DATING SCAMMER Tatyana Kozlova

Tatyana Kozlova is no ordinary scammer. She is capable of an extraordinary level of deception over a sustained period of time. Rather than cherish my admirable attributes she chose to take advantage of them for her own personal financial gain, and ultimately exposed her actions as entirely fraudulent. She clearly demonstrated that she had no serious intention of ever honouring her acceptance of my marriage proposal. Of course, I must accept my part in this long-term scam for without my naivety and stupidity it could not have been perpetrated. I failed to act upon the warning signs, and to listen to the good advice of others. Furthermore, I was so foolishly willing to trust this woman upon face value only.
I began correspondence with her through Maksim Introductions, also known as 'Virginia' due to its associated travel agency bearing that name. I knew one of the employees of the agency. Located in Yoshkar-Ola (capital of the Mari El Republic), the agency is widely considered as one of the most professional and reliable agencies in the Russian Federation. Generally speaking, it has a good reputation boasting a long list of successful outcomes.
For the first two months we wrote to each other almost everyday, and within a month I began speaking with her over the telephone every evening, and continued to do so throughout the entire 15 month relationship, although the nearer the Embassy trip approached, the more infrequent she was at home to take my calls. Her letters were personalised, and could in no way be considered as taking a 'standardised' approach. Therefore, I see no point in publishing any of our correspondence on the Internet. However, after our engagement she was not afraid to ask for money in them. I visited her. We got on to what I perceived to be very well, and I proposed to her to become my wife. She happily accepted.
To pay justice to the agency; some of the experienced employees did express concern whilst observing the relationship, in particular because she seemed somewhat reluctant to spend time with me alone in public; most of the time we spent together was in the apartment I was renting, or otherwise when we went out we were joined by one or more of her girlfriends.
I left Yoshkar-Ola giving her a commitment not only to prepare for the time when we could apply for a fianc?e visa at the British Embassy, but also to help improve her circumstances by maintaining her in Yoshkar-Ola. She actually asked for this assistance, and although I was in a period of full-time study at the time (and thereby could see the difficulties of such an endeavour), I nevertheless considered it as both my joy and duty to take care of her.
I postponed my studies, took full-time employment at the academic institution where I study, rented and fitted out a brand new luxury apartment, all with the intention of preparing the way for when we could obtain a fianc?e visa in order for her to join me in the UK for the purpose of getting married and setting up home together. She repeatedly told me that this is what she wanted.
For over 12 months I sent her a regular sum of $150 for her living expenses. In addition, I sent money to pay for private English tuition for her and for her son, Anton (aged 11). Incidentally, after 5 months of English lessons, her son could not speak a word of English. Perhaps, she spent the money on something else? I paid for her to regularly visit an osteopath to treat her backache. I paid for her and her son to attend a summer camp. I paid for repairs to her electrical appliances, which burnt out during a power surge. I paid for a new toilet pan. I bought her designer clothes and a new mobile phone so that she could keep in touch with her sick mother. I paid for medicines for her mother. I bought taxi cards to make her life easier. I even helped her pay off a debt to one of her girlfriends. In total over a 12-month period I had sent her over $5,000 by Western Union. In addition, I had the expense of monthly agency fees for letter translation.
Finally the day arrived, when we met in Moscow to spend the week together with the intention of attending the British Embassy. Not only did she bring her son with her, but also her girlfriend! Of course, I was expected to pay for the train tickets and two hotel rooms. Immediately I could tell that I had been scammed. She was not at all pleased to see me, and at no time did she show me any real affection or express endearment. Shortly after her arrival I exchanged my dollars, but she literally snatched the roubles from the cashier. Within 3 hours of her arrival she was shopping with my money. Within 24 hours she left me for over 12 hours while she and her son supposedly visited her aunt. I was not invited. Within 48 hours she tried to trick me into giving her $900 that I had reserved for the Embassy fees.
Finally, having postponed the Embassy visit on the Wednesday, I decided to put her intentions to the ultimate test and continue with the Embassy visit on the Thursday. She continued to ask me to give her the Embassy money. Then, whilst our driver was kindly waiting in the line outside the Embassy and we were waiting inside the warm car, she ran. She had no intention of ever attending the Embassy on that day, or at anytime during the previous 12 months. This was not a bad case of 'on-the-day' nerves. She had kept me 'in-tow' for 12 months and played on my loving and caring nature to give her the lifestyle she wanted and a free shopping trip to Moscow.
Within 24 hours of returning to Yoshkar-Ola, she (and her girlfriend, Zemfira Gallyamova, who is married) posted their profiles on the Russian Brides Marriage Agency website. I spoke with the owner who removed their profiles immediately. I have contacted Western Union and she has been placed upon a blacklist whereupon senders will be unable to send her money.