Am I being scammed?

[Muzh]

I see the tongue in cheek..
 
 
but  in such agencies, a lot of women are indeed working,
and it's their primary source of income, and pays better than most regular jobs.
yet they (if single) would have genuine interest in meeting a good foriegn man.
 
So are they  out right scammers or no?
 
Does it only depend on their marital (or taken) status?
 
or are they morally  ethically challenged regardless?
Or would that in itself depend on what the various men actually wrote to them?or the mens motivations?
 
The world isn't as black and white as many like to paint it, certainly not in the FSU, and certainly NOT in most MOB agencies there.
 
If men want to play in those type of agencies,  accept the reality. Most women are working,
a great deal are actually single and would still entertain the idea of meeting a guy they found interesting.
 Some are married and have boyfriends, its just a job, but make no mistake in those type of agencies a huge percentage are indeed working.They will treat it as a job until something the man does makes him seem more real or serious, or more interesting to her, she still wont toss away a good job over a fleeting chance, so the risk will be his to take.
If he has nothing but time.. its his dime, ,,why not.
 
 
if he wants better odds , then most any other way of meeting ,
is better than through such agencies.
 
There are few good agencies out there, none of whom would be playing the games he is involved in..

LOL
 
Okay, no T-I-C this time.
 
That there are girls working on agencies sending letters? Yes, of course. This is their JOB. Like any other telemarketer.
 
Do you really think that the nice young man/woman will do anything to make this cruise he/she just  sold you more pleasurable? Good Luck!
 
I don't think they are more ethically challenged than an isurance salesman.
 
I've been saying for a long time that there are no scammers, just foolish people parting with their money. I'm sorry for being so opinionated but it really burns me when someone comes in screaming scammer because he spent X amount of dollars and didn't even get to first base.
 
First, if you don't want to be taken for a ride, DO NOT SEND MONEY.
 
Second, if you are in a real relationship (not virtual) and she calls it quit after you have spent a considerable amount of time and resources, THAT'S LIFE. DEAL WITH IT. We know it hurts and we are here to be a crying shoulder. BUT IT IS LIFE. Either you try again or join a monastery. That does not make her a scammer.
 
Finally, what about those guys who write 10, 20, 30 women and narrow it down to 5 and go visit them? Lucky guys or scammers? Why don't we ask the ladies? You'd be surprised how many of them DO understand the odds.
 
Now, are you being scammed?
 
Edit: Not you Jumper, the general you.

[Jumper]

Muzh-
 
agree.
 
 
and I was asking open ended questions,
not making statements.
 
 
 
 
I think tjust was/is in a very typical agency scenario..
and asked  those questions in hopes of enlightening to what the situation likely is,and how he can try and manuever.
 
 
Overall  yes , I do think men and women get out right scammed.Unfairly and often cruely.
 
Much of the time though its more just life, and an unacceptence of reality , or the natural risks of any relationship.
 
This doesn't give the cases where a person or business intentionally taking advantage of the foolishness or weaknesses of another , some * get out of jail free card * though.
 
 
 
The mindset that it is generally "ok " to be clever and get over on someone else, is one of the  cultural divides,  IMHO.
 
 
 
 
 

[Misha]

Last week I payed the agency she is with to get her personal information and she accepted.  I asked her to stop corresponding to me through the agency and just you her personal email.  I just received this letter from her "personal email" in Russian but I translated it. ...

Hello …. I’ve got your email, but couldn’t reply at once.
I have no internet at home, while at work we are not allowed to use it for personal needs. There’s even a special spy program, that monitors all actions at pc. That’s why it took me so long to reply you, internet café is far from my house and I have almost no free time after work.
For me it is better to write you via the agency, this way I get your translated letters and send mine for translation, I can also tell them my reply on the phone.
I would like to meet you a lot, I’ll be able to write at your email quite rarely.
Waiting to hear from you.

There is a simple option: find a woman who has easy access to the internet and find this woman not using an pay-per-letter agency. There are many options from Elena's Models to free Russian dating sites such as singles.ru.... As Muzh says, you are never scammed if you don't send money and you are not scammer or suckered if you know how to say no. As there are growing numbers of women with good access to the internet at work, at home, or via their smart phones, there is nothing stopping you from exploring other options and finding a woman who will happily email, chat Skype with you for free    Is there are a small chance that this particular woman might be sincere and that she can't easily communicate with you for all the reasons that she has given? Sure, but I can guarantee you that there are many more women out there who will be happy to communicate with you, without an agency and without all the fuss if you look for her...

[Jumper]

this almost sounds like trying to find a wife going to strip bars trying to stand out so that one of the strippers would notice you and agree to see you outside her work invironment, doesn't it? Considering that more than 99% of single FSU women are not part of the mail order bride industry wouldn't it make a lot more sense to try to get noticed by those women instead?

 
That's exactly what its like
(i usually compare it to a hot bartender in a trendy club though)
and yes ,you're right Ed ,
 it's just better to avoid the scenario  in the first place.
 
 
I thought I said that,

When using such agencies ,it's almost impossible to sort that out, odds are very high shes simply working,
 and why the advise is to avoid them.

 but i can see it may have been clouded by the advise on what to do if he's knee deep into it already and planning to continue or wanting closure.