Russian Bride scam

obeywan_kenobe

My friend was scammed this christmas and I wouldnt want anyone else to fall prey to these bar*****s

He answered one of those russian wife emails which are going around at the moment.
When she replied she seemed nice and the photo given was a gorgous young lady. Ater a few exchanges of emails my friend decided he wanted to meet however there was a catch. She had no money for the flight. It would cost £450 + £50 transfer by western union. Anyway blinded by love or lust he sent the money. Unfortunately that was not the last he heard from her because she said she will come over christmas. My friend embarked on a shopping spree. Pressies and doing up the bedroom to make it their love nest.
He then got an email saying she needed to prove to immigration that she could support herself. She needed $1500 or £900. He was dubious but checked with a someone eastern european he was acquainted with, who convinced him it was possible. Anyway he promptly wired the money over to her.
The day before she was supposed to arrive she got an email. It said she was on the train after visiting the bank when she was mugged. She needed more money. By this time my friend was desperate to meet her. Without a thought he paid her.

I think you can guess what happened. Did she show up for Christmas??

My friend is one of the nicest guys you can meet. He has been unlucky in love and has 2 small children. Although sex was probably at the front of his mind I think he genuinely was looking for a companion.
He has learnt a valuable less extremely expensively

ManAtHome

Too late now, but another variant on advance fee fraud (google for this and/or 419 scam). Most of them hit one or more of the 7 deadly sins, and there are that many photo's and documents available on t'web these days.

He's far from being the only one by the way - these scams rake in several BILLION each year.

maninthestreet

This is the classic foreighn bride scam - your friend was probably not even communicating with a women at all. Golden Rule is never to send money topeople you don't know and have never met.

dalumsden1

Remember, Mishka on Neighbours turned up and was a very amazing Russian bride. I'm sure there are good offers out there.

Butlers1982

im sorry but i have no sympathy at all for him. surely he has read and heard these stories before.
how many times did he send money??? id have understood a tad if only once but 3 times, come on, get a grip.

These scams happen because people are stupid enough to belive them.

dont tell me when you first read the post you first thought wasnt "he hasnt really fallen for that"

tut tut tut, maybe next time he will learn when he gets an email saying he's won the spanish lottery, all he needs to do is send 1000 to release the money!!!! LOL

maninthestreet

There is no way a Russian women can get a VISA to visit the UK on her own simply as a tourist - she would need a UK sponsor, and the VISA would be a fiancee VISA, not a tourist VISA.

pulliptears

Someone posted a story very similar to this on the moneysaving marriages forum over xmas. It involved her Dad. Similar thing, she was mugged etc and he had to send more money, but this one did turn up over here. Ill see if I can find the thread.

**edit** Found the thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=335250&highlight=russia

Turning_into_scrooge

maninthestreet wrote:

There is no way a Russian women can get a VISA to visit the UK on her own simply as a tourist - she would need a UK sponsor, and the VISA would be a fiancée VISA, not a tourist VISA.

You need to check that. It actually depends on the status of the lady in her own country, but yes she would still need a sponsor. MY sons girlfriend is Thai, she qualifies in her own right for a tourist visa and doesn't need a fiancé visa. Fiancé visa means you have to marry in 60 or 90 days a tourist visa gives you 6 - 12 months in the UK This scam used to be the the Thai lady British passport scam.

hollydays

The bit where this is hard to believe is where you say he "checked with someone Eastern european he was aquainted with".Er..did he not run this by anyone else..cos wouldnt 99% have said nooooo..

Honeydog

Is anyone else always suspicious of posts which involve much foolishness supposedly happening to 'a friend'.

Don't get me wrong - I do feel sorry for the person it happened to - if only for the obvious loneliness which drove a man to the point where all reason flies out of the window but wasn't it a wise woman (or man) who said that God gave Man a brain and a p***s but not enough blood to run both of them at the same time!!!!

Sorry couldn't resist that - I'll understand if it gets moderated.

Edited for typo.

fudgeukraine

sucker born every minute