How to Spot an Adoption Scam

Avoid These Common Adoption Scams 

When choosing to build your family through adoption, it’s important to watch out for adoption scams and professionals who don’t have your best interests in mind. 

• Unlicensed adoption professionals can make false advertising claims.
• Adoptive families are often sold unrealistic wait times. 
• Adoption costs are frequently presented in a best-case scenario and fail to provide transparency. 

Unfortunately, adoption scams are prevalent. Many adoptive families pursuing adoption see their wait times increase and their bank accounts drained. 

That’s why we’ve created this guide on how to spot adoption fraud with unqualified and unlicensed professionals. Instead, work with trusted adoption agencies that can safely guide you through your journey with complete transparency. 

First, you can click here to complete a free contact form to connect with an adoption professional today who can help you learn more about adoption scams. 

Second, continue reading to learn about the most common adoption scams and how to avoid them. 

The Number of Birth Mothers Professionals Claim to Work With 

One of the most common adoption scams adoptive families run into is misleading information about the number of birth mothers available. 

Professionals such as consultants and facilitators will run an adoption scam telling you they have a high number of birth mothers to make you feel like your wait time to complete an adoption is shorter than anywhere else. 

They will claim high web traffic, and a network of professionals will quickly connect you with a birth mother, giving you the shortest possible wait time.  

Sadly, too many adoptive families find out that these professionals tout unverified statistics and cannot provide clear information on the number of birth mothers in their “network.” 

So, to avoid this adoption scam, ask for actual numbers and information on available birth mothers before committing to working with a professional. If they are vague about the number of birth mothers they are currently working with, there’s a good chance they are giving you false information. 

Instead, contact a licensed adoption agency that can give you honest information about available adoption opportunities and realistic wait times.  

If you’re ready to speak with a trusted professional who can help you find the right adoption agency for your family, click here to complete this free and easy contact form. 

The Number of Adoptions Completed Per Year 

To avoid a devastating adoption scam, look closely at the number of adoptions a professional claim to complete each year. 

Suppose one of these professionals works with 100 birth mothers but only completes 15-20 adoptions a year. In that case, your wait time could double or triple. 

As an adoptive family, you want to work with an adoption agency that can show you a higher number of completed adoptions per year.  

Licensed agencies give you a better chance of finding the perfect match for your family and, ultimately, lower your wait time. Plus, you never have to worry about heartbreaking adoption scams because you can feel confident knowing the professional you’re working with provides honest and transparent information. 

What They Do When an Adoption Doesn’t Work Out

You also want an adoption agency that can quickly find a new match in the event your adoption opportunity doesn’t work out. 

The reality is that adoption disruptions happen. If it happens to you, the best adoption agencies protect your investment and work to quickly find you a new opportunity without losing your money. 

Avoid this common adoption scam by asking your professional to show information about the number of adoptions they complete each year. That way, you know what they are telling you is true, and you can feel confident knowing you are on the best adoption path. 

Remember, you can talk to one of our adoption professionals by clicking here to complete our free online form. They can provide you important information on how to avoid adoption scams and safely pursue adoption with a trusted and experienced agency. 

Adoption Costs and Unexpected Fees 

Adoption can be expensive.  

Unfortunately, adoption professionals will often quote you an upfront cost that is a best-case scenario and not representative of your total adoption costs.  

This common adoption scam leads to unexpected fees, putting families in unprepared and difficult situations. 

Additionally, many of these professionals don’t protect your investment. So, in the event your adoption opportunity doesn’t work out, you will have to pay added fees to find a new birth mother. 

In many cases, these predatory professionals create adoption contracts with an expiration knowing a completed adoption won’t occur prior to the deadline. That means the adoptive family will have to repay most, if not all, adoption fees again. 

Younger couples who don’t have the money to repay the fees fall off the list for adoption opportunities. Older couples may not want to renew and continue waiting, which causes them to give up on their adoption journey. 

This is an unnecessary risk and adoption scam that you can avoid by working with an agency that offers risk protection and full transparency of your total adoption costs so that you know what to expect.  

If your adoption doesn’t work out and you experience a disruption, financial protection provided by agencies like American Adoptions refunds your money so that you can pursue adoption again or take a break. 

You never lose control of your investment when you work with the right agency.  

Unlicensed Professionals 

Adoption requires numerous steps to complete. Each state has adoption laws, and adoptive families like you need a professional who can navigate those laws to safely and legally complete an adoption. 

Another common adoption scam involved families working with unlicensed professionals like consultants and facilitators who aren’t capable of actually completing an adoption. They may specialize in advertising, but once a match occurs, they can’t offer case management or the services to complete the remaining steps of your journey. 

Avoiding this type of adoption scam is crucial. When speaking to an adoption professional, ask if they are licensed and can complete the adoption process steps. If they can’t produce licensing information or give a vague response, they are likely unlicensed. 

To help you avoid these types of adoption scams, you can click here to connect with a professional who can help you find licensed adoption agencies in your area. 

Choose Your Adoption Professional Carefully 

You deserve the best possible adoption experience. That includes working with a licensed professional who can provide you with the case management, resources and services needed to complete your adoption safely. 

The best adoption agencies never play games, use adoption scams or sell you a mirage to get your business. 

We want to help you find the best adoption agency for your family. When you click here and complete our free online form, you’ll get connected with an adoption professional who can give you clear, honest and transparent information about the best adoption professionals and how to avoid common adoption scams.