How To Avoid Russian Online Dating Scams
Top Russian Dating Scams and How to Avoid Them
While most Russian and Eastern European women who are online dating are genuine and serious about finding a Western mate, there will be scammers out there prying on unsuspecting daters. And don’t presume that it’s a beautiful but sneaky Eastern European woman you are communicating with. It could be a scamming man, woman or child from anywhere in the world. To avoid being scammed, the general rule of thumb to follow is simple: NEVER EVER SEND MONEY TO ANYONE YOU HAVE NOT MET IN PERSON.
The top Russian dating scams to be aware of include:
- Hardship Scam
- Plane Ticket & Visa Scam
- Translation Scam
- Fake or Bought Profiles: Model After Model
- We Just Met – I Love You!
- Fake marriage agency scams
- Unanswered Questions or Template Emails
Hardship Scam
When you meet someone for the first time, say, at a gym, do you tell them all your hardships in life the moment your eyes first meet? Well, scammers will tell you right of the bat that their father is an alcoholic, their ex-boyfriend beat them, their mother needs an operation and so on. You are being set up for a financial scam. And whether it is for a small amount to just “pay their overdue bills” or large, it is a scam.
Plane Ticket/ Visa Scam
The old send me money so I can buy a plane ticket scam is not uncommon. More elaborate scammers will even show you “proof” of a scanned visa. Furthermore, once it seems the trip is a go, something urgent will arise, eg. an immigration problem that requires money sent immediately.
If you and your online mate would like to get to know each other in person, it is wiser for you to make the trip to Russia or Eastern Europe yourself. Moreover, some traditional women may prefer the man to make the effort to visit to show his intent.
Translation Scams
A Russian woman will write lengthy letters to you in English. After you have gotten to know her for awhile, she will tell you that her English actually is very poor and that she had been paying a translation service out of her own pocket. At that point, she will ask you to pay for the translation service or else you will not be able to continue communicating with her. Even if it’s only a few dollars per letter, do not pay for the translation. This is a scam!
Fake or Bought Profiles: Model After Model
Beware of dating websites that purchase their profiles or create fake profiles. (Google “buy dating profiles” and you will be surprised to see how easy it is to buy profiles). Websites where the vast majority of the photos are of models is a sign that the profiles are not real. Read reviews of websites online and look through some sample profiles for authenticity before deciding on which reputable online dating site is right for you.
We Just Met – I Love You!
Too Much Too Soon: It’s a red flag if a person is giving out her contact information the very first time she reaches out to you. Think about it, if you meet someone at a bar, would you give you your phone number the nanosecond you met the person? Furthermore, if the woman then confesses her love after having known you for a very short time, it probably is too good to be true.
Unanswered Questions or Template Emails
Your Russian girlfriend is writing gushing, expressive emails to you but many of your questions are unanswered or she is being vague. Could it be a template she is using? Could this email be the same reply used for many dozen of other unsuspecting victims?
Summary
In short, online Russian and Eastern European dating can be fun, easy and successful. Choose an online dating site that cares about its community and has strong, tough anti-scam protection. Ignore the scammers and never ever send money to someone you have not met in person. Happy Dating!
Best regards,
Lida Small
www.luckylovers.net
