Russian bride scams have become a mega industry of online crime and marriage fraud.  As long as there are men in developed countries such as the U.S., the U.K., Canada or Australia, willing to rescue a pretty lady in need, the fraud industry will continue growing and targeting victims.

Dozens of sites advertise beautiful, Russian brides, and plenty draw skepticism. The fact that all of these women are almost perfect should be one major red flag. Yes, there are many beautiful women in Russia, but no, they are not all looking for the love of a foreigner who can take them to another country. Russian bride scams are characterized by a foreign man who gets acquainted over the Internet with an attractive, and supposedly single, female from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, etc. This whole region is one the greatest areas of risk for love fraud.  And meeting online is not the only risk.

The victim and scammer get to “know each other better” through different online means, including chat, Skype calls, and video chatting. Once the relationship is formed, the scammer will suggest a visit to meet in person. Some of the scammers will take as much time and effort as needed to gain the victims trust and affection, and will let them be the ones to come up with the idea of traveling.

Meeting a Russian partner overseas in Russia or elsewhere does help reduce your risk, but it’s far from risk free.  Elaborate schemes are being used in Russia and the Ukraine, where women introduce foreigners to their families, bring them to their homes, and so on.  It is all designed to gain the trust and money from the victim, or to get the immigration process rolling to get their papers.

Usually, the nightmare begins in this stage. The Russian scammer will request money for visa and paperwork necessary to leave Russia and enter in the U.S. or whichever other country the victim is from. But the requests for money turn into an endless cycle of new paperwork and new requirements, and the Russian bride will never show up. According to experienced investigators from the Russia PI team,  by the time the victims find out they have been scammed, they have already lost a lot of money and usually there are serious emotional implications.  The experience can be devastating.

How to avoid being a victim yourself?

There is a simple answer to this question: the only way to avoid being a victim is by conducting a background check in Russia and to verify if the person you´ve been contacting is who she claims to be. It is very important to hire a professional who can help,  as reliable evidence is key in the whole process. A professional investigator in Russia can help you check directly at the proper authorities and see if identity, employment claims and other things like education match the profile of the subject. It is also extremely important to start with this as soon as you find out that you are in fact interested enough in this person to meet, to send money for help, or even to take bigger steps.

If you are already in an online relationship with a Russian woman, and have been sending financial assistance, your best option is to verify as soon as possible! The sooner you find out the truth, the better it will be.   Investigators can provide evidence, so you can make an informed decision.

Learning to see the red flags is also important. Romance scammers in Russia usually operate in crime rings rather than isolated. They have many resources and finding out the truth is not that simple. A major red flag is that the use of professional and studio photos only. The fake profiles are carefully designed as to not find anything that could be disappointing. Scammers and even some dating sites themselves set up many fake profiles to catch their prey. The use of professional photos makes the profile more attractive and more men are likely to fall prey.

Once the victim has made contact with the Russian lady, another big red flag is that she will show affection too soon. Showing affection makes others more vulnerable, as everyone wants to be liked and loved, especially people that are already feeling lonely. This will help the scammer gain trust, and under these conditions, the entire scam gets set into motion.  Be skeptical.

Keep in mind that online criminals are extremely manipulative and they have great social skills. Get verification sooner rather than later.  Having peace of mind is worth the money.

C. Wright
© 2015 Russia PI™

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