How can I know that pictures a Russian woman sends me are actually the girl I'm speaking to?

by John
(Greenville NC USA )

How can I know that a Russian woman with whom I am communicating by email and text messages is actually the girl in the pictures she sends and posts online?

Bob's Answer: Great question, and one that everyone asks! You get in communication with a Russian woman online, you see her posted pictures, you see the pictures she sends you, but is this REALLY the woman writing, or is "she" some fraud?

If you are following what I call "The Correspondence Approach" (see Dating Russian Women Online: The Correspondence Approach), where you basically meet Russian women online, correspond for a while, narrow the field to just one, then go visit only that one, then there are several things I can think of that can almost guarantee that the Russian women with whom you are communicating are "real" (match their pictures, and are probably who they claim to be):

1. Read this WHOLE SITE. Seriously, probably more than 70% of the content here is focused around the concept of avoiding Russian dating scams.
   
2. Meet women on reputable sites that actually screen their Russian women clients.
3. For you, since you already seem to be in communication with a Russian woman, these first two steps may be a little too late, so just keep them in mind for any future activity. For now, the one really sure way to gain a confidence that the woman with whom you are corresponding is authentic is to USE SKYPE VIDEO! Read more at Skype.
   
   If you don't have high speed internet, speakers, microphone, and webcam, GET THEM! If she doesn't have these (if she's a scammer she WILL claim that she doesn't), ask her to use an internet cafe where they have Skype, speakers, microphone, and webcam. If she claims she doesn't speak good enough English, arrange YOUR OWN translator (NEVER use one that she suggests, or one provided by a marriage agency).
   
   If she doesn't have Skype/internet/speakers/microphone/webcam, and she can't find or won't use an internet cafe that has these things, or claims she can't afford it, or claims she can't speak English and won't be comfortable with your translator, etc., she's probably a fraud.
   
   You can use Alexandra if you can't find others you prefer. You can read about her at Alexandra's Translation and Guide Services. If she doesn't work out, please contact me again by replying to this post and I'll recommend others.