Although it is difficult for legitimate marriage agencies to provide guarantees, and impossible for them to predict the intent of individuals who use them, there are several precautions that both men and women can take. These precautions not only reduce the individual?s risk of being scammed, they also help to combat the general problem, as the first step to setting an important trend.
Tips for Men
A man looking for marriage via and online dating service is concerned about two things. He?s concerned that the women are not real ? in the sense that they don?t even exist. They are also concerned that there are women trying to scam them for money, or a green card.
The best way to protect against money scams is, of course, to follow what is practically the first rule: don?t send money to your bride! Arrange to buy for her: using the internet you can arrange for flowers, chocolates, right the way to groceries or a fancy take out meal. Not only do these gifts and gestures save you from the risk of exploitation, they are also presenting you in a much better light. If you take the trouble to arrange for a fine meal to be delivered from a restaurant in the vicinity of where you?re Russian bride lives, she will appreciate that you have taken the trouble to research; to find out about what is familiar to her. Sending chocolates, flowers, or other gifts will have the same advantage. Since when did Prince Charming show up with a bag of cash?
As for the green card issue, you take the trouble to visit your fianc?e in
Russia
, meet her family and friends; if you get this far, it?s a good sign. Remember also that it is extremely difficult to orchestrate a green card marriage ? particularly if only one of you intends for the marriage to be fake! For a green card, a couple has to be married for at least two years!
Tips for Women
Russian women have just as many reasons as American men to be concerned about marriage. American men have a reputation for traveling to
Eastern Europe
and
Asia
for sex, and often these men have used marriage agencies to find women to exploit.
Again, there are a number of safety nets. Ultimately, it?s about commitment. Women need to look for signs that the man they choose is committed to them. This means he sends gifts; he does not send cash! Not only is this a risk for him, for the women to, it could be a bad sign. He makes arrangements, not only to travel to Russia ? perhaps he even decides to brings a relative (a female relative?) along ? but he also makes preliminary arrangements to cut through the red tape of immigration. If you meet and decide to marry in
Russia
, he?s ready to get you the K-1 visa in a flash.
