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Surely Not A Scam ?
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Posted by: Subtitle-D

Hello to all on this forum! I am from Scotland aged 41, and recently joined Elena’s Models dating site. I have heard a great deal about the amount of scamming that goes on in Russian dating over the internet and wonder if I might boldly ask some advice from the more experienced members among you. A very nice lady I wrote to replied to me, and after a another couple of letters she has asked me to telephone her. The number she gave me has the format :-

7918 xxx xxxx

and her location is Rostov-on-Don. I do not want to believe for one moment she is not genuine, but I have read that scammers have become increasingly sophisticated and can write very convincing letters, and may use someone else’s photos.

I wondered about the area code of ‘918’, as the area code for Rostov-on-Don is ‘863’. Can this be a mobile number ? Is it it quite common for people to have mobile phones in Russia ? What would be some good options for making such a call economically ?

The lady I have met is aged 43, with no kids, professional, and she is listed as a ‘Confirmed Profile’ on Elenas Models (meaning they have checked the lady is ‘real’, and interviewed her personally). So I am thinking surely it cannot be a scammer behind the ad ?

Many thanks for any advice.

Regards.

Posted by: AkMike

Sorry that I cannot help with this but I'm sure someone will help soon.
I ust wanted to say Welcome! What part of Scotland are you in?

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Hello Sub-D and welcome to the forum.

Any dating sites can have scammers but Elena's is pretty good. I've only heard of a few on this site. Just be very aware and question anything odd, or better yet, post a message here about your quetion.

The best and cheapest way to call her is to use a calling card like www.enjoyprepaid.com. ow it is not a scam that she wants you to call her. It fact it is a good sign. You will know that it isn't "Hairy Boris" e-mailing you!

Of course he could have hired her but that's a different story.

Yes it is possible to have different area codes because their service might be from a different city.

I would go on-line and type something like "calling Rostov-on-Don". You will need to know the access code to get out of Scotland and the access code to get to Rostov-on-Don.

Good luck and keep asking questions!

Posted by: Jerico

Quote:

I wondered about the area code of ‘918’, as the area code for Rostov-on-Don is ‘863’

I believe 7 is dialed to call outside your country and 9 is to dial Russia , then the city code and phone number.

The number is probably a cell number which most of them have.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Welcome Subtitle-D

I have posted this website in the past and I will do it again.

http://www.countrycallingcodes.com
Great website to show you how to dial from any country to another country.

00+7+918+###+####
Almost all mobile phone numbers in Russia start with a 9## prefix. I just searched through and 99% sure it is a megafone cell phone number.

Really, really doubt she gave you a bad phone number.

Give her a call and see how things progress.

Posted by: freebird

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subtitle-D

Hello to all on this forum! I am from Scotland aged 41, and recently joined Elena’s Models dating site. I have heard a great deal about the amount of scamming that goes on in Russian dating over the internet and wonder if I might boldly ask some advice from the more experienced members among you. A very nice lady I wrote to replied to me, and after a another couple of letters she has asked me to telephone her. The number she gave me has the format :-

7918 xxx xxxx

she is listed as a ‘Confirmed Profile’ on Elenas Models (meaning they have checked the lady is ‘real’, and interviewed her personally). So I am thinking surely it cannot be a scammer behind the ad ?

Many thanks for any advice.

Regards.

Welcome subtitle!

Elena's is very good about checking out for scammers. You can also read the other thread with reviws of Elena's & some other sites

http://russianmeetingplace.com/foru...light=elena%27s

http://russianmeetingplace.com/foru...light=elena%27s

Posted by: martin3030

Agreed,there are very good anti-scam sites now that list not only names with photos but also IP numbers.
It is common for scammers to use photos of other people quite simply because its so easy to do.
As has been said Russians enjoy very cheap calls both from Landlines and mobiles the main ones being Beeline MTS and Megafone mobile.
The second hand market for used phones is probably more vibrant than anywhere so they are very easy to get hold of.
There are cities in Russia that are more prone for red flags to show up than others Kazzan and Yosh are probably more famous for it than anywhere.
There are many sites now that offer discount calling codes the one I like is www.telediscount.com calls to cellphones are 5p a minute and landlines 2p...there are cheaper ones but I have found the connectivity to this one to be the best I have tried.The cheaper ones tend to have problems with connection and sometimes you may not get through until half a dozen attempts which then wipes out any price advantages.
It is quite unusual I think for a scammer to give a phone number early on in the communications,in fact my own experiences are that they will avoid the subject saying their phone is broken or else they do not have one.
Its a question of being vigilant and observant.
Try to ask questions in your e mails but dont put question marks.Then see if the questions are answered.
Do a google search by simply typing in her name...you will see not only results from individual names...but also all the anti scam websites.
Elenas models have their share of scammers but they do invite members to report suspicions..Anastasia and Bride.ru are the same.Its not in their interest to have them on their sites but they know controlling them is as much a part of members reporting them as it it is them discovering them through screening.
Also worth checking frequently is full e mail headers and having some understanding of what they mean.
You will no doubt be aware of the bat...it has been considered almost a certain red flag and yet as we know public services and organisations who use such programmes are predominantly staffed by women who will use them at work.
The Yuris and Borises continue to search for new tricks and of course the same technology used to uncover scammers is available to the scammers themselves,so its a cat and mouse game of keeping in front.
Using a combination of all the anti scam measures that are available,coupled with instinct will go some way towards preventing you from being a victim.

By the way Rostov is on the list of 17 restricted cities within Russia,having more complicated registration procedures....something that of course wont be so important to you now,but certainly will be later should you decide to go.

Posted by: freebird

Why is Rostov restricted? And what does that mean for us westerners?

Posted by: martin3030

They are "restricted" because for one reason or another may have sensitive installations,be of military significance or other reasons.
For example Stavropol in the South This is on the list,presumably because of the troubles with terrorists and neigbouring Chetnya.
Vladivostok is on the list because it is home to the Russian naval fleet...so a very sensitive defence area.
The registration process in these places reqires more detailed information and this is the main difference.
In recent times many Russian cities have been removed from the list and sopme of course remain under review.
Its difficult to understand for example why Obninsk is not on the list...this is home to "Science City"..the place of the worlds first nuclear power station and it continues to be a flagship benchmark for nuclear research.
for the benifit of others who may be interested here is a list of other places on the list.
I have done a little homework and added a few comments which may in part explain the significance of these restrictions.

Barnaul-Amongst its industries is faceted diamonds
Habarovsk-only 30km from the China border
Irkutsk-home to no less than 9 research institutes
Kazan-Aircraft production/rocket research institutes
Kallingrad-home to Chklovsk naval base and also considered the place Russia will site nukes once the USA site their shield in Poland.
Murmansk-Headquarters of Russias northern submarine fleet and main centre for cold war submarine activities.
Niznii Novogrod-Manufacture of petro chemicals radio equipment and electronics
Omsk-Oil and Gas interests including Gazprom
Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky-rumoured to be home to large underground nuke installations.
Petrozavodsk-copper production
piatigorsk-Stavropol region which has seen terrorist activity.
Sahalin-longstanding territorial rights issues with Japan
Samara-Oil Gas and aerospace.Samara was a closed city during the cold war.
Ufa-West Urals production of electronics petrol oil gas and research.

Posted by: Subtitle-D

Hi AkMike, I am in Dundee in the Central Belt, half way between Edinburgh the capital, and Aberdeen the oil capital. If you have heard of William Wallace, this where he went to school.
Best regards.

Posted by: Subtitle-D

Thanks for all replies guys, this has been very helpful. I have never been on online dating before let alone in a foreign country – it is a crazy idea – but why not ? There are now thousands of East Europeans/Russians living and working in my city. I actually met a couple of Russian girls already at a nightclub here in Dundee and invited them to my house afterwards (no – nothing ‘happened’!) and they were very nice, but a bit on the young side for me, at 21!
Best regards.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Damn!! Subtitle-D if you already have Russian women just popping in to your house, your way ahead of the game.

Posted by: martin3030

Just what I was thinking.
Although maybe he is better with 1 .....2 can be a handful

Posted by: JamesB

Welcome to our forum.Take your time and then hopefully you will be as happy as many on here are.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by martin3030

Just what I was thinking.
Although maybe he is better with 1 .....2 can be a handful

That's why you have 2 hands!

Posted by: redhawk

welcome sir! im sure shes fine. call her and good luck!
one warning however,thats this very long distance romance experience is not for the faint hearted,from start to finish,it reminds me of what i tell my clients the word BOAT means.(i am boat repair guy) BOAT is an acronym for BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND

)

but like great grandmum used to say-"nothin worth havin is either cheap or easily obtained"
and beleive me man,ITS WORTH IT!

gtr,did you hear anything yet on your ladys visa? nov.15th maybe?

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Her visa documents were mailed to the US Embassy in Romania on November 6th. I'm in the home stretch now!!! Only the interview to go. I hope to have an interview date in a week or 2. Nothing happening on the 15th, yet!

When did you mail your visa?

Posted by: blucatz

If you are in doubt if this lady is real, have you seen her on a web cam yet? It's kind of hard to be deceiving on camara. If the number she gave you is her cell number, call it then, watch her answer it on camera, then you will know for sure it is her and not "Fat Yuri"

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Hi Blucatz and welcome to the forum!

Today is the big football game, buckeyes and wolverines! I hate to say it but I think "The Ohio State University" will win. If Hart and Henne were 100% then maybe a different story.

Posted by: blucatz

Your probably right GTR, Im not really into the Suckeyes, I hate it that the whole state seems to shut down because of them like there is nothing else in Ohio but the buckeyes. I would personally like to see them get their butts wooped, knocked off their high horse per se.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

They won blucatz, 14-3. Not a very entertaining game.

Posted by: blucatz

Thats OK, I didn't watch it anyway, I was out buying a new car, more entertaining...LOL

Posted by: redhawk

mailed oct 10th