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Antiscam Tips
How to Avoid Being Scammed
- If you don’t want to be scammed do not send Ukrainian women any money or valuable things. This is the first rule. At least not until after you are 100% sure that girl is real, which means you have corresponded with her for a long time, you spoke on the phone, or even met her, before sending her any money.
- Don't boast about the fact that you have money. In internet dating, talk about favorite movies, hobbies, plans for future, etc. – just like in real life. The topic of money will only draw scammers and gold-diggers.
- If you feel that you have found a mutual interest, mention coming to Ukraine, and maybe even visiting those Ukrainian women. This will shed off any potential scammers.
- Mention talking to her over the phone. This might not be as effective, since some Ukrainian women might refuse due to poor English skills, or lack of a phone (not too uncommon in the former Soviet Union countries), but it will certainly make a scammer feel uneasy.
- If some Ukrainian women write you about correspondence expenses, you may offer to pay for the mail forwarding yourself. This way you won’t be sending any money to them personally. If a girl is honest and genuinely interested in you, she will accept this suggestion gladly. If not, she will disappear and you've spared your time or money.
- Get the warning signs. Ask her for her postal address, then use it to check up on her in our Ukrainian women database. Try sending her something: a letter, a photo of yourself, or a rose from us. If she doesn't receive it, something might be wrong. We will be happy to help you out by personally visiting the address, within 24-48 hours from the time of placing your order, to confirming the existence of the address or the person.
- A neat trick in internet dating>: send her a blank letter. A real girl will either ignore it, or write back, asking why you sent her a blank letter. Scammers, most likely, will write back, thanking you for your wonderful letter, reminding you that they love you. This, also, works with 'gibberish' letters. Send two pages of nonsense and wait for her reaction.
If you should find out that she is a scammer, don't forget to report her to her agency or dating websites.This will help prevent any future incidents.
Warning Signs
- If she sends you photos, take notice: does she look like a 'real' person? Most real Ukrainian women can't afford to have expensive studio-shots done. Ask yourself this: why did she mention how short of money she is, when she can afford to have her hair and make-up done for an expensive photo-shoot? Another thing is to watch out for nude or suggestive photos. Most Ukrainian women with pure intentions wouldn't do something that drastic. Also, watch out for women young enough to be your daughter.
- Excessively tender letters at the very beginning of your correspondence. For example, if she calls you "My Darling", or signs her first letters to you "with love".
- Unclear letters with no or few questions about you. She may write very loving letters about how much she needs you, misses and loves you, yet doesn't seem interested in you personally. Ukrainian women seriously considering marriage will obviously have questions.
- Your questions are never or rarely answered. A real girl will understand that you have questions about her, and try to answer them. A scammer might not even read your email.
- Her letters may seems like "form" letters, and if she is a scammer, they are form letters. They're usually sent out in order - reply 1, reply 2, etc. If she's working on many people at once, you may even receive letters addressed to someone else. Her letters may become progressively sexual, and her photos more seductive. This is a common theme throughout the varying scams.
- Insinuations about how expensive Internet cafes are. They can be expensive, but most Ukrainian women don't use Internet cafes for this. The majority of girls will have Internet access at work, or through a friend. They may pay someone for this service, but if they claim it's costing them $50 - $100 per month, you need to be suspicious. Besides Internet cafes, there are business centers in almost every city where e-mail can be sent and received inexpensively.
- A tragedy happened and money is urgently needed. This is the most common scam used in internet dating and on dating websites. It usually comes up after she's corresponded with you for a while. The story could be almost anything - one of her parents are ill, or got hit by a car and could die unless an expensive operation is performed; her money was lost or stolen, the rent is due and she could be evicted and end up on the streets. There are endless variations to this theme. Don’t fall for this unless you've met the girl and her family in person, or otherwise know the story could be true.
- She wants to visit you in the USA and needs money for the visa/tickets. While it is possible for Ukrainian women to obtain a tourist visa to USA, this would be very difficult. A certain income level must be met and there are many restrictions. This remains one of the most common scams. Most real Ukrainian women would prefer you to visit them in their home country, where they could be in familiar surroundings and introduce you to their family.
Unluckily, some scammers know of these warning signs and how to avoid arousing suspicion. Be patient. A loving and faithful relationship takes time and scammers will get restless. They wait for the easier prey, especially, for the men who seem to be new in dating Ukrainian women online. We encourage you to tell us about any suspicions you might have, or any topics we haven't discussed.
What to Do if You Suspect a Scammer
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