My Russian girlfriend has visa, but was not permitted to fly. They said she needed to have 3,000 dollars to show support. New custom law. She said she is waiting in Moscow. Please answer asap. Thanks.

Let me guess.. they want you to send them the money...

Sounds like a scam to me... its usually Ghana that plays that hand.

Don't use Russia that much any more for these scams.

Let me guess, this is a girl ( or so you think it is) that has been chatting with you for several months online.

This is a scam, there is no such law. I hope you have not already sent money for visa and passports.'

But this is the very common dating scam

Thanks for that answers. It just seems so real. Been chatting for months. Got to know her friends and pictures. Pictures of her, her two friends. And a picture of her parents with her at Christmas. She said she worked with children teaching piano and dance in Nazarovo, Rus. I did send her 1,000 dollars hlf of cost of visa and traveling through an agency. She thought we couldn't be together because that she didn't have enough money for paperwork. I told her about western union. She said she didn't know what western union was. She checked it out at a bank in Nazarovo. Had to even find out how it worked, info I needed and what she needed. Told me about a class reunion she had went to and old friends she met there. Talked about how sad her parents were about her coming her and had to convince them about me. Told her to married friends about us. Said her one friend advised her not to get involved with me and she should find a good russian man. She actually never asked me for money the whole time. I volunteered to send 1,000 to help her with the paperwork. First time she said not to, because I didn't owe her anything. Could it be that she needs the 3,000 or she can't fly or am I just love struck. Below is her last letter:

Just want to speak out... Tears still flow at my cheeks... It is very hard, it is like somebody severely took out part of me, part of my heart, part of my soul... I
do not know what is happening with me now... ED, I LOVE YOU!! I love for your tenderness, for understanding, for thoughts. I love you for your kindness, compassion,
gentleness... But now it is very sad and lonely for me... Ed, I do not know how to tell you all this. Well... I will tell you from the beginning. I went to the
airport today and there bad news waited for me. Ed, it is very hard for me to find words. Forgive... was passing the registration and at customs I have been stopped
by inspector. He was telling me that I need to have enough funds to be able to fly to your country. I was very surprised, nobody was telling me about this before.
Ed, I could not even to think that there can be such rule. I really did not know about this!! I have been told that this rule have accepted because of numerous acts
of terrorism. This is tragedy became shock Russian society. International Terrorism. Terrorism denies value of human life. This implants fear and hatred. This
prevent to make our world better. Unfortunately no one country not insured from the terrorism. There is no universal ways of fighting with this evil. Ed, after acts
of terrorism at customs accepted the rule that each citizen of Russian Federation must to have cash with him. This will prove that I seriously going to fly to
your country, want to live in your country. Also I have been told that this rule have been accepted because of that some people go there and begin to rob, be
vagabond, to work as a prostitute because they do not have money for a living. I was explaining them that I am not terrorist, that I will live with you, that we love
each other, that I will live with you and I will not need any money, but at customs have told me that rule have been accepted for all, and that law do not make any
exceptions. I begged inspector, I was explaining to him that we with you need to be together, that I am not terrorist, but they do not want to hear me and telling me
only that rule is for all. I love you Ed, and I very much want to be with you, but I do not know what to do. Each minute far from you seems for me as eternity, each
memory as a pain, each letter as a hope, each single thought as a folly and each sigh as last. My heart do not hear my mind, sorrow is drowns it. My heart beat only
with hope that we will be together and sinks with each memory about you. All this pursues me and force me to count each second in separation with you. Ed, you are
far... What to tell if I have not words? What to do if there is no possibility to come to you? How to breath if heart do not beat? Soul have not died, it have been
frozen and moaned because you are not near me and you are far from me. I am scared to loose you... It is very hard and scary for me here in this big city, I feel
myself helpless and silly. Ed, I did not thought that I will need to tell you such bad news. I thought that all is behind us and there is no more barriers in front
of us. Ed, I think that I bring to you only problems, it is very hard to realize this. I feel myself very guilty to you. Ed, it is so hard for me, I crying at this
time and it is so painfully because of that it is not tears of happiness and fun, but it is tears of bitterness and big mistake. I do not know what we need to do
Ed!! The sum which is needed to be with my visa is 3000 dollars, and also needed 70 dollars for registration of papers. There is needed 3070 dollars for that I
could be with you. My love, I do not know where to take such money. All what I have not is only 184 dollars. I was explained to the customs that nothing will happen
with me in other country and I am not terrorist, but they only telling me that rules are for that people was carrying this out, but not for staying and persuade
them! They have told me that this have not any sense. And that to stay and persuade them to avoid this rules is just wasting of time. Ed, I thought that all will be
wonderful, but now I have a problem, I do not know how to solve this. I very much want to be only with you. I would give all for that I could be with you. I am ready
to do all for our happiness. Ed, only together we will be happy. I am tired to suffer and I want to be happy and make you happiest man in this world! I am tired to
live suffering. Ed, I love you my sun!! Ed, I understand that it is very hard for you to help me, especially for such short period. But as soon as I will
come to you, I at once will return this money. I need only to show that I have it and to prove to the customs that I will be able to live in your country. This money
do not need to be spent. I will show it to the customs and it will be with me during my flight to you. Or I will not be able to be on the plane and I will not be
able to fly to you my sun. I do not know what I need to do. I am in confusion. If you can, help us. I very much want to be only with you, I want to be with you
forever. I want to be your wife, always be near you. But I do not know what we need to do. I do not know how to find a way from this situation. Ed, I will not spend
this money, I will need only to show it, and when I will come to you, I at once will return it to you. Ed, I do not understand what we need to do, I very very much
want to be with you. I do not need my life without you! I want to be with you Ed, my love. I am so sorry that all has happened this way. I am ashamed to you Ed! Damn
terrorism. Tragedy of modern world. Killing of unprotected people, children, women, old people - who can give such orders? Insanity and hatred settled in their
hearts. Maybe they do not have heart? Because of this evil we with you cannot be together now. God is their judge. I just believe. I believe that this will not stop
us and our love. I hope that you will be able to get my letter in time. Ed, I very much worry, I hope that you will be able to help us my love. My body is shakes, I
write you this letter with shakes hands, my heart is bleeding. It is very painfully for me Ed, that I bring to you so many problems. Ed, I love, love you and want to
tell you this all the time!! Ed, forgive me my love!! I very much want to be with you!! I want that we could be happy. I will wait for your letter. I LOVE YOU
ED!! Natalya.

So.. you never travelled to Russia... never joined any of the mail order bride places... never met her in person... I know someone that did that... He joined one of those places, he had actually traveled there to meet her more than once... BEFORE arraingements were ever made for her to travel here... you can't simply get a tourist Visa come here and work, get married or anything... it doesn't work that way.

Visas don't cost $2,000... you got suckered for $1,000 right there.. they are going after another $3,000, want to bet if you sent that there would be another excuse... and another request for money?


Incidentally what type of visa? And why does SHE need the money THERE anyway... if you are sponsoring someone for their VISA you don't have to send them large sums of money.

Visa's and Passports both don't cost over a few 100 US dollars. Sorry I know it hurts, but they have scripts written and re-written over uses. They take months gaining peoples trust, and keep going back for more and more money.

After they get that money, normally they ill and need money for doctor, or they get robbed and lose their papers and/or get hospital bills to pay first. Or the 3000 gets stolen at airport, or they need another 500 to pay off a crooked guard or official.

Hi Smoothy.
It was a visitors visa. She went to a travel agency to get it done. It took about 2 weeks. 750 dollars for them to do the paperwork. And 1100 for travel fees.

Yes, I was a little weary about this 3,000. Because I was in the Military and married a German girl. She didn't need any money at the airport, just had to show proof of sponsorship. Than I had to fill out paperwork, to show I had finances and a monthly income. But this time I thought it was weird, because I didn't have to show my income or how I had proof of money to support her.

Fr_Chuck thanks for your input. I think this is the case. It sucks after chatting this long and all. I guess if it's to good to be true, than it probably is :-).

This girl I met at match.com, lucky me. Maybe all those stories were made up.
That's why I'm glad, at least I searched out some experienced advice in this matter. Maybe I gained some experience myself anyway.

Often these are bought stories, they pay people for family photos and the such, or it could be grandma working using her families photos. Or it could even be that person.
I know in Ghana, they have rooms full of people all setting at computers and they use scripts supplied to them, and work in shifts, they read past emails and keep the scipts going.

They photo shop passports and the such.

ON Western Union, I am sure she knew exactly how she wanted the money and most likely set it up that no other way could work, Most likely told you that she could not cash or deposit a check? Did you ever check to see where the western union was picked up from ? Often it is from some island or another part of the world from where they say they are at.

I didn't know you could check to see where western union, was picked up from. I think I'll do that, out of, at least, curiosity.

I think I should have known better. My other story is: Just a couple months prior to chatting with her, my wife passed away at 43. I'm 46 yrs old. The Russian girl said she is 28. Hope I don't sound to stupid, like I feel right now :-).

That's a coincidence. I just got the mail and there is one of those "Prayer By
Letters" in there. To bless this home :-).

MP for 10 years, Sheriff's deputy for 9 years, now disabled through the VA.
You would think, I would know better.

We forgive you. We all have been vulnerable at some time in our lives. Now, please stick around and help us warn others. You would be the perfect person to help us since you lived to tell the tale. It's amazing how clever the relationship scams are and how unsuspecting people are who just want some romance and love in their lives.

There are plenty of people that get preyed upon when they are the most vulnerable... you can rest assured you weren't the only one... not by far... they run a really good racket... they have had years.. even decades to hone and polish their skills. They can be pretty convincing once they get your attention... and if they do that then you were suceptible to the stories.

OK, now I'm pretty convinced I was scammed. I saw a picture that looks like one of her friends (unless it's a twin) on a scam site.

I called western union and asked where the money was picked up at (the 1,000 dollars). They said Yoshkar-ola, russia, which a long ways away from her town of Nazarovo. They also had an article on the internet about busting a date scamming ring in Yoshkar_oloa, RS.

If you haven't sent the money, please don't I lost the same way but I am wiser now.she or they will still ask for more. Mine was also in Moscow waiting to fly and so I was supposed to send the money urgently so she doesn't have to change flight. She went underground immmediatly after visiting western union. The letters are so profesionaly done so you can't even suspect. They are so patient. We exchanged so many love letters before then

OMG!! That is ALMOST the exact letter I got!
Thank God I only sent $250
Thank you!!