New Cub fan in the future?

[VanMan]

I didn't know which forum to put this in, but I guess "Introductions" might be appropriate, because I'm introducing someone. A couple weeks ago, I got a message on my Cupid.com profile from a lady that was initially identified as from Anaheim, asking me to e-mail her directly. Skeptical but curious, I e-mailed, and she replied stating she's really from Russia, but she was going to come here (and I mean here as in the Cedar Valley) on a work visa and was looking for a man to tell her about this area as well as keep her company for her stay here. She ended up to be this vision of beauty:
http://us.f6.yahoofs.com/blog/43d99d1cz55e0c57d/22/__hr_/1a67.jpg?mgwlVRGB0F.wH0Pr

Her name is Olga, and she's from a small town in Siberia called Bratsk. She's a dancer/dance teacher/fitness instructor, but because of conditions in her hometown, she decided to join a program that helps poorer Russians like her obtain work visas to Europe and the U.S. Once she was accepted, she decided to try to find a companion. The friend was in the same program and worked in Fort Lauderdale for six months and is currently in Europe. The friend told her that she liked being in the U.S. more and suggested she try coming here. Well, she looked through Cupid and found my profile and was instantly attracted.

We've been corresponding for the last few weeks, and now she's started her journey. Thursday night, her time (Thursday morning our time), she e-mailed me letting me know as soon as she sent it, she would be leaving Bratsk and heading to Irkutsk to take a flight to Moscow. She arrived there Friday morning (late night Thursday our time), and she'll be there for about a week to finalize her visa and travel documents. Once she's all set, she'll get on another plane to head my way!

One thing I might try while she's here is to expose her to baseball, specifically Cubs baseball. I hope I can make us another Cubs fan from far, far away.

[HOLYCOW!25]

That would be interesting. As long as she doesn't become a Cards or a Sox fan.

[VanMan]

That would be interesting. As long as she doesn't become a Cards or a Sox fan.
LOL
Well, if I have anything to say about it, she won't.

[Drockvb]

Alot of those russian chicks are bloodsuckers.

BE VERY CAREFUL DUDE!!!!!

Here in my hometown they come every summer, leaching off the fools that give them free handouts. They want a place to stay, rides all over town, food, and money. And when they suck you dry they move on to the next victim. :eek:

[VanMan]

Alot of those russian chicks are bloodsuckers.

BE VERY CAREFUL DUDE!!!!!

Here in my hometown they come every summer, leaching off the fools that give them free handouts. They want a place to stay, rides all over town, food, and money. And when they suck you dry they move on to the next victim. :eek:
Drock:

Olga doesn't seem to be like that. She's a very honest, loving, caring and decent young woman who just wants to improve her life, and hopes to start a new one with me. I appreciate your concern, and I'll look out for any changes in her demeanor. However, she is much different from the Russian chicks you've seen in Virginia. They're likely Muskovites.

[ryno4ever]

Good luck, Van! It's not the best time to try to get someone interested in the Cubs! Take her to Wrigley, she'll get hooked whether they win or lose!

[VanMan]

Good luck, Van! It's not the best time to try to get someone interested in the Cubs! Take her to Wrigley, she'll get hooked whether they win or lose!
Maybe I'll do that when we both have the time and I can procure a couple of tickets. I've been to Wrigley once myself (May 1993), but I was a Cub fan well before I went (since sometime in 1983). I did look through the baseball apparel section at Scheels yesterday and saw a nice looking women's cut Cubs uniform. Looked like it was on sale for $45. However, I'm going to wait to get her Cub stuff. Her birthday is next Sunday, and I was thinking of starting her off with more local stuff, baby-doll Ts of the U of Iowa and UNI.

[VanMan]

Bad news, Cubs fans:

It seems that Olga was trying to scam me out of money afterall. Before you say, "I told you so," I'll say you told me so. Here's what happened:

Today, I got an e-mail that included a travel itinerary, a personal note from her, a picture of her and a scan of her passport. Her itinerary said she'd leave from Moscow and fly to Tokyo on Aeroflot, and then go from there to Minneapolis and on to Waterloo, arriving about 6:30 or so in the evening. That might've sounded an alarm bell for me, though I almost dismissed it. I've done Expedia and Travelocity searches hypothetically from Moscow to Waterloo, and it said the best flights go to Amsterdam or JFK!

Then she said that she only had $300 to go toward a $1,300 ticket, and she tried to get a bank loan. She continued that she only had her clothes, perfume and a gift to me. She wanted me to send her $1,000, and that she'd pay me back when she arrived. That's a major red flag, according to scam experts. It was a good thing for me that I didn't have the money (only about $600 total in the bank and $180 in my wallet). I simply told her that I had bills to pay and would be unable to pay it, but this was before I was told by the webmaster of a Russian spandex, latex and bondage fetish site, who I've chatted on ICQ many times, some very interesting facts.

First, the address she gave me where she was staying was fake. There were only two residential buildings (apartment buildings or otherwise) on the street mentioned, and one of them Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's daughter lives there. Second, the travel agency that "booked" the flight doesn't exist either. He pointed me to a list of bogus, blacklisted travel agencies that had the same address. I counted about a half dozen or so occurrances of the address.

So, Billy (the guy's nickname) and I came up with a plan to see how far she'd go to get the money, or at least to see if she'd fall for our joke. I e-mailed her a second time telling her a classmate, who's now a Realitor (he does exist, btw, I just didn't ID him), will loan me the money to loan her, but I had the money wired directly to Billy's account in Moscow. He would meet her at an ATM to get the money and give it to her. The only caveat would be that she would have to give me the phone number where she's at, and he would call her to arrange the meet. Likely, she won't even reply.

Today, I feel both brokenheartedness and pure anger! :mad: It seems I almost fell for the classic scam. However, since I didn't have the money, she won't get any from me.

[CUBScrazy22]

That stinks! What a jerk.

[VanMan]

That stinks! What a jerk.
Yeah, that's the only good that came out of it, well, that and I know what to look for when someone tries this again.