Innocent Enquiry

[valence]

Hi,

I don't want to make an allegation just yet, but I am absolutely perplexed and would appreciate some perspective.

I started correspondence with a girl I found in match-ru, also in Anastasia, also in russian-women.net where she is listed as having 201 addresses retrieved.  Presumably that's the number of guys who went before me.  She's been profiled there since 2005.  I ordered her address about a year ago and didn't do anything with it until last Feb.

We sent a few, maybe 7 or 8 emails, and I proposed a meet-up.  And then out of the blue, she sent me this...

Dear Valence it is very a pity to me but I could not write to you before my daughter have performed operation аппендицита I so have suffered prolonged anxiety but all already behind though there are some complications my darling Valence I shall be to you and my daughter are very grateful if you will send us some money for treatment my daughter to me it is necessary to buy some medicines and we shall make procedures for restoration after operation to you are grateful for your help I I have read through your letter on our meetings little bit later learn in travel agency about cost of my trip understand me now correctly for me now main this health of my daughter and I think that we can meet in July both all will be remarkable also we can meet and to us nothing will prevent sincerely

This is an outright request for money, up in your face style.  And we haven't corresponded that far in depth, and have only just breached the topic of meeting.  So I went back and looked everywhere to see if there was a scam report.  Nothing at all to be found.

I looked into the gift confirmations site and saw that she has received flowers from at least 25 guys.  That doesn't bother me a bit because I would expect someone with her looks to have lots of potential suitors.

What I don't get at all is:  if she's a scammer, how is it that all those guys never reported anything?  How is it that she doesn't appear ANYWHERE remotely suggesting a scam? 

Or could it be that she's not a scammer and her daughter is truly ill?  And I just happened to be somebody she thought could help?  But then her email is an up-in-your-face scamming tactic.

Given the number of guys in contact with her, at least enough with pocket money to send her big-buck flowers and candy, the total lack of any negative information at all has me completely foxed.  Her city is Stavropol.

What could be going on?

[ScottinCrimea]

valence,  Don't even try to second guess everything.  It's a scam pure and simple.  Many men who are scammed don't report it either because they don't know where to do this or they are too embarassed to do so.  Still, I imagine if you provided more information such as her name, someone here could find her listed somewhere, especially if she has been at it so long.  Actually, the odds are that this "she" is really Fat Yuri sitting at his keyboard making a nice living preying upon those who are stricken with a photo and feeling sympathetic.

She mentions visiting a travel agency about the cost of her trip.  To where? To visit you?  this is the preamble to another well known scam.

[valence]

Thanks for the quick feedback.  As to more info, I guess it's ok to show this link...

http://www.russian-women.net/ladies/gb4840.shtml

From her headers, she posts from the Internet Saloon, apparently a cafe in Stavropol...

Is that of any help?

[ScottinCrimea]

There's one Anna from Stavropol mentioned on this scam site.  I don't know if this is the same woman.

http://www.chanceforlove.com/blacklist/gssarchive/anna_fridburg_stavropol.html

[SANDRO43]

I haven't seen a scam report on Anna Fridburg from Stavropol yet (except for Scott's reference to Chance For Love, visible to members only), but I can say she's been a compulsive profile poster these past 4 years or so, with profiles on at least 12 different dating sites (BTW, she's also written me from Global Ladies, but I didn't bother paying to read her letter ).

Which means she's either being ignored (unlikely, since she's rather attractive), or very picky, or ... .

[valence]

I paid the 23 euro to obtain the report, but it hasn't shown up yet.  Jeez, I hope that site isn't a scam.

The surname posted by Scott is correct, and I didn't post that.  How did you know?

Question remains, how can somebody with exposure like that - on 12 sites for 4+ years go without a single reference ANYWHERE if they are a scammer?  Sure I figure some might be reluctant, but all?

If you look at the flowers she's received, some of them are easily 200 euro a delivery!

[SANDRO43]

The surname posted by Scott is correct, and I didn't post that. How did you know?

Some dating sites list family names, too .

Question remains, how can somebody with exposure like that - on 12 sites for 4+ years go without a single reference ANYWHERE if they are a scammer? Sure I figure some might be reluctant, but all? If you look at the flowers she's received, some of them are easily 200 euro a delivery!

Maybe she's just happy receving gifts and attention .

[valence]

Maybe she's just happy receving gifts and attention .

I thought about that too.  I guess I'll mull this over for a bit...  Thanks for the input!

Great site, Sandro BTW.  Seeing the bad girls lined up with their good girl personae was fascinating!

[SANDRO43]

I thought about that too.  I guess I'll mull this over for a bit...Thanks for the input!

Valence, since she's started hinting at money, I'd drop and forget her, and move on . I had my appendectomy at about her daughter's age (a long time ago, alas ), and I don't remember requiring any costly medications for my convalescence, maybe some antibiotics and just rest to let the cut heal, until the stitches were eventually removed a week later or so.

Great site, Sandro BTW.  Seeing the bad girls lined up with their good girl personae was fascinating!

Thanks, apparently I am the first discoverer of this specific type of fraud .

[valence]

Advice duly noted good sir.

Looking in to the crystal ball, I foresee a time when scam searches for this woman will no longer come up empty.  Indeed, that would be the rather near future.

.... Valence

[Faux Pas]

I paid the 23 euro to obtain the report, but it hasn't shown up yet.  Jeez, I hope that site isn't a scam.

The surname posted by Scott is correct, and I didn't post that.  How did you know?

Question remains, how can somebody with exposure like that - on 12 sites for 4+ years go without a single reference ANYWHERE if they are a scammer?  Sure I figure some might be reluctant, but all?

If you look at the flowers she's received, some of them are easily 200 euro a delivery!

The proof here is in the pudding. She flat out and blatantly asked you for money when you clearly were not in a relationship. This is a scammer. There is really no way to rationalize anything different. Don't obsess, move-on and find a real woman. Life is too short.

[viking]

I once got involved with a woman. I looked everywhere for her profile on every scammer site I could find. Nothing. One day I found her photo on a site. DIFFERENT name. Then I did a search under her real name and Whoa.... reports all over the place, going back years. Also bear in mind, many guys are too embarrassed to send in a report, may not want to take the time to do so, or just want to forget the bucks they spent and just move on. If it makes you feel better, you can be the first to to do so. Then move on.

[Al_C]

This is a scam.  No doubt.  Not even a little doubt.  And not a very good one at that, which is why it was so easy to detect.

Forget her and move on.

[valence]

Thanks again for the advice.  I'm grateful for that.

By way of denounment, it turns out that the scam reports from ChanceForLove, is guess what?  Yes, a scam.  You need a sharp taste for irony to appreciate a scam which purports to provide scam reports.

Prior to forgetting the whole episode and moving on, I indulged a final catharsis here
http://londonelegance.com/misc/af/

I hope that's ok. 

[Kuna]

Just out of interest, did you receive any photos of her which weren't model shots????  Perhaps just a snapshot with some friends...  or a family member... or from a holiday???

Tip for newbies...  pictures do make a difference - and if you feel a stirring down below you should question yourself early on!

Dunno...  I know when I was searching I basically cut contact with one or two girls who only had pro-shots...  after all you wouldn't even know who would meet you if you ever did meet face to face. (Did you notice in most of her photos they'd touched up blue eyes but in at least one she had distinct green eyes???

Good to see you avoided the scam...  but the lingerie/boob shots should have been a red flag without having to wait for the money email- unless you appreciate a woman who "advertises" her wares in that manner.   

Good luck in your continued search.

Kuna

[Andrew]

All I'll say is that I find it amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing how nearly every one of these hotties needs or has someone who needs an operation and of course needs help financing it.
ho hum....................

[valence]

after all you wouldn't even know who would meet you if you ever did meet face to face. (Did you notice in most of her photos they'd touched up blue eyes but in at least one she had distinct green eyes???

I knew they were retouched.  I have been an avid Photoshop user for a long time and still can't figure out how to change eye colour as convincingly as that. 

[Grissom]

I knew they were retouched.  I have been an avid Photoshop user for a long time and still can't figure out how to change eye colour as convincingly as that. 

I don't think they were retouched. You forget about colored contacts my friend. A little birdie told me that Anna is a beautiful sultry woman with naturally blue eyes. Likes to be pampered and yes she is very picky. She can be picky with those curves and porcelaine face! Flower deliveries? They don't cost 200 euros over there. Men just like us send those to see if she is real. Those flowers deliveries came through Angelica.net, just one more of the agency services. I'd say they are a trusted agency, pretty decent but kinda slow if you have them handle your correspondence. You can choose to order a single carnation or a bunch of roses for your girl. does that make her a scammer? I see nothing wrong with boob shots of hers. What else can you do if you have naturally heavy DD? Every angle is going to be a "boob shot."

[Shadow]

Grisson knowing the source and the story I would not be surprised if 'Anna' exists only in pictures.
And yes, they might have a picture of her with flowers.

[Grissom]

SHADOW, Anna is real. And she is actually that pretty, I have this from a reliable source, a friend of mine. One more proof is that she was accepted by Angelica Network, and they require a woman to visit their agent's office and provide a proof of her identity. Those photos with flowers were also taken by Angelica Network's agent, so you can pretty much tell that she's hot! hot! hot! She asked valence for money. Not good. But she's totally real.

[Shadow]

Grissom, first of all I would like to know if you know the Angelika.net agent that Anna uses. If not, then you might understand that not all agents have the same rules (or at least follow them).
Any picture of a woman is a real woman. Any picture of the same woman with flowers is a picture of a real woman.
However that does not mean the woman in the pictures is actually the person writing, or asking/receiving the cash.
Unless your friend met her in person by the Angelica agency, he can not be certain that she is the woman in the pictures. If he did, I would be very interested to hear his story.

"She likes to be pampered and is very picky" sounds to me like a pro-dater.

[Grissom]

Shadow, I do not know the Angelica.net agent. I never met her. I did hear good things though. I have always thought that they have to obey the same rules. My friend is not "he", she's a female. Used to be in the same agency, a female client. Not anymore. That's how she got to know Anna, I'd take her word for this. Anna, Anna, Anna. A pretty woman who's not picky="would take just any man", sounds to me like a prostitute, or she doesn't have a mind of her own. Or she is desperate. Or, there must be some reason why she is in such a hurry to leave Russia (dark past? criminal connections? maybe..??). "Likes to be pampered", all big-city girls like, don't they? I see nothing wrong with this. I pampered and spoiled my US wife, my FSU gf, my Polish gf. No problem. I kind of thought about pursuing a relationship with Anna, she's very attractive, but I want someone younger and without a kid. I keep thinking about going to Poltava, but not so sure anymore having read the feedback on this forum. Guys say Poltava women gorgeous photos are all airbrushed. What would you recommend?

[Shadow]

Grissom you should go there where you find someone you are interested in. Do not stare at pictures and hope that if you arrive on their doorstep the women will worship you. That is for the desperate women.
As for Anna, ok I can take your friends word. But the life of a single mother in the FSU is quite hard. That does not mean she has to be desperate or not taking any gifts. Just after some time it becomes very easy to take whatever the guys give and make your life more comfortable, without even considering their feelings or the possibility of moving.

[valence]

Grissom, does your friend know if the operation needed by Anna's daughter was successful?

[valence]

Well well bless my cotton socks.  Looking at the 'Live Video Chat' banner ad on the left, the one with the girls' photos blinking behind a question mark background, who do you think is in slot #3?  Heart jump into your throat type of thing...  Question is: how did she wind up in Barcelona?  I bet there's a cute story behind that one!