Hi Irina,
I have been in communication with a woman from Minks, Belarus for about a month.
We speak on the phone everyday – except for two days when she went to visit her grandparents – and we seem to have a very good conversation and compatibility.
Recently, I brought up the topic of her visiting me in Chicago and, of course, I agreed to pay for the trip.
However, the Belarusian travel agency is requesting that I wire transfer the payment ($1300 EUR) to handle the travel arrangements and visa processing; so, I am becoming a little suspicious.
Please help me find the truth! I could really use your help – would it be possible for you to talk with her (for a fee) to find out if she is a scammer. I would be more than willing to pay you for your time – and provide calling card information.
Thank you!

Hello
I am sure that it is a scam and I do not need any need to talk with the girl.
1. I hardly can imagine how she can come to Chicago, how she can receive a visa there. Your government does not give visas to single girls.
2. No travel agency will contact you and ask for money. They will talk with the girl, they tell her what will cost this or taht , but they won't write to another person and ask to transfer money . This is a scam.
best regards,
Irina

Hi Irina,
Thank you for your response.
Natasha and I talk on the phone everyday for almost an hour...it seems hard to imagine that someone could be so patient, cruel and deceiving.
I understand that it is difficult for single women to receive visa, but are you sure that it is totally impossible? Also, please note that the travel agency never contacted me directly.
I do want to be very sure before I cease communication...
Are you still completely sure that this is a scam and that there is no need to talk with her? Perhaps she is being scammed by the travel agency?
Thanks for your response!

Hello,
No, it is not totally impossible.
I can receive the visa to USA, my father in law lives there and so my husband and I will be given this visa.
I know another woman who is given this visa. She travelled a lot before, had several times Shengen visa, has very high salary (more than 2500 usd a month), married, with 2 children. Then she is given this visa.
Rather easy to receive this visa if a woman goes by aupair program or if she goes to some conference( if she is a schientist or by student exchange program) But all thess programs do not include in any way travel agency. sometimes if some woman has very high salary and travelled a lot, then she can have the visa especially if she will take a tour. I mean not only tickets and visa but the tour (but then it costs much more than this money).
Did Natasha have a passport? Has she travelled much? Has she been to Shengen country a lot? What is her salary (or what is her job)?
Send me the information that she sent you about that agency and all the visa and ticket issues.,
best regards,
Irina

Hi Irina,
Many thanks for your response! Please let me know what I can do to repay you for your time and effort.
I don’t know for certain whether or not Natasha has a passport because I never asked directly. Assuming that I recall our conversations correctly, she has only travelled to Russia, Ukraine and Poland. I do not believe that she has travelled to a Shengen country.
Natasha finished Institute last year as Interior Design/Architect; however, she said that she recently lost her job. She has a flat in her name in the city of Vitebsk, but is currently living with her parents in Minsk. Her father is in the Military and her mother is a Doctor. (Natasha did mention that the travel agency asked for the information regarding her Vitebsk flat, i.e., they were looking for reasons to prove that she would return to Belarus.)
Natasha has NEVER asked me for money for anything. For example, she mentioned that she had to buy an “Internet Card” to get Internet access at home; however, it was something that her father will buy for the family. In addition, she occasionally goes to the Internet Cafe; however, she has never asked me to help pay. In fact, when I first brought up the idea of her visiting me, her response was “I would like it very much, but would have to talk with my parents. I don’t think we can afford the visit and I need their permission.” That is when I offered to pay for the trip. She never put any pressure on me. She waited a week before asking her parents permission – and she was very excited when they agreed (although she said that her father was hesitant to agree). In all of these phone conversations, she seems extremely sincere
Per your request, here is the information that Natasha provided regarding the money transfer:
Bank name: JSC Vneshtorgbank
Bank address: 5 Dolgorukovskaya Str., Moscow
Account number: 40820978330001000001
Swift code: CBGURUMM
Name on account: Rabkin D. S
Sum of payment 1380 euro.
Natasha also mentioned that the travel agent manager needed my full name (presumably, to know to apply the payment to Natasha’s travel arrangements).
Also, the manager told Natasha that he needed to inform the US Embassy where Natasha would be staying in the US; so, the travel package includes the following hotel reservation (located very close to Chicago):
BEST WESTERN NAPERVILLE
1617 NAPERVILLE ROAD
NAPERVILLE, IL 60563
I have informed Natasha that I am not completely comfortable with sending payment to the travel agency at this time (because I want to protect her – and make sure that when we see each other everything will be perfect). To ease my concerns, Natasha has agreed to talk with you via phone.
Many thanks!

Hello McKinley,
1. You can see here that you are scammer by a man Ryabkin. No travel agency will give their bank account for you like this. It is done by men's scammers.
2. no person who does not work can't receive visa. It is impossible
3. if she was not in Shengen country a lot then it is impossible about USA visa.
4. You can phone to American consulate and learn that just knowing where you are is not enouph for visa. Either the visa is for invitation and then a special paper is needed, or the visa is a tour then no invitation is needed but booking in hotels is needed.
but in any way for this woman a visa is impossible.
This Ryabkin hired some woman to talk to you .
What will I talk to her? How are you going to go to USA when it is impossible? Or what?
Best regards,
Irina