Scam letter(s) from Marina Smirnova to Steve (USA)
Letter 1
Hi Steve.
It's me Marina.
Sorry I couldn't write to you earlier. I had some troubles with internet communication.
Now I think everything is all right and I can write you some lines about me. I hope you glad to receive this my e-mail and you are still interested to know me better. Am I right?
I think so because you have answered for my little note I have sent you some time ago to your profile. I know you want to know more information about me. I want to know you better too. But I want to let you know I don't have a lot of time to write long letter about me right now, I mean today. I think I will have more free time tomorrow and will write about myself in details, if you will want of course. I just want to ask you about some pictures of you, I would like to see them. I hope it's not hard for you. But please don't send large size pictures, because I have limit of internet time. I can't write you anytime during the day. I will send you my picture or maybe some pictures tomorrow.That's all about pictures.
I hope you can understand me correctly and my english is not too bad for you. Now some information about me. I live in the country named Russian Federation or just Russia. My real name is Marina. I live alone already 4 year and I have a job. I am 26 years old and have no children. I am looking for the right man - soulmate to create my own family together with him. This is my main purpose for this period of life. I am not good in computers and I used help of my friend who know computers better than me to create my profile in the internet. So I am not sure that all information about me is correct and please don't be surprised of it. Maybe some information will be incorrect, but I think it's not a problem, because we can learn about each other and to know all necessary information about us via our corresponding. What do you think about this words? Do you agree with my mind? Now I will finish my letter and will wait your response soon. Tomorrow, maybe today at the evening I will check my mailbox and will see for your letter, so I can see were you really interested in me or not. I hope you will answer and we will continue our corresponding. I was glad to write you. Hope you feel the same.
See you Steve!
Sincerely Marina.
P.S. I've attached a picture of me, hope you'll like it!
Letter 2
Hi Steve.
I'm glad to hear from you and I think the time difference between us is about 12-13 hours. I will try to check this information again. How often do you check your email? I'm the new person in computers and the internet. It's so interesting for me and I try to know more about it. I will buy the book about how to use the computer and will learn because it's not so easy. Is it easy for you to use the computer? How long are you online and how long time you have your profile in the internet? Did you e-mail many women? Did you e-mail any Russian women or may be they e-mailed you? What do American people think about Russians and Russian women? These questions are interested for me, please answer it, ok? There is a computer at my work so I decided to try to contact you because I have registered on yahoo and have created my own profile with the help of my friend! I have already written about it in my previous letter. I tried to search the man who will love me and used criterions of selection for it. There were a lot of profiles! But I tried to find profile which will be good for me. And now I have your answer for my message and I am glad! I want to let you know I write only to you, because I think I don't need to write to someone else if I already have one man who write me. I have chosen you because I have to choose someone I'm interested in and want to know you better. Probably millions people are in the internet and want to contact with someone but usually person choose one for corresponding. I'm glad you answered my letter and now we might start to know each other better! I think you are interested to learn more about me, because I see you write to me and this fact make me happy! I have decided to use the internet for searching the right person because there are many people and I'm interesting in international meeting because I had a bad experience with local relations. I have decided to try to meet a foreign man because I have heard that a lot of women did it in all over the world. I think I have some chances to meet foreign man of my life because I can write, speak and understand English not bad. All people in our country learn English since 10 years old at school. Did you study any languages in school? So I can speak 2 languages Russian and English. I'm looking for a serious relationship including an opportunity of meeting and maybe marriage in the future. My real name is Marina, my nationality is Russian and I was born in Russia, here in the city named "Pokrovka" in 1978. So I'm 26 years old. I live here all of my life but if I will find a man who will love me and I will feel the same then I might leave my country and live with him in any place of this world. So I want to find the right man! And if you are far from me I think it's not a big problem because we live in the modern world and almost everyone can come to any place of this world by the plane or by the ship. I think we can have meeting if we will decide to do it but of course in the future because firstly we must know better each other. I like to travel but I don't travel a lot and never have been outside of my country. I'm not trying to move to other country but I think it's possible and I will do it if I will want it of course! Can you tell me about yourself? Are you married? Or maybe you has been married in the past, I have been never married. Do you have children? I still have no children, but I want. What is your job and do you like it? I work in the financial sphere. I am the dentist and work in the clinic. I like my job even that I have a small wage! May be my words could sound absurd but it's true! In my previous letter I sentyou my picture. Here is another picture of me and the map where I live!
I think it's all for today.
Marina.
Letter 3
Hello Steve!
I hope you glad to receive my letter today! I was glad when I received your letter.
What is the weather where you live right now? As for our town the temperature is about +17C! It is warm for the our region. What about yours? We have a lot of snow and the weather is very, very cold here in winter.
All people put on very warm clothes. In the some places of our country the temperature may be about -70C. It's extremely cold!! I even can't imagine how is cold there!!! br-r-r-r!!! People say that champagne is freezing in the twinkling of an eye! I don't know how people can live there. What you think about it? Could you live there or it's very cold for you? Just curious, no more. I am not sure and don't know about measurements in your country and therefore I wrote temperature in Celsius. I hope you can understand it correctly. In our country we use the metric system of measurements. What the system use in your country? Now I want to let you know some information about me and my town. I as you know I live in Pokrovka. This is the east part of Novosibirsk region. Do you know where is this? I attached the map with the previous letter and I think now you can see where my town is locating. My town is small and I can say that my town is young town. The population is about 20 thousands of people. We have one museum, one theater, and one little cinema, two libraries and 2 fitnes club, some of bars and cafes and one restaurant. We have not good ecological situation in our region, because we have a lot of industrial factories and it's affecting to ecology. Therefore I trying to live healthy, I like the sport and I have a plans to change area for a living in future. But I just don't know when it's will be happen. Maybe soon or maybe I will need to wait long time. But all this time I will try to do all I can, to look well. Steve what the ecology situation in your area? What can you tell me about place where you live? I have a good job and I like it. But before I could work I have studied in university. It was Omsk university. I have studied at dentist faculty during 6 years. After 10 years of studing at school of course. And I have a diploma. What is your education? and how long you studied? How long you studied in school. Just curious. I want to ask you how you selected your profession. Did you already know that you would want work for this profession? Always I have knew that I want to work in medical sphere and all the time I have interested by science which deals with the structure of organisms. I am glad that my interest was useful and I my work deliver me a pleasure. What you may say about your work? Do you feel the same or not? I would be glad to know this about you. Ok, I will finish my letter now. I will send you another letter tomorrow and will tell you about my hobbies and interests and will send picture of me. And I will wait your letter in my mailbox with impatience, because from your letters I can know you better. I hope I will get your letter soon. Bye my friend. Can I call you "my friend"?
>From Marina.
Letter 4
Hi Steve!
It's Marina again.
Now weekend has come and I think I will spend my free time with my friends! We are going to crowd together and to talk about everything, drink tea and may be watch some movie. Maybe our plans will change or may be not - I am not sure. I did not check my mailbox today but I will think of you and will wait for a Monday - the day when I can get your letter again. Do you have plans on this weekend? See you later!
Bye for now Steve.
>From Russia Marina.
Letter 5
Hi Steve.
Today is Monday and I write my letter to you. I have thought about you and couldn't wait to write you again. I have excited a little when I write to you because it's my first dating with the foreign man at all. I am corresponding with my uncle and my aunt who are living in Saratov and Dubna. This people are my closest relatives. I don't have any close relatives in Pokrovka. Only my mom lives in Pokrovka too. But we live apart. I am the single child in my family. I don't have sisters and brothers. My dad was died 7 years ago. It was an accident, he was stricken by electricity on the factory and the doctors couldn't help him. It was the biggest loss for me and my mom. I loved my dad very much. He was a very good and kind man. My mom loved him so badly. We had a great shock when he died and we couldn't return to a normal condition for a long time. My dad's name is Vladimir. My mother's name is Elena. She is a cook. She works in the one of the cafe of our town. She is a very good cook and she can cook a lot of different dishes. She knows many recipes of Italian, French, Chinese, Mexican and Russian dishes of course. She teaches me how to cook and I can say that I am a good cook too, not so good like my mom of course, but I can cook a lot of dishes too. I want to let you know that I like dishes of Russian, Italian and Mexican kitchen. Especially I like seafood, fruits (pineapple, orange, peach, mandarin), chicken. Sometimes I go to fast-food restaurant like the McDonalds. We have one of it here. I know in your country there are a lot of this cafe. Am I right? But I go there only when I have a little of free time for my dinner and if I am hungry very much. Usually I try to have a normal dinner with first, second and third dishes. I think the right, normal food more better for our organisms than fast food. In despite of the fast-food is more convenient and takes out less time. What do you think about it, Steve? Do you agree with me? What dishes are popular in you country/city? Now I will tell you about some of my interests. I think that you want to know about it. As I told before I like sports. Especially I like swimming, skating, skiing, running. Also I like ride on a bike and float on a boat. I have already wrote that I try to live healthy and to carry on active lifestyle. I go to the fitness club and to the pool regularly. I have a little dream, to try water ski and to jump with a parachute. Steve did you try it some day? I want to let you know that I like fishing, camping, picnics on a nature and outdoors at all. Usually I go on foot to my work or sometimes I use a bus because I don't have a car and I can't drive it, but I will try to learn to. Therefore I have a question for you. How many people have cars in your country? In our country not all people have cars. Only a half of all people. Here a car is very expensive for most part of Russia's population. The cost of a simply car is about 5-12 thousands dollars here. I mean Russian cars. How much do cars cost in your country? I like to read books. I read the science fiction, romantic stories, adventures and classic literature. My favorite writers are Lermontov, Bulgakov, Stephen King, Aizek Azimov and more others. Also I like to watch the movies of these genres. For example, I like movies: Pearl Harbor, Abyss, Minority Report, Star Wars, Green Mile, Artificial Intelligent, Sixth Sense and more others. What is your favorite actors and actresses Steve? I like Bruce Willis, Russell Crow, Brad Pitt, Mel Gibson, Demie Moore, Charlize Theron. I think the American movies are the best. The Hollywood is the place, where are created basic parts of movies in your country, isn't? Can you tell me more about Hollywood? All that you want. I will glad to know something new about your country at all. Sometimes when I watch the movie I have a wish that someone would sit close to me and hug me while we are watching. I think it would be very nice time. I want to ask you some questions: do you like to hug? Do you like to hold hands? To make woman smile? I like this things! I am a very romantic person! I don't like soap operas. We have a lot of it on TV, but I don't watch it at all. I don't see any sense to waste my own time to watch this nonsense. What do you think about soap operas? I want to let you know I like to watch intellectual, sport, different entertainment programs on TV. When I was young I liked to watch cartoons "Tom and Jerry" and others. It was very funny. When I'd seen it I had much laughing and joy. A lot of children here love this cartoons. What you can tell me about cartoons? What do kids like to watch more in your country? I would like to know about it more. How often do you go to the cinema? I usually go to the cinema one time per month. But sometimes I watch movies more often. Of course if movies seem interesting for me. What movie did you see last time? I saw movie named "Meet the Fockers". I had a lot of fun! I like to listen to a different music: rock, classic, jazz. I like bands like Bon Jovi, U2, Total, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Avril Lavigne, Sheryl Crow, Madonna, Craig David and others. Did you listen some of them? Also I like classic composers. For example: Shubert, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven. Did you listen them? Did you know them? I want to ask you, what are your favorite colors? My favorite are blue, red, white and all shades of this colors. What is your favorite flower? My favorite are roses, asters and tulips. I have a serious question for you: do you want to have children? I have no children but I want to have my own children. I love children and I want to take care about them. Now I think I will finish this letter. I hope you was glad to know more about me. I hope I will get your response soon. I will wait for your letter with an impatience. Here is a new picture for you. This picture was taken at this spring. I hope you will like it Steve. I will write you more about myself, about life in Russia and will send other pictures soon.
Your foreign friend Marina.
P.S. I wish you to have fun on the Independence Day!
Letter 6
Hello Steve.
How are you feeling today? I hope you are well. I'm fine! I have a great mood today since the morning! I have got up, taken a shower and ***** a cup of Indian tea. Do you like to drink tea in your country, Steve? We, Russians, like it very much. Russian people like tea even more than coffee. This situation looks like a tradition now. I know that in China there is an ancient tradition to drink tea and here in Russia we love tea too. I think this habit have started in our country many years ago. As you know Russia was a soviet country and was called USSR. At that time we had big problems with food in our shops. We had a deficiency of food. For example, for butter, meat and more other kind of food our government gave out the limited amount of coupons to people that they can get some food. It was very bad time. It was a crisis in our country. But we had good relations with some countries which called by our friends. One of those counties was India and there always were packs of Indian tea on the shelves of food shops. I think since that time our people like to drink tea in any time of a day. Tell me what do you like to drink? But the coffee became more and more popular in our life at last time.
After drinking a cup of tea I have cooked the soup with a meat under the recipe of my mom. It is a very good thing to eat soup in the middle of the day, in the other words, at the dinner. You could ask me why it's good? I tell you that it's good for our stomach. Medics can say to you the same thing. That's why I recommend you eat such food at the dinner. I like to cook very much, especially when I have a great mood. And it's very pleased to the cook when people eat your dishes with good appetite! So may be sometime I can cook for you, Steve! I have watched TV program today and I have found out that in the evening on TV have to be a good movie in the romantic style on the 1st channel of our television! I will watch it! Because as you know I like romantic movies! We have a few channels on our television. How many channels do you have? What do you like to watch on TV? What movies? What kind of women do you like? What women are there in your country? I have heard that American women want to make great career and they don't like to take a work at the household. I think that a career is good but woman haven't to forget about the house. But may be in your country they think different. I want to ask you what do you want to find in the character of a woman of your dream? What would you love in a woman? What are the main qualities that you would want to find in your woman? How do you think it would be hard to me to find a job in a country such as yours? In our country it's rather difficult and such job is paid not good. At least it's not enough for a normal life. A lot of people have a little wage and the conditions of their life is very low here. It is a bad situation and our government do nothing to improve this situation. Therefore there are many people who are not glad especially last time, because the government want to decline some of privileges. This situation will mostly affect on pensioners. Now you can see a little more about the life in our country. I will wait for your next e-mail and I want you to tell me more about yourself. I have sent a picture for you today. Now some more details about myself. I can't let you know about all details but I am trying to tell you about everything. I hope we will know each other better. Usually I write you after my work when I am in the internet cafe. It's not very expensive to write to you. But sometimes I write at home or at my work and save my letters to a diskette. Then I go to cafe to send it to you. I think e-mail is a good thing. Many people can exchange letters via the internet quickly. I am glad that this thing is available. The postal office is more slow way to write. When I am reading your letters I try to read it in English. I don't use translators. Sometimes if I don't know some word I take a dictionary and look for the translating of this word. As you know I write only you. You are my first man from another country who I write. I don't remember did I tell you about date of my birthday? I was born in Russia in the city called Pokrovka on the 10th of October in 1978 and I live here now. I like to celebrate my birthday and if the people make the presents for me at this day, it's great! But you know that I like to receive the presents from people who love me and when they give me their presents personally! I don't like the congratulatory parcels or using the delivery services or mail services because I appreciate friendly and family relations. But more I like to make presents to people I love, for example to my mom and my friends. When I was young I had a big pie from my parents and they inserted and lit the number of candles which was my age at this day. It was great! Please tell me about your birthday and events of it. How do you celebrate your birthday? How many friends and relatives do you invite to your celebrating? I don't remember did I say to you about it or not? But if I will repeat please excuse me. I can play guitar very good and piano but still not very well! What kind of musical instruments can you play? Can you tell me what the prices in your country? For example the bread costs 7-8 rubles here, the juice (1 Liter) costs about 30-40 rubles. Milk costs about 9-30 rubles. The dinner costs about 200-400 rubles at the good restaurant, in a cafe - up to 100 rubles. More details about me are here: I am repeating again, I'm 26 now and it's age when the woman gets the beauty and the femininity, at least it's considered here in Russia. Many people could be surprised that I haven't any boyfriend or the potential husband at my age but it's so. I just had a bad experience of relations with man in my past and I don't want to tell about it right now. Maybe I will tell you about it later if you will want to know about it. That's all for now. I think I will write you tomorrow and will tell you more about me.
Marina.
Letter 7
Good day my friend Steve.
How is your day? I hope good.
I think I have already answered some questions and now you know me better. I think you can ask me questions which I still didn't answer.
But anyway I will tell you more about me today. I think you would like to hear about it. I hope you will write me back soon. Yesterday in the evening I have thought about our correspondence. I have heard that a lot of women and men exchange e-mails and meet each other from different countries. I have already told you about it before but I remember it again because we have the same situation Steve. I think that an international correspondence is a great thing because it unifies many people and nationalities together. What do you think about it Steve? I'm very peaceful woman and I want peace in this world. I hate war and terrorism. I don't remember did I tell you that I am an orthodox Christian? When I am in church I pray for peace in this world. I go to church 2-3 times per month. I think that the God have to be in the heart and in the head of every man or woman. I hate lie and I like when the people are open as I told you. I'm optimist and I always think that everything will be ok. It make my mood better and gives the power for my living. Today is a cool weather and there is +16C today but the sun is shining in the sky. How is the weather there at your place today? As you already know Pokrovka is not a very good place to live because there are many manufactures of different types of industry and it influences on the ecology. We have a lot of crime here and our militia can't control this situation. I think I will decide to leave this place and will travel to other place for a living because I have the desire and the power for this purpose. I want to live in more warmer place also. Maybe one day I will come to the other country for a living as many resolute women and may be some day we'll meet in real Steve? It'll be wonderful! But I don't want you to think that I want to leave my city for a finding a rich man or other same reason. I know that I can work and provide for myself but I want to love my future husband. As a woman I couldn't be alone. I think you understand what I'm talking about. So I want to be with a man who will love me and who I will love too. It's my dream now. I think if it is so I will be the happiest woman in this world! I'm trying to know more about you Steve because I'm interested in our acquaintance. I don't want to impose the opinion but who knows maybe we'll be pleased to meet and maybe more. It's a real thing. I think so because it's not hard to come to you Steve but I know we must learn more each other day by day. What do you think about it Steve? I ask you to write me all of your thoughts because I like to be open mind and I like when the people speak truthful what they think. I think if we will decide to meet each other in the future it will be great! Now it is too early to speak about it serious but it's interesting for me and I want to know what do you think about it? When I was studying at the school I have a girlfriend who named Svetlana and when she was 27 she e-mailed with an American man and then she have come to the United States to Michigan. I haven't contact with her because we are not very close friends but maybe someday she will e-mail me. I think she have found the right man for her because she lives there. The Russian women are not aspire to career, they just want to be loved and make everything for their husbands. I think that it's the Russian mentality and they are very hardworking women. But the men in Russia are not too good. Maybe that is why many women of our country look for the foreign husbands. I think it's a great union when a foreign man and a Russian woman are together! At least I think so. What do you think Steve? Maybe I'm not completely right... I finish my letter today and I hope to hear from you Steve as soon as possible!
I have attached my another picture to this letter. It was taken last autumn. Hope you'll like it.
Yours Marina.
Letter 8
Hi Steve!
Hello my far away friend! Finally I have the possibility to write you! Today is hard day for me. There are so much work! My work is difficult but I like it very much.
Last evening I have watched a very intriguing translation about the animals on TV. I like animals very much and that’s why I have watched it with the pleasure. The beauty and elegance of animals are amazing. Especially I liked snowy leopards. At the first look they are seems to be nice and sweet cats but really they are strong and reckless predators capable to **** a prey much more ****** than themselves. But basically I like every animal except reptiles. Snakes and lizards inspire the fear to me. I cannot come near a snake even if it is not toxic. In my childhood when my dad was alive our family went out of our town often. At surroundings of my town there are many beautiful places. One day I was going for a walk near a creek and saw a snake. It was not toxic but I didn’t know it. I was very afraid of it and ran away. After that I was near to my parents all the day and I imagine snakes in every stick in the grass. All wild animals are beautiful in their own fashion but they can be dangerous for men. That’s why I prefer to spend my time with pets. I like birds very much especially canaries and parrots. Canaries sing very good in the mornings. Also I like dogs and cats dogs more. They are the most faithful and loyal human friends. When I was a little girl we had a dog called Rex. It was a big dog and I had ride Rex like the horse. Rex was very kind and cheerful dog. I like to play and go for a walk with it. Unfortunately dogs get old more faster than people and Rex has died 10 years ago at the age of 12. Now I have no dog but want to have one. Pets require much time and care. But now I spend very much time at my work. Do you like pets or animals Steve? If it is so what of it? Today I have attached picture of me last autumn for you Steve. I will wait for you next letter with great impatience! Till next letter Steve!
Sincerely yours Marina.
Letter 9
Hi my dear friend Steve!
How are you there?
Thank you for you last letter. My heart is beating faster when I open my email box! Guess why? Cause I am waiting for your letter Steve! When I see your new letter in e-mail box my mood rises! And you? At this moment I have some free time from my work and I decide to write you. Now I am sitting at my workplace at my computer and writing you. I hope that I have enough spare time now to write you long letter. Can you tell me about your usual day's routine Steve? I want to describe to you my day completely, since morning and till the night. At 6.30 a.m. I wake up by helping the alarm clock and go to the bathroom. I wash and clean my teeth. Then I dress for my morning jog and go to the streets. I think that It's good for any people to keep themselves healthy in the good form. After morning run I take a shower. Near at 7.20 I go to the kitchen and cook my breakfast. Usually I have ready dish for breakfast, since the evening of last day and at the morning I just warm it up. Quickly and conveniently. After the breakfast at 7.40 I go to my work usually on foot but if it rains or snows I go by bus or train. I like to walk before working to breath of fresh air and dispose myself on the work. Do you like to walk Steve? I get to my office in 15 minutes if I walk and if I go by transport - in 5 minutes. How long do you get to your job? Almost forget, before entering the office I go to the nearest Internet cafe to receive your letter. Since about 8.00 - 12.00 I work at my workplace. Then about 12.00 I go to home or the cafe to take a break for a dinner. then usually 12.50 I am at my workplace again. Do you have dinner break at your work and if you do how long does it take Steve? Since 13.00 - 18.00 I work hard cause we have a time for our clients - people come to us for a consulting. About 18.30 I get home and take a shower. You can ask me why is my way to home takes so much time? Cause after work I wait my friend Irina and we go to home together. She live near my home. Sometimes we go through the town park to calm down cause our clients make me tired especially in the end of the day. I hope you are not nervous at your work Steve. After taking a shower I have a supper at about 19.30 when I cook tasty dishes - I like to cook a lot! After that usually I read books, listen to the music, watch TV or talk with my friends on the phone (or personally). I go to bed at 23.0 but in some cases a little later because of interesting film or a book. What time do you usually go to sleep? I fall asleep very quickly since my childhood.
At this time my day finishes. So my usual day passes.
Have a nice day Steve.
Yours Marina.
Created: 2006-07-14 Last updated: 2006-07-14 Views: 1553