In most of these cases, the women or 'men' will ask the victim (aka scammee) to pay for their travel expenses, visas, or even some Custom fees so that they can fly over immediately and meet up. They will rip-off as much from the victim before their famous disappearing act, in the range of several thousands of dollars. In one of these cases, the scammer were actually based in the USA, and pretending to be some woman staying in Russia.

Not all scams are similar, and here are some variations:

1) An agency is charging the scammee/victims translation fees for the foreign language, because their lovely partner does not read or write english. Well, not all foreign women are able to speak in your language, but we are not sure how this will work out in future (if any).

2) A woman by the name of Tatyana would request that you send some money to her so that she can buy herself a present for her own birthday. She would tell you that the present that you sent is lost in the Post office, and that the diamond ring in a neighbourhood shop is her dream. And she wants you to pay for that so that... and all that mushy stuff to get you excited, such as:

'I love you and I kiss you in your gentle lips a long and passionate kiss.'

'I love you very much, soon we shall together and I at last can embrace and  kiss you!'

'I would arrive to your place as soon as I get visa!!!'

'I have met you. I love you and I don't want to lose you now. I just can't... Please, listen to me. That's shame for me and I feel so confused to ask you this. But you are the only person I can ask for this. You know that I have nobody in my life except you. My sweetheart, please, do something. You know how I appreciate you and I need your help very much.'

Yikes! I think we can learn some of these sentences and use in our REAL love letters.

Not all the pictures are the real person. In one case, the scammer uses pictures of a model, while another picked up genuine pictures for their scamming.

And some scammers managed to be caught, read this.