Hot Russian Brides® Men's Lifestyle Magazine™ Winter 2017 | Page 95

OUT ACK STS Anti-scam or blacklist websites are informational sites that claim to spread the “truth” about Russian dating websites, purportedly to save innocent men from being scammed by devious matchmakers. While some anti-scam or blacklist site operators may have good intentions, the sad truth is that many of these lists exist solely to slander the competition. So how can you know who to trust? Here are some things to keep in mind when judging an anti-scam site. SOME BLACKLIS TS ARE OPERATED BY OR AFFILIATED WI TH COMPET- ING DATING SITES Check which international dating websites have purchased advertising space on a blacklist site, and then compare these sites to the ones who appear on the “approved” or “safe” list. If you only see one or two ad- vertisers and they’re high up on the “safe list,” it is possible the black- list owner is receiving kickbacks from the “approved” website. You should especially be suspicious if links to these sites appear to be part of an affiliate program, where the blacklist publisher receives money in exchange for traffic sent to the linked site. BLACKLISTS ARE NOT REGULATED Any website which is considered to be an “International Marriage Broker” must obey applicable laws which govern their industry; however the so called “blacklist” websites are not regulated by ANYONE. There are no “official” black list websites or agencies for the international dating and corre- spondence industry, so any information you see posted to these “black list” websites should be considered the publisher’s subjective opinion. Want to check with a reliable source? While there are none specific to inter- national dating and marriage broker services, there are many official consumer protection organizations which may be trusted, both within the government as well as in the private sector. REJECTED SUITORS OFTEN USE BLACKLIS TS TO VENT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS Look closely at reports that come as a result of a failed rela- tionship. Sadly, many women are accused of being “scam- mers” simply because of a personal dispute. The dissolution of a relationship can be very painful and sometimes a man will stretch the truth or even outright lie to make the woman seem villainous. Always take post-breakup reports with a grain of salt. If you weren’t there and don’t know either of the people involved personally, it’s impossible to know what REALLY happened when the couple broke up. Remember, just like a brick and mortar establishment, Internet-based businesses are subject to bad publicity from disprovable and often times highly speculative sources. This is even more prevalent nowadays with internet access be- coming more widely available and the sense of anonymity provided by online forums and message boards. Use your best judgment when determining the validity of black lists and anti-scam websites. ...the so called “blacklist” websites are not regulated by ANYONE... H O T RUS S I AN BRI D E S® - MEN’S L IFESTYL E M A G A ZINE 9 5