Thread: Is there such a thing as a "Vagabond Law" ? - Plea

Hello everyone. I have a question about a Russian law. There is someone very special to me that lives in the US and has met a Russian woman online. They talk through instant messenger but have never met. Now they want to meet in person and he wants to pay for her trip to fly to the US since she cannot afford to herself. He has been sending her large amounts of money to pay for her plane ticket and visa. Now she is saying that there is a Russian law that requires she must carry at least $1500 for traveling expenses before leaving Russia. I believe she called it the "Vagabond Law." I am not sure what the exact name of this supposed law is or what exactly it is about. But the basic idea was that Russia requires any of their citizens to carry about $1500 if traveling out of the country so that they are not a 'Vagabond' once they arrive in another country.

Now, is my friend being made for a fool? Or is there really such a thing as this 'Vagabond Law' or something similar?

I need to know because he has already sent her a SUBSTANTIAL amount money and now she is asking for more out of his pocket. He doesn't have much yet he is working his heart out in hopes of finding true love in this Russian woman he has never even met.

I have searched the internet about Russian law and came up empty.

Please help. I would really appreciate your input and advice here.

Thanks

I don't know anything about Russian laws. I think what you are referring to is USA law requiring that people visiting the US prove that they have enough money to be able to support themselves while in the US.

That being said. I'd say that your friend is being scammed anyway. As a matter if fact I be willing to bet on it just with the evidence that you have already provided. Do a google search for "russian scammers" you will find all the info you need there in order to make a decision on it.

No. I did some research myself, and to get a US visa you only need to prove that you will return to Russia. You have to have a job or study in order to get a US visa. No amount of cash is required.

I feel sorry for your friend

I think I've already read the same kind of story on a different forum. No offense but your friend is a complete moron for sending money to someone he has never met. The only thing she's interested in is your friend's money and nothing else.
Is your friend that blind not to realize yet she's a scam artist.

Thanks for the fast replies everyone! Believe me I think he is a fool too. It really frustrates me since he is actually a pretty smart guy. It's just that he is old now and very lonely and desperate. I really feel sorry for him.

DDT, I'm pretty sure she said this was a Russian Law. I did the search and was quite surprised how common cases like this actually are.

kalinka_vinnie, Thank you for that info. I wasn't aware of that. Does it matter if they don't plan to return to Russia? Are there any circumstances surrounding that?

Spiderkat, no offense taken at all. Like I said, I am totally convinced she is using him for money.

Next chance I get I will talk to him about my recent findings here. Please keep the feedback coming. I can use all the ammo I can get against his stubbornness.

The US changed recently their rules of letting Russians into the US, and made it much harder. You need to go for a personal interview at the consulate and prove that you are coming back. This is of course for tourist visas. If you have no plan of coming back, and are not married or are not trying to reunite with your family in USA, you are not likely to get a visa.

Oy, sorry for your friend, he has obviously been scammed...
The whole "vagabond law" is one I have never heard of...

Please tell me he didn't give her the additional 1500....?

-Fantom

Quick! Tell your friend to send me the $1500 and I will personally deliver it to this girl (who may actually be a guy)

Does he have friends that want to meet Russian babes? Just have each of them send me $300 and I will find them a girl who really loves them, just like his internet girl/guy.

Originally Posted by JB

Quick! Tell your friend to send me the $1500 and I will personally deliver it to this girl (who may actually be a guy)

Does he have friends that want to meet Russian babes? Just have each of them send me $300 and I will find them a girl who really loves them, just like his internet girl/guy.

It's not funny, JB. The whole story is really sad. From the one hand, we are one people, and to deceive each other, I think, is fruitless and bad. From the other hand, people separated by large distances think different, and it's likely to take advantage of the situation.

Sometimes I think that such scamming is a kind of 'countermove' for Americans deceiving their Russian wives. You know the stories with slaving and all that stuff.

What's really sad? That some guy thinks he can get a hot Russian babe to love him by e-mail? That he's so pig headed that he won't listen to his friends when they tell him not to send money to a stranger?
These scams have been well publicized in American newspapers, magazines and TV. And even if this guy spends 24hr a day in front of his computer then how is it he hasn't seen all those websites about this scam (just type in Russian Brides)?
It's idiots like him that make people in other countries (this scam is quite popular all over the globe, not just Russia) think Americans are easy marks and bottomless pits of $100 bills. So if you want me to apologize;

Oh gee, I'm really sorry, give me 20 lashes with my Russian dictionary.

kalinka_vinnie, thanks. That's very useful info.

fantom605, I don't think he has sent the money just yet. Last I heard he was trying to find the title to his truck to use as collateral for his bank

JB & Rtyom. Believe me I agree completely with what you guys are saying. He IS an idiot for thinking this woman is in love with him. No need to apologize JB. I'm with ya 110% on this matter. A sense of humour is just fine in situations like this. After everything goes down I think that's all we'll have to go by.

What's funny to me is that my friend actually does keep up with the news and worldy events. More so than I do I'll admit. The fact that he doesn't understand what is happening just shows how desperate, lonely and stupid he is behaving. And I realize that this type of thing doesn't just happen with Russian woman. With just a little searching since I've visited this site I've seen that this type of thing happens all over. Must admit though.....Russia does have some VERY beautiful women

Originally Posted by JB

What's really sad? That some guy thinks he can get a hot Russian babe to love him by e-mail?

First I must put in a disclaimer stating that it is only natural that "all chicks dig m, man". Therefore you should not use my case as an example. BUT!

It is may not be entirely true that this guy has gone out of his way to "get" a Russian babe this way as you have made it seem. I have had several Russian "babes" contact me through my private email, right out of the blue. Also a philipino and a German and a girl from China. As a matter of fact this happened again less than a month ago, another Russian girl. I tried to use her for studying Russian but I don't think she even read what I wrote. She would just send another stupid machine translated letter with bunch of BS.

Originally Posted by DDT

...with bunch of BS.

What is that? Asking for money?

BS - Bull Sh*t

No. They don't ask for money right away. They wait for this until they think they have you under their spell. B.S. means bullshit. They just talk about stupid things like how much they love me and can't wait to see me and rediculous romantic words. And all this when they have not even met me. This is not uncommon. There must be other guys on this forum with similar stories.

Originally Posted by saibot

BS - Bull Sh*t

Oh, I see. I thought it was balance sheet or smth.

OUCH!

Yes, I hate to say it, certainly on the tail-end of the thread, but this is a classic scam. I've never heard of a "vagabond" law, and I've had experience assisting Russians coming to America. There are regulations regarding financial sponsorship of certain visas, but this "$1,500 vagabond" law is not one of them. And ABSOLUTELY not involving giving money to the traveler.

Beyond that...the simple, and burning question is how did she supposedly get a U.S. visa??!! Sorry, but unless things have radically changed in the INS/State Department in the last few months, it is nigh impossible for a single Russian woman to secure a travel visa to the U.S. ...unless for example she's a student getting a study visa, a sponsored business/science visa, or under a K-1 fiance visa.

I've known too many legit Russian travelers who were consistently refused visas...it's very, very tough to get an entry visa into the U.S., for a Russian, lots of hoops and hurdles.

Tak, sounds like a variation of the classic "visa" scam...depending where she is, there are resources, and people, in Russia that can quickly help investigate and determine whether she's legit, or a scammer. PM me if you want information to pass on to your friend.

Dobry, PM sent Thanks

Until she started talking about this "vagabond law" my friends and I have had nothing but high hopes for him. Ok, sure it costs a lot of money for a plane ticket so we could justify that cost. It costs money for a visa? Sure, I'll buy that. BUT when she mentioned this silly law we all knew it was total BS.

Hopefully I'll know more within the week. I'll keep you guys posted.

Thanks again.

On an additional note...why doesn't your friend travel to Russia and meet this woman in person? He will have to anyway if he wants to bring her over to the U.S....and it sounds like he's already sent far more money to her than he would have spent traveling to Russia to meet her. And certainly, if he feels love for her then he needs to at least have some exposure to her culture.

Oh, and I will say that respectable, good-intentioned Russian women (at least the ones I know) would not go asking for money from men they've never met, and with whom they have no in-person relationship. Kind of goes against the grain. Again, causing me to believe this is a scam.

NOTED: Cman, I sent this while you were apparently replying...but I'll leave this message up anyway for all our wonderful guys who want to woo wonderful Russian women!

Going to Russia to meet this "girl" could cost him a lot more than money. There have been several news stories of guys going to foreign countries to meet their e-mail girlfriend. When they get there the girl and her boyfriend take all the cash, presents, credit cards etc and leave the guy in a pool of blood in some back alley. Sometimes the girl and friends keep the guy for a while trying to get him to clean out all his bank accounts or get more money from his family.
If your friend is lonely he needs to turn off the computer and go get involved in his church, local sports or other activities where he can meet women his age. If he has a hankering for a Russian girl (there are plenty of them already in the U.S.) he needs to get out the phone book and look up Russian churches, community groups, etc.