first time I liked your letters and as it turned out you are very
good and then I started more than like you, I think it's the real
love. You know people try to find their sweet-hearts sometimes they
spend the whole life on it and failed, but I found you and I'm very
happy because of it. I think it's very important for everybody to find
this person. I will go with you everywhere, and the only thing that I
need in life is your love. It means all for me and I know you will
give it to me. And as for me I'll give you all my tenderness and love.
I'll care for you. This moment I would give all the treasures of the
world just to have an opportunity to look at your eyes and just to say
you that I love you. I will hold your hand and our hearts will beat
together we will as one as soul and mind, you will see my world of my
soul, and I will show you everything there, I'll take you to my
Wonderland, we'll spread our wings and fly away, you will feel my warm
embrace and you will like it. I will never let you go. I need you
baby. It's just like people need air to breath, fish need water to
swim and birds need sky to fly. I really need you and I don't want to
loose you. I'm thinking about you always and when I go to sleep I just
shut my eyes and I see you and me together. We are sitting on the
seaside and there are a million stars under us. You kiss me and we
have one mind, one soul and one breath, we are together. And then I
tell you that I love you and all the angels in the sky smile to us,
and we don't need anybody else because we are together and we have our
world. Darling we will have a wonderful life together. I'm so happy
that we can trust each other and  that we can believe each other, It's
really very important. Even if we are miles apart you are each day
inside my heart, and it's really true. Seasons may change, years may
pass, but I love you until my dying day. You are my fallen angel who
has come to me to lift my soul and set my mind free. And you have
touched my heart and my soul and I will not let you fly away. You has
brought so many happiness and kindness to my life and that is
something no one can erase. You have found your place into my heart. I
never knew how happy I could be just because you live in this world
and I also live in this world and we have each other. Darling I love
you and I want you remember it. Now I say good bye, I hope my feelings
are clear for you now. Kiss you. Bye. Angela.

PS:I have spoke with tour agency and menedger said me that they send
my documents to Moscow embassy.And he said that I can get interview at
friday or at monday.But I'll need to pay before it.I trust that you
want to help me in my trip, that you warry about my fear but I'm not a
little girl :) and can to win it.And I don't want you pay extra money
for our meeting(as your trip to Moscow).I think that we can spend this
money in Greece.It will be a Christmas soon and New Year too.I think
it is a nice holidays.And I will be very glad to spend this time with
you.

... in response to Are you for real??, posted by Streetwise on Dec 10, 2004

[This message has been edited by wsbill]

Why go all the way to Kaza.  That sure, seems a bit off the beat'en path.

Hey, when we going to hear some trip reports.

... in response to Maybe, maybe not, posted by KenC on Dec 10, 2004

NT