HOME

SCAM ALERTS

KNOWLEDGE

AGENCIES - WEBSITES

GUESTS

RESOURCES

SUPPORT

Free-to-Post-Personals (F2P) websites and so-called Agencies that allow others to place a "free" profile on their site are a source of potential trouble. Many F2P sites have numerous scammers. Some of the better F2P sites will respond to complaints.

F2P sites are often used as the "Host" website for Parasitic Agencies and if you encounter such listings you should report them to the F2P site administrators.

F2P Personals Websites have multiplied like tribbles over the past decade, due in part to their potential profitability and out-of-the box software that allows anyone to establish a site. It has therefore become IMPOSSIBLE to maintain any kind of a useful list of which F2P sites may be populated by known scammers or pose the most risk of encountering a scammer.

The note below, which was originally written with regards to Absolute Agency, a popular Russian/Ukrainian F2P site, is still useful.

Remember, the bottom-line with F2P sites is that when dealing with any ladies or profiles from CIS countries engage in the usual counter-measures and precautions, but most of all remember that you BEGAN looking for someone online because you wanted to meet someone and build a relationship, and NOT because you were looking to support someone by sending them money.

Every F2P site should be considered a "mixed bag" of both genuine ladies and scammers-especially for those profiles from Eurasia and the CIS countries. The problem arises because F2P sites typically allow any individual or agency to create a free profile without any pre-screening or verification that the information posted is true.

Many of these F2P sites create a further false impression because they often indicate that by purchasing a "membership" you will be able to email all of the persons listed on the site. The impression thus given is that these persons are "members" of the F2P website and that you can write them freely after purchasing membership. However, as discussed below, this is often not the case when dealing with women from Eurasia and the CIS countries.

The plain truth is only persons that have an Internet connection of their own and that are not using an Internet Cafe or Agency for access will be able to communicate with you through these F2P sites at no additional cost to you. This means persons who are writing from countries that have cheap or free email connections, persons who are students or persons that have free access from work. Of course, if they have their own connection and are not going through an Agency, Translation Service or Internet Cafe in the first place, they likely already have or can easily establish their own free email account and after the initial contact you can write to them directly without having to go through the F2P site!!!

But if these individuals are accessing the Internet via an Internet Cafe or using a so-called "Translation Service" or Agency then you can bet there will be a later pitch to help her with her costs. Such a request may or may not be legitimate and you will have to look at the totality of Warning Signs to make that determination.

The second type of profile you will encounter on these F2P sites are those that have had an Agency place their profile for them. These are what I call Parasitic Agencies and should generally be avoided. Often it is only when you write to these persons through the F2P site that you are informed that there is actually a "middleman" and that the Agency or the girl will require additional payment. Your "membership" in the F2P website is immaterial to these Parasitic Agencies. (I am campaigning and asking all legitimate Agencies to terminate this practice or else to clearly annotate posted client profiles so that the consumer will know from the outset what the situation will be.) If you find yourself in this situation you could at this point be dealing with a legitimate individual and Agency (that has not yet adopted the higher standards I have proposed) or you are dealing with scammers.

All persons could potentially boycott these F2P sites until such time that they establish agreements and controls whereby they do not permit these third-party Agencies to post their clients or allow them to post their clients provided that in turn these third-party Agencies do not charge the F2P Members or otherwise work it out with a fee-splitting arrangement so that the members of these F2P sites get what they expect and have paid for--free access to all those persons listed. Additionally, it would be good if these F2P sites would implement better verification and screening controls and adopt stronger anti-scamming policies and responses to complaints.

However because there are at least some sincere and legitimate individuals and Agencies utilizing these F2P websites, I am is not calling for a general boycott of the service at this time.

In the mean time, all should be aware of what they are actually paying for when they purchase a membership in these F2P websites. Essentially, you are paying for the privilege to be "referred" or to initially "contact" the persons who have placed a profile. With the exception of individuals who have their own free Internet access from school, work, home, friends or relatives, you can expect that there will be additional costs imposed upon either you or your correspondent.

---

Follow-up Notes:

I have noticed that many scammers on F2P sites who are from Lugansk or other "hotbeds" of scammer activity are omitting their "city" in their profiles. Pay attention to this if you write to anyone that does not list the city. Also note when it comes to Western Union and other money transfer services these money transfers can generally be picked up at any location in the country and not just the city specified as the "payout location" in the order.

Update January 2004: I have heard from Irina at Russian-women.net that many of their clients' profiles are being stolen and used by scammers on Absolute and other F2P sites. In particular she notes profiles with Hungary as the location have done this. Verify all contacts via multiple channels and follow the advice contained on Scam Alert - The Author