I think my friend is falling victim to marriage fraud. Advice?

[Boiler 45,994]

It's against the TOS.

Permitted Uses. You agree that you are responsible for any Content and communications that you Post and for any consequences thereof. You agree to use the Service (including but not limited to the discussion forums) only to send and receive messages, material, and in general Content that is in conformity with or permitted by law (legal), proper and if part of the discussion forums then also related to the particular subject matter. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using the Service, you will not:

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Posting a web site link does not go against the TOS, if it is public it is public.

[Darnell 8,479]

halloooooo ! [my posts are spot on, yet sparse]

[Happytobe 164]

Exactly what Yuna said. There was nothing anyone could have said to me with my ex, that would have made me sow down or stop. I had to live and learn. Whether it's someone from overseas or someone from the US, there are people like that all over the world. My ex had many profiles that I saw, and I still had my blinders on. Other women of his would randomly send me strange messages and such.... Still didn't learn.... We're all just saying let her do her thing and learn on her own. We do get it. We see people in this situation on here all the time, and we warn them until we're blue in the face, and some come back to say we were right under another name, others don't.... It is what it is.

[Wintertime 0]

Exactly what Yuna said. There was nothing anyone could have said to me with my ex, that would have made me sow down or stop. I had to live and learn. Whether it's someone from overseas or someone from the US, there are people like that all over the world. My ex had many profiles that I saw, and I still had my blinders on. Other women of his would randomly send me strange messages and such.... Still didn't learn.... We're all just saying let her do her thing and learn on her own. We do get it. We see people in this situation on here all the time, and we warn them until we're blue in the face, and some come back to say we were right under another name, others don't.... It is what it is.

Okay, thanks very much for this. I am starting to get that I am over-reacting to this. Its a long process. This is her problem not mine, and if she does get screwed in the end its something many other people have gotten through.

[Happytobe 164]

Also, Winter.... because I felt so alienated from my friends and family when I was involved with my ex.... when I did start to realize the truth, I just continued lying to everyone that things were great, and suffered on my own, because I didn't want to hear all of the "I told you so's". I lost time, I lost money, I lost a lot of tears..... but it would have been great to have had someone there when I started to realize on my own. I'll be the first, now, to admit I was naive and taken advantage of.... but at the time, it was so thrilling and exciting, and with everyone telling me "NO" it just made it that more challenging.... Best of luck

[Wintertime 0]

I was one of the first people to AGREE WITH YOU that this is very highly suspicious and probably a scam.

Then what exactly are you confused about what I am trying to protect her from?

I am trying to protect her from a scam.

And yes, I get that there is nothing much I can do about it.

[Wintertime 0]

Also, Winter.... because I felt so alienated from my friends and family when I was involved with my ex.... when I did start to realize the truth, I just continued lying to everyone that things were great, and suffered on my own, because I didn't want to hear all of the "I told you so's". I lost time, I lost money, I lost a lot of tears..... but it would have been great to have had someone there when I started to realize on my own. I'll be the first, now, to admit I was naive and taken advantage of.... but at the time, it was so thrilling and exciting, and with everyone telling me "NO" it just made it that more challenging.... Best of luck

Thank you for this. This is why I posted here. I wanted to hear from people that have actually been through it. From your post I see much more clearly what the situation is like from her perspective.

[Pennycat 880]

Then what exactly are you confused about what I am trying to protect her from?

I am trying to protect her from a scam.

And yes, I get that there is nothing much I can do about it.

Here's the part when you need to focus on two facts at the same time.

There is no report hotline and the embassy is likely to catch something like this. Knowing this, what good would it do to make this public knowledge among her friends and tell her parents, which are two courses of action you proposed more than once after being told literally dozens of times that there's nothing you can do, government-wise?

If you are not able to protect her from a visa scam, as has been looooong established, what are you trying to protect her from by these proposed actions?

[Penguin_ie 5,996]

**** Many posts removed for breaching TOS, quoting such posts or being off topic. This thread will remain closed as Op has gotten all the constructive answers needed. Do NOT re-start this thread. ******

Edited February 19, 2016 by Penguin_ie