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immigrant visas for fiancées from abroad were issued. Many of the women entering the United States as a fiancée
were found by their new husband with the assistance of a mail-order service.
A mail-order bride is one who has come to the U.S. from a foreign country after only long-distance correspondence
or a short meeting with her husband-to-be. The CIS estimates that there are currently about 200 different services
by which foreign women advertise to potential husbands.
Many users of the mail-order system are defrauded every year both by mail-order bride agencies and foreign
women. The CIS has noted that many of the alien women who seek U.S. marriage are more interested in gaining
permanent resident status than a lasting marital commitment.
Sending Money Based on a Sham
One of the ways by which hopeful husbands are defrauded is by sending money to the agency or directly to women
setting themselves out to be bride candidates. The agencies or women may be complete shams which do not
really exist. In other scams, women may ask for money for fabricated purposes, such as to buy plane tickets or for
hospital expenses to care for relatives.
Distorting the Truth
Agencies and the mail-order brides often lie about the woman's age, appearance, language ability and interests.
Photos may be professionally altered or outdated, as many of these women live in impoverished conditions and
might have personal or financial reasons to embellish their attractiveness as candidates.
Consumer Precaution
There are several measures men can take to reduce their chances of falling victim to mail-order bride fraud, such
as finding a reputable agency by obtaining and contacting references before agreeing to use the agency. Where no
agency is used, meeting the bride face-to-face might help avoid fraud. In case of fraud, local, state or federal law
enforcement agencies should be contacted, in addition the U.S. Embassy closest to where the woman lives.
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