Many online dating stories begin like a fairy tale.  She comes from a little town in a far faraway land, close to the Ural mountains.  She’s very innocent and has never been married and never been in a serious relationship.  The reality is, in most cases, there is little innocence to be had.  The ending of many online dating relationships involving Russia is far from a storybook or childhood ending.

People who have been victims of an online dating scam know –unfortunately they figured it out far too late- that these perfect love stories have a nasty twist. The stunning Russian lady of their dreams is frequently a man, in the event of fraud, and part of one of the many mafia rings that is common practice in Russia and Eastern Europe.  This is organized crime but is also committed by individuals who are seeking a way to make a living, legal or illegal.  Scamming can be very profitable for the best of con artists.

Distance is one of the great allies for online scammers, but the Russian mafia has a plus: they operate in a country famous for having some of the most beautiful women in the world. This, along with other social conditions like poverty, good computer skills, and widespread availability of high-speed internet has created the perfect storm for scamming and internet fraud.  For many, online dating fraud can be a potential goldmine, if criminals have no problem stealing from innocent victims.

How do Russian investigators fight romance scams?

International investigators around the world agree that information is the only real weapon against scammers.  Knowledge and evidence is power.  A dating background check might be the only thing that can really save someone from being a victim. Russian authorities have worked on prevention and they have taken direct actions to fight online fraud, but the truth is it is hard to eradicate.

In places like Yoshkar-Ola, romance scams have become almost a legitimate business. Young people pay their way through university as scammers, others pay their rent and support their families. This is a town where in one raid more than 200 people have been arrested for online fraud. But despite the raids and the arrests, gangs continue to operate, raising suspicions that the police have turned a blind eye.

Russia is a high risk country for fraud and the sad reality is that is not likely to change anytime soon.  For foreigners seeking a perfect Russian bride, opportunities do exist, and there are no shortage of beautiful woman seeking meaningful relationships.  Screening through them all and making sure you’ve found a real person and not a criminal, however, is no easy task to say the least.

Consider the risk in a typical online dating profile

Many people think that victims of romance scams have a specific profile. Only people of certain ages or certain conditions fall for the trap. Wrong! Anyone can be a victim. It´s true that there are some risk factors that can make someone more vulnerable than others, like loneliness for example. Probably people who have suffered important losses -like widows- have greater chances of being scammed because they are vulnerable. But it doesn´t mean that necessarily the people with this specific profile are the only victims. So the first thing anyone should acknowledge is that it can happen to you, to anyone.

Online dating profiles are almost always exaggerated, and many seem just perfect for you.  This is the idea behind the fake profiles and criminals who use them.  They are your perfect match!

Getting informed online can help you spot red flags. Official sites like the U.S. embassy in Moscow have listed common scam practices in order to alert citizens. Once the alarm is set off, getting professional help is a must. Speak to a professional private investigator about verification options and how to be sure the person you’re talking to is who he or she claims to be.  Be safe online, and verify.

Never travel to Russia to meet someone you’ve met online without first getting a professional and discreet background check investigation by a reputable investigator in Moscow or St. Petersburg.  If you’ve met someone and you’re having doubts, contact us today for a free quote.

C. Wright
© 2014 Russia PI™

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