Reports :

An online complaint describes a suspected romance scam involving someone using the name Mariya Kolbanya, reportedly living in Kinel, Samara Oblast, Russia. According to the complainant, the correspondence began several weeks before the report was submitted. The person using Mariya's name communicated through email and expressed an interest in traveling to the United States to meet the recipient. As the conversations continued, the sender claimed that she needed to purchase an airline ticket for the planned journey. The complainant said he continued responding because he suspected something might be wrong and wanted to understand how the situation would develop. The sender subsequently claimed that a round-trip airline ticket was required. She reportedly requested **$600 USD** to help cover the travel expense. One particularly suspicious detail was the requested payment arrangement. Instead of asking the complainant to purchase a ticket directly through an airline, the sender wanted the money mailed to a person identified as Svetlana Plotnikova, described as her travel agent. The complainant questioned why the payment needed to be sent to a third party rather than used to purchase an airline ticket directly. This arrangement raised concerns about the authenticity of the travel plans and the identity of the person receiving the funds. The original complaint does not establish that the complainant actually sent the $600. It also does not document a completed ticket purchase, confirmed financial loss, or subsequent disappearance. The case illustrates a possible romance fraud warning sign in which a person develops an online relationship, proposes an international visit, and requests that travel money be transferred to an unverified intermediary.