When a couple decides to start their own family through adoption, they are opening their homes and their hearts to a child in need. Unfortunately, while this can be a selfless and beautiful act, there are scam artists who use a person’s desire for family to defraud them of significant amounts of money.

To prevent adoption scams in Delaware, and to avoid falling prey to scammers, talk to an adoption lawyer in Delaware as soon as you decide to expand your family. An attorney can vet adoption options for you, weeding out any potential scams. An attorney can also make sure any agreements are written on paper and are legally binding, preventing headaches and protecting you from people who just want your money.

Many people aren’t aware of the pervasiveness of adoption scams in Delaware, but these scams are far more frequent than many people realize. Common scams include:

1) Fake Pregnancies and Scamming Would-Be Mothers

It sounds like the plot of a daytime drama, but some women have faked a pregnancy or have promised their unborn children to multiple families in order to try to extort as much money as possible from the pregnancy. If you are adopting directly, make sure you get confirmation of the pregnancy and medical evidence early on in the process.

Also make sure your agreement is in writing, and consider working with a Delaware adoption attorney to ensure your rights are protected. Be especially suspicious if a mother offering to give up her child for adoption keeps increasing the amount of money she wants from you, or demands expensive gifts in exchange for allowing you to adopt her child.

2) Fake Adoption Agencies

Some adoption agencies exist only online and change names often. They ask for adoption fees upfront and then disappear, leaving bereft families behind. If you’re working with an adoption agency, do your due diligence to ensure the adoption agency is legitimate.
Be suspicious of any agency asking for more than the basic application fee from you upfront. Even if the agency says you don’t need a legal representative, work with an adoption attorney in Delaware or your community to make sure the adoption moves smoothly.

3) Fake International Adoptions

Some overseas companies or local companies will promise you an adopted child from overseas. They may even show pictures or videos of the supposed child. After parents pour thousands or tens of thousands of dollars into the adoption to supposedly pay for passports, agency fees and more, the agency simply stops responding to requests or disappears entirely. Eventually, couples may find out that the child they were trying to adopt didn’t exist and pictures of the child were stock photos.

Adoption should be a joyous event. To prevent headaches, paperwork issues, heartache and scams, work with an adoption attorney. If you’d like to speak to an adoption and family law attorney, contact Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz, and Bhaya for a consultation. Our attorneys can help you expand your family and protect you from fraudsters.