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Author Topic: Sounding more like a red flag!! PART 2  (Read 12480 times)
Chris F
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« on: November 13, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
If you followed my first post...the girl that I have been writing to sent me another letter. She did not answer some important questions I had for her just that she got the letter and it warms her heart how much she is in love!!

She tells me that we are going to be together. HOWEVER she claims that a USA VISA will run $350 dollars and since she only makes $60 dollars a month...it is going to take her some time to save the money.

I do not believe they can " buy there way here"   She has not been direct and ask for money yet.....but it is probably just a matter of time!!!!!
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tim360z
Guest
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

and for your future use,  the chance of a regular lady from FSU getting a tourist visa to the USA is close to zero. If she is wealthy...she can get one...has property etc..yeah.  As long as it looks to our embassy that she has good reason to return back to the FSU and not be just another illegal here.  

Now,  a girl in school can get a visa for college.  And there are various cultural exchange programs and many take advantage of the work/cultural visa...lasts about 6 months,  but I know a girl from Bulguria who has worked here for 3 years on an intern/work/exchange program.  Nice girl,  works hard and makes about $400 a week here...not alot for here.  But,  in Bulguria...she is rich.  And on the exchange programs...they all pay the visa cost, somehow they do manage to.

The old visa and plane ticket is the oldest con going.  There are many Russians and Ukrainians who do make it to here all very legally...I meet many.  But,  they don't play some Americanitz for the visa money.  Met a beautiful Ukrainian girl 3 days ago with perfect English.  Came here on a student visa.  Hope this helps.  

ps: All the info is available to you from your own State Department.
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thesearch
Guest
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

She is standing up and screaming - I am a scammer big time. Small chance albeit that she is legit. However,  if you want to keep her on the line to observe the mannerisms of a scammer as a learning lesson do so. I did this on two occasions and it was a good education for me.

All kinds of approaches that you can use. She has put the ball in your court by telling you the amount and that she can not pay for some time.

You either:

A) let it ride at that and thus do not respond to the issue of the cost and her low income.
B) Respond of which there are many options.

  1) Tell you will glady pay this however you want to investigate the issue first and request the name of the agency that promised this, address, telephone number and their e-mail address. I like this approach because it gives her some work to do, making her accountable.

If she gets you this information, contact them and request they e-mail to you full information.

Most likely you will not get the name of a company at all and if you do, and they do send information you can come back to her and let her know that the price is out of line per normal from your investigation and that most likely she will not get a visa as a result and that it has to be handled differently.

If you go through all of this or some variation based upon your preference, please post your results for those that are just learning about scammers and how to spot them.

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WmGo
Guest
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

I thought you said that she faxed you a copy of the visa.
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Cold Warrior
Guest
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Re: red flag!!  PART 2, posted by WmGo on Nov 14, 2002

Haven't seen you around lately. Hope everthing is OK.

Maranatha
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WmGo
Guest
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Thought you were AWOL, posted by Cold Warrior on Nov 14, 2002

Hey Warrior,

I have been convered up the past few months but doing good.

Regards from the South!
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juio99
Guest
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

Sounds like you are a brute for punishment for following up with this lady.  I have never had any interaction with a scammer, but from what I have heard, the best know that they don't actually have to ask for money.  They know that just by laying out the tale of woe, the good hearted westerners will jump (eventually) to offer their help.

JR
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Charles
Guest
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

I certainly concur with your sentiments as well as the other posts that this sure looks like a scam and is not looking good.  The $350 visa cost is way out of line, although this figure may have been given to her by an unscrupulous travel agent who advised her that they could get a visa as suggested below (although I thought your earlier post said she already had the visa???).  I'm not as concerned about her not answering the questions.  Sometimes they like to stay in touch while they get detailed responses translated but they want you to know they are thinking about them.  While I am 99% sure that this woman is a scam, I would suggest telling her that the visa cost is out of line and if someone promised you this visa it just isn't going to happen.  If you can visit her in the near future, offer that to her (but if you go have a backup plan).  Otherwise, don't sweat it.  There are many other fine fish in the pond.
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Zink
Guest
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Sounding more like a red flag!!  PART 2, posted by Chris F on Nov 13, 2002

Like I said scammers don't have much patience. This isn't looking good. Avoiding answering questions is a huge red flag in my mind. Honest girls know there isn't much hope of coming over on a tourist visa. I'll have to ask one of my friends how much a visa really costs. I know people who have travelled around some and know where to ask about things like this. If it was me I'd still wait and see if she came up with the money. But then I'm a curious guy. I always like to watch how things play out even when I'm sure I know what's going to happen.

AS for buying your way into the country.. It is possible but most people wouldn't take the risks. One lady I know said she'd never leave Russia on a fiance visa because she wanted to travel. She thought that if she came home after a failed fiance trip she would never be allowed out of Russia again.
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Apk1
Guest
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Re:  Sounding more like a red flag!!  PA..., posted by Zink on Nov 13, 2002

My wife once applied for a tourist visa to come visit me after I had met her in Russia, that was 2 years ago...the embassy cost was $45.00, now it is about $100.00

When she applied (at my request) she met all of the qualifications...she owned property, she had a son and mother she was leaving behind, she had a well paying job ($600/mo) to return to..

She applied through a travel agent who personally took it to the embassy and stood in line for her while she was at work. A few weeks later she went for her interview, she was denied because the interviewer felt she was "over" qualified and could easily find work here. She has a stamp in her passport with the denied application, this did not bear any weight against her when she went for her k-1 visa interview.

Now after saying all of that...some of these women are duped by unscrupulous travel agents into thinking that it is very easy to get a tourist visa to USA. Some have given up hundreds $USD of "thier" own money for this effort, none of the money is returned when they are denied at interview.

It used to be that if a woman had the money to book a US tour with a group that traveled togeather under close supervision, a visa was possible. That is what these Russian travel agents spring on the ignorant, promising the moon...and accept no liability when the embassy says niet.

Just a few copeks worth today...
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Zink
Guest
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Re: Re:  Sounding more like a red flag!!..., posted by Apk1 on Nov 13, 2002

Thanks for the info. The lady I mentioned wasn't afraid of the repercussions of a failed tourist application. But she thought using a fiance visa just to have a 3 month vacation would jeopardise her chances at being able to travel in the future. I learned that this lady believed many things that weren't true. And she wouldn't believe me if I told her different. The power of Russian rumors. Some questions like this I'm still not positive about the answers myself. The visa selection seems to be almost random. Some people get them, some don't and no explanations as to why.

I thought that $350 sounded high just for a visa.
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juio99
Guest
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Re: Re: Re:  Sounding more like a red fl..., posted by Zink on Nov 14, 2002

Zink, I don't think the approvals are random, except for those who win the visas via the lottery system.  And there are explanations why.  But (1) the Russians don't always understand the explanations, (2)they don't always tell the real story to their American friends, (3)the Americans don't always tell the real story when they pass the info on to others, and (4) occassionally the rules and criteria do change.  It is always more fun to embelish the stories so that it can seem to be mysterious and beyond our control, or just be blamed on bureacrats.

JR
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Zink
Guest
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Not random, posted by juio99 on Nov 14, 2002

[This message has been edited by Zink]

You're probably right. I should have said arbitrary not random. There is always a reason no matter how pathetic. But I do blame bureaucrats and lawyers for much of the problems in the world. Our systems shouldn't be set up so that you need a 5 year law degree to understand the basics. Even the experts in many areas are confused by it all. It's almost impossible to get straight answers from a government official. Just my rant for the day. I know there isn't much hope of it ever being efficient or logical. Too many people would lose their livelyhoods if we were efficient.
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Del
Guest
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Re: Not random, posted by Zink on Nov 14, 2002

the "employment" of many of these individuals by governments keeps the unemployment figures down.
As you've seen, many times "rationality", "rhyme" and "reason" do not apply to bureaucracies.
If all "institutions" were run on an 'efficiency' and 'cost-effective' basis, the unemployment rolls worldwide would skyrocket.  :-))
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Zink
Guest
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2002, 05:00:00 AM »
... in response to Zinc, on the other hand....., posted by Del on Nov 14, 2002

And when you have high unemployment, then you get revolutions. Keeping people occupied means that they don't have as much time to cause trouble.
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