The journey for love has taken you to vast and beautiful Russia. A country of more than 143 million residents leaves you with a lot to choose from, and the need to find ways to narrow your search. Internet dating sites are the best way to start meeting potential mates in Russia, but be careful, that is also where scammers work to trick and cheat you out of money and time.   Russia private investigators know there is a high risk in the region, and they know the warning signs.

Due to the heavily weighted ratio of women to men, the women of Russia often look outside their country to find an appropriate suitor. Many websites advertise the women as so-called “mail order brides,” which has become a profitable business venture to some, making it very susceptible to fraudulent activity. There has been a recent increase of American men looking to find foreign wives, and online dating sites are continuing to pop-up. But when seeking love in Russia you not only need to consider your personal safety, but also ways to protect your financial security in the online dating world.

Be cautious. Take your time when searching for the right partner, especially in a foreign country. Matters of the heart are often rushed due to the excitement of new love. But this type of emotion is what fuels the fire in criminals looking to get rich while playing with your heart strings. Law enforcement is catching on to the various methods used by scammers to steal your money, so their approaches are continually changing. One such style involves the scammer developing a fake relationship with the victim. They generally have a phony name, life story and may not even be the gender they claim to be. The goal is to extort money once an emotional attachment has been made. The best way to avoid this from happening is to prescreen people with whom you are developing deeper relationships and make sure they are who they claim to be. And as a rule of thumb, never send money or give personal information to someone you have just met.

Be safe. Your heart has been captured and you feel ready to meet your beloved face-to-face. Beyond the internet fears of fraud are those for your own personal safety abroad. If possible, travel with someone else that you know and trust. If you must go it alone, try to connect with someone locally that is familiar with the area; some dating sites will even arrange for a “romance tour” in order to meet your potential special someone in person. Arrange to get together in a public place when possible. A law passed in 2005, entitled the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act, requires that marital and criminal background checks be run on the man and then provided to the woman. This is a safe and reasonable request, and indicative of why you should also obtain a professional background check.

Be realistic. You traveled to Russia and connected well with your new significant other, so what’s next? You need to understand the laws that apply to marrying a Russian and determine whether or not you plan to return to the United States together. Determine what exactly that will entail and maintain a realistic mindset with respect to logistics, time frame and finances to make it happen. And not to rain on the parade, but make certain the relationship is built to last, and isn’t based in convenience for one or both parties. Not to suggest your guard should always be up, but it is still vitally important to use sound logic and reasoning whenever possible while dealing with matters of the heart.

Russian detectives say knowing the risk is half the battle, and if you remain skeptical and protect your private information, you have a far less chance of becoming the next victim.  Experts also caution that internet criminals can claim to be from anywhere, and use local information to appear to be in a different location or country.  When meeting people online, verifying is a must.

C. Wright
© 2014 Russia PI™

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