This is in response to Roger Wright’s Kyiv Post May 27 column “American comes up empty-handed in 10-year search for Ukrainian wife.”

As an agency owner of khersongirls.com acquaintance agency in Kherson, Ukraine, I do not hire or allow ladies to join in order to make money.

In fact, I don’t allow my male clients to send ladies money though my agency in order to avoid these type of “working ladies.” There are many agencies out there that do. Most often, if you find an agency site and the agency owners or office address is missing, it is best not to join.

Take time and research a site. Look at their engagement photos. Make sure the site is current and contact the owner. And most important: don’t send a stranger money.

For those men — and I meet a lot of them — who “buy” the ladies and then get upset when they don’t get their “money’s” worth, I can only say: I’m sorry, I wish you had taken my advice.

No agency can make a claim that the ladies on their site are sincere. I don’t make such a claim. I can only advise the men on how to deal with the ladies and what to do if “money” becomes an issue. I have removed many ladies and men from my site because of “money” issues.

Typically, the men will make the offer to the lady and the lady, having no money, will accept it. I have never seen a poor person reject money from anyone.

It is very unprofessional to classify all agencies as scam agencies. Take time and research a site. Look at their engagement photos. Make sure the site is current and contact the owner. And most important: don’t send a stranger money.

If you want to buy a lady, there are agencies for that. When looking for marriage, treat the lady the same as you would treat a lady to whom your mother introduced you.

I’ve been married for 10 years and have two children with my Ukrainian wife. Here is my advice:

1. Keep the wallet closed.

2. Treat the lady the same as you would any lady from your hometown.

3. Go looking for a best friend. Once you find her, then marry her. I did.

4. Follow the top head and not the bottom head in making decision about a lady.

5. Don’t use a website that doesn’t provide you with the owners’ name and phone number.

6. Use google.com to research any site or lady for comments.

I hope this helps.

Kevin Hayes lives in Florida with his wife who is from Kherson, Ukraine. Their dating agency website is at http://www.khersongirls.com/index.htm