Tatyana from Russia

From: Tatyana [mailto:info@ecsys.com]
Subject: Tatyana from Russia.

Hello!!!
How are you? My name is Tatyana. I am 27 years old. I live in Russia, city Yoshkar-Ola. I am cheerful woman, and like to do many things as camping, go to the cinema, dances etc. In a word I like to do all what like all people.
My dream this travel abroad. I know the english language well enough.. I began to study english language approximately one year ago. I want to tell you history which have pushed me write to you. 8 months ago I have got acquainted with the man from other country by name William. During this time we had good relations. We have understood that our relations become serious and we have decided to meet in his country. I wrote the application for reception the visa.
I waited reception of the visa approximately half of year. All time I kept in touch with William through the internet and often called to each other. I and William waited reception of the visa to our meeting. I have received the invitation from the ambassador for reception of the visa.
My director has given me long-term holiday from work and I have gone to Moscow to receive the visa. I informed good news to William, but he has answered, that does not want our meeting. He played with me. He has informed that has the wife with two children and at all has no plans to meet me. I was not ready to such turn of events. I could not think what even after 8 months of acquaintance he can so unscrupulously act with me. Now I am in Moscow I don't want that all was gone for nothing and will be glad if my visa will be useful to our meeting. I could arrive already through 6-7 days, but a problem in that that now I have no man which would like my arrival.
Probably it will silly sound but if you will be interested in a meeting with the good woman i will like to meet you sometime soon!
As William was dishonest with me I have decided to find the man which is interested to meet the woman from Russia. I do not know your ideas about my letter, but it would be fine if we could meet and have some weeks or months together. On my trip I want to receive rest from my work and a life in Russia. Also the basic purpose for the future it is search good men for serious attitudes which go to a marriage. I have
no children, and i haven't been married before. I am the mature woman and ready to creation of family with good man. I don't know what you really search in the future but if we could meet I will be happy to discuss with you more about our meeting. What are you going to do this time? It would be fine if we could meet, do friendship or more than simply friendship. I will be happy if you also have a free time and we could meet soon. I do not know your interests, but anyhow write to me back and I will tell to you more about myself. Write to me all that you want. Maybe we have similar plans and it will be interesting to us together.

You can write all that you want. Ask any questions which interest you. I will tell more about myself and send my photos.
Please, write to me back on my regular e-mail: tatyana_sh80@bk.ru
wish you a good day

Tatyana from Russia

Of course, being the savvy webhead that I am (ahem!), a few interesting points immediately sprang to my attention. Although the email had been sent by info@ecsys.com, according to the header, the sender was asking the recipient to respond on a different address. Although 'she' is happy to refer to a 'William', she doesn't seem to be able to do the same for the country he is from, and constantly refers to it as 'his country'. I also know that it's impossible to get a visa to travel without having a ticket booked in advance, and yet 'Tatyana' is apparently going to be granted one without even having applied in person. It's clearly a con in the making, and you'd think that no normal person could possibly fall for something like this, but a little research indicates otherwise. There are some wonderfully nutty stories about the people who fall for emails no more convincing than this, actually being led by the nose to the point of sending money and gifts to complete strangers. Since this blacklist site had established guidelines for scamming the scammers into betraying a real identity, I thought to have a go, and drafted my first reply to a scammer, having established a new email identity to deflect possible consequences:

Dear Tatyana,

I was moved by your sad story. No women should be treated like that. I do hope your situation isn't too serious. What will you do if you don't get any requests to visit? Won't that leave you in an awfully difficult position? Wouldn't it be better to go back to your work?

Whatever does happen, I wish you the best of luck. Please don't hesitate to write back if you'd like someone to talk to about things.

Yours,

Henry Cummings

In this, and every subsequent, email, I took care not to solicit a visit or encourage the sender unduly to travel to my location. Not that it mattered, as it turns out, as the responses were to be completely formulaic.