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British men using internet chat rooms are being swindled by a curvaceous Russian temptress who offers lonely hearts an erotic liaison at an unseen cost. The online trick surfaced in November 2001, and has gained new life with a batch of bikini photos that lures randy Western men into sending cash to arrange travel for the girl in question. Nadia – or – ‘Nadezhda Medvedeva’ is a young, brown-eyed, attractive professional who lives by the Caspian sea, quoting poetry and cooking delicious meals alone. She apparently sends flirty e-mails to men in the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand in the hope of making friends to rebound her former abusive love. After initial chat and quoting references from Western movies, she declares her undying love over e-mail and suggests a meeting of body and soul. According to the New York Times, the swindle continues when a flirtatious e-mail is sent to explain a vacation that needs to be taken immediately. Details of the Visa she needs follow, prompting most men in contact with ‘Nadia’ to send anything from $300 to a few thousand dollars. It is understood the crime has become so widespread that the United States Embassy has received up to ten inquiries per day from heart broken and cash-strapped citizens. One man who passed up the broken English of “I with trembling heart waited your letter,” is believed to have lost almost $11,000. A diplomat at the Embassy told reporters: “Some of these guys were literally left waiting at the airport with roses.” Investigators said the number of men duped is well into the hundreds but may be larger, given the many simply too embarrassed to come forward. Authorities have told dismayed internet surfers that ‘Nadia’ in the bikini is more like a Lego creation, assembled by joining random photographs, vignettes and seductive scripts. A spokesman for the Department of Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, which deals with Internet crime, has reflected on similar scams in recent years. Anatoly Platonov says the first ring of Russian tricksters was disbanded in 2002 and comprised of two men and one woman, where the female acted as the bait. “We arrested the fat girl and she gave evidence,” said Platonov. “It turned out that all this effort was organised by a 21-year-old boy.” He said scripts are often becoming more patient and therefore realistic, often including progressive storylines that ask for advice and support. Nadia for example, mentions to one victim, how she treated an orphan’s toothache during a blackout – by flashlight. Platonov said websites supporting the scam have also been set up to keep sceptics interested by showing the temptress as an employee or hard at work in a travel agency. The recent spate of attacks, he said, has now reached new levels when three weeks ago the first complaints began from gay men. Nov 5, 2004 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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