Adoption Scams And How To Avoid Them Adopting a child can be one of the best things you can do in your life. It is considered to be a milestone, especially in your family life. Sad to say, even noble acts such as adoption are posed to the threats of scam artists. There is nothing wrong with adoption. However, you should take extra precaution if you really want to engage in such sensitive act. There are people out there who will take advantage of you. Here are the important things you should know to avoid being scammed in the process of adoption. Too Good To Be True Offers Are A No-No! Trust is an important factor in adoption. You have to trust people for your adoption process to be successful. You should not give away your trust to anybody. One basic principle in determining if a person is worthy of your trust is by watching their words. Watch out for promises that are too good to be true. Whether it be the birthmother or adoption professional saying these things, be wary! Promises can include: extremely low cost, multiple births, and extremely short waiting periods. Once you hear such a promise, it would be better to negotiate with another adoption agency. Remember, adoption is a very sensitive issue that should be handled with caution and care. Dealing With Birthmother Frauds One big red flag for adoption scams would be birthmothers asking for money. You should never give a birthmother or her so-called representative cash for any legitimate reason. If you are using an online adoption service, you may have a high risk of encountering this kind of fraud. There are some known cases in which the so-called birthmother will guilt trips you and ask for money to help support her pregnancy and such. There are people who are not birthmothers to be exact, but know of one and are willing to give you the contact information for a fee of $500. Do not fall for these kinds of transactions. If you did agree to support a birthmother's living expenses like rent, then it is better that you pay her landlord directly. Do not give her the money. In this way you can be sure that the money you are giving her goes to where it should be allocated. Whenever money becomes an issue, it is best you consult your attorney. Ask about the fairness of the deal and if it is a legally acceptable setup. Double Offers If you already have an understanding with a birthmother, then she should only be transacting with you. There are birthmothers who offer their baby to different families at the same time. Be sure that you are the only one she has agreed to give her baby to, or else this can pose a huge problem when the baby arrives. To avoid problems with birthmothers, you should befriend her. Know a lot of details regarding her and have continuous communication with each other. After some months of talking, it would be best that you meet each other. By that time, she will be showing and easier to verify she is really pregnant. Other Signs Of Adoption Scams There are other signs you should look for to know if it is a scam. Be wary of parents that are living in motels or are transients, along with those that refuse to give their address or phone numbers. These may indicate that they do not want you to track them down, if ever you encounter a problem from them. Those who refuse medical care are to be watched, along with those that refuse to allow you limited access to their medical information and status. There is a reason why the birthmother does not want you to see her files. It can be an indication that she's using drugs.
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