I know a Nigerian Prince, and if he makes a call things can be really easy. I can get Putin on line in minutes...
Last time this happened Boris Yeltsin was in power, and he did not yield to the Nigerian Prince's demands and this really angered the Prince. He cast his spell on Boris and this is what happened....This story is LONG (Sorry, but this is the short version). And please don’t make an usual, silly-assed comments for I am seriously perplexed about what to do next, and I want constructive suggestions. This is not another “Nigerian” email scam, for at first I assumed this story was an attempt to extract money from my good (but naïve) nature, but I have verified all the information about the passports, student visa, etc.
Until very recently, I was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, studying when I met Nikol, who, it turns out, was brand new to the business, only a few weeks. But after a few meetings, she referred to “buying her time” from the agency, and she said that had to account for every minute. I was not paying much attention but finally I asked her where her passport was-In Russian you must carry a passport or copy of it. She said, “No honey, it is with my friend that brought me. She collected my passport the day that I got to russia, thinking I won’t pay her money. She said that when I finish paying she will I give it be….” The light clicked! This “friend” had stolen her passport and forced her into the sex industry. Let me also clarify that Nikol has her own apartment, and she is not physically restrained. She just cannot leave the country, she has no other income, and she could be arrested for prostitution, no passport original, or an expired visa. If her “friend” has not renewed her visa (how can she as she has no time to study) she WILL be arrested when she tries to leave on a long-expired visa.
Her story is this: She had a fight with her boyfriend in Nigeria, and instantly decided to accept a friend’s offer to get her into a Russian University, and a good job, but the “friend” did not tell her what the job was. In late January, she flew to Saint Petersburg, where her “friend” took her passport, told Nikol that she owed $35,000 for fees, and immediately ordered her to start working as an escort. Nikol was threatened when she initially refused, and her description of her initial customer was sickeningly graphic.
During our meeting, I was writing all this down, and she demanded that I erase all the information, making me promise NOT to do anything. Nikol had known the “friend” in Nigeria, and said the woman’s family would hurt her family if Nikol did anything other than pay the debt.
Nikol has now said that she cannot start university until she pays her “friend,” and that’s going to take a long time. She then plans to quit as soon as possible, get a job, and finish university, which is ridiculous since Russian jobs pay $2 per hour. To me, her possibility of getting a university degree is non-existent. But it seems to me that the major damage has already been done. She has said that she hates the work, misses her freedom, and she feels dirty with clients.
I REPEPEATEDLY told her that I would take her on the train to Moscow, get her a duplicate passport, and put her on the plane for Lagos, so often that she threatened to never speak to me if I brought it up again. I then told Nikol that I would offer the “friend” $10,000 for her passport, an offer which the friend rejected. It was $35,000 or nothing.
Bound by promise, I kept quiet until I could keep silent no more, and here it gets absurd. I agonized one morning until I decided I HAD to call the police. Saint Petersburg has a special phone number for English speakers, and my Russian is not that good, but I found the number was disconnected. I then twice called the police and asked, “по-английски (in English)” only to have the police hang up! (Can you image what would happen in the US if a 911 operator hung up?) I then tried to find an English-speaking criminal lawyer to convince Nikol that she was not a criminal, only the victim, only to find that Saint Petersburg, full of corporate lawyers, has few criminal lawyers. I also wrote the Nigerian embassy twice asking how to replace the stolen passport, neither email of which was answered.
I finally called the US consulate, to see if it knew a Police department phone number to call. The consul himself was on the phone in two minutes, arranging a meeting with security that afternoon. I described the situation to the consulate security officer who said he would write a report to the Saint Petersburg police as a courtesy. He explained that the US embassy had to keep out of the investigation.
The security officer was not encouraging. He said that this thing happens often in Russia, and he wasn’t sure if the police would do anything. He suggested that I go to the local police station and file a report, but no one could tell me where the police station was located (weird!).
Explaining the story to another student in Saint Petersburg, who is also an American criminal lawyer, he referred the matter to a friend here in Washington with connections to the Nigerian embassy, but I have heard nothing.
I didn’t want to pay $10,000 for someone else’s passport, but I would have done it if it had gotten her out of Russia. But I absolutely refuse to pay $35,000 blackmail money though Nikol is asking for money. The amount of money is absolutely absurd; besides I would be acquiescing to blackmail. The “friend” has already done this to a second Nigerian, and she will do it to more until she is stopped.
As I told the consulate security officer, this woman is not my relative. I owe her nothing. I don’t want to know any of this problem, but I can’t just walk away without trying to help her. The problem is: (1) she absolutely refuses to accept the simplest solution (fly home using a duplicate passport), and (2) I am out of other possible solutions.
I have heard neither from the police, the American embassy, the Nigerians, nor the lawyer’s friend. Russian has no organizations to aid such women. What else can I do? Visit the Nigerian embassy here? Any ideas
No, don't walk .... RUN!
Sorry, its a hard world out there and that woman got herself into a mess. It is not your problem.
Frankly, I see a set-up for a scam in work since she won't take you up on your offer to help her get out of the country. If she was real, she would jump at that chance.
MM
Break off communications. This can't possibly be anything but a scam
I know that this sort of thing happens, more than we ever consider...
Assuming she is telling you the truth: You can not help someone who is not willing to receive the help. I am not familiar with Russian law or international law but going to the embassy to secure her return to Nigeria/Lagos (where ever she lives) sounds like the best way. Worrying about her family being harmed is a ploy that is used to maintain control and it doesn't stop until she takes a stand.
However you also need to take into consideration that she may be lying to you as well. This may be a ruse to scam Americans out of $35,000 with a big pity story. Yes this happens too.
Let's say that the lady is telling the truth... you have no guarantee that this "friend" will keep the promise. Also it is not preventing further girls from going through the same thing.
If I was someone who really is bothered by what is going on, I'd make sure to shut down this "friend" so that this does not continue to happen with the next girl. Helping one is still helping, but it is not stopping the problem.
I do not know how Russia IS about this sort of thing, but from what I gather here and there, there seems to be a lot of this sort of thing going on there and seems as though it is not all that important for them to deal with it.
Maybe contact some American groups that aide in this sort of thing, they can lead you in the right direction
You need to take a step back. You can't see the forest from the trees. It is apparent reading this that you are most likely being scammed. Not sure? Walk away and see how fast the offer of 10K is suddenly accepted. Either way, you have gone above and beyond in your efforts to "help". You are just torturing yourself in a no win situation.
Until very recently, I was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, studying when I met Nikol, who, it turns out, was brand new to the business, only a few weeks. But after a few meetings, she referred to “buying her time” from the agency, and she said that had to account for every minute. I was not paying much attention but finally I asked her where her passport was-In Russian you must carry a passport or copy of it. She said, “No honey, it is with my friend that brought me. She collected my passport the day that I got to russia, thinking I won’t pay her money. She said that when I finish paying she will I give it be….” The light clicked! This “friend” had stolen her passport and forced her into the sex industry. Let me also clarify that Nikol has her own apartment, and she is not physically restrained. She just cannot leave the country, she has no other income, and she could be arrested for prostitution, no passport original, or an expired visa. If her “friend” has not renewed her visa (how can she as she has no time to study) she WILL be arrested when she tries to leave on a long-expired visa.
Her story is this: She had a fight with her boyfriend in Nigeria, and instantly decided to accept a friend’s offer to get her into a Russian University, and a good job, but the “friend” did not tell her what the job was. In late January, she flew to Saint Petersburg, where her “friend” took her passport, told Nikol that she owed $35,000 for fees, and immediately ordered her to start working as an escort. Nikol was threatened when she initially refused, and her description of her initial customer was sickeningly graphic.
During our meeting, I was writing all this down, and she demanded that I erase all the information, making me promise NOT to do anything. Nikol had known the “friend” in Nigeria, and said the woman’s family would hurt her family if Nikol did anything other than pay the debt.
Nikol has now said that she cannot start university until she pays her “friend,” and that’s going to take a long time. She then plans to quit as soon as possible, get a job, and finish university, which is ridiculous since Russian jobs pay $2 per hour. To me, her possibility of getting a university degree is non-existent. But it seems to me that the major damage has already been done. She has said that she hates the work, misses her freedom, and she feels dirty with clients.
I REPEPEATEDLY told her that I would take her on the train to Moscow, get her a duplicate passport, and put her on the plane for Lagos, so often that she threatened to never speak to me if I brought it up again. I then told Nikol that I would offer the “friend” $10,000 for her passport, an offer which the friend rejected. It was $35,000 or nothing.
Bound by promise, I kept quiet until I could keep silent no more, and here it gets absurd. I agonized one morning until I decided I HAD to call the police. Saint Petersburg has a special phone number for English speakers, and my Russian is not that good, but I found the number was disconnected. I then twice called the police and asked, “по-английски (in English)” only to have the police hang up! (Can you image what would happen in the US if a 911 operator hung up?) I then tried to find an English-speaking criminal lawyer to convince Nikol that she was not a criminal, only the victim, only to find that Saint Petersburg, full of corporate lawyers, has few criminal lawyers. I also wrote the Nigerian embassy twice asking how to replace the stolen passport, neither email of which was answered.
I finally called the US consulate, to see if it knew a Police department phone number to call. The consul himself was on the phone in two minutes, arranging a meeting with security that afternoon. I described the situation to the consulate security officer who said he would write a report to the Saint Petersburg police as a courtesy. He explained that the US embassy had to keep out of the investigation.
The security officer was not encouraging. He said that this thing happens often in Russia, and he wasn’t sure if the police would do anything. He suggested that I go to the local police station and file a report, but no one could tell me where the police station was located (weird!).
Explaining the story to another student in Saint Petersburg, who is also an American criminal lawyer, he referred the matter to a friend here in Washington with connections to the Nigerian embassy, but I have heard nothing.
I didn’t want to pay $10,000 for someone else’s passport, but I would have done it if it had gotten her out of Russia. But I absolutely refuse to pay $35,000 blackmail money though Nikol is asking for money. The amount of money is absolutely absurd; besides I would be acquiescing to blackmail. The “friend” has already done this to a second Nigerian, and she will do it to more until she is stopped.
As I told the consulate security officer, this woman is not my relative. I owe her nothing. I don’t want to know any of this problem, but I can’t just walk away without trying to help her. The problem is: (1) she absolutely refuses to accept the simplest solution (fly home using a duplicate passport), and (2) I am out of other possible solutions.
I have heard neither from the police, the American embassy, the Nigerians, nor the lawyer’s friend. Russian has no organizations to aid such women. What else can I do? Visit the Nigerian embassy here? Any ideas?
I know a Nigerian Prince, and if he makes a call things can be really easy. I can get Putin on line in minutes...
Last time this happened Boris Yeltsin was in power, and he did not yield to the Nigerian Prince's demands and this really angered the Prince.
He cast his spell on Boris and this is what happened....
-- Modified on 5/26/2013 1:17:12 PM
You still can't help someone who doesn't want your help, not to mention the fact that even if you get her back to Nigeria, do you really believe that you have solved the problem? Don't forget that she told you that her family was threatened and Nigeria is a country where human life is cheap, people are killed there every day for a lot less than $35,000.
I hate to tell you this, but the old saying of "no good deed goes unpunished" holds very true here. There are two major possibilities here, neither of them good, One is, she is telling the truth, and you are incapable of helping her. The other is, she is lying to you and you are about to be scammed. Sorry, but as much as I would like to sugarcoat it for you, some battles just can't be won. My advice is drop it, and her if this bothers you so much. Make a donation to one of the many groups that fights human trafficking to ease your conscience, and move on with your life.
BTW $35,000 is not an exorbitant amount for fees, visas, airfare, etc for a woman to go "work" somewhere, Many Asian women pay more than that to "work" right here in the states, and they do it willingly with no deception or coercion involved. That's not to say that this is the case with your friend, things like this are unfortunately a reality in this world, it' s just unless you are willing to go to the mat for this girl, you are simply fighting a losing battle.
It is very much possible that the girl he has described is a victim of human trafficking. If that's the case than getting back to Nigeria won't solve her problems.
It is just as plausible that she is scamming him.
That is if his story is anywhere near reality. Entire thing sounds like some very bad movie plot that is being written by someone who has never been to Russia.
I can believe that he was hung up on by local police department. What I can NOT believe is that
1) He could not find english speaking criminal attorney. Here is a list of attorneys recommended by US embassy
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/list---attorneys.pdf
2) nobody could tell him address of police precinct. For god's sake, main station (Petrovka 38) has its own facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%9F%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0-38/211568958883804
Yandex.ru brings up a map with all 65 precincts nicely mapped
3) he could not find a phone number for any of human trafficking organizations.
Too many holes in his story.
How you doing sweetie?
I was in CA, and was having issues finding someone who spoke English.
So I will give him benefit of doubt on that one.. 
Go to any city in the UK you may have to ask up to three people for directions before you find english speaker.
So I will give him benefit of doubt on that one..
know the laws, or the language, or the customs.
You are fucking a hooker who would never consider lying to you...what with $ 35k on the line she's got her work cut out for her.
Yea...this isn't the email scam you refute in your opening paragraph...it's worse. These people are playing assholes like you for a fool...and you're just one of a shitload they do this with. Given your story there is virtually nothing that I find truthful in this story. Not that you aren't telling it truthfully, simply that the facts as presented make no sense whatsoever.
But since I know nothing of how sex trafficking plays out in Russia, or Ethiopia I will defer to those who have some real experiences there.
And what should you do...aside from calling 007, simply get back on a plane with your kidneys still intact and get the fuck out of there.
One word R-U-N!!! and get out with your life while you still have one.
I am immediately reminded of all the good deeds I ever did for a stranger, where I always learned a valuable lesson afterwards... "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
So don't walk, RUN away. Besides, this girl doesn't want your "help" anyway, and there is a better than 50/50 chance that she in on the scam anyway. The Nigerians weren't born yesterday, they know how to scam people.
By the way, I am really a Nigerian Prince, I own 95% of all the oil wells in Africa. But I have a problem, and I need your help. If you can help me to transfer 10 million dollars to the USA, I will give you 12% for your trouble. The problem I am having is that there is a tax due of $35,000, and if you can forward me that amount (by wire transfer, or by western union), then my 10 million dollars will be released by Chase Bank, and I will wire transfer you the sum of 1.2 million dollars. So be sure to send me your banking info, and a sample of your signature so that my agent can verify that you are really the owner of your bank account. I am asking you for your help because I know you so well, and I would be honored to give you the money, I would never think of asking anybody else to do this favor for me, so be sure not to tell anybody else about this either.
The girl CLEARLY told you not to get involved and besided this screams SCAM from every angle.
First let me tell you the reason she DOESN'T want your help...because it just isn't true!!
A. She was making it up so you would have something to talk about and she would seem interesting so you would want to come see her again or.....
B. She was telling you the story so that you would give her money!!!She thought you were some dumb idiot who would just hand over the cash!!
But after realizing that you were serious and not some dumb fool she knew that she had to somehow get herself out of it before you really caused trouble for her!!
Getting the POLICE involved..on something you can't validate is a NO NO!! ARE YOU CRAZY???
Once you offered to give her the money she refused because she knew then that she would have to produce a passport and show you! Have you personally spoken with this "friend" and if you did I'm sure it was just one of her sidekicks! I can't believe you fell for this. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book!
LEAVE IT AND HER ALONE!!
f she is truly in danger, you just made it worse but doubt that is the case. most trafficked victims don't have their face showing and a ton of reviews. that leads the FBI right to them.
These are pretty brutal people. Stay away if you don’t want to get yourself killed. Especially in Russia.
And they're handing them their ass!!
Google some key words...it's very disturbing.!
These traffickers are now recruiting American women to work in foreign countries.
LADIES...Be mindful of any offers to work abroad. These people are on the
prowl very hard for American women nowadays.
Refuse any offers especially for "buy you a one way ticket and you can leave if you don't like"
A "one way ticket" is useless when you wanna leave BROKE...you're stuck!
You will never be seen or heard from again...it really happens!
Thank you...stepping off my soap box..lol
You're a good good man for doing what's right..thank you for taking the time to care for someone..!
You can report online via the link below or by calling.
Polaris Project Tip Line (anonymous):
888-373-7888
P.S. Store their number/info in your phone for future reference..pls
Peace & Love,
Heather of Alabama
Until very recently, I was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, studying when I met Nikol, who, it turns out, was brand new to the business, only a few weeks. But after a few meetings, she referred to “buying her time” from the agency, and she said that had to account for every minute. I was not paying much attention but finally I asked her where her passport was-In Russian you must carry a passport or copy of it. She said, “No honey, it is with my friend that brought me. She collected my passport the day that I got to russia, thinking I won’t pay her money. She said that when I finish paying she will I give it be….” The light clicked! This “friend” had stolen her passport and forced her into the sex industry. Let me also clarify that Nikol has her own apartment, and she is not physically restrained. She just cannot leave the country, she has no other income, and she could be arrested for prostitution, no passport original, or an expired visa. If her “friend” has not renewed her visa (how can she as she has no time to study) she WILL be arrested when she tries to leave on a long-expired visa.
Her story is this: She had a fight with her boyfriend in Nigeria, and instantly decided to accept a friend’s offer to get her into a Russian University, and a good job, but the “friend” did not tell her what the job was. In late January, she flew to Saint Petersburg, where her “friend” took her passport, told Nikol that she owed $35,000 for fees, and immediately ordered her to start working as an escort. Nikol was threatened when she initially refused, and her description of her initial customer was sickeningly graphic.
During our meeting, I was writing all this down, and she demanded that I erase all the information, making me promise NOT to do anything. Nikol had known the “friend” in Nigeria, and said the woman’s family would hurt her family if Nikol did anything other than pay the debt.
Nikol has now said that she cannot start university until she pays her “friend,” and that’s going to take a long time. She then plans to quit as soon as possible, get a job, and finish university, which is ridiculous since Russian jobs pay $2 per hour. To me, her possibility of getting a university degree is non-existent. But it seems to me that the major damage has already been done. She has said that she hates the work, misses her freedom, and she feels dirty with clients.
I REPEPEATEDLY told her that I would take her on the train to Moscow, get her a duplicate passport, and put her on the plane for Lagos, so often that she threatened to never speak to me if I brought it up again. I then told Nikol that I would offer the “friend” $10,000 for her passport, an offer which the friend rejected. It was $35,000 or nothing.
Bound by promise, I kept quiet until I could keep silent no more, and here it gets absurd. I agonized one morning until I decided I HAD to call the police. Saint Petersburg has a special phone number for English speakers, and my Russian is not that good, but I found the number was disconnected. I then twice called the police and asked, “по-английски (in English)” only to have the police hang up! (Can you image what would happen in the US if a 911 operator hung up?) I then tried to find an English-speaking criminal lawyer to convince Nikol that she was not a criminal, only the victim, only to find that Saint Petersburg, full of corporate lawyers, has few criminal lawyers. I also wrote the Nigerian embassy twice asking how to replace the stolen passport, neither email of which was answered.
I finally called the US consulate, to see if it knew a Police department phone number to call. The consul himself was on the phone in two minutes, arranging a meeting with security that afternoon. I described the situation to the consulate security officer who said he would write a report to the Saint Petersburg police as a courtesy. He explained that the US embassy had to keep out of the investigation.
The security officer was not encouraging. He said that this thing happens often in Russia, and he wasn’t sure if the police would do anything. He suggested that I go to the local police station and file a report, but no one could tell me where the police station was located (weird!).
Explaining the story to another student in Saint Petersburg, who is also an American criminal lawyer, he referred the matter to a friend here in Washington with connections to the Nigerian embassy, but I have heard nothing.
I didn’t want to pay $10,000 for someone else’s passport, but I would have done it if it had gotten her out of Russia. But I absolutely refuse to pay $35,000 blackmail money though Nikol is asking for money. The amount of money is absolutely absurd; besides I would be acquiescing to blackmail. The “friend” has already done this to a second Nigerian, and she will do it to more until she is stopped.
As I told the consulate security officer, this woman is not my relative. I owe her nothing. I don’t want to know any of this problem, but I can’t just walk away without trying to help her. The problem is: (1) she absolutely refuses to accept the simplest solution (fly home using a duplicate passport), and (2) I am out of other possible solutions.
I have heard neither from the police, the American embassy, the Nigerians, nor the lawyer’s friend. Russian has no organizations to aid such women. What else can I do? Visit the Nigerian embassy here? Any ideas?