Possible New Russian Bride

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

I have been dealing with a Russian Bride who does not appear on the Russian Detective blacklist. Is there somewhere I should send her details to?

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 2:50 pm

The actual black list at RD isn't being updated anymore. The forum is intended to replace it.
There are other scammer sites you can post the information on, but they all have some hoops they want you to jump through.
Start at RD. Search the forum to make sure there isn't an existing report on the same person. If there is, add to that thread, don't start a new one.
I'm trying to get more baiters to post reports there, but, remember, that's more of a resource for victims.
We're trying to make more clear the posting requirements.
You'll need to establish that the person is a scammer, not just + know she is'.

[mod edit: duplicate post deleted - KD]

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

At what point can I be 100% sure that she's a scammer? The only thing I have to go off is the fact that I received an email totally out of the blue to my junk email box. There's been no discussion of money yet.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

@Dred -- you want 100% certainty?? Nothing in life is certain. Life is a series of expectations, both fulfilled and dashed. How we adapt to those disappointments is what forms our character....

I'm sorry you had a question. Why not just wait a few emails and see when the money issue comes up. You know it will eventually -- hell, even if she were to be legit (by some amazing possibility), she'd probably ask you for money. And by that test, you'll never know 100%.

Just live by the rule not to pay money for love (note I didn't say sex) and you'll be just fine.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 3:34 pm

@Dredcocoa
If she falls in love with you after just a couple of mails it's pretty sure she's a scammer. You can also just copy & paste some random text as a reply to her mails. Russian scammers normally don't read what you reply until it comes to the money part. When she continues with her script you can be sure, if she actually reads what you're writing and asks about your strange mail, you can always make something up like your e-mail provider got confused or whatever.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

JMRazor- I think I'm being misunderstood here... I'm baiting rather than considering marrying a stranger here, give me some credit ... I just didn't want to rush headlong and declare on RD that she was a scammer if there was a possibility she wasn't. Cheers for your answer though.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Well, you're always running the risk of incorrectly identifying someone as a scammer based on emails alone aren't you? Even if she asks for money, it doesn't mean that she doesn't want to marry you. I think you concern of reporting her is admirable, just that you'll never know 100% until you're standing at the altar and she's not there....

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

True. TO be honest, I think I'm just being over-cautious when there's no need.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 5:29 pm

There are many little clues to determine if she's a scammer or not.
Most of the time, you can find them in the first few letters.
One of the main indicators is in the email headers.
Once you learn how to determine the originating ip of the letter, that is often enough to tell you she's a scammer.
If a lady claims she's in Murmansk, but the letters are actually coming from Mari El, the home of these scams, then you're not dealing with a girl scout. Likewise, if the ip shows the letter is coming from anywhere other than where the person claims to be.
A lot more russian scammers are using satellite internet providers, I think for the sole reason it makes detection/location by the few authorities who may be interested in them. The ips for these scammer will point to the satellite earth station in cyprus, lebanon, or iran.
Satellite internet service isn't cheap. I haven't had any indication internet cafes in russia are using it. If I see an ip to a satellite in the header, I'm calling this person a scammer.
The use of 'the Bat!'. If you see this in the headers its another strong indication you're dealing with a scammer.
Google!! Start with the email address. Move on to any address, or strange phrases in the letters. Google whole sentences, or even paragraphs.
One girl talks often about drinking 'red vine'. She also mis-spells university, as 'univercity'. Google those, and you'll be led to her letters, and pictures, used with many names.
Oksana Belousova, and at least one more character from the same group of scammers, frequently uses the phrase 'I the decent and sociable girl'. Google that and you'll be led to her listings on dating sites, and scam reports.
Google street addresses, phone numbers, pet names.

Any sentence that seems strange, or stands out....google it!
A couple girls mention something about 'plenty of fish in river but I can't afford them' googled that, and it spit out the same phrase used in various scam letters.
Dittos, something about 'my father retired but works in car park'.
If somebody has posted the letters on the 'net, google will find the strange stuff for you!
Google dating site I Ds. Oksana has used oksana1976 for a long time on many dating sites. Marina123, also.
Finding your 'girl' on a few dating sites isn't damning. Finding her on 20??
Looking for the 'face' is time consuming. Don't get too hung up with the pictures. The scammer don't!
Chances aren't good you have a 'new, face. Those pictures have been used with other names.
Don't stay focused on finding the 'face'! The other evidence is there, and is easier to find. (Once you learn how)
I had a couple of girls who totally frustrated me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to prove them 'real' or scammers. It was driving me nuts! I cut them off. Months later, I looked at the letters again, and the evidence pretty much stood up and slapped me in my silly face! The ip from the email headers was enough in both cases.
The evidence is there if they're a scammer. Stop looking at the tatas with a glazed expression, and look at the letters! Smile

Note:all of my 'women' contacted me on notorious dating sites.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

Cheers. That's the sort of thing I was after. I'll let you know how I get on.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 59

Well, they are from Mari-El. How can I tell if it's a satellite though? And what is "The Bat"?

Cheers

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 6:09 pm

Dredcocoa wrote:

... And what is "The Bat"?

The Bat! is an e-mail program by a Russian company called Ritlabs. Though I don't understand why this is an indicator for scammers? It's likely that many Russian internet caf�s use it, but before Thunderbird came up I think it was, besides Eudora, very popular and common, not only in Russia.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 6:47 pm

If they use a satellite, you won't see mari el, or wherever they really are.
From what I understand, the bat! Isn't used in internet cafes. Its designed to handle large amounts of email and is used by spammers and scammers. It needs to be installed on the computer. I'm not sure if it can be run from a disc.
The 'internet cafe' scenario is a red herring since most of these scams are conducted from personal computers in homes.
Has anyone ever seen the bat! In nigerian letters?
I've seen it in probably 99 percent of my russian scam letters.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

I first heard of The Bat! from the Mandrake Linux mailing list. Lots of people complained that The Bat! was Windows only, so they couldn't use it any more. It isn't just for spammers/scammers, it's used by honest folks too, and it has a fanatical following.

Having said that the average home computer user will be on Outlook Express, or just maybe Thunderbird. So in general it would be a good indicator.

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 10:11 pm

Yup, Thud, it's controversial. Since I see it so consistantly in the scammers headers, I'm a believer!

Wink

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 10:59 pm

It's not any one thing that'll tell you you're dealing with a scammer. The Bat! being used is a good indicator, so is the IP address showing as Mari-El as is the wording of the emails. When you see more than one of them then you can be pretty sure it's going to be a scammer. Quite often you'll get all 3, and then you know you're onto a winner. If they chuck in a mention for Western Union as well........

(edit) and you'll usually see all 3 in that first email you get off them.

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