Are you interested to know more about Ukraine romance scams? With internet dating being so popular in this day and age, it’s inevitable that you run into someone trying to catfish you in order to scam you out of your hard earned money.
One of the most popular locations that these scammers originate from Ukraine, a country in Europe that borders Russia. This developing country has an up and coming economy with all sorts of unique, beautiful people and several different dating sites you can take part in if you are looking for love in Ukraine!
However, although there are millions of singles who are on the prowl for a partner from Ukraine, you will likely experience a couple of bad dates, or even worse– scammers! Not just any scammers, but those who want nothing more than to ruin your life by draining your accounts dry. You don’t have to panic quite yet; I’m here to tell you exactly how to identify, handle Ukraine romance scams and avoid any scammer you may come into contact with!
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Discussing Ukraine Romance Scams
While you may genuinely find love on a popular dating site, it’s pretty common to have the occasional catfish swimming their way into your inbox. For the most part, they’re easy to identify– their photos look a little off, their English is broken, they happen to have run into some horrible circumstances and they make a point of discussing that with you right off the bat… The signs are endless.
Not everyone is quite as apt to figure out these scams, though, as a matter of fact, the most likely targets are those who are disabled, elderly, recently divorced; basically anyone who shows signs of being lonely and might be vulnerable. These scammers prey on anyone they think they can coax into sending them gifts or money. Always be on the lookout for potential scammers, they may be obvious, or they may be clever and sneaky!
Why Romance Scams Happen from Ukraine
There is no concrete reason for people to actually scam someone out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars– they just do it sometimes. Whether they work for a huge “company” that dedicates their lives to scamming, or they’re just someone sitting at home trying to make money in this awful fashion, it just depends on the situation overseas. There are a number of reasons that one might scam another person; either they’re truly strapped for cash and see no other way to make money, or they’re lazy and just looking to get rich quick in the worst way possible.
Either way, the only person truly getting hurt by this is whomever falls victim to these con artists. It is a very sad occurrence and can genuinely ruin someone’s life! These people are borderline experts in manipulation and coercion, to the point that some even make their living off of creating romance scams constantly– usually several at a time. Regardless, what they are doing is not only illegal, but completely and totally unethical.
How Do Ukrainian Romance Scams Work?
For the most part, Ukrainian romance scams can either happen if you are on a popular dating site looking for a Ukrainian man or woman, or if you are looking for someone more local. These con artists will lie and claim to be United States citizens while pulling every trick they can to convince you to send money their way. They will pose as someone extremely attractive so that you will more easily fall for whatever they’re telling you in order to get you to believe everything they’re saying.
The fact of the matter is, you’ll usually be talking to some middle aged Ukrainian man sitting at his computer in his basement, just racking up on money and gifts that he somehow convinces people to send his way, with virtually no effort at all. Always be mindful of who you are talking to and what they may be like behind their dating profiles!
The Most Popular Type of Ukraine Dating Scam
While these scammers use all types of tactics to try and lure you into their traps, there are some scams that are more common than others. Usually, they will have a bait profile made with a photo of a very attractive woman wearing revealing clothing, such as a cocktail dress or a bikini. These photos will look professional and like they came straight off of Google.
The best way to rule out a fake photo is to do a quick reverse image search. If nothing comes up, they are more likely to be legitimate. If several photo sources for the same image shows up in your results, you are better off blocking and reporting that person.
A normal person would not use someone else’s images to create their profile! You are being catfished and have no reason to communicate with this person any further! It’s no use trying to be confrontational with them, they likely will be unaffected by your words and will, in the same minute, start looking for someone else to try and lure!
Other Ukraine Romance Scams
There are the less common scams that still circulate throughout the Ukrainian dating world, such as the scammer claiming that their life is in danger and they need help getting out of an abusive or life-threatening situation. They are trying to create an urgency in an effort to speed things along with you sending them money.
Don’t you find it coincidental that these scammers not only lost their wife and child in childbirth, but they also have accumulated immensely large amounts of debt, all while having their accounts frozen due to unforeseen circumstances? Yeah, they’re feeding you a load of bull.
Another uncommon, yet still possible, scam that these con artists will try to pull on you is a kidnapping/ransom situation. They will start their usual conversation with you and within minutes they are captured and taken to some remote location, and their captors have an incredibly specific ransom in order for you to be released… Yet another example of creating false urgency and dangerous circumstances. They are trying to send you into a panic so you will hurry and send their money with no questions asked. Do not fall for this, instead offer to call the authorities and if they refuse, they are definitely lying.
Ever wonder why kidnappers would allow their victims to have access to a cell phone or computer? Yeah, it never happens.
What to Look Out for With Online Ukrainian Dating
The tell-tale signs of a scammer is usually the way they structure their sentences, along with how well they speak English. Another big red flag, as we discussed earlier, is a profile picture that just looks too perfect, accompanied with either lots of photos that are of people that look similar but not quite the same, or no more photos at all besides their profile picture.
Other things you can keep an eye out for is how they converse with you; they will go from saying hello and giving simple compliments, to professing their love for you in the same breath! It is extremely unlikely that you will find your fairytale, love at first sight type love on a Ukrainian site, so you are probably the victim of a scammer. The best thing you can do it block the person, report them, and move on about your day.
Remember to NEVER, under any circumstances, no matter how badly someone claims to need it, send a stranger money. There is a reason that they are choosing to ask someone they know they will never meet in person, and that is because they have absolutely no intention of paying it back anytime soon– if at all!
Need to Know About Romance Scams
The main thing you need to know about romance scams is that they can happen to anybody, on ANY dating site! They happen the most frequently on recognizable, brand name dating sites in the USA. Whether you’re wealthy or barely making ends meet, you have a family or are single and lonely, it doesn’t matter; they’re coming for you and you need to be prepared to deal with it.
These people will go to extreme lengths to try and convince you that they are definitely U.S. citizens, and they need this money to deal with a number of issues, like significant debt, the funds to travel to meet you, funeral expenses for a loved one… the list goes on and on for days.
They will ALWAYS have an excuse as to why they are “successful” but still need financial assistance, claiming that they will have the money to pay you back within a few days or weeks, only to never hear from them again, or for them to say they need even more money because what you sent wasn’t enough. They are professional manipulators and have perfected their craft down to a science. They know exactly what they are doing and they feel no remorse, as they know they will likely not face any sort of repercussions for their actions.
What you really need to know more than anything is that anyone is a potential victim, no matter your financial status or occupation. They will find you and they will guilt you!
Are You at Risk for Being Scammed?
I mean this when I say it; EVERYONE is at risk for being scammed at any time, no matter their level of intelligence or technological advancement. While the most likely candidates to get scammed are elderly or living in rural areas (such as farmers and laborers), it’s still possible for someone who considers themselves tech-savvy to get duped. Even if you use some of the most trusted dating sites available, you are still at risk for scammers flooding your inbox.
The best thing you can do is keep your profile and occupation private to those you don’t know personally, so you are slightly less vulnerable to scammers. Even if you take these precautions, you are never fully protected from these Ukrainian con artists, unless you completely ignore them and follow any suspicions you may have. If it seems off, it probably is!
How to Protect Against Romance Scams
You can avoid being scammed on a dating website by staying on the site to communicate with your matches, investigating potential dates after they contact you, and just being mindful of who you talk to over the internet, especially in a foreign country.
You can stay safe while still chatting with Ukrainian men and women online, just as long as you know how to do it. Here are a few more ways you can stay safe and secure when online dating:
- Keep your profile one dating sites and social media as private as possible
- Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. If you have mutual friends, message one or two of them to see if the person is legitimate
- Make sure that your occupation is not visible on your dating or social media profile, especially if you would be considered wealthy– like if you are a doctor or a lawyer, try not to advertise it. That will put a huge target on your back!
- Never go outside of the dating site to communicate unless you have met them in person. That leaves you less protected in the event of being scammed.
- Don’t use websites based in Ukraine if you are in the U.S.– they have a lot of unprotected servers that could send viruses to your computer, which could result in your information being stolen!
Could You Be A Victim Of A Ukrainian Romance Scam?!
It is important that you perform a quick background check on who you are actually speaking to on the internet (you can do that here). The common questions that spring to mind are:
- Are they using fake identities?
- Am I really speaking to a real person from the USA?
To help the users of this site we have partnered with BeenVerified so you can check exactly that. This checking service reveals everything about this would be romance scammer and if they are a real person!
Helpful Information Available on BeenVerified:
- Arrest Records (Please check this!)
- Photos (Helps check if same photos are used for multiple profiles with different names)
- Email Addresses
- Phone Numbers
- Social Profiles (IMPORTANT – Do they have a real social profile or multiple)
- Home Addresses
- Relatives & Associates
- Sex Offenders Register (Be safe who you are meeting!)
- And More…
If you have the slightest doubt about who you are speaking to… Please use this service!
Wrap Up
In conclusion, you shouldn’t give up on trying to find love with someone in Ukraine – you can meet so many gorgeous people, and may even come across your soulmate!
You just have to know who to avoid and what to do if you feel that you may be part of an Ukraine romance scam, because not everyone is out to get you. You can meet some truly unique and wonderful people, you just have to weed out the scammers in order to get to them! Just remember all this the next time you log onto one of your dating sites.
