Kazan, Russia - the probability of dating scam is high
Q: I am currently communicating with a Russian woman in Kazan. We have been emailing for several weeks and she has called me from a cell phone once. She is willing to travel to meet me. I suggested [European Union Country] as a meeting point because of Russia’s requirements for travel. This woman contacted me through [third-party dating service]. I would like to pursue her interests but am concerned about scams. I read the articles you listed and the fact she is from Kazan caught my attention. She doesn’t have a problem with me coming to Russia and hasn’t asked for any money yet but I’m not sure how to proceed. Do you have any suggestions? How can I verify if she is really as stated? Thank you for your help.
A: Kazan, as described in our Anti-scam guide, is a high-risk area in terms of scammers. Quoting our Anti-scam guide: “If the lady comes from one of these risk locations: Joshkar-Ola (Yoshkar-Ola) and Mari El Republic, Kazan, Cheboksary, Gomel, you should take extra caution. The most common reason used by “fake” singles: the money is required to get a visa and pay for travel. Some scammers claim to have a visa already and just need the money for travel. An average Russian female is not likely to be able to afford a trip to [European Union Country]. Please do not send money - the probability of scam is very high.
How can you verify? You cannot. You have to rely on the dating service which you use to meet this lady. It is not only the credibility of the dating service that matters - very few credible dating websites have extensive anti-scam policies. In contrast to Loversplanet.com, most major US and European dating services do not carry out any screening and it is very unlikely that you meet a legitimate Russian lady on such service as they are an easy target for scammers. Whether any specific third-party service has anti-scam policies is beyond our knowledge. It is also impossible to assess the effectiveness of third-party policies. Your best bet is to contact the service which you used, but you have to make sure you can rely on their judgment. Unfortunately, it is often the case that no dating service can give you 100% reassurance in respect of any female member, especially from Kazan. It is similar to credit card fraud – no credit card company, irrespective of their policies, can guarantee fraud-free experience. However, a good credit card company can make sure that the probability of fraud is minimized.
Conclusion: Travel to Russia. Russia’s requirements for travel are not as bad as they may appear. Russian visas are relatively easy to obtain. Russia is a fascinating country to visit. It has a unique culture and very distinct traditions. Make all travel arrangements yourself and have a flexible itinerary.
Please leave a comment if you find this Answer helpful. Please also visit the following links to get plenty of useful information:
U.S. Department of State – Russian Federation – a very detailed overview of Russia, travel and entry requirements, Russian visas, crime, medical and health information, Russian Internet dating schemes, etc. The page has a number of useful links such as:
Russian National Group – Official Guide to Russian Visas, Travel and Hotels. There is a phone number on their website that you can call to inquire about travel arrangements, insurance, visas, tickets, etc.
Kazan women on Loversplanet.com - browse profiles of female members from Kazan on Loversplanet.com
Tags: Kazan, Russian Brides Scams, Russian Dating Scams, scam, scammers
December 12th, 2006 at 12:24 am
My wife is from Kazan. There is no higher risk of being scammed from Kazan than any other area. Travel distance has nothing to do with it. In fact, the deep-rooted, ancient culture of this Tatarstan capital breeds a higher sense of ethics, I believe. To single out this city as a high-risk scam area is simply not fair. Good luck, and just be aware- use common sense and trust your instincts. Would you send money to somene you never met? My wife and I spoke regularly on the phone for almost a whole year before I went over, sending money for her travel to Moscow ahead of me. We now live in CA and have a beautiful young daughter. They are, in fact, in Kazan at this moment visiting for the holidays!
December 12th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
I was just scammed by a young Lady from Kazan named Tatyana Sandakova who appeared to be very inocent. I sent her money (first mistake) for an apartment rental in Kazan and have not heard from her since. Sucks to be me right now. Expensive lesson.Watch yourself !
December 13th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Names, in most cases are made up. Even worse, they can be “borrowed” from other women. At other times names of famous Russian celebrities are used. I agree you have to use a specialized service like Loversplanet.com where profiles are actually screened. No screening (most mainstream dating sites) means far too many scam artists. However, as Rocket Man rightfully says: use common sense at all times. Although it’s difficult when you think you’ve met someone you’re really happy with.