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Scam No Scam?
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Posted by: calired67

Hello My name is Tim I live in California and met this woman through YAHOO personals. Which as I have noticed is a recurring theme. Anyway she has said that she wants to come visit me. We have been talking online for a couple of months and she has sent me many pictures. She claims to have received her visa even sent me a copy of it. She now claims thatt she ccannot afford the full price of airfare. She says the she has done everything she can to meet me but needs $300. To by March 21st tto complete travel arrangements. Scam or no scam? She has never asked for anything up to this point but know wants me to send money to a bank via Western Union. I can send copy of picture if it will help to determine its validity.

Posted by: sidney

Quote:

Scam or no scam?

SCAM!

Posted by: lester

Tim, do you need some of these?

Pm me, and I will make one with a photo of yours.

Posted by: calired67

Is it really that easy to fake a visa?

Posted by: lester

er, yes.

It's frightening what you can do these days!

Posted by: calired67

I just b emailed her and told to ask her if there was any way to send it directly to the travel agent. I also emailed the consullate iin Moscow where the "visa" was issued to see if they cann tell me whether or not it is real

I will nnot her from her until tomorrow at the earliiest. To be conntinued......

Posted by: rattlesnake6979

Scam , scam , scam , scam , scam . No one can get a visa to go to meet you unless they know you and unless you can provide documentary proof that you know and have a relationship ( ie photographs , hotel bills, train tickets etc.) with the person.

Yahoo personal sites is a favourite for scammers because it is free .

rattle

Posted by: calired67

It is not a fiancee or K1 it is a tourist visa B1/B2. So there would be no need for her to know anyone. But from what I understand it is almost impossible to get a tourist visa. I will keep you informed as the drama unfolds.
I am not totally connvinced that it is a scam. I know what you thinking "Pull My Head Out Of My Ass already" .

I am sure that i will not be sendinng anny money to her.

What if by chance it is not a scam?
What if woman that I have never met want to fly half way around the world to meet me?

Like judge Larry Joe always "What if a frog had wings, then it wouldn't bump its rump whenn it jumped"

Posted by: inlove

Even for getting a tourist visa you need to have an invitation letter from somebody, unless you are a part of a group trip, organized by a tourist agency.

Posted by: rattlesnake6979

Maybe ........but she sounds too good to be true and unfortunately if it looks too good to be true it is too good to be true or if it walks like a dog and barks like a dog its a dog.
All the hall marks of scam are already evident- free website - no outlay for the woman/ man - also this may sound harsh but arent you being too trustful with someone who you really dont know and have never met ? I would never send money to someone who I do not know or have never met . Do you have her full name and address ? If so run her name through the scam sites on the internet - maybe this person is for real but maybe shes just an opportunist - and sees this as an opportunity to make big money quickly.

rattle

Posted by: calired67

I have run her name through as many scam sites as I can find ....nothing there. I have looked at hundreds of scams ...nothing. I am goinng to try to call the American consul in Moscow to see what they will tell me.

It will be interesting to see if she actually writes back. After the email that I sent to her. Informed her that I would try to contact the Consul. That is probably enough to make her not write me again.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Quote:

Originally posted by calired67
I have run her name through as many scam sites as I can find ....nothing there.

You assume she's using her real name? After all, is yours Calired67?

Posted by: calired67

Yes as a materr of facctt my nname iis Ccalli Red 67

It is a sad state when we must think the worst of someone first then trust them. I know that there are thousands of women who have done this. Have thre ever nbeen anny where the one asking for money got the money annd actually came? Not that I believe this girl will but you never here about those. Always the negative this world sux... I am ashamed to be part of it.

Posted by: rattlesnake6979

Its not that I think the worst of people its just that I can smell a rat and if you want to lose $300 thats fine by me but you have been warned ......

The other thing is - $ 300 may not seem alot to you but to someone in the fsu it may be anything from 5 months salary/wages to 2 months salary. So if you do send the money and it is a scam you have in effect given someone alot of money by thier standards. Now , I assume you are american so this may come as a shock but many people in the fsu deliberately post and send e mails to men in your country because you have a reputation that you live up to - generosity and openess - this is a great thing but do you want someone taking your money ? Why not tell her that you will visit her ? Tell her you will go and meet her- I bet you whoever is writing will cool down and will introduce all sorts of excuses to deter you from meeting her because the simple fact is whoever is writing to you -A) does not want to meet you b) wants to get money from you and C) will quickly move on to the next willing victim in the USA ( there must be millions of men who are lonely and vulnerable and who dream of love....)

Life is really complicated but this request for $300 is a simple instance of a " chancer " an opportunist wanting to use your emotions so as to get you to part with your $$.

Rattle

Posted by: Jill

Sadly, this is a scam. But I think you know this aready

Quote:

Have thre ever nbeen anny where the one asking for money got the money annd actually came?

Sure, it happens. But only under rather special circumstances--they people actually know each other, and the woman really does qualify for a US tourist visa (and some do--they are not impossible to get, just very difficult).

Posted by: ConnerVT

Quote:

Originally posted by calired67
It is a sad state when we must think the worst of someone first then trust them.

Well, you came here first, with your doubts and mistrust. Don't be angry for getting the answer you expected.

If you really are the trusting type, send me the $300. I'll be certain to send it to your woman friend if she's legitimate...

Posted by: calired67

Yeah I finnally Found her mentioned on another forum.Same letters same pictures But apparently I was the first out those guys to get the picture of the visa

Posted by: Keystone

Scam. But also I will add that you will end up spending a lot more than 300 dollars to get her to America. Heck I can remember spending that much on one date in America. Dinner for two, Flowers for her and a play downtown.

Keystone

Posted by: Virginiajoe

I had a scammer,the famous Marina Smyrnova,she's the girl on the dollar that was posted,fake money,send that to her! Marina sent me a copy of her visa,I e-mailed the US Embassy in Moscow and they said it was fake,no visas were issued to a Marina Smyrnova,hint the last name should be spelled Smirnova,it is obviously a group of criminals doing this,but I guess it's not illegal to receive money from Western Union I guess.
They photo copy the visa's,they are even smart enough to use the real one's with the Lincoln Memorial and not the eagle like the old ones.
Be careful,never send money unless you have actually met the girl in person.

Posted by: calired67

i emailed the embasssy as well but they have not replied to my request. Even down to the lasst minute she is stiill trying toconviincce mee thatt she is genuine

I recceived another email from her today. She is knitting me a sweater

I even tired toget her come through wiith an address I told her that I needed iit for the western Union Form. but rather than just give it to me she tells me thaat she has been to the bank and they tell her all I need is her name. DOH!!!! She is smart but she rushes too fast. I have been talking to another of her scamees. Though she hasn't actually asked for anythiing from him.