In Kharkov now, and feel like i am in the process of being scammed :(

[u4072498]

Anybody in Kharkov at the moment? I am in Kharkov now, and have a quite bad experience so far.

[Goombah]

Tell us more!  What is her name?  What is happening?

[Eduard]

If it feels like you are being scammed, you probably are. What service are you using?

[ML]

He paid for 20 hour internet connection, and only  got 2 minutes.

[u4072498]

Tell us more!  What is her name?  What is happening?

Thanks for your reply Goombah. Will have a full trip report when I finish my trip.
A generic story so far is like: I met a lady from the introduction of an agency. On the first date, we had a dinner in a restaurant, together with an interpreter, where we spent several hours and it costs over 1000 grivna (not including the introduction fee and interpretation fee). I like this lady and we agreed to have a second date.

On the second date, we spent a few hours in a shopping mall (bowling), together with the interpreter. After bowling I ended up in buying the lady a lipstick of 500 grivna. Then the lady suggested to go to a very decent restaurent, where I spent almost 1000 grivna. On this date, I got the lady's mobile phone though she appeared to be a bit reluctant (When she was giving me her mobile number, she checked her mobile for the number and I accidentl saw that she read the number out of sim2 in her mobile screen, and so I guess the number is not her regular mobile number).

I tried to call her later. After several calls, she answered the phone, telling me that her job ask her to move to another city in Russia. But she said that she can be contacted via the interpreter.

I have a strong feeling of being scammed. Hope I am wrong.

[u4072498]

If it feels like you are being scammed, you probably are. What service are you using?

Thanks Eduard. I will give a full trip report when I return home.

[u4072498]

He paid for 20 hour internet connection, and only  got 2 minutes.

ML, I wish my feeling of being scammed is wrong.

[ML]

ML, I wish my feeling of being scammed is wrong.

Sorry for my ill-timed attempt to be funny.
I know this situation is not very funny for you.

You can avoid or greatly minimize these scammer operations in the future by not putting all your eggs in one basket.  By following that path, you can bail at any time in situations where it just doesn't seem, feel, or look right.

See FSUW 101 in Starting Section

[Hammer2722]

your only being scammed if you allow yourself to be. Your in Kharkov so why not contact Mila Lobunko and hire her as your interpreter? She can also suggest good cheaper restaurants. She will look out for you. If your lady of interest refuses then you'll know that she really is not serious about you. Good luck.

[Shadow]

Did you get a card with price list in the restaurant?
Did you drink wine/vodka?
Spending a $120 ($40 per person) in a decent restaurant could be much, but that would depend on the restaurant itself.
However from both the reaction of the lady and you, it seems there is no chemistry. Does not have to be a scam, just simple not enough compatibility.

[u4072498]

Did you get a card with price list in the restaurant?
-- In the restaurant, the menu indeed has the price.

Did you drink wine/vodka?
-- No.

Spending a $120 ($40 per person) in a decent restaurant could be much, but that would depend on the restaurant itself.
-- The key is that the lady appeared to suggest expensive restaurant to me.

However from both the reaction of the lady and you, it seems there is no chemistry. Does not have to be a scam, just simple not enough compatibility.
-- It could be. But the lady appeared to be interested on the first date.

[Vaughn]

But the lady appeared to be interested on the first date.

That interest appears to have disappeared. Sorry. If she hasn't suggested a walk in the park or something similar without the aid of an interpreter, it's time to realize your gut feeling has validity. Go to Plan B. No backup plan? Reread hammer's suggestion and start afresh.

[tfcrew]

  If she hasn't suggested a walk in the park or something similar without the aid of an interpreter, it's time to realize your gut feeling has validity. 

+1
Keep looking for the one for you.

[I/O]

Bail out.

[DKMM]

You definitely need to find someone else to spend time with before you leave.  I would suggest contacting your agency and see what they recommend.  You are at a "nothing to lose" stage of your trip.  Been there done that.

[JayH]

Bail out.

Or only meet on your terms.Almost 100% that she only has interest in what she can get out of you.
If you insist on meeting somewhere convenient for you-- cafe ,hotel bar etc-- see what happens then.
Be resoloute about it an be prepared to walk away totally from her at any time.Do not put your hand in your pocket again.
 

[CDW]

On the second date, we spent a few hours in a shopping mall (bowling), together with the interpreter. After bowling I ended up in buying the lady a lipstick of 500 grivna. Then the lady suggested to go to a very decent restaurent, where I spent almost 1000 grivna. On this date, I got the lady's mobile phone though she appeared to be a bit reluctant (When she was giving me her mobile number, she checked her mobile for the number and I accidentl saw that she read the number out of sim2 in her mobile screen, and so I guess the number is not her regular mobile number).

No genuine ladies should ever ask you to buy her a lipstick let alone suggesting you to go to any "very decent" restaurants.

She is already a gold digger.

[Olly]

u4072498! While there are such naive guys as you, agencies in Ukraine never lose their business! 

[Globetrotter]

In your heart, you already know!  Why ask us?  Run, run, run!!!!

[Eduard]

Thanks Eduard. I will give a full trip report when I return home.

I can pretty much tell what's going to be in your TR... Have heard this story a thousand times... PM me if you want advice.

[JohnDearGreen]

After bowling I ended up in buying the lady a lipstick of 500 grivna.
...
I have a strong feeling of being scammed. Hope I am wrong.

Did she twist your arm behind your back and force you to buy the lipstick?
If yes, you were definitely scammed.  Sounds like you cooperated with everything she desired.  So I guess you are an accomplice.  I wouldn't call it a scam, just not the real deal you were hoping for.

[Erwin]

Thanks for your reply Goombah. Will have a full trip report when I finish my trip.
A generic story so far is like: I met a lady from the introduction of an agency. On the first date, we had a dinner in a restaurant, together with an interpreter, where we spent several hours and it costs over 1000 grivna (not including the introduction fee and interpretation fee). I like this lady and we agreed to have a second date.

On the second date, we spent a few hours in a shopping mall (bowling), together with the interpreter. After bowling I ended up in buying the lady a lipstick of 500 grivna. Then the lady suggested to go to a very decent restaurent, where I spent almost 1000 grivna. On this date, I got the lady's mobile phone though she appeared to be a bit reluctant (When she was giving me her mobile number, she checked her mobile for the number and I accidentl saw that she read the number out of sim2 in her mobile screen, and so I guess the number is not her regular mobile number).

I tried to call her later. After several calls, she answered the phone, telling me that her job ask her to move to another city in Russia. But she said that she can be contacted via the interpreter.

I have a strong feeling of being scammed. Hope I am wrong.

JohnDearGreen - Listen to your feeling.  My experience has been that no genuine, good and sincere RW, who are really into you, would want you to spend lots of money on her by taking her to expensive restaurants and buying her expensive things. On the contrary, she would be very protective of you and your money. She would know what her phone number is off the top of her head.... FWIW. Good luck to you. E.
 

[Ludmila]

Hi, u 407,
Nothing horrible is going on. You are learning what life is. You are getting life experience. You are learning it the hard way, but it isn't as bad as sometimes can be.
Yes, you are being scammed , dear friend.
Just learn from your experience. Analyze your mistakes. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
First of all,  never start a relationship/dating/ getting to learn a lady by bying stuff.
A decent girl/lady would expect flowers. Purfume-- only when parting and leaving the country, and only when things go well. THIS IS ALL.
You began to like this lady before you learnt anything about her ( her values, behavior patterns, whether she is marriage material, etc)
You should have started with her showing you her city, going to the parks, enjoying the blue sky, the warmth and beauty of nature, talk about things not material. You are paying for the interpreter. Let her do the job of translating, and let the lady start opening some of  her inner world for you, over a cup of coffee, NOT AN EXPENSIVE RESTAURANT !!!!!!!!. The story should be hers, and the interpreter should be translating ( it shouldn't be the interp's story). 
Instead, you are going to the mall to buy her an expensive lipstick. If she's poor, why would she need an expensive lipstick ? If she isn't poor, she can buy her lipsticks herself.  If she wants "things" and "stuff" from you, make your conclusions. And don't yield to her psycho pressures. 
Dear friend, this is nothing to do with  chemistry. You made mistakes, yes.You are being classically scammed. Even a 14 year old will tell you that she's a scammer. And her moving to another city just when you came to visit her, is the classics of the genre. No comment.
Don't even look in her direction. Learn from your mistakes in future.
As to the current moment, get as much info for the future trip ( reasonable restaurants/ cafes/ discotecs, parksetc) Walk the streets , avenues, go to cafes, disco. And be optimistic, but reasonably cautious).
Try  to look at the situation from a different angle : you are getting experience that cannot be bought for money). Everything will be good.

Thanks for your reply Goombah. Will have a full trip report when I finish my trip.
A generic story so far is like: I met a lady from the introduction of an agency. On the first date, we had a dinner in a restaurant, together with an interpreter, where we spent several hours and it costs over 1000 grivna (not including the introduction fee and interpretation fee). I like this lady and we agreed to have a second date.

On the second date, we spent a few hours in a shopping mall (bowling), together with the interpreter. After bowling I ended up in buying the lady a lipstick of 500 grivna. Then the lady suggested to go to a very decent restaurent, where I spent almost 1000 grivna. On this date, I got the lady's mobile phone though she appeared to be a bit reluctant (When she was giving me her mobile number, she checked her mobile for the number and I accidentl saw that she read the number out of sim2 in her mobile screen, and so I guess the number is not her regular mobile number).

I tried to call her later. After several calls, she answered the phone, telling me that her job ask her to move to another city in Russia. But she said that she can be contacted via the interpreter.

I have a strong feeling of being scammed. Hope I am wrong.

edit:  added the quotation delimiters for clarity..

[Ludmila]

U 407, plse, ignore the second part of my post--your reply to Gumbah. I used it for reference and forgot to eraze. Sorry about that.

[u4072498]

Many thanks to you all! I will certainly learn a lesson from here. I have contacted my agency on this.
 
Will update my progress here.