For most people who are trying online dating, the whole experience is a gamble. Nobody knows if they will be lucky to find someone who they really like, or what will happen through time with the course of a relationship. But there are things that do not have to be a bet. Knowing for sure if someone you met online is a scammer or not is extremely important, and can protect you from making a big mistake.  The sooner you have clear evidence, the sooner you can be safe and make the right decision.

How to identify a Russian romance scammer

Romance scammers are not easily spotted anymore. A few years back the red flags were more obvious than today because criminals did not have to make much effort. People were not very aware of romance scams, and there was no information in the media about this type of fraud and no alerts. However, romance scammers have become more sophisticated with time since they need to gain their victims’ trust despite all the warnings out there.   These criminals continue to be highly effective.

“The first step to avoid a romance scammer is to understand that you will need professional help (not Google) to identify a romance scammer”, says Peter Kossakovsky, Director of Background Checks at Russia PI. People’s first instinct is to look for their partner’s name online and see what they can find. Love fraudsters have worked on the preparation of all the resources they will use to convince their victims, so they have created fake social media accounts and web content that supports what they say. That is why searching online is not a good practice. Once the victims find a VK, Facebook, Linkedin or Instagram profile that matches the description, they cut the research. Another thing people do is search for websites that list Russian romance scammers names or scammers pictures, which is useless as well since criminals change their names and the photos they use regularly.

To really identify a romance scammer an investigator in Russia has to conduct a thorough background check investigation. This means that a professional on the ground in Moscow or St. Petersburg will search birth records, check for government information regarding criminal and court records, marriage history, verify ID or passport documentation, and search for information in public and media records that can verify address and phone number. All this work requires someone who is in the country, who knows the language, with the proper training and resources.

When is a good time to hire a background check investigation in Russia

Ideally, everyone who is involved in a long distance relationship with a Russian individual should consider verifying the facts in the early stages of the relationship. It is not wise to wait and see what happens after sending money, or sharing your information.  Romance scammers might never request for money and may be taking advantage from you in other ways from the very beginning, like using your personal information, stealing your identity, and gaining access to your computer.

If you are currently having a long distance or online relationship with someone from Russia, contact us now!  Verify your contact’s identity and information, and stay safe!

C. Wright
© 2018 Russia PI™

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