Reports :

I was taken in by the scam by www.Heartafire.com and Ira, also know as Irina or Irochka. This scam involved translation fees, internet expenses and gifts while in Ukraine. I corresponded for almost two year with Ira. I did check over the internet to see if this was a scam six to nine months ago. I confronted the agency but the director denied all allegations. I wanted to do some follow-up research on the agency. So, I asked for names of people to contact for references from Heartafire. They provided four names initially and one a few weeks before my departure to Odessa, Ukraine. I got positive e-mails back from four people and no response back for the fifth person. I would seem that all this was research was to no avail for my trip. I meet Ira at the airport and was picked up with the agencies VIP service. It is just another way to get some money for people who make the trip to Odessa. We then went to an expensive restaurant along with the interpreter for the agency, Larissa (sp). I knew after about two hours that this was going to be a long five days in Odessa. Ira informed me that she would not be able to meet until late the next evening after five o'clock. She was working at the port (customs sections) until her test to become an official custom officer. I doubt the whole situation know looking back on the week. We then go to the seaside that evening with her friend Valintina (sp) and get back late that night. I am informed that they can not meet the next day which is Friday. So, I am own my own in Odessa checking out the sites around the apartment. Saturday Ira, Valintina and Alihan (Ira's son) want to go to the beach for the day. So, yet another expensive day with the taxis, food at the beach drinks, and then we all go to an expensive restaurant after the beach for barbeque type food. The girls then want to stop at an giant mall which has a market inside to go shopping. So, Alihan is skating while the girls are shopping in the mall and looking at shoes. They are trying on sandals for awhile and finally ask if it would be ok for me to buy as presents. I picked up the tab for the shoes since they were not real expensive. Then Ira and Valintina start shopping getting a lot of higher priced item like lotion, makeup and hair coloring. I was getting very curious about this whole situation with the shopping. We were about fifteen miles from downtown Odessa and there was now way to get back on my own to the apartment. We get to the checkout lane and Valintina want me to pay for all the items. I was hesitant but then thinking about getting back to the apartment on my own, just went ahead and paid for the items. I pretty much new it was all a scam at this point. On Sunday the girls came by to give me some information on tours around Odessa. I had a headache and was not feeling all that well and did not go on the tour. We went out to lunch at a midrange restaurant and then to a mall/grocery store near the apartment. I was again asked to give Ira some money for a sweater or shirt. I refused this time since it was an easy walk to the apartment. I did not see Ira the next day which was Monday but she did ride with me to the airport. So, my conclusion is that there are less than 5 percent of the people who use the agency that actually find a partner. The people or names that the agency sends you for reference are probably also part of the whole scam. In that case you are looking at zero percent of people finding a partner! The other clients are pretty much all scammed the agency, girl or both on their trips. You will get charged for the hotel, taxi, interpreter, internet expenses, phone calls and other items. You are not going to find much in Ukraine but a lot of heartache! Save your money and use some agencies in the United States or your country. I hope this helps you in some small way not to go to Ukraine or some other country looking for love. By the way looked on www.Heartafire.com site today and Ira is back out there looking for another victim.