First, let me applaud elipze321 for his blogs on scamming. I have been the targeted multiple times in my short quest. Often, I am left disillusioned, disheartened, and ultimately mistrustful. The scammers know they are hurting others by instilling false hopes, stroking fragile egos with kind words, beautiful photographs, and all the promises they know we ache to hear. I suppose you would say I was naive when I began internet dating, believing every letter, every photo, allowing myself to believe what I wanted to believe, and ignoring (what are now very obvious) signs of malintent (is that a word?)

I plan on building a webpage with the women who have attempted various scams on me, but I begin this blog with an example. About a month ago, I had been in contact with a Russian 'lady' by the name of Alla. Stunningly beautiful, with sweet letters that seemed very open and honest, I felt she and I were destined for one another. I began saving money to aid in bringing her to Canada. After around 3 weeks of writing each other, I received this letter:

Hi  my  lovely! It is pleasant for me to read your words. I am glad to

learn  , that you are ready to accept me in the house. Thank, that you

trust  me  , my dear. Dale, I want to tell to you that in the past the

message  I  wanted  to  check,  as  far as seriously you treat to me .

Forgive  for  this lovely, but you should understand me. For me was it

is  very important to know, whether you will agree to accept me in the

the  house  whether  or not. If you insisted, that we met somewhere in

hotel  or  in  the other place, - that to me should to think, what not

you want to play host to me because you have the wife or or you not it

is serious enough to me, and you want to meet me for an entertainment.

It  check  -  was  small  precaution.  I  heard,  that many people get

acquainted  to  have  only  sex  with  the  new  person, though in the

structure  inform,  that have serious intentions. Now I am sure in you

Dale,  and  I am glad, that you appeared really that the person whom I

want  to  meet!  Loved, I with big pleasure, I shall spend at you some

days.  These days I shall reach in agency of travel and to receive the

information  for that , to reach to you the next month. I shall inform

you for detail about it in the following e-mail. I wait your messages.

I of you adore mine dear Dale! My kisses!!!

                              Yours Alla

Of course, I was ecstatic, but that was shortlived. Following this letter, she told me she had contacted an "agency of travel", signed a contract with instructions to follow. Long story short, I got a letter requesting $1450.00 in 3-4 days! I already knew before then, this was not right, so responded to that letter, with something along the line of needing my lawyer to review this "contract", needing the name of the "agency", it's board of directors, etc. I layed it on pretty thick. Needless to say, Alla has vanished from my life! I tell you this, because a new Russian lady I began to like very much, sent this letter a month later:

Hi my lovely! It is pleasant for me to read your words. I am glad to
learn, that you are ready to accept me in the house. Thank, that you
trust me , my dear. Dale, I want to tell to you that in the past the
message I wanted to check, as far as seriously you treat me . Forgive
for this lovely, but you should understand me. For me it was very
important to know, whether will you agree to accept me in the the
house. If you insisted, that we met somewhere in hotel or in the other
place, - that to me should to think, you don't want to invite me at
itself because you have somebody or you not is serious enough to me,
and you want to meet me only for fun. It check - was small precaution.
I heard, that many people get acquainted to have only sex with the new
person, though in the profile inform, that have serious intentions. I
hope I have not offended you, I know you understand me, Now I am sure
in you Dale, and I am glad, that you appeared really that the person
whom I want to meet! Loved, I with big pleasure, I shall stay at you
some days. Soon these days I shall reach in agency of travel and to
receive the information to reach to you the next month. I shall inform
you all details in following e-mail. I wait your messages. I adore you
my dear Dale! My kisses!!! Yours Carmen.

Talk about deja vu! Yes, gentlemen, practically ver batim! I am letting her continue to write, just for fun, to see how many letters match perfectly. So far, the last two are exactly the same.

I address this now to you, that lady who is sincere, who is posting her REAL picture, who desires the honest and true relationship. Help eclipze321, myself, and any other guy out there who is ready to throw in the towel on this whole endeavor. Give us the warning signs, suggest ways to avert danger before we have invested our time, our hearts, our emotions in a fruitless pursuit. I am going to do my part by laying out some of my thoughts on what I am going to do to ensure, at the very least, that I am not bearing my soul to some retired old janitor in Boca Raton with a cute granddaughter!

Will update when I get the chance. And if you have received a letter identical to the ones I've posted, run, run hard, run fast, but run. Until next time, Kleinknecht.