Help with Possible Scam?

[Hope&Love 38]

This reminded me of "90 days fiancé". DO NOT bring her to the US. It's scam.

[krazyscotsman 8]

49 minutes ago, f f said:

now that you are sure it is a scam why not troll them? think of it as a civic duty to protect others since as they have to deal with you they can not scam others.

I will be honest, I have been somewhat doing this. Every time she has asked about the funds to do papers, I will give an excuse. Then, when I could tell she was getting to the end of her patience, I sent her a screen grab of my bank account (NO ACCOUNT INFO). TBH, I make quite a bit of money and have no debt so money is not a problem. So I'm certain my account looks very enticing. So immediately she became very happy to wait and to have patience. I have suspected it was a scam for some time actually soon after I met her - she just looked too perfect. BUT I wanted to confirm with others before doing anything further. If she was real by the chance, I would definitely want to meet her because she seems perfect for me but that was the rub and the red flags as I mentioned. But I have been curious how these scams work and how good they are these scams. THEY ARE VERY GOOD. As I mentioned, I work (actually lead) cybersecurity for a very large company and wanted to know how good these scams are. Now I know. It's easy to start to care and believe. Going in I was pretty sure it was a scam. But "she" was able to get me to doubt my own knowledge. But I have tied her / them up with a possible big fish. But I've never sent a dime. 

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

Others have already given you a similar perspective but if you send money to a travel agency, instead of buying an airline ticket yourself, you have no way of knowing for sure that she'll be flying on a ticket to you, to your city. For all we know, the agency could be booking her to a city of her choice, far from you. Don't be that guy waiting at the airport for a girl who never arrives.

 

By the way, go to Kiev anyway. Even if she doesn't meet up with you, it'll still be a fun time. You'll meet other people, make friends, etc.

[Auds 223]

4 hours ago, krazyscotsman said:

Thanks for that. I probably shouldn't admit this since I was asking advice, but I am a senior cybersecurity expert. As such, I am cautious and suspicious by nature. But, I wanted to believe even when I knew something(s) didn't add up. As I tell students and junior engineers, anyone can be socially engineered. I tell my daughter the same thing as life practice. Fortunately, I was able to continue to listen to my own knowledge of social engineering and keep a cautious aspect. Again as I have said in many meetings, the easiest hack is a social engineering hack; people are wired to want to believe and trust especially if you feed them just the right amount of "assurance." 

 

Thanks again all for your input in really helping me out. I just didn't know enough about the situation in Eastern Ukraine to fully say yes this is 100% fraud. I have been to Kiev and Chernigov in past years for business and understood these cities but that was before the war in the East. Again thanks!

 

 

Oh no!  Senior Cybersecurity Expert  .

I guess its our human tendency I have Genius IQ and led massive international projects and then then some pretty stupid things in personal situations.

[krazyscotsman 8]

2 minutes ago, Russ&Caro said:

Others have already given you a similar perspective but if you send money to a travel agency, instead of buying an airline ticket yourself, you have no way of knowing for sure that she'll be flying on a ticket to you, to your city. For all we know, the agency could be booking her to a city of her choice, far from you. Don't be that guy waiting at the airport for a girl who never arrives.

 

By the way, go to Kiev anyway. Even if she doesn't meet up with you, it'll still be a fun time. You'll meet other people, make friends, etc.

 

I was planning a trip to Kiev and Lviv anyway. I will extend the offer for her to meet me in Kiev. If she doesn't, it's no big deal. As I mentioned, I have been somewhat playing along but TBH I started thinking well maybe she isn't a scammer? But I was right to begin with. Is it safe to travel to Kiev and Lviv alone? I did some years ago for business but I had contacts in Kiev who picked me up and were my guides and helped me get around the city.

 

Thanks.

[krazyscotsman 8]

2 minutes ago, Auds said:

Oh no!  Senior Cybersecurity Expert  .

I guess its our human tendency I have Genius IQ and led massive international projects and then then some pretty stupid things in personal situations.

Yeah, I am actually. But I never sent money and always had a concern that this was fake. I was not totally clueless. In fact, I actually started it as research. But she was very convincing fortunately, I was never in love. Just interested in seeing where and if she was real and if she was I wanted to meet her. I deal with a lot of Spear Phishing scams in my job that results in exploitation. So, i was curious how many of my company's employees fall for these attacks... Now I know. Yeah, I wanted her to be real, but I never for a second fully trusted it was real. I knew enough of the signs. But, she was able to convince me to start questioning my head knowledge. 

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

3 minutes ago, krazyscotsman said:

 

I was planning a trip to Kiev and Lviv anyway. I will extend the offer for her to meet me in Kiev. If she doesn't, it's no big deal. As I mentioned, I have been somewhat playing along but TBH I started thinking well maybe she isn't a scammer? But I was right to begin with. Is it safe to travel to Kiev and Lviv alone? I did some years ago for business but I had contacts in Kiev who picked me up and were my guides and helped me get around the city.

 

Thanks.

 

Seven years ago, I was flying and traveling alone regularly to South Africa for work, and also to Colombia to see my gf (now wife). At the time, SA and Colombia were the #1 and #2 most dangerous places in the world to visit. Made it out in one piece. lol

 

Seriously, though, if you've traveled internationally before, then you probably know what precautions to take to avoid theft and violence. You just have to be self aware of your surroundings. I'd say you'll probably be fine.

[krazyscotsman 8]

1 minute ago, Russ&Caro said:

 

Seven years ago, I was flying and traveling alone regularly to South Africa for work, and also to Colombia to see my gf (now wife). At the time, SA and Colombia were the #1 and #2 most dangerous places in the world to visit. Made it out in one piece. lol

 

Seriously, though, if you've traveled internationally before, then you probably know what precautions to take to avoid theft and violence. You just have to be self aware of your surroundings. I'd say you'll probably be fine.

I have traveled internationally many times. I was always told Ukraine and Russia tend to target single men now due to perceived wealth and so many men are traveling there for sex tourism. That was really my concern. I definitely understand the dangers and not being obvious with money and the other things. 

[yatsek 32]

An easy way to expose a fraudster is to do a google search of his/her alleged photo.

[krazyscotsman 8]

Just now, yatsek said:

An easy way to expose a fraudster is to do a google search of his/her alleged photo.

Completely agree. That's how I found the scam evidence to begin with. Also, I looked at all the photos (at least 30) not one image had ANY metadata associated with it to include the photography date. This means the metadata was scrubbed. Another proof that something is very unusual. As I mentioned, I suspected immediately a scam and continued to talk wondering how these would evolve. How quickly she would develop love and affection, etc. My failure and the reason I asked the question was she was good enough to make me question my head knowledge. We are wired that way to want to believe. It is wife social engineering is the easy way to attack anyone or business.

[KierenHby 899]

Well, you have a war-afflicted region, attractive young leggy blondes, desperation, lack of familial ties.. easy to connect the dots. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

Op, you should have fun with it.  Tell her you are ready to do it and your tried contacting the travel agency but could not get through or that they need a scanned copy of her passport directly through you.  String the scammer along until you make him/her crazy. 

[millefleur 5,047]

I know the OP has already figured out it's a scam but, would it be weird to ask for a picture of this person holding her own passport? Then a separate scan of the passport? Unless this person and their scamming company were photoshop masters, that seems like a good way to prove if the alleged photos actually are really the person.

 

One time I lost my password for a Russian social media site. They made me verify that it was me by sending a photo of myself holding my passport. That's where I got the idea.

Edited April 11, 2017 by millefleur

[Cathi 5,784]

Why won't she Skype or Facetime with you?

[KierenHby 899]

16 hours ago, krazyscotsman said:

she states she is the one that would be moving to another country and she would like to see the world she is moving into and the life I live to see if we are a fit and also she says she would love to invite me to see her in her city but she fears for my safety as it is dangerous for Ukrainian citizens and foreigners in the Donetsk area would definitely be in danger for at least robbery;

"Offer" to meet her in Russia (Moscow\St Pete). She doesn't need a visa, and both cities are gorgeous in the summer; I've been to both. 

Then wait for the excuses to pile up.