Phone number request

by DL
(Canada)

I have been writing to a Russian woman I met at Match.com and she has asked for my phone number. if there a risk giving it to her?


Bob's Answer:

There isn't enough information here to provide a useful answer. If you want to add a comment to the post with additional information I may be able to offer a more confident answer.

For example:

- Is she IN RUSSIA, or is she just a Russian woman living somewhere else?

- Did you (or her) make initial contact THROUGH Match.com's message system, or did she sneak her contact details into her profile ("you can c0nt@ct me at elena x at yah oo dot com")?

Almost every story that starts with "I met a Russian woman on Match.com..." is bad news. I'll give you 1000-to-1 odds that it's going to be a scam attempt. Read all the other questions and answers in this section. She's going to eventually say she wants to come see you, but needs financial help to do so.

It'll be help with paying for the visa, the flight, etc.

OR, she will start by saying she wants to come see you and will cover all the costs herself, but at the last second there will be some unforeseen problem that requires money, and if you'll just send it she'll repay you as soon as she arrives, etc.

It'll be something like one of these:

- "I was going to pay for the balance of my plane tickets with my last paycheck, but there was a problem with the check. My company refuses to pay me." (last paycheck, grandparents' financial transfer failed, etc.)

- "Russia requires me to leave a deposit to ensure my return to Russia"

- "At the airport they require that I show that I have the cash needed to pay for my accommodations while in the U.S."

- ANYTHING else that requires you to wire money.

It's a fraud.