Are you interested in starting a serious relationship or marriage with a Russian or Ukrainian woman ? Many men from America or Europe think Russian women have special qualities that make them wonderful life-long partners, and some of the most beautiful women are located in the Ukraine and Russia. The issue becomes, then, one of how to meet honest, legitimate potential "matches" and avoid getting scammed.

Everyone has heard of the history of "mail-order" brides, but technology has certainly changed that earlier concept. Today, men are able to meet Russian women through numerous online sources – women from virtually any country in the world. For this process to be fruitful, however, and for men to discover how to be successful in dating Russian women, it is best to utilize the services of a trustworthy and ethical matchmaking service or marriage agency in the country of the woman being sought.

Any man can locate matchmaking services in Russia or the Ukraine, but let’s take a look at what truly legitimate services offer, so that you can avoid being "ripped off" or scammed.

General Operating Methods

A legitimate matchmaking agency will, first of all, have a physical address and real customer service professionals with whom a client may communicate. They operate much like agencies in the Western world, providing a "terms of service" agreement to which any user must agree.

Russian women who wish to publish photos and information on the site have been thoroughly checked, by actually presenting themselves to the agency and undergoing background checks to authenticate their identity and integrity. Some services, in fact, will provide a background check on women that a male member has met through some other source.

The site should offer a free registration for all potential male clients and charge a fee only when a client has determined that there are one or more women with whom he would like to communicate. These fees should vary, dependent upon the additional services in which the client may be interested. For a basic fee, the client should be able to enter his personal information and his criteria for a match, so that the agency may then select appropriate women for his consideration. As well, translation services should automatically be provided for communication purposes. For additional fees, a service might offer a personal consultant who is able to guide the client through more detailed profiling of his criteria, to discuss the social and cultural aspects of Russian and Ukranian women, and to generally assist in making the entire experience more successful.

Avoiding Scams

There are clear and telltale signs that should send up "red flags" for any man seeking Ukrainian or Russian brides. Beware of sites that insist upon payment prior to allowing perusal of the site or of women on that site. As well, once communication has begun with a woman, look for signs that she, herself, may not be legitimate. Should you receive a personal request for money to help out her family or to fund a visa or trip to your country, walk away. For you to meet your "match" in person, you will need to travel to her, because she would not be granted a visa for such purposes. Another pitfall is a service offering to sell you individual addresses or phone numbers of women. A legitimate agency will act as the "middleman" between you and your potential match until things have progressed much further.

A Word About Your Obligations: Russian and Ukrainian women who legitimately seek a lifelong relationship with a man are family-oriented and genuine. It is not appropriate for you to establish online "relationships" with several at a time and lead them into believing that you are truly serious about them. This creates heartache and pain.

While there are many ethical matchmaking sites for Russian and Ukrainian women, you might wish to begin with two that have a solid reputation and that have been around for several years.