Desperate for a visa to the West, Russian travelers have become free game for unscrupulous middlemen and straightforward confidence tricksters.


Take Konstantin Loshinin, who received a letter from a company telling him that he had won the U.S. government lottery for green cards.


"Confidence Inc. sincerely congratulates you and your family over winning green cards," the company said in a form letter addressed to Loshinin, "which gives you the status of permanent residence, including the right to housing, work and U.S. citizenship."


But there was a hitch. Confidence, based in New York City, asked Loshinin to pay a $90 dollar "state levy," even though the lottery, which qualified 55,000 people to apply for permanent residence in the United States this year, is free. new parking policy did not come as a big surprise, but many doubted that it would succeed.


"So, civilization is progressing. Hopefully this will build some kind of order in the center's traffic," said Alexander Akhanov, a taxi driver who said it was "practically impossible" to find parking downtown. "There are enough rich people in the center who can pay for it. But as for me, I'll avoid paying as long as I can."